Mandela Legacy Freedom Tour Johannesburg: 5 Historic Sites

Liliesleaf Farm, Constitutional Hill, Mandela House, and the Apartheid Museum in one day

A guided tour through Johannesburg tracing Nelson Mandela's life and South Africa's struggle against apartheid, visiting five landmark sites over nine hours with a live guide, pickup and all entrance fees. Start at Liliesleaf Farm, the ANC safe house raided in 1963, then move through Constitutional Hill where Mandela was imprisoned during the 1956 treason trial, pass Chancellor House where he and Oliver Tambo ran their law firm, tour Mandela House in Soweto where he lived from 1946 to 1962, and end at the Apartheid Museum with its 22 exhibitions on the rise and fall of apartheid.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Liliesleaf1h · entry included
2. Constitution Hill1h 30m · entry included
3. Mandela House1h · entry included
4. Apartheid Museum1h · entry included

Explore Mandela legacy sites in Johannesburg

• Visit Liliesleaf Farm museum
• Tour Nelson Mandela Foundation offices
• Explore Constitutional Hill museum
• See Chancellor House exterior
• Visit Mandela House in Soweto
• Tour Apartheid Museum

The experience

Liliesleaf Farm opens the day: a heritage site in Rivonia where the ANC operated a safe house in the 1960s until South African police raided it in 1963, arresting more than a dozen leaders and activists who were then tried in the Rivonia Trial. From there the tour moves to the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton, housed in the last offices Mandela occupied before his death in 2010. The Foundation holds his archives, writings and personal artifacts (his briefcase, his Nobel Prize medal, and his Xhosa mountain attire) alongside exhibitions that trace his life and work after he stepped down as president in 1999.

Constitutional Hill comes next, a former prison complex near Braamfontein that held Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Winnie Madikizela, Joe Slovo and many others. Mandela was held here during the 1956 treason trial. The site now functions as a museum documenting the prison's role in South African history, its conditions, and what it represents in the post-apartheid era. A brief stop at Chancellor House in Ferreirasdorp follows: the three-story building where Mandela and Oliver Tambo opened the first Black law firm in South Africa between 1952 and 1956, defending those accused of crimes against the state.

After lunch, the tour reaches Mandela House on Vilakazi Street in Orlando West, Soweto: the residence where Mandela lived with his family from 1946 until 1962, and where he returned after his release from prison in 1990. The house, declared a National Heritage Site in 1999, stands as a monument to the struggle against apartheid. The day concludes at the Apartheid Museum, opened in 2001 as part of the Gold Reef City complex. Its 22 exhibitions chart the rise and fall of apartheid, including displays on Mandela's release and his presidency, offering a final perspective on the regime's magnitude and the role Mandela and his peers played in overcoming it.

What’s included

• Entrance fees to Liliesleaf Farm, Constitutional Hill, Mandela House, Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Apartheid Museum.
• pickup and drop-off from your hotel.
• a live guide in English or French.
• bottled water and snacks throughout the day.
• and all transfers between sites.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (18 to 69 years) · Senior (70 to 90 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableNot recommended during pregnancy

Operated by Africa Moja Tours & Safaris

Is this one for you?The nine-hour commitment means you'll need most of your day, but the guided route through five sites eliminates the logistics of reaching each one separately across Johannesburg. If you're traveling with an infant, specialized car seats are available. The tour is not recommended for pregnant travelers.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What was Liliesleaf Farm and why does it matter to Mandela's story?

Liliesleaf Farm in Rivonia was an ANC safe house in the 1960s where Mandela and other leaders worked in secret. South African police raided it in 1963, arresting more than a dozen activists who were then prosecuted in the Rivonia Trial. It is now a museum and heritage site.

Where was Nelson Mandela imprisoned, and can I visit that place?

Constitutional Hill, a former prison complex near Braamfontein in Johannesburg, held Mandela during the 1956 treason trial. The site is now a museum that tells the story of the prison, its role in South African history, and what it stands for today after apartheid ended.

What can I see inside Mandela House in Soweto?

Mandela House on Vilakazi Street in Orlando West is the residence where Mandela lived with his family from 1946 to 1962 and where he returned after his release from prison in 1990. The house, a National Heritage Site since 1999, shows his life with his family and serves as a monument to the struggle against apartheid.

What does the Apartheid Museum cover?

The Apartheid Museum has 22 exhibitions that illustrate the rise and fall of apartheid in South Africa. Displays include the Nelson Mandela Release and the Mandela Presidency, showing how South Africa changed before and after apartheid ended in 1994.

What's included in the tour price?

Entrance fees to all five sites, pickup and drop-off from your accommodation, a live guide in English or French, bottled water, and snacks are included. Lunch is not included, so plan to eat during the break in Soweto.