Soweto Cultural Walking Tour with Lunch
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Johannesburg, South Africa
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Soweto was the heartland of the movement that freed South Africa from apartheid. Explore it the sensitive way, with a guide who was born and raised in the township, on this half-day walking tour. Learn about Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu on the street where they both lived, hear about activist Hector Pieterson's life and death, and more. Your tour includes a kota sandwich lunch but not entry fees.
- Explore Soweto from the ground up on a walking tour led by a local guide
- Hear how the Soweto Uprising helped topple apartheid and see Mandela's house
- Choice of morning or afternoon tours lets you plan your day and fit more in
- Sample a typical South African lunch, a kota sandwich, in Orlando Towers
What's Included
- LunchLocal Burger (Kota)
- Bottled water
- All additional Items and Cost
- Pick ups and Drop off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 7346 Kumalo St, Orlando West, Soweto, 1804, South Africa
Our Local guide will you at the Vilakazi Espresso
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Hector Pieterson Museum and Memorial
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Moema Street
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Vilakazi Street
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Mandela House
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Tutu House - Soweto tours
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Baragwanath Road
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
Orlando Towers
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Infant seats available
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 317 reviews
Jessica_A, Mar 2026
I had my Soweto tour on a rainy day but despite that, my tour guide Maweza made the morning so wonderful. He was super knowledgeable about the community and its history. He filled in gaps in knowledge I still had after the Apartheid Museum. I really appreciated that he took the time to share additional details at every stop at the tour as well as photo reminders. Plus, he even provided me with extra books and movies I could look into after the tour. I learned so much more than I could have on my own or even if I was doing a bus tour.
Mina_G, Feb 2026
it was not only the tour itself that was rich in terms of information and locations visited but also the agency "One Day Africa'' is great. They contacted me a day before to provide all necessary information and on top of that there were so kind to give me some tips about tourism in Joburg that were irrelevant with the tour. All communication was smooth via WhatApp that is really practical. Maweza, our guide, is so nice and well informed about Soweto's history . We were also in touch via whatsApp and he sent me his live location in order to ensure that i will reach him safely to the pick up spot. The walking tour was great and I did felt like i had a local friend walking me through sports that only locals could know. The lunch was an experience as well. definitely worth it ! After the tour Maweza kindly shared additional references for further reading about the history of Soweto and south africa. Definitely enjoyed it and recommend it !
Martin_M, Feb 2026
Teboho was a very warm and welcoming guide. We got a lot of information, also personal experience. Highly recommended!
Alexa_B, Feb 2026
Amazing knowledge and enthusiasm
Our guide was determined that we should see and experience the real Soweto
Aurora_B, Jan 2026
Visiting Soweto was an eye opening experience, and I’m so glad I chose to do so with this walking tour! It was a good way to experience the area up close, with my guide Maweza who truly knew the place and shared deep and detailed history and information as walked around. I ended up being the only one on this tour when I went, but that turned out to be a fantastic experience as it became almost like just taking a long walk while taking about the places we were in. Which is perfect if you ask me! And as a solo female traveler I didn’t for a single moment feel unsafe or uncomfortable, as people had been warning me I might do.
Overall a fantastic experience, informative and respectfully done, would absolutely recommend!
TinaTerrell_B, Nov 2025
Mawesa was my guide along with his partner (I'm apologize I can't remember his name).
It was a wonderful tour. He shared so much deep knowledge and history about Soweto and its people. It was a vigorous and thorough tour as well. Highly recommend Mawesa. He was kind, hilarious and very easy to talk to.
IRINA_C, Nov 2025
Interesting expirience and understanding of the history of Soweto. Representative walk, good guide!!!
Fleur_d, Sep 2025
Probably the best walking tour I have ever done. Our guide, Maweza, was the most knowledgeable guy and could tell us everything about the town he grew up in. Also felt completely safe the whole time, if that is something you are concerned about: don't be! So grateful we got to experience this while in Johannesburg. Honestly an experience I would recommend to everyone.
Julia_S, Aug 2025
This tour was great! We had a very nice guide and he showed us all about Soweto. It helped to take our fear about Townships away and replaced it with appreciation and respect for the locals. If you want to see different sides of South Africa, you should do this tour!
Taylor_K, May 2025
Our tour guide did a wonderful job showing us the history and viewing Soweto. He had a young guide shadowing him and she was great too. We enjoyed our tour but wished there was a little time to stop at vendors. I learned so much that I would not have gotten on my own.
There came a time in the tour when we could go to the shanty town and he offered us to not go. My husband and I decided to go (which was our choice) but I felt awkward because it felt like a “hood safari”. No fault of the guide but something didn’t feel right when a member of the tour was taking pictures of little kids in tough conditions like animals in Kruger. It felt exploitative so maybe we shouldn’t have attended that part of the tour. If you do go to this part, make sure you have cash ahead of time to donate to them. We didn’t have much to give bc we needed an ATM.
YOON_K, May 2025
The guide was native from Soweto. He was informative about history of Soweto and its historical importance in South Africa in the struggle of the past and present.
Mitch_B, May 2025
Mawza is a very knowledgeable and friendly guide. He took the time to explain everything clearly and shared his own personal stories and history about aparetede. Three walk through Soweto was very interesting, safe and a highlight.
Regen_G, Apr 2025
This was one of the best tours I have been on. The tour guide, Maweza, was truly outstanding. Very informed by his lived experiences as a resident of Soweto and his extensive study of the history of South Africa, Apartheid, and Soweto. Gives a very interesting perspective and we learned so much. His candid discussion of the many issues surrounding the Apartheid era, and South Africa of today were so appreciated.
Lunch was included on this tour, and highly recommend doing a tour with lunch. Trying the kota, a Soweto street food, really adds to the experience as well. I cannot more highly recommend a tour.
Alexander_R, Mar 2025
Maweza was a knowledgeable and very friendly host. He welcomed us and took care of our needs. He made our experience one to never forget. We learned a lot about Soweto and got to see the real township in action.
Riccardo_S, Mar 2025
This is a fantastic tour that gives you a full understanding of the history of Soweto, including also a very accurate description of the different social classes within the area.
A special thank goes to Maweza, our guide for this tour. Maweza is not just a guide but a researcher of his own kind and most importantly a local, who will enrich your experience with anecdotes and facts that are often overlooked.
Thank you so much for highly enlightening cultural experience.
Laurel_H, Jan 2025
Maweza is extremely knowledge about the history of Africa and eager to share it. I treasure the time spend walking through Soweto and learning, especially the time interacting in the tin village.
wendyscott_k, Dec 2024
The guide was wonderful...but Aviator asked us to choose a meeting point, one out of 3 and the guide said we should have met at one point only. This made us late to the tour and 5 other people were on the tour. Please fix that issue. I could not finish the purchase without picking a meeting place...so I had to pick one. There was no guidance here.
Thomas_S, Oct 2024
Fab Soweto experience! Highly recommend! Maweza our guide was great. Friendly, knowledgable, considerate, he gave an informative, in-depth, well balanced tour and perspective of Soweto, its history, people and way of life. Sanibonani..!
CristianoJos_D, Oct 2024
The Guide is remarkble, clear, wize, linda, etc. Totally worth It. Thank you very much. Soweto makes parte of history. You have to get know If.
Howard_W, Oct 2024
Words can’t begin to describe how incredible this tour was. Mulalo Mphuma was our guide and he was so knowledgeable and inviting. We spent the morning on an incredible tour around Soweto and left hungry for more knowledge of the township. If you’re looking for an in depth immersive experience, this is the tour for you!
Annie_W, Sep 2024
This was an incredible tour. Our guide, Maweza, was super knowledgable and gave us a deep dive into Soweto to learn more about its history as well as the present day struggles. My 15-year-old daughter joined us and really enjoyed the tour. The kota sandwich for lunch was a perfect touch.
Edgardo_L, Aug 2024
Maweza was an excellent tour guida as he knew the history of Soweto and broader South Africa to a great detail. The tour kept us engaged and encourage us to learn more about Soweto's role in South African history.
DavidMatthew_J, Aug 2024
An excellent guide. Wonderful history and insightful guide. Good pace and use of time, didn't feel rushed! Lunch was really filling and yummy!
Jill_H, Jul 2024
Our guide Maweza gave us an outstanding historical account of some of the struggle against Apartheid. His knowledge was excellent. The walking trip took us to key sites, as well as into an informal camp where we saw the reality of how some of the unemployed in Soweto live. We felt safe throughout the trip and had an invaluable experience.
Holly_S, Jul 2024
Mawesa was an amazing host and guide! Despite feeling ill, he still lead an informative and enjoyable tour of Soweto providing context to the history of the area while weaving in current events. The transfer to Sylvester for part of the tour shows the sensitivity given to being in different spaces. Definitely bring cash with you to thank the different guides for each section of the tour. Come hungry as the kota comes around 11am. Overall a very well done tour that felt respectful of the people and places in Soweto.
Maureen_E, Jul 2024
We had a phenomenal time touring Soweto.
Mr. Maweza was extremely knowledgeable on the history of Soweto. He was accommodating to my elderly aunts. He was flexible, friendly & personable!
I highly recommend him and this tour.
-Maureen
Nathan_B, Jul 2024
Incredibly authentic. Never experienced a tour quite like this one. Maweza was so welcoming and knowledgeable. He started with a very succinct history of the township, which provided the necessary background information for the rest of the tour. Then he continued to provide more context and details as we walked the streets where important historical events occurred. As a local, he was able to enhance the tour with his own personal experience. It was obvious he was well known and respected as we explored the neighborhood with him. It felt like we were being shown around by a very smart and informed friend rather than a tour guide. Highly recommend this tour for anyone considering exploring Soweto and learning about its history, its culture, and most importantly its people.
Lucia_R, Jun 2024
Maweza did a great job! He‘s very knowledgeable and sheds light into the layered and dark history of Apartheid and what part Soweto played. No question remained unanswered and I felt safe throughout the experience. I definitely left with food for thought and will be back!
Kathleen_C, Jun 2024
We had an amazing experience with Maweza on the Soweto half-day walking tour! We found him engaging, knowledgeable, and open to our many questions. We also appreciated his willingness to share personal and family experiences which allowed us to see many sides of the diverse, beautiful Soweto community. As a result, our tour was moving and very much worth the time. It will surely be the highlight of our trip to Johannesburg!
Sharon_S, Jun 2024
Our tour guide was amazing, his knowledge and local experience made this tour a highlight. We even got to experience the local transportation system around Soweto. The tour through the shanty township was both eye opening and humbling, we wished we had brought more with us to share with the local children.
A truly memorable experience.
From $41.96
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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