When visiting the burgeoning suburb of Carlswald in the north of Johannesburg, one immediately recognises the appeal and why it’s growing so rapidly: emphasis is placed on secure housing estates with landscaped greenery amongst the homes and all amenities within easy reach. Many of the gated developments have 24-hour patrolled security and major mobile and tech corporates are located in the vicinity of Carlswald.

Highways flank Carlswald and both the N1 Business Park and the International Business Gateway are nearby, as is the Grand Central airport.  The completion of the Mall of Africa, expected to be the continent’s largest, is imminent.

For house seekers, accommodation options range from well-appointed lockup & go apartments to glamorous and exclusive homes. The outlying countryside is rural with horse stables and vast farmland, creating a sense of solitude and being far removed from the frenetic pace of Johannesburg. 

Top 6 reasons to visit Carlswald

1. Take a pottery lesson or purchase some of the magnificent pottery on offer at Digby Hoets Pottery. Digby has supplied his unique clay products to businesses and private homes throughout the country and internationally.

2. The Swiss Country Club welcomes visitors to enjoy a traditional meal prepared by renowned chef Wolfgang Wollauz at their Courier Restaurant. Try your hand at skittling or learn to play boccia. If fortunate, you might get to hear the Swiss Choir practicing.

3. Get your provisions taken care of and enjoy a meal at either of the Carlswald Lifestyle Shopping Centre or San Ridge Square mall alongside. Both centres offer departmental, beauty, fashion and speciality stores.

4. Plan a full day outing to the Aloe Ridge Game Reserve in Muldersdrift, a 40km trip. Rangers offer game drives in an open top vehicle to view rhino, hippo, wildebeest and buffalo and to spot the area’s exceptional birdlife. A Zulu village is in the reserve to find out about the culture, attend a traditional dance and enjoy an authentic meal.  

5. Blue Valley Health and Beauty Spa has a range of treatments available at this 5-star facility. The signature package consists of a facial, pedicure, full body aromatherapy massage and to end off, an Indian head massage.

6. The golf course at the Kyalami Country Club is rated one of South Africa’s best, enjoy a round on this challenging course out in the country.

Transport

Both OR Tambo International Airport and Lanseria Airport are approximately a 30-minute drive from Carlswald. For chartered flights, Grand Central Airport is less than 5km away. The nearest Gautrain station (express rail service to OR Tambo airport) is at Midrand, 5km from Carlswald. Arrange a vehicle rental online or collect from the car rental agencies at the airports. There are a number of metered taxi and shuttle service companies operating in Midrand, otherwise register with Uber and order a ride via your mobile phone.

Did you know?

Adjoining Kyalami suburb has a Lipizzaner centre that continues the breeding and ancient tradition of this form of horsemanship. The Lipizzaner first arrived in the country during WW2, sent here by an Austrian Count to ensure the survival of the breed.   

The Kyalami racetrack is currently undergoing renovation to host racing events that conform to strict FIA (International Automobile Federation) standards. Even the paint used on asphalt runoffs and circuit kerbs must be supplied by an FIA-authorised company, in this case, a paint factory in Italy.