Guided Bicycle Tour of Soweto with Lunch
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Johannesburg, South Africa
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
The township of Soweto, once a byword for oppression, had a major role in overturning apartheid. Cover more ground than you would on a walking tour while remaining close to the city streets on this half-day guided bicycle tour, complete with a traditional kota sandwich lunch. You'll learn not only about Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and Hector Pieterson but about the women who helped topple apartheid, such as Liliian Mgoyi.
- Cycle Soweto with a guide, including Vilakazi Street, where Mandela lived
- Learn about Black women's lives under apartheid at a domestic workers' hostel
- Choice of morning or afternoon tours let you plan your day and fit more in
- Stay fueled with a traditional lunch, a deep-filled kota sandwich
What's Included
- LunchLocal Burger (Kota)
- Bicycle and Helmet
- Bottled water
- All additional Items and Cost
- Pick-up and Drop-off
- Entrance fee - Mandela HouseZAR60.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 7346 Kumalo St, Orlando West, Soweto, 1804, South Africa
Meet your guide in front of the Vilakazi Espresso, opposite the Hector Pieterson Memorial. Please wait INSIDE the coffee shop if you arrive before your tour starts! (We will communicate with you via WhatsApp or Message before your tour starts)
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Phomolong
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Mzimhlophe
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Nkungu Street
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Hector Pieterson Museum and Memorial
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Orlando Amstel Arena
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
6
Mandela House
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
7
Vilakazi Street
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Soweto (Pass By)
8
Orlando Police Department
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infant seats available
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Near public transportation
- Stroller accessible
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 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
4.8
based on 217 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Sharon_A, Jul 2026
Great trip. Learned a lot about the history of the area and guide Thorbo was great. Got a good feel for Soweto
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much for your kind review, Sharon! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the tour and came away with a deeper understanding of Soweto's history. We'll be sure to pass your wonderful feedback on to Thabo—he'll be thrilled to know he helped make your experience so memorable. We truly appreciate you choosing One Day Africa and thank you again for the recommendation!
Eva_A, May 2026
We were given a very informative and interesting tour by Thabo. I really recommend this tour, you get to see and learn a lot more about Soweto while being on a bike!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for your kind review and recommendation!
We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed exploring Soweto with Thabo. Experiencing the township by bicycle offers such a unique and immersive perspective, and we’re glad the tour was both informative and memorable for you.
Thabo is passionate about sharing the history, culture, and spirit of Soweto, and we’ll be sure to pass along your lovely feedback to him. We truly appreciate your support and hope to welcome you back on another One Day Africa experience soon!
Lesley_R, May 2026
Fantastic day!! Thabo, our guide, was knowledgeable and incredibly personable. He was a walking encyclopaedia!! Would highly recommend.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that you had such a fantastic day exploring Soweto with Thabo. His passion for sharing the history, culture, and stories of Soweto truly makes every tour special, and we’ll be sure to pass along your lovely feedback to him.
We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another adventure in South Africa soon!
Stevie_L, Apr 2026
My husband and I chose this trip to do something a little different and it didn’t disappoint. Our guide Thabo was excellent explaining the history of Soweto and of apartheid. The weather was also great for us, no rain which was lucky!
It was lovely to see the townships and greet the happy friendly people who call it home. The children all waved and shouted “Hello!” as we rode past and I couldn’t help but notice how happy they all were!
We enjoyed the Kato sandwich for lunch, and soaked up the party vibe on a Saturday afternoon. There are a couple of hills, but the bikes are well maintained and easy to ride.
Response from Host, May 2026
What a fantastic review - thank you for taking the time to share your experience! We love hearing that the tour gave you a different and meaningful perspective of Soweto beyond the usual tourist experience.
From the energy of the neighbourhoods to the friendliness of the community and the stories shared along the way, it sounds like you truly embraced the spirit of the day. Thabo will be especially happy to know that his guiding helped make the experience memorable and engaging for both of you.
We’re also glad the weather played along and that you enjoyed the Kota lunch and lively Saturday atmosphere. Thank you again for riding with us, and we hope your time in South Africa continues to be filled with memorable moments!
Cristina_F, Jan 2026
We had a great time exploring Soweto, learning about the people and the history and biking all around town - our tour guide was excellent and knowledgable
Chad_M, Jan 2026
The tour was very informative and safe. My tour guide Thabo was great wouldn’t ask for anyone else. Also lunch was good too.
Andrea_H, Dec 2025
Our guide Teboho was excellent. He told a lot about the history of Soweto and we also had time to visit the Mandela House on our own. The bikes were good and it was a great experience to explore Soweto that way. I definitely will recommend the tour.
Ann_C, Oct 2025
In depth ride thru Soweto. Thabo was fantastic and shared so much history with us We really were able to “see” this area. The ride is fairly long and there are several hills. Be prepared
Moyara_R, Aug 2025
With any kind of biking or walking tour, the skill and personality of the guide makes all the difference. Thabo was excellent and a walking encyclopedia of Soweto’s history. This is definitely the best way to experience Soweto. A walking tour will not cover enough and a van tour is too weird.
The lunch that was included was “traditional” Soweto fare, but probably not palatable for Western visitors (French fries, hot dog, baloney on thick slab of bread), so bring along extra snacks.
Mika_O, Jul 2025
Thembo was a very knowledgeable guide. He is from the area so that gave it a personal feel. Also very friendly and easy to talk to. Highly recommend!
Elizabeth_K, Jul 2025
Thabo was great! Very knowledgeable and upbeat! We had a great time getting to explore Soweto with him
Gunnva_A, Jun 2025
The cycling tour was well-organized, and our guide was friendly and knowledgeable. A fun and meaningful way to experience a unique part of Johannesburg.
David_C, Feb 2025
Thambo was an exceptional guide. He explained us all the historical features about SOWETO, the apartheid and South African culture. His knowledge was very good with a point of humanity and kindness and also with the local point of view. Even if we had saw a lot about history the previous days he was able to show us new things and challenge our minds. Cycling through SOWETO allowed us to discover more places than walking and make us a better understanding about this special place. Thambo was very careful with our security (on the road) but also gave us a lot of peacefulness.
We absolutely recommend that experience.
HannahW, Jan 2025
Brilliant way to learn about Soweto. We had such a great tour with an amazing guide Thabo. He made us feel totally safe and welcome. The bikes have been upgraded since the last reviews and they now have gears that makes getting up the hill much easier. 5 star tour!
Mona_A, Dec 2024
Tchbo was very friendly and super nice. Very knowledgeable and supportive. We enjoyed his company. Highly recommended
Patricia_C, Nov 2024
Great experience to get a general view of Soweto and learn about the história and struggle of the people. Themba was na excellent guide, very carefull and provided us with all the information we needed. Take your sunscreen and a cap!
Rebecca_M, Nov 2024
The Soweto bike tour is a great way to see many parts of Soweto you would not otherwise see by foot. Themba was a terrific guide, sharing great insights about the place / history, as well as making sure we were safe as a group on our bikes. There are lots of hills, so be prepared for a workout, alongside taking in the area of Soweto.
Adele_P, Sep 2024
Trent was a really nice guide, would definitely recommend him!
We were a bit late, but he was quite flexible and adaptable, took his time without any rush at all, and really tried to make a personalised experience for us based on our interests. He was open to answer any questions about the people and history of Soweto, which we really appreciated, and he seemed happy to show us around on bikes (which allows you to cover more ground than walking, but still much closer to the community than in a car). Trent is also very knowledgeable about the history facts. The koti sandwich was a great addition to the tour - 10/10
Erna_V, Aug 2024
Temba is a great guide!
We went up in the cool towers because someone asked it. Temba is very flexible en changes his program at the spot.
Cindy_W, Jul 2024
This was a wonderful tour, from the start at the espresso shop owned by the grandson of Vilikazi after whom the street was named, to the end with our kota sandwich lunch and visit to the Mandela house. Themba was an excellent guide - super-knowledgeable and so generous with his knowledge and enthusiasm. Biking was perfect for the tour because it allowed us to cover so much territory. Highly recommend.
Kristopher_D, Jul 2024
Themba is a phenomenal guide. Funny. Knowledgeable. Engaging. And with teens, he was sure to include them. Themba gave us candy to give to local kiddos along our bike ride. Speaking of, it’s a hilly ride with a single speed bike so be sure you are comfortable with that. The kota lunch stop was delicious and informative. Take advantage of the stops that Themba offers and don’t miss out on an amazing treat/drink at the start: Vilakazi Espresso (so friendly!!!).
Molly_N, Jul 2024
Themba was an excellent guide on our bike tour! We were able to see many parts of the Soweto neighborhood and he was very knowledgeable at each point. There are many hills, but we were able to manage fine as three casual biking adults, but it was also a good workout and allowed us to see more of the area than we would have by foot.
Daniela_W, Jun 2024
We loved the vibe of the community. The people were very friendly and open. We also liked Kota! ☺️ Our guide was amazing! Thank you Themba.
Alexander_H, Apr 2024
A great combination of exercise, history, and culture education in one. The guide was knowledgeable and provided a good background and contextual information in the beginning. He then pointed to various sites of importance. Lunch was plentiful and the interaction was friendly.
The bikes need an upgrade to multi gear. The ride was hilly and not for the faint hearted on single gear.
All in all a pleasant experience.
John_G, Apr 2024
Our guide thato was excellent. He was very knowledgeable about the Soweto history and gave us lots of interesting facts. Cycling Soweto was an experience. I found the people to be very friendly with many shouting and waving hello to us as we passed.
The only downside was that the bikes are not really suitable for riding the hills in Soweto. They should have gears.
Danielle_d, Apr 2024
Our guide Themba was great! Saw a lot of Soweto on the bicycle. Perhaps good to mention that it’s a little workout and one needs to be prepared to go up and down some hills
Wiktoria_W, Mar 2024
That was an amazing day. We had the best guide we can ask for, Temba
Sowetian with powerful knowledge of Soweto history and whole South Africa. We had so much fun during the lunch time. Then we continue our bike tour through Soweto, we enjoy so much the real African experience provided by Temba. He was not only guide we become friends for good. I have no words to express how grateful I am.
Damien_Y, Mar 2024
What a day! My wonderful guide Themba took me on a really educational journey through Soweto. It didn’t feel like a guided tour. It felt like a day out with a good friend who was showing me around his neighbourhood. Can’t recommend it enough.
Dominic_G, Jan 2024
Great tour, our guide was brilliant loved every minute very informative. Soweto is a friendly and vibrant place. Thoroughly recommend
Nirav_P, Dec 2023
We had a wonderful time cycling through Soweto with Mulalo. He is an excellent guide with extensive knowledge of Soweto and its history. He is very polite, professional and patient. It was a great learning experience, even for us as South Africans. The community was friendly and we felt safe at all times. Highly recommend this!
From $54.39
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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