Visit the tallest Building in Johannesburg Ponte city & Hillbrow

Overview

Available languages

English

3 hours

Mobile ticket

Ponte City Tour – Johannesburg’s Iconic Landmark

Visit Ponte City, the tallest residential building in Africa. Rising 54 stories above Johannesburg, this cylindrical tower – often compared to Paris’s Montparnasse – offers the best views of the city and a history as dramatic as its skyline.

From its glamorous beginnings in the 1970s, to its fall into a “vertical slum,” and its transformation into a vibrant hub today, Ponte’s story will captivate you. Our tour takes you inside the building, then out into Hillbrow for a walking tour of this dynamic neighborhood.

With transport, lunch, and three tours daily, everything is taken care of. Whether you want to admire the view, dive into the building’s history, or explore the city’s heart, this experience has it all.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

We start the tour at our community centre where we introduce ourselves ourselves Lotjhani! Molo! Sawubona! Dumela! Avuxeni! Ndaa! and illustrate the relevance of our location. Our guides will take you through a chronological journey, helping better understand the building's history and context. We will go through the early days of grand opulence, government red-lining and social oppression. We will also detail the stories of urban decay and the building's resilient nature through complex economic times. You will enjoy a drink on the 51st floor of the building to compliment the experience.

2 hours • Admission Included

Hillbrow Tower

We will be providing context to the iconic Hillbrow Tower.

Admission Not Applicable

What‘s Included

Private transportation

Bottled water

All Tours include Entrace to the iconic Ponte city Tour

Lunch is included on the walking tour not the tour of the building.

Gratuities

Alcoholic Beverages

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Options

Ponte city Experience

Duration: 3 hours
Transport: Pick up and drop off is included
Pickup included

Hillbrow Tour + Ponte Tower

Access to Ponte city building
Duration: 3 hours
Lunch is Included
Full tour
Van
Pickup included

Reviews

5.00

12 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Absolutely Awesome.
Gruver,,Dec 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
What an amazing experience this was. I had to Google something like “Ponte City tour with hotel pick-up” in order to locate and book a coordinated transfer from my hotel to the tower, which eventually led me to a tour I booked through TripAdvisor. Unless you’re particularly brave or an Urbex type, I would suggest you do the same because the neighborhood is rough, to put it mildly. With the hotel transfer, we were deposited inside the gates of Ponte City. Throughout the experience, I never felt unsafe as a result. Once you’re at Ponte City, you are in very good hands, indeed. Our tour guide was Kea, who told us of the great work the in-house charity performs, took us to their 52nd floor event space, to the interior base of the tower, and around the grounds. Kea was absolutely delightful and extremely informative. She was really a perfect tour guide. I really don’t have the appropriate adjectives to describe the experience, but it was superlative. The building in its own weird way is a concrete and glass microcosm of the story of apartheid and it’s downfall, and visiting here is an experience I will never forget. Super cool. Highly recommend.
Discovery in the other face of Johannesburg
mbusnumm,,Dec 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
It was quite good having two young guys as guide, they took time to explain me everything about the historical places of Pointe city and Hillbrow. I felt bad knowing what happened to the black people like me there, specifically in Hillbrow which shows the bad conditions of blacks but, i finally gained by learning some historical courses I was good and pleasant
Must do tour of a troubled but fascinating area!
Kevin N,,Mar 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
An unforgettable experience! My guides, Julian and Magugu, were amazing—extremely informative and made me feel safe in a neighborhood that has a reputation for being less than safe. The tour took us to areas most others wouldn’t, offering a raw and insightful look into the history and transformation of this troubled yet fascinating part of the city. The street food lunch was delicious, and my driver, Tye, was also excellent and very knowledgeable. Highly recommended for anyone looking to go beyond the typical tourist spots!
An authentic view of the city
Martin globe explore,,Oct 11, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Very enjoyable three hours. Our guide Max was very knowledgeable and helped to make the walk memorable. Would definitely recommend.
Good Joburg option
jr1402019,,Sep 7, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Guide was cool and knowledgeable. He worked with my time and gave out some good insights. I got enough info and was able to go explore some on my own. Good option tour to check out.
A nice experience
Sunshine00854100582,,Aug 29, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
It was a very nice experience. I got to know the emblematic places of the city, mainly those that refer to the racial segregation that existed in the city
Great downtown tour
907elwiraj,,Aug 12, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We spent a lovely time with Sean, visiting the downtown of Joburg with some extra activities like eating some specialities and taking a local taxi. We were only two with our guide which made the tour even more special. Thank you Sean!
Very engaging and interesting.
Ashhani,,Aug 12, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Sean was very knowledgeable and engaging, especially the hidden things that yiu couldn't see yourself. In addition to experiencing local trabsport. Highly recommended at the beginning of your stay in Johansberg.
Mesmerizing Tour
PorraBoi,,Aug 9, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I'm thrilled I joined this tour! Sean, our guide, is truly exceptional as both a guide and an individual. His professionalism, deep knowledge, and engaging style really set him apart. In under 2 hours, he beautifully shared SA and Joburg's history, infusing his narrative with humor. This tour is a must to grasp the heart of Joburg and SA's culture. I wholeheartedly recommend it – and it's free! Kudos to Sean for an unforgettable experience. Thanks a ton!
Joburg History 101
petitjulien8,,Aug 3, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I can't recommend this tour enough. My tour guide Sean is very knowledgeable, fun and professional. He gave us a history lesson of SA and joburg in less than 2 hours. I really enjoyed it so much! Thank you very much Sean!