Gold Reef City is an amusement park on the southern edge of Johannesburg’s Central Business District, built directly on top of a working gold mine that closed in 1971. Opened in 1987 and themed around the Witwatersrand gold rush that began in 1886, the park sits beside a mining museum and the Apartheid Museum, giving it a layered sense of place that few amusement parks can match.
Owned and operated by hospitality group Tsogo Sun, the park packs six roller coasters and a casino onto a compact 45-acre (18-hectare) site. Its headline rides lean into the mining backstory rather than away from it: the Tower of Terror launches riders straight down a real former mineshaft, while the inverted coaster Anaconda loops riders through a steel structure styled after the gold rush era.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Operator: Tsogo Sun
- Opened: 1987
- Size: About 45 acres (18 ha)
- Site history: Built on a gold mine that closed in 1971
- Signature attraction: Tower of Terror, a drop coaster built into a former mineshaft
The Ride Experience
The Tower of Terror, which opened in December 2001, sends riders down a roughly 50-metre drop that dives underground into the old mine shaft, reaching speeds around 95 km/h. The ride originally set a record for the highest g-force on an active coaster at 6.3 g before a mid-2000s refurbishment brought that down to a smoother, still intense, level.
Anaconda, which opened in 1999, is the only inverted coaster ever built by Swiss manufacturer Giovanola. Riders travel about 746 metres of track, reach roughly 90 km/h, and go through 5 inversions on a structure that stands around 34 metres tall. Smaller rides like the Golden Loop shuttle coaster and the Jozi Express round out the park’s six-coaster lineup.
A Gold Mining Legacy
The park’s theming isn’t just decorative. A mining museum on site lets visitors view an exposed gold-bearing ore vein and watch demonstrations of gold being poured, tying the entertainment directly to the Witwatersrand gold rush that built Johannesburg. In 2013, rising acidic water within the old mine forced the park to halt underground mine tours and relocate the museum from 215 metres below ground to a safer 80-metre level, a reminder that the park’s biggest asset, its real mine, is also a live geological site.
The adjacent Apartheid Museum, built on the same grounds, means a visit to Gold Reef City can combine thrill rides with a serious look at South African history, an unusual pairing for a theme park anywhere in the world.
Explore more: Explore more theme parks.
Keeps your phone strapped to you, not in a loose-article bin. Zip it before the lift hill and walk straight off the exit ramp.
Rapids, log flumes and splash zones without the rice-bag aftermath. The touchscreen still works through the window, so you can still take photos.
Cheaper than the $15 poncho at the gift shop and you get a whole bag. Toss one in every backpack for water rides and pop-up storms.
Gold Reef City FAQs
Is Gold Reef City actually built on a real gold mine?
Yes. The park sits on a gold mine that operated until it closed in 1971, and the Tower of Terror coaster drops riders directly into a former mineshaft.
What is the scariest ride at Gold Reef City?
The Tower of Terror is generally considered the park’s most intense ride, with a roughly 50-metre underground drop and speeds near 95 km/h.
Who owns Gold Reef City?
The park is owned and operated by Tsogo Sun, a South African hospitality and gaming company that also runs the on-site casino.
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Photo: George M. Groutas / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.