Johannesburg

Where to find the best jacaranda views and streets in Joburg and Pretoria

16 Oct 2024
Each spring, usually from October to November, a sea of purple petals from thousands of jacaranda trees bloom above Gauteng's suburban streets. The jacaranda is not a native African tree (it originated in South America) and is believed to have first arrived in Gauteng in 1888 during the Gold Rush. It quickly became so popular that the trees were planted along almost every new street built in the rapidly growing cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria.

As it's an alien species, you are no longer allowed to plant this tree in South Africa. Considering that most of Joburg is made up of "alien species" – we all seem to have come from somewhere else – and that Johannesburg In Your Pocket has from the start made it our mission to create a welcoming city for all, each year we celebrate purple spring with a series of events that include city tours, photo walks, a social ride, and other fun ways to see the blooms. See our full line-up and book your tickets to join us for the 2024 series here

To see the spectacular spring blossoms, you need to head to the older suburbs. The blooming jacarandas have even found their way into local mythology. Students joke that if you haven’t started revising for the end-of-year university exams before the jacarandas start to bloom, then you’ve probably left it too late. It's also told that if you walk under a jacaranda tree and one of the flowers lands on your head, it's good luck. All the more reason to get out there and explore Joburg this spring, coloured purple. 

#JacarandaInYourPocket 2024 photo competition 

One of last year's entrants, James Atwell's bird's-eye view of a Hillbrow street at nighttime flanked by jacarandas. Photo: @james_atwell_photography.
Every year we celebrate Gauteng's jacaranda spring with our #JacarandaInYourPocket photo competition hosted on Instagram. The competition opens on Thu, Oct 17 2024 and there are fabulous prizes up for grabs. Stay tuned for more details!

Keep an eye on our Instagram account @johannesburginyourpocket for an eyeful of beauty, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for updates. 

For some inspiration, check out our 2023 #JacarandaInYourPocket photo competition winners here

Bloom-spotting photo walks and tours

Exploring Joburg's purple-lined streets on foot. Photo: Johannesburg In Your Pocket. 
Every year we host a series of jacaranda-themed experiences in Joburg, and 2024 is no different. Here's the line-up: 

SAT, OCT 19
Discover the hidden history of Rosebank with the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation and the Rosebank Management District on a guided walking tour. (Tickets are sold out) 

Join previous #JacarandaInYourPocket winners Clare Appleyard and Sarah Wilson for an artistic guided photowalk and masterclass through Rosebank and Melrose. Book tickets here. (Tickets are sold out)

THU, OCT 24
Enjoy jacaranda-inspired cocktails and incredible tastings from the South African Brandy Foundation at Mix Cocktail Bar, with DJ beats and picturesque sunset views. Book tickets here

SAT, OCT 26
Joburg's "King of Adventure" Kennedy Tembo of MicroAdventure Tours leads a walk in The Parks, from Parkview to the famous Westcliff stairs and beyond. Book tickets here

From a glass of Champagne at Africa's tallest bar – Alto234 – to a stylish city adventure aboard the open-top City Sightseeing Red Bus, join MicroAdventure Tours for a bloom-spotting rooftop tour. Book tickets here

SUN, OCT 27
Take a social ride through the purple splendour of Joburg with Banditz Bicycle Club, setting off from Hyde Hotel Rosebank. Free, but RSVPs are essential. Book tickets here. (Event is fully booked)

Joburg's best jacaranda streets

Older suburbs like Kensington are ideal for jacaranda spotting. Photo: Johannesburg In Your Pocket. 

DUNKELD
Kent and Hume roads in Dunkeld both run perpendicular to Oxford Road and Jan Smuts Avenue (east to west, and vice versa), making this the place to capture jacaranda blooms at sunset or sunrise.

GREENSIDE AND PARKVIEW
When driving through the suburbs of Greenside and Emmarentia, take a detour down the quiet Clovelly Street (parallel to Barry Herzog Avenue). In neighbouring Parkview, you’ll also find plenty of jacarandas on streets like Waterford Avenue and Galway Road.

HOUGHTON
Munro Drive, which winds its way across Observatory Ridge in Houghton, is a scenic, historic road lined with mature jacaranda trees and epic views over the northern suburbs.
Safety first: Be vigilant at this public viewing point, visit during the day and don't go alone.  

KENSINGTON
Drive through a spectacular purple tunnel along Highland Road in this historic suburb. Nearby Juno Street also has a remarkable display. This is one of the most famous jacaranda areas in the province and a must-see on any Joburg jacaranda route.

KILLARNEY AND SAXONWOLD
Follow Riviera Road up from the M1 towards Ditsong Museum of Military History for a magical, jacaranda-fringed view of the Anglo-Boer War Memorial.

LINKSFIELD
Follow the main thoroughfare of Club Street through the suburb of Linksfield and take a right on Bedford Street, which becomes Linksfield Drive. The views get steadily more impressive as the road winds its way up the steep Linksfield Ridge.

MELVILLE
The pretty suburb of Melville is full of jacarandas, many of them contrasting spectacularly with bright pink bougainvillaea. A major jacaranda hotspot is 4th Avenue.

MELROSE
The suburb of Melrose, next to Rosebank, has some beautiful, quiet jacaranda-lined streets that make for a great photo opportunity, including Jameson, Reform, and Victoria avenues. From James and Ethel Gray Park (entrance at Edgewood Avenue), there is a great view of the city's skyline fringed by Observatory Ridge.

NORWOOD AND ORCHARDS
The appropriately named suburb of Orchards and neighbouring Norwood both have lots of jacaranda-lined streets including High Road, where the quaint St Luke's Church is smothered in purple blossoms, and the garden-like Norwood Park on the corner of Grant Avenue and Ivy Road.

PARKWOOD
In the suburbs of Parkwood and neighbouring Saxonwold, take a drive (or a walk) along Bath Avenue and make a left (or a right) on any of these gorgeous, purple-canopied streets: Bristol, Wantage, Griswold or Rutland roads.

ROSEBANK
Take a stroll along Tyrwhitt or Jellicoe avenues in Rosebank on either side of Oxford Road in the shade of the blooming jacarandas.

WESTCLIFF AND PARKTOWN 
Among the oldest and grandest suburbs in Joburg, Westcliff and neighbouring Parktown have some very scenic jacaranda streets where the trees contrast beautifully with grand, early 20th-century architecture, most notably Rockridge Road and The Valley Road

Great jacaranda viewpoints in the city

A sublime, sweeping view of Joburg in full bloom. Photo: @clareappleyard. 

54 ON BATH
This contemporary boutique hotel is an elegant retreat in busy Rosebank. 54 on Bath is also known for its Level Four restaurant, Champagne bar, and excellent afternoon tea offering. All paired perfectly with jacaranda views. 

ALTO234 AT THE LEONARDO
What better place to look out over a Joburg painted purple than Africa's highest sky bar, Alto234? Located on the rooftop of The Leonardo, it stands out in the Sandton skyline at a whopping 234 metres high.

CITY SIGHTSEEING RED BUS 
The Green Route of Joburg's open-top City Sightseeing Red Bus is a brilliant way to get close to Joburg's jacarandas. The route starts at Rosebank and makes its way through the leafy suburbs of Parkwood, Saxonwold, and Houghton, ending at Constitution Hill where it meets the Red Route. The best views can be captured during the bus' brief stop on Munro Drive, from where the views of the northern suburbs are unparalleled.

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL THE WESTCLIFF 
If it was a competition to choose the best hotel location in Joburg, Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff wouldn't need to enter. The panoramic views of Joburg's exceptional tree-scape from the terrace are unparalleled.​

ISLAND BAR AT SOUTHERN SUN HYDE PARK 
The pool deck at the Southern Sun Hyde Park is a great vantage point for gazing out over the urban forest of the western suburbs and another good place to catch the sunset from on high.

MARBLE 
Located on the rooftop of the Keyes Art Mile development along Rosebank's Art Gallery Row, much-awarded chef David Higgs's sizzling, live-fire grill house and bar Marble has spectacular views across Joburg towards the Magaliesburg mountains.

MELVILLE KOPPIES 
Climb across the Melville Koppies for views of purple jacarandas against the backdrop of Joburg's distinctive city skyscrapers. The best way to explore the koppies is during one of the weekend guided walks.

NORTHCLIFF RIDGE AND THE NORTHCLIFF BOUTIQUE HOTEL 
Topped by a landmark water tower, the view from the top of one of the city's many ridges, Northcliff Hill, presents sweeping views all the way out towards Sandton and Northriding. Probably the very best place to view it all is from the terrace at Northcliff Boutique Hotel. Booking for drinks or dinner at the hotel is essential – and be warned, you might need to book quite far in advance, as it's a very popular spot.

RADISSON RED ROSEBANK ROOFTOP BAR 
The rooftop bar at the fun Radisson Red Rosebank hotel has one of the best views on this side of the city. Facing west, it's also a great place to catch the sunset.

THE WESTCLIFF STEPS 
The grand suburb of Westcliff set across Westcliff Ridge is where many of Joburg’s mining magnates, the so-called Randlords, built their mansions at the turn of the century. The Westcliff Steps (210 in total, we counted!), dubbed the "stairway to heaven" can be accessed via Crescent Drive or the intersection of Wicklow Avenue and Westcliff Drive (pedestrian entrance). At the top, you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful view of the urban forest.

THE WILDS
This magnificent historic park with its stone-cut paths and water features also has awe-inspiring city views, and is dotted with public sculptures by artist James Delaney. Dog walkers are welcomed with open arms at The Wilds. Eagle's View on the East Wilds looks north to the jacarandas in Saxonwold and Rosebank.

Where to see jacarandas in Pretoria

A purple haze in Pretoria. Photo: Mark Herve.
Nicknamed Jacaranda City, Pretoria has suburban streets that are lined with purple trees almost everywhere you look. It is thought that 17% of all the trees in Pretoria are jacarandas, which makes for almost 70,000 trees. From the historic streets of the City Centre to the leafy and wealthy suburbs of the south and east, there are jacarandas everywhere in Pretoria. Note: Pretoria is approximately 3°C warmer than Joburg so the jacarandas usually bloom at least two weeks earlier.

Using the Gautrain, get off at Pretoria station and take a walk through the historic City Centre in full bloom, or ride one more stop to Hatfield and explore the scenic streets of Arcadia and Brooklyn. (Use our guides to exploring Jacaranda City from the Pretoria and Hatfield Gautrain stations, respectively, and make a day of it.) Other popular jacaranda destinations include the suburbs of Waterkloof, Groenkloof, Sunnyside, Riviera, and Muckleneuk.

Here's a look at some of the most famous places to catch the jacaranda spring in Pretoria:

ARCADIA, EASTWOOD, RIVIERA, AND THE UNION BUILDINGS
For unparalleled views, visit the majestic Union Buildings (the seat of the South African government) and take a walk through its lovely terraced gardens. In the same area, the quiet Eastwood Street, Government Avenue, and the main thoroughfare Soutpansberg Road all have a dense collection of these trees, while in the suburbs north of the Union Buildings, picturesque jacaranda streets include Pierneef, Nuffield, and Rose streets.

GROENKLOOF AND FORT KLAPPERKOP 
Another famous jacaranda suburb is Groenkloof, just south of the University of South Africa, where, on Herbert Baker Street, you can find rare, white jacarandas. A short drive away is Fort Klapperkop (entrance on Johann Rissik Drive) where there are very pretty views over Pretoria’s verdant southern suburbs, full of jacarandas in springtime.

HATFIELD AND BROOKLYN
From the Hatfield Gautrain station, head left up Grosvenor Street in the direction of Brooklyn, where it’s jacarandas all the way. Great jacaranda streets include ProspectBrooks, and Anderson.

SUNNYSIDE AND MUCKLENEUK 
The suburbs of Sunnyside and Muckleneuk are also good places to see the spring blossoms. Some of the most beautiful streets include Johnston, Reitz, Bourke, Troye, and Loveday.

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For all the latest news of what to do around Joburg, keep up to date with our weekly events and exhibitions guides.

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