Half Day Soweto Tour

This fully inclusive 4 hour tour is a perfect option for travellers with limited time!!

Join us on this incredible and in-depth Half Day Soweto Tour. Soweto is a truly fascinating town with a soul that is unique to any other South African city. Our guide will take you on a journey of discovery, culture and history that is a mixture of sadness, triumph and hope.  You will learn how the discovery of gold shaped and molded the town into what it is today.

You will also get to learn and understand how the iron fist of the Apartheid era influenced the soul, shape and ultimate identity of this bustling township. The tour covers some of the major attractions including the Oppenheimer Tower, Nelson Mandela’s old house, the Hector Pieterson memorial as well as Soccer City. Our guide Peter, who was a teacher during the Student Uprisings in the 70’s will take you back in time.

We follow the same route the protesting students took back in the 70’s. They were on their way to Orlando Stadium to voice their opinion about having Afrikaans as a compulsory language in school. Sadly, they never made it to the stadium. They were met by a massive onslaught of police brutality. Peter will recall the events of that fateful day and share in the stories he witnessed and experienced himself!

A basic overview of Half Day Soweto Tour

Part 1:

The first part of our tour is to the Oppenheimer Tower. This is a fascinating spot and is in our opinion the best place to start the tour.  After the introduction of the Group Areas Act by the ruling party a lot of the houses were destroyed and the people living there were relocated to their assigned living areas. The iconic Oppenheimer Tower was built out of the rubble and ashes of those destroyed houses in memory of the terrible way in which the people were relocated.

It also has 49 steps which symbolizes the different ‘zones’ or suburbs of the old Soweto. A short walk to the top and you will get an incredible 360 degree view of the township.  It is from this vantage point that our guide will be able to point out and illustrate the various areas of Soweto. You will discover how The Group Areas Act was not just about separating black and white but went to an even deeper level. The government even segmented the black people according to their tribal identity. You will also learn how the government encouraged fighting amongst the various tribal units in order to prevent a unification of the people. Mind Boggling Stuff!

Historical and Cultural Bonus!!!!

There is also a cultural center at the base of the Tower in the gardens. We will spend about 30 minutes here. It is a wonderful and insightful part of the tour as we take you back into time and learn about the ancient culture of the South African people. You will get to understand how the Sangoma (witch doctor), the tokoloshi (zombie like creature) and other folklore influence everyday life.

Part 2:

The second part of this half day Soweto tour follows the route the protesting students took back in 1976 before being met by an onslaught of tear gas and bullets by the oppressive police force of the time.  We land up at the Hector Pieterson Memorial where our guide will explain the events that took pale that fateful day.

Part 3:

The last part of the tour sees us spending some time on Vilakazi Street-The only street in the world that has had 2 Noble Peace Prize winners. You will be taken on a 20 minute guided tour of Nelson Mandela’s house as well as Desmond Tutus house.

Why Choose South Africa Adventures for your  half day Soweto tour from Johannesburg?

• We pride ourselves on giving a more unique and interactive Soweto tour experience
• Our team have an absolute passion for what they do and are born and bred in Soweto
• Smaller group sizes
• Dully inclusive tours that include all entrance fees, transfers and guide