Soweto and Apartheid Museum day tour from Johannesburg

Five hours tracing South Africa's history through Soweto and the Apartheid Museum

A five-hour guided tour from Johannesburg visits Mandela House, Soweto township, and the Apartheid Museum, covering the history of apartheid and the 1976 student uprising. You travel in an air-conditioned vehicle with a professional driver-guide, stop at key sites including the memorial to pupils killed during the uprising, and see how South Africans lived under racial segregation from 1948 to 1994.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Mandela House20m
2. Soweto30m
3. Apartheid Museum2h

Explore Soweto and Apartheid Museum

• Drive through Soweto township
• Photo stops at Orlando Towers
• See Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital
• View Soccer City Stadium
• Visit Mandela House museum
• Visit Soweto uprising memorial
• Tour Apartheid Museum

The experience

The tour starts at Mandela House, a museum documenting Nelson Mandela's life before his arrest, his imprisonment, and his return after 1990. From there you move into Soweto township itself, where a memorial honors the students killed by apartheid police during the 1976 uprising. A protest against Afrikaans being imposed as the language of instruction in schools. The guide walks you through how black, coloured and Indian pupils were treated during this era, and the museum displays protest videos and accounts of daily life in Soweto under apartheid rule.

The Apartheid Museum forms the core of the afternoon, with exhibits spanning 1948 to 1994 and built as a memorial to Mandela's work toward a non-racial, non-violent society. You see how citizens were segregated by law and experience the weight of that history through the museum's documentation. Between stops, the driver takes you through the township itself, pointing out landmarks like the Orlando Towers (a former coal power station), Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (the largest in South Africa), and Soccer City Stadium, as well as some of Soweto's wealthier residential areas.

The tour operates in English or German, with pickup included and an air-conditioned vehicle throughout. Entrance fees to the museums are separate, as is lunch. The five-hour pace allows time at each site without rushing, and the route is wheelchair accessible.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle throughout the tour.
• professional driver-guide who speaks English or German.
• access to Mandela House, the Soweto memorial, and the Apartheid Museum.
• stops at Orlando Towers, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, and Soccer City Stadium during the township drive.

Options for this experience

2 options

Available with an English-language guideNo fixed timeLasts 5 hours. Pickup is included.

Available with a German-language guideGuide in English · No fixed timeLasts 5 hours. German-speaking guides are in short supply, so one may not always be available. Pickup is included.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (7 to 80 years) · Under 7: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

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 or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Steinbock African Safari

Is this one for you?Choose the English-language option if that is your working language with the guide, or German if you prefer. The five-hour duration fits a single afternoon from Johannesburg, leaving your morning or evening free for other activities in the city.

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Top questions

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 Mandela House and what does it show about Nelson Mandela's life?

Mandela House is a museum documenting Mandela's life before his arrest, how he lived during imprisonment, and his return to the house after his release from prison in 1990. It also displays how his wife Winnie Mandela survived during the apartheid era while he was incarcerated.

What happened during the 1976 Soweto uprising that the tour covers?

The 1976 uprising was a student protest against the apartheid government's requirement that Afrikaans be used as the language of instruction in South African schools. Apartheid police killed many pupils during the uprising, and the tour visits a memorial built to honor them.

What time period does the Apartheid Museum cover?

The Apartheid Museum documents South African history from 1948 to 1994, the years of legal racial segregation, and was built as a memorial to Nelson Mandela's efforts to create a non-racial, non-violent society.

Does the tour include lunch and museum entry fees?

Lunch and entrance fees to the museums are not included in the tour price and are arranged separately. The tour itself covers transportation, the guide, and stops at each site.

What other Soweto landmarks does the tour pass during the drive?

The route includes the Orlando Towers, a former coal power station; Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, South Africa's largest; Soccer City Stadium, the country's biggest football stadium; and residential areas showing the range of housing in Soweto township.