Joburg isn’t always a walk in the park but there are plenty of green spaces to enjoy in the city

JOZI is an awesomely big city, it’s downtown a concrete jungle with tall skyscrapers. But it also has the world’s largest urban forest – with some 10 million trees.

The suburbs are sprinkled with great parks and nature reserves, perfect places to chill and get some exercise after sitting for hours watching games – or to recover under a shady tree after enthusiastically celebrating your team’s victory.

Here’s a selection of the best green places, with superb views of the city. But, as with any large city, be cautious when walking - don't carry valuables and don't walk alone.

Melville Koppies
There are a myriad of paths in the western section of the Koppies, (koppie is an Afrikaans word for a small hill) open from sunrise to sunset with great views and walks up to 4km along grassy slopes and rocky ridges. The main entrance to this section is at the end of 3rd Street, Westdene, where you can park your car. The pristine central Melville Koppies section, with its Iron Age furnace and wonderful views, is open three Sundays each month for three hours. You can park opposite the entrance at Marks Park Sports Club in Judith Road, Emmarentia. Phone Wendy on +27 11 482 4797 for more information.
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Zoo Lake
Joburg’s most popular green lung is a great place to walk - you can do several laps of the 1km walkway around the lake or take a hike around the perimeter of the park for a longer workout. You'll always have company while you enjoy the natural surrounds. Park off Prince of Wales Avenue.

Dorothy Nyembe Park
Dorothy Nyembe Park in Soweto offers a pleasant walk but also other ways to get an adrenalin rush: there are netball courts, a soccer field, a volleyball court and a basketball court. And, once you've had your workout, cool off with a game of chess or morabaraba. Park off Main Road in Mofolo Park.

Kloofendal Nature Reserve
Nestled along Galena Avenue and some 25km from the city centre, the Kloofendal Nature Reserve offers urban dwellers a retreat from the bustle of city life. Here, visitors can take walks along winding footpaths, be treated to the melody of chirping birds, and catch sight of small animals in their natural environment. It is also the site of the first gold discovery in 1884, by the Struben brothers. Their tunnels into the koppie are still in place, and visits to them can be arranged with the Friends of Kloofendal. The friends run a regular programme of walks in the reserve. For bookings, call Karin on +27 72 595 6991. The park is open from 6am to 6pm. Check the programme of walks on their website .

Thokoza Park
Walk the paved footpaths of Thokoza Park in Rockville in Soweto, which includes the rejuvenated Moroka Dam, a rocky pond and fountain, picnic areas and large grassy lawns. The park is a block away from the famous Regina Mundi Church, so include this landmark in your walk, and savour the bird life and leafy trees along the way.
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Klipriviersberg
Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve is a 615-hectare reserve 11 kilometres south of the city, open from sunrise to sunset for unguided rambles. If you prefer a guide, walks of around three hours are organised every second and fourth Sunday of the month. Zebra, reedbuck, wildebeest and hartebeest were introduced in 2003, so prepare for a bit of game spotting too. The reserve is supervised by horse patrols, with a guard at the parking area in Frandaph Drive, Mondeor, from where the walks begin. Check out the programme of hikes on the website. Phone Clem Kourie on +27 82 458 2816 for more details.
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Walter Sisulu Garden
The entirely indigenous 300-hectare Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, 25 kilometres west of the city centre, offers several wonderful walks. One of the best is up to the top of a 70-metre high waterfall, with a view down on the nest of a pair of breeding Black Eagles. Enjoy too the forest walk, the succulent garden, the cycad and fern gardens, and the semi-wild areas. The garden is in Malcolm Road, Poortview, Roodepoort. It's open from 8am to 5pm, including weekends and public holidays. Phone +27 11 958 1750 for more details.
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Delta Park
One of Johannesburg's biggest green lungs, Delta Park offers 104 hectares of grassland and woodlands to explore. There are several dams in the park that attract birds. If you're in for a longer walk, go right down to the park's southern border and walk along the Braamfontein Spruit, Johannesburg's major stream. Stop off along the walk at the hide and you're sure to spot 20 different species of birds. Park at the environmental centre in the centre of the park, reached via Road No 5 in Victory Park. There's a short sensory trail alongside the centre.
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Emmarentia Dam
Located at the north-east side of the 81-hectare park the sparkling dam is a popular destination for energetic canoeists and small-boat enthusiasts. The vast green surrounds are equally as popular with dog walkers, bikers and runners. In the northern section, take a pleasant stroll through a rose garden, indigenous herb patch, or view an amazing collection of succulents at the Johannesburg Botanic Gardens The park is open from sunrise to sunset, and there's safe parking off Olifants Road, or in Thomas Bowler Road.
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The Wilds
One of the oldest parks in the city, The Wilds offers Joburgers 40 acres of indigenous plants, shrubs and trees and beautifully laid stone pathways to wander up and down the koppies of the Parktown ridge. The paths crisscross the west and east side, the latter slightly wilder than the west, with its lush green lawns and pretty ponds. You will be able to admire the view of Hillbrow to the south, and Sandton City to the north, while getting a good workout. Local walker TJ de Klerk does regular guided walks of The Wilds - phone him on +27 82 554 9972 and join him on one of his walks.

Modderfontein
The Modderfontein Conservation Park offers walks through a 900ha wilderness, where you can spot Cape otters, black-backed jackals, civets, fish eagles, goshawks and falcons. Most Tuesdays the Modderfontein Conservation Society conducts organised walks - call John Clark on +27 82 509 9856 to join them.

Alberts' Farm
Get to Alberts' Farm , one of the original farms of Joburg and the site of the province's only artesian spring. You can get a good workout walking around the park, taking in the dam and small wetland. Park off 8th Street, Greymont, and start your walk by taking a look at the old graveyard. Phone Susaar on +27 11 477 7114 for details of organised walks.

Suikerbosrand Reserve
Get out of town to the 12 000-hectare Suikerbosrand Reserve and enjoy rolling koppies and grassland and walks of 5km, 10km or 17km as well as mountain bike and overnight hiking trails. Hikers can choose their own route and stay in any of five huts dotted around the reserve. After your hike take in the Voortrekker farm museum or the exhibition hall. The reserve is 60km south of Joburg, and is signposted off the N3. Phone +27 11 904 3933 to book an overnight hike.
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Magaliesberg hiking
The closest mountain range to Joburg is the Magaliesberg, some 70km from the city. The Johannesburg Hiking Club does regular hikes in the mountains, enjoying the pools, waterfalls, cliffs and gorges. Join them on a hike - phone +27 11 478 3036.