The Wilds Nature Reserve is a 16-hectare nature reserve on the koppies at Houghton, close to Johannesburg’s inner city. This is Gauteng, not Mpumalanga: its value lies in the rare combination of indigenous gardens, old stone paths, waterfalls, fountains and far-reaching city views within a densely built part of Johannesburg. It is an easy place to underestimate from the road, but a rewarding stop for visitors who want fresh air, local plants and a sense of the city’s ridges.