Best Places to See in Soweto, Johannesburg: Full Tour Guide

If there is one thing to do in Johannesburg that is definitely a must, it is the tour to Soweto . We had to put it off on our first trip because of the rain and we were able to complete it the following year, so today we share with you our experience visiting the Soweto neighborhood in Johannesburg , to try to answer the main questions.

What is Soweto? What is its history? How do you visit it? Is it safe? What are the things to see in Soweto? How to book the tour?

Soweto (South Western Township) is a very important enclave to understand the history of South Africa , especially its fight against Apartheid , for the reasons we will see below. As its name indicates, it is located southwest of Johannesburg and is much more than a neighborhood: it is a symbol of resistance and of South African culture .

We visited it on a 2-hour tour , offered with the city's tourist bus , which you can book online from this link , and which we think is highly recommended. As we will see throughout the post, it is a very instructive tour, which is done with a guide born and raised in this suburb , and where you will understand that, despite a history full of suffering behind it, today it is experiencing a unique cultural renaissance.

Soweto excursion

Here is all the information you need about the Soweto tour in Johannesburg.

Soweto History

Soweto itself was created in the 1930s in response to the segregation policies based on ethnic or cultural origin imposed by the South African government, within the framework of Apartheid. Long story short: the authorities decided to relocate the black population to the outskirts , to neighborhoods with little infrastructure and difficult, almost inhuman conditions. In this way, Soweto grew as a marginal suburb , marked by poverty and social injustices…

But also for community life and political resistance . During Apartheid, Soweto was the epicentre of many protests against the racist regime . The most infamous event was the “ Soweto Massacre ” in 1976, during which thousands of students took to the streets to protest against the imposition of Afrikaans as a compulsory language in schools. The brutal police repression left hundreds dead, including children.

One of the symbols of this revolt was Hector Pieterson , a student of just 12 years old who was killed during the revolt and whose image being carried in the arms of a classmate shook the entire world. In fact, the Hector Pieterson memorial is one of the stops on the tour and while we were there, we met his sister, who also appears in that photograph, and who sometimes makes private visits and tells of her experience.

Soweto excursion

Soweto today

Today, Soweto has left much of that narrative of struggle behind, although it remains a living reminder of the country's tragic past . What is shocking is that, despite the obvious transformation, many areas remain mired in brutal poverty . Remember that Soweto is home to more than 1.7 million people, making it a gigantic city within Johannesburg , with different neighbourhoods, services and streets, in better or worse condition.

For example, there are residential areas with recently built prefabricated houses and others, like Kliptown, full of shacks , houses made of metal sheets and other recycled materials, where the houses are piled up next to each other in a sea of makeshift constructions. The image of these settlements shows us the harsh reality of the economic inequality that persists, despite the progress in other areas of the city.

Some tours take you into the heart of these shanty towns , but the one we took is limited to passing by and observing them from a distance. Perhaps we prefer it this way, as it would seem like an invasion of space, something like a "human safari", and we would not feel very comfortable.

soweto

In contrast, a few kilometres or even metres away, more affluent areas emerge , with humble housing but reflecting more stable access to resources and services. This disparity underlines the significant gap between the different socio-economic strata in Soweto , showing how progress and poverty coexist in a complex and challenging reality.

what to see in soweto

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Soweto Tour: What to Visit

The tour we did is done in small groups in a minivan , in our case driven and guided by a guy who was born and raised in Soweto. They leave from the Gold Reef City Casino Hotel (stop 8 on the Johannesburg tourist bus) and the schedules are coordinated with the arrival of each bus, so you don't have to worry about anything. It lasts 2 hours, and if you're wondering what to see in Soweto, we'll tell you which were the main points we visited during the tour:

✓ Soccer City (FNB Stadium)

Although not technically in Soweto, the tour passes through here and it is an important place for sports fans. This stadium was the venue for the 2010 World Cup final, when Spain won the World Cup . As you get closer you can almost hear the vuvuzelas booming and Camacho shouting “Iniesta, my life!”

There is a stop outside the stadium, basically to take some photos and to admire the unique architecture of the stadium, which, according to the guide, was inspired by the shape and colours of a pumpkin . There is also a paid tour of the interior , if you are interested. After the tour you can continue your visit of Soweto by joining the next group.

By the way, this won't be the only stadium you'll visit during your Soweto tour, as you'll also pass by Orlando Stadium , home of Orlando Pirates, one of the most successful and popular football clubs in the country.

✓ Orlando Towers

After stopping at the sign that welcomes you to Soweto , you reach one of the most iconic images of the neighborhood , two cooling towers that belonged to an old power station and that are the perfect canvas for colorful murals . Apparently, these murals are renewed every 5 years, so don't be surprised if, when you go, they look different than in the photo.

Today, the Orlando Towers are a major tourist attraction in Soweto, and not just for taking a photo: here, the bravest can go bungee jumping , jumping from a bridge that connects the towers, at a height of 100 metres . Would you dare? We would NOT. Here you have more information .

✓ Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum

One of the most moving stops on the tour is the Hector Pieterson Memorial, the exact spot where this young man was shot dead during the 1976 uprising. The memorial commemorates his courage and that of all those who fought for equality and freedom , against a system that condemned them to lifelong misery simply for being born of the “wrong race.”

If you go on a private tour or on your own, next to the memorial you can visit the Hector Pieterson Museum , which opened in 2002 and displays films, news, posters and, above all, photographs from the period (among which the iconic photograph by Sam Nzima stands out), which narrate the tragedy that occurred in Soweto on June 13, 1976.

It is one of the most lively places in Soweto, obviously motivated by tourism, so in the surroundings there are stalls with crafts and typical products . If you want to take a souvenir of your trip to South Africa, this can be a good place to buy it and contribute to the local economy.

Hector Pieterson memorial in Soweto

✓ Vilakazi Street and Mandela House

This street is probably the heart of Soweto and, although we found it a bit overwhelming due to the number of vendors and Zulus doing traditional dances, it is another of the essential places to visit in Soweto. In addition, it has a record: It is the only street in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize winners have lived : Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.

Mandela House , now a museum, is the best place to learn about his life and his fight for freedom before he was imprisoned. Tutu's house is just a short walk away , although it remains a private residence.

✓ Soweto Brewing Company

One of the stops on the tour that we were curious about (call us basic…) was this brewery , but the guide told us that it had been closed since Covid. The surprise is that on Google Maps it appears as open, so we don’t really know what happened…

That said, we were told that it was founded in 2016 and quickly became a symbol of Soweto's economic and cultural renaissance , as the idea was to create local jobs and encourage entrepreneurship among the locals. If you can visit it and try some of its beers, let us know 😉

Soweto tour

Is the Soweto tour worth it?

Beyond the stops made on the tour, which may not seem as spectacular as in other destinations, we found it very interesting to hear the guide's personal stories about the past and present of Soweto, his neighborhood. So, YES, the tour of Soweto seems to us to be one of the essential activities to do in Johannesburg . But we recommend that you read a little about its history before you go.

Soweto Tour Info and Tips

Finally, we are going to leave you with a few recommendations to keep in mind before booking the tour to Soweto and during its development:

› We included it as an extension to the hop on hop off ticket for the Johannesburg tourist bus . You can book it online in advance on that website or directly at the Rosebank office, although we think it is a bit more expensive.

› It departs from the Gold Reef Casino car park , just a short walk from the Apartheid Museum, and is well organised by the tour bus company: there are departures throughout the day coordinated with the bus schedules.

› What if you want to visit the Hector Pieterson Museum or the Mandela Museum ? It is totally possible, the only thing is that you will have to wait for the next minibus, as yours will not wait for you but will coordinate with the next one so that you can continue on the route. Remember that they pass every 2 hours.

› Please note that the tour is conducted in English and, even if you don't have a very good level, it is interesting to understand a little bit of it so as not to miss out on a large part of the experience.

› Some alternatives for visiting Soweto in Spanish are these:

Soweto Tour + Apartheid Museum
Full Johannesburg Tour + Soweto
Johannesburg and Soweto Half Day Tour

1 day tour to Soweto

What did you think of this activity in Johannesburg? Do you fancy taking a guided tour of Soweto ? Do you know of any other things to do in Soweto? If you still have any questions regarding this post, feel free to reach out.

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