Soweto & Johannesburg Tour: Museum Visits & History Experience

Constitution Hill held Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid leaders in its cells for years.

This full-day guided tour of Johannesburg and Soweto covers the Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill, Mandela House and the 1976 Soweto uprising sites, with hotel pickup and an air-conditioned minivan. A local English or French-speaking guide leads the route through the city's central business district, Mahatma Gandhi Square and a street where two Nobel Prize winners lived. Lunch and drinks are available to purchase separately; the Apartheid Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday.

Step-by-step itinerary

Soweto and Johannesburg city tour

• Learn about Soweto uprising
• Visit Johannesburg CBD and Gandhi Square
• Walking tour on street of two Nobel laureates
• View Soweto and optional bungee jump
• Learn about Nelson Mandela
• Visit Constitution Hill prison
• Taste South African dishes and Soweto beer
• Visit Apartheid Museum
• See largest football stadium in Africa

The Experience

Johannesburg earned its name as the city of gold, but this tour traces the harder history underneath. You start in Soweto, where the 1976 uprising began, then move into the central business district to see Mahatma Gandhi Square and the street where two Nobel laureates lived. The guide walks you through what happened and why these places matter to South Africa's story.

Mandela House is where Nelson Mandela lived, and Constitution Hill is where he and other leaders — Albertina Zisulu, Winnie Mandela among them — were imprisoned for years. You'll see the first prison on the site and learn what the constitutional human rights monument means now. The Apartheid Museum comes next, illustrating how apartheid rose and fell; note that it opens Wednesday to Sunday only.

The day runs eight to nine hours with hotel pickup and drop-off included. You travel by air-conditioned minivan, and the guide speaks English or French. At the end, you can taste South African dishes and Soweto-made beer at a buffet (lunch and drinks cost extra). If you want to try the bridge jump in Soweto, that's available but not part of the tour price.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• transport by air-conditioned minivan.
• a local guide speaking English or French.
• entry to Soweto, Constitution Hill, Mandela House and the Apartheid Museum (open Wednesday to Sunday).

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Solly

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guide-led tour of apartheid history sites in a small group—the minivan seats just enough people that you can hear and talk with your guide throughout.

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Top questions

What happened in Soweto in 1976?

The Soweto uprising began in 1976, and this tour takes you to those sites to learn what sparked the event and its significance in South Africa's history.

Can I visit the Apartheid Museum on any day?

The Apartheid Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday only, so the tour schedule depends on those hours.

Is lunch included in the tour?

Lunch is not included in the tour price, but you have the opportunity to taste South African dishes and Soweto-made beer at a buffet for an additional cost.

Does the tour include a visit to where Nelson Mandela lived?

Yes, Mandela House is one of the stops, and you'll also visit Constitution Hill, where Mandela and other leaders were held in prison.

What's included in the tour price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, transport by air-conditioned minivan, a local guide in English or French, and entry to the sites are included; lunch, drinks and optional activities like bridge jumping cost extra.

How long does the tour take?

The tour runs eight to nine hours from hotel pickup to drop-off.