South Africa · City Tours

5-Hour Soweto and Apartheid Museum Tour with Mandela House

5 Hours Round trip from Johannesburg Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Explore the Apartheid Museum and trace the rise and fall of apartheid
02 Visit Nelson Mandela's former home on Vilakazi Street in Soweto
03 See the Hector Pieterson Memorial, symbol of the 1976 Soweto uprising
04 Take in scenic views over Johannesburg's northern suburbs from Munro Drive
05 Discover Soweto landmarks including the Orlando Towers and FNB Stadium

Embark on a half-day journey through Johannesburg and Soweto, combining powerful history with some of the city's most iconic landmarks. Explore the Apartheid Museum, visit Nelson Mandela's former home on Vilakazi Street, and see key Soweto sights including the Orlando Towers and Hector Pieterson Memorial. Along the way, enjoy scenic views from Munro Drive and gain insight into the people, stories, and legacy that shaped modern South Africa.

Explore the Apartheid Museum, visit Nelson Mandela's former home on Vilakazi Street, and see key Soweto sights including the Orlando Towers and Hector Pieterson Memorial.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 5 Hours

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Yes

Cities Johannesburg, Soweto

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Hotel Pickup and Tour Briefing

Pick up at your hotel, followed by a general introduction and overview of the area. Get a briefing about the program for the day.

Day 02

Houghton Estate and Nelson Mandela's Home

Houghton Estate is one of the most affluent suburbs of Johannesburg. Nelson Mandela lived in the neighbourhood and remains the most famous resident of Houghton Estate.
You will also see the house where Nelson Mandela lived during his presidency and where he died in December 2013.

Day 03

Scenic Stop at Munro Drive

A national monument built by Italian prisoners of war captured during the Second World War, Munro Drive overlooks Johannesburg's northern suburbs and offers a beautiful scenic view of the world's largest man-made subtropical forest.

Day 04

Apartheid Museum Visit

The Apartheid Museum showcases South Africa during the turbulent years of apartheid.
During this period, millions of people were subjected to a life of servitude, discrimination, and oppression until the country was liberated.
The museum also illustrates the rise and fall of apartheid through dramatic film footage.

Day 05

Drive Past FNB Stadium

Drive past this iconic landmark, currently the largest football stadium in Africa.
The stadium hosted the opening ceremony, other matches, and the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Day 06

Discover Diepkloof in Soweto

The area is divided into different sections. Diepkloof Extension is recognised as an upmarket part of Soweto, with many professionals living in the area.
It is characterised by formal, owner-built, large houses owned by the Black lower and upper middle class.
Presently, Diepkloof is characterised by higher-than-average house prices compared to other suburbs of Soweto.

Day 07

Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital Drive-By

Chris Hani Baragwanath is a public hospital considered to be the third-largest hospital in the world, occupying around 173 acres (0.70 km2), with approximately 3,200 beds and about 6,760 staff members.
See the hospital as you drive past and learn interesting stories about it.

Day 08

Orlando Towers and Township Views

The two cooling towers are a prominent landmark in Soweto. They are now used as an entertainment centre, housing a famous bungee jump and a barbecue restaurant.
You will get a chance to see panoramic views of the township from the top of these magnificent 100 m tall towers.

Day 09

Vilakazi Street and Soweto Flavours

The thriving heart of Soweto is one of the most well-known streets in South Africa: Vilakazi Street.
Vilakazi Street may be the only street in the world that can claim to have had two Nobel Laureates as residents - the late Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
The true electricity of this street comes from those who now call it home, each with their own beautiful stories.
Sakhumzi Restaurant is located on Vilakazi Street near the Mandela House Museum. Sakhumzi, which means "building a house", is popular for its Soweto-style buffet - a variety of proudly South African traditional cuisine such as umngqusho (samp and beans), mogodu (tripe), and dombolo (steamed bread).
Travellers can also feast on a range of self-styled signature dishes named after various Soweto locations.

Day 10

Guided Visit to Mandela House

Explore, on a guided tour, the exhibits and artefacts in the former home of the nation's revered former president, Nelson Mandela.
This house has been entrenched as one of South Africa's most significant heritage sites. It tells its tales and stories through sound, film, interpretive panels, and guided tours.

Day 11

Hector Pieterson Museum and Memorial

Take a self-guided tour of this museum, which chronicles the 1976 Soweto student uprising and is named after one of its victims, a thirteen-year-old boy.
The museum today is a symbol of resistance against the brutality of the apartheid regime.

Day 12

Return to Johannesburg

After a fascinating day well spent in Soweto, you will be dropped back at the starting point or at your accommodation in Johannesburg.

Where this trip takes you

Mandela House, Apartheid Museum, Munro Drive vistas, Hector Pieterson Memorial

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Johannesburg 2 cities · 5 Hours

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

Private transportation
Air-conditioned vehicle
Bottled water
Entry/Admission - Mandela House
Entry/Admission - Apartheid Museum
English-speaking guide

What's Not Included

Personal purchases
Lunch
Soft drinks

What to bring

ID or passport if over 65 years for discounted entrance fees.

Camera.

Know before you go

We pick up travellers from all hotels, guesthouses, and other locations in Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Embark on a half-day journey through Johannesburg's iconic landmarks, blending history and culture with breathtaking views. Explore Nelson Mandela's former residence, marvel at the scenic Munro Drive, and delve into the compelling exhibits of the Apartheid Museum for an unforgettable experience.

Begin your half-day tour with a convenient pickup directly from your hotel. Then hop aboard a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle and set out to explore the Apartheid Museum and learn about the rise and fall of apartheid, South Africa's racial segregation system that remained in force until the early 1990s.

Spend two hours exploring the museum, embarking on a journey through the country's history, from the dark days of oppression to a time of healing founded on the principles of democracy.

Discover what life under apartheid was like, learn about political executions, the significance of June 16, 1976, Nelson Mandela's release from prison and his election as South Africa's first Black president, and more.

After visiting the museum, your tour continues with an optional lunch, where you'll have the opportunity to sample some local fare at a Soweto eatery (cost not included), before embarking on a tour of Soweto.

See the colourful Soweto Towers and pass by Mandela House, the home of the iconic anti-apartheid activist and former president Nelson Mandela between 1946 and 1962, as well as Tutu House, the former home of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Finally, visit the Hector Pieterson Memorial, a museum dedicated to preserving the memory of the 1976 Soweto uprisings, before being taken back to your hotel, where your tour comes to an end.

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