Johannesburg & Soweto Tour: Apartheid Museum & Mandela House

Stand where history turned: from a prison that held Mandela to the court that freed a nation

A full-day guided tour of Johannesburg and Soweto covering Constitutional Hill, the Apartheid Museum, Nelson Mandela House, and the Hector Pieterson Museum, with entry to all sites, air-conditioned transport, a local guide, and bottled water included. The tour runs eight hours and is not wheelchair accessible. Pickup is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Apartheid Museum2h · entry included
2. Mandela House30m · entry included

Explore Johannesburg and Soweto highlights

• Visit Constitutional Hill
• Tour the Apartheid Museum
• View Africa’s largest football stadium
• Pass by renowned World War II hospital
• Walk through Motsoaledi informal settlement
• See Soweto landmark with murals
• Stop for South African buffet and beer
• Walk historic street of Mandela and Tutu
• Visit Nelson Mandela House
• Learn about 1976 youth uprising

The experience

The tour opens at Constitutional Hill, a former prison complex turned Constitutional Court: the physical embodiment of South Africa's shift from oppression to democracy. From there you move through the Apartheid Museum's exhibits, which lay out the rise and fall of the system itself, then cross into Soweto to walk Vilakazi Street, where Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu once lived. You enter Mandela House to see the rooms where he raised his family, and stop at the Hector Pieterson Museum to learn about the 1976 youth uprising that shook the country. The guide walks you through the Motsoaledi informal settlement on sandy streets, meeting residents and seeing daily life as it unfolds there, not as a spectacle.

The day includes a stop at the Soweto Towers, a local landmark with colorful murals. Bungee jumping there is available at your own cost if you want it. You'll also pass FNB Stadium, Africa's largest football stadium and the 2010 World Cup's main venue. A South African buffet lunch is available at a local restaurant (not included in the tour price), and the operator serves non-alcoholic drinks to travelers under 21 and alcoholic drinks to those 21 and older. WiFi runs on the vehicle, and bottled water is provided throughout.

The tour runs eight hours in an air-conditioned vehicle with a driver and local guide who speaks English. Infants can travel in a pram or stroller, and specialized infant seats are available. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or pregnancy, and it is not wheelchair accessible.

What’s included

• Entry to the Apartheid Museum, Constitutional Hill, Mandela House, and Vilakazi Street.
• air-conditioned transport in a vehicle with WiFi.
• a local guide and driver.
• bottled water throughout the day.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guided tour of Soweto, Johannesburg and the Apartheid Museum, lasting a full dayGuide in English · 08:30, 09:30, 12:30 and 14:00Pickup is included

Bungee jumping at Soweto TowersGuide in English · No fixed timeLasts 30 minutes; pickup is included

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30, 09:30, 12:30 and 14:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 13

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Heritage Explorer Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to move through the actual places where South Africa's history turned (a prison, a court, a home, a street) rather than reading about them. The eight-hour pace lets the guide connect each stop to the next, building the story as you go. A shorter tour would skip the informal settlement walk and the Hector Pieterson Museum, both of which ground the day in lived experience rather than monuments alone.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Constitutional Hill and why does the tour start there?

Constitutional Hill is a former prison complex that now houses South Africa's Constitutional Court, symbolizing the country's journey from oppression to freedom. The tour begins there to ground you in the physical spaces where that transformation took place.

Do I get to go inside Nelson Mandela's house?

Yes, Mandela House on Vilakazi Street in Soweto is included in the tour. You walk the historic street where Mandela and Desmond Tutu lived and enter his former home to see where he raised his family.

What does the Apartheid Museum cover?

The Apartheid Museum's exhibits illustrate the rise and fall of apartheid in South Africa, tracing the system's history through photographs, documents, and artifacts. Entry is included in the tour.

Will I meet local residents in Soweto?

Yes, the tour includes a walk through the Motsoaledi informal settlement where you'll meet residents, exchange greetings, and gain a deeper understanding of daily life there with your guide.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included. A South African buffet is available at a local restaurant during the tour, and you can order it at your own cost. Bottled water and non-alcoholic drinks are provided on the vehicle. Alcoholic drinks are available for travelers 21 and older.

Can I do the bungee jump at Soweto Towers?

Bungee jumping at Soweto Towers is optional and available at your own cost. The tour stops at the landmark so you can see the colorful murals whether or not you choose to jump.