Johannesburg: the Highveld Skyline and Soweto at Golden Hour

Johannesburg sits at 1,753 metres on the Highveld plateau, inland and without a river or coast — a city built entirely by the gold and diamond industry. The Northcliff Hill (1,762 m), northwest of the CBD, is the highest natural point in greater Johannesburg; from the upper road, the full city skyline spreads south in warm light at golden hour. The Carlton Centre (223 m, 50 floors) in the CBD has a public observatory, the highest publicly accessible viewpoint in Africa south of the Sahara, looking south and east over the townships. In the austral summer (October through March), the Highveld afternoon thunderstorm cycle produces dramatic purple-orange cloud formations at sunset, often with lightning over the southern townships. At -26.2°S, golden hour lasts about 27 minutes. The dry season (April through August) gives the clearest atmospheric light; thunderstorm season offers dramatic skies.