Soweto and Johannesburg Exclusive Full Day Guided Tour
Description
Jo’burg. Jozi. Egoli. Built on gold, Johannesburg has always been a city of opportunities! Named after Johann Rissik (principal clerk surveyor-general of the Transvaal Republic) and Christiaan Johannes Joubert (chief of mining and member of the Volkstaad) who recommended the area be declared a goldfield, it owes its existence to George Harrison – a penniless prospector who first discovered gold here in 1886. Trace Johannesburg’s history from its humble gold-mining beginnings to the pulsing streets of this modern-day African economic giant with a personal tour from Stephenson Adventures. This tour is simply the best way to explore and experience the city of Gold.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Nelson Mandela is home to an iconic statue of Nelson Mandela and a popular attraction in Johannesburg.
Nelson Mandela Houghton house, were he moved with his wifey towards the end of his presidency. Houghton estate is a beautiful leafy-green rich northern suburb of Johannesburg.
Beautiful leafy-green scenic viewpoint of Johannesburg North.
See the Hillbrow tower, that has become an emblem of the city. and the tower dominates the Johannesburg skyline.
Constitution Hill is a living museum that tells the story of South Africa’s journey to democracy. The site is a former prison and military fort that bears testament to South Africa’s turbulent past and, today, is home to the country’s Constitutional Court, which endorses the rights of all citizens.
Braamfontein has it all – great Museums and Theatres, exciting nightlife, Restaurants, trendy coffee shops, contemporary Art Galleries and quirky design and fashion stores.
One of the really striking attractions and famous landmark of Johannesburg! The Nelson Mandela Bridge is a relatively new addition to the Johannesburg skyline, but has already gained iconic status.
The Newtown Precinct in Johannesburg is rich in a history of biodiversity and culture, dating as far back as the 1880s. Today is the centre of progress and arts in the city of Gold, with new developments booming and a number of art galleries, museums, and theatres.
Explore the city’s early mining history. 0ld relics of the gold rush such as mining headgear, stamp presses and carts line the way, complemented by information boards detailing mining history.
See the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi Square, Johannesburg, which depicts the Indian independence campaigner and nonviolent pacifist as a young man
The Central Business District, commonly called Johannesburg CBD, is one of the main business centres of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is the densest collection of skyscrapers in Africa.
Maboneng, meaning “Place of Light”, a fully fledged thriving community. With a mix of restaurants, coffee shops, clothing boutiques, art galleries, and retail and studio space, the precinct draws the inner-city public as well as the chic, art-going crowd of the city’s suburbs, bringing life back into the city
n your way to Soweto you will pass the largest stadium (Soccer City) which hosted the opening and closing ceremony of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the stadium has been the centre of historic events. The unique design of the stadium is highly regarded internationally.
Understand the origins of the township of Soweto along with the current “kasi” life before walking in the steps of legends - Nobel peace prize winners Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu at their houses in Vilakazi Street.
Orlando Towers have become one of the most distinctive landmarks in the neighborhood of Soweto Township.
Visit Nobel peace prize winners Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu houses in Vilakazi Street the famous street in South Africa.
Visit the house where former South African president Nelson Mandela Lived. Now, No. 8115 has been entrenched as one of South Africa's most significant heritage sites because it tells the tales, in sound, film, interpretive panels and guided tours.
Hector Pieterson Museum and Memorial site is a National heritage site not far from the spot where a 13 year-old Hector was shot on the 16 June 1976 during the Soweto Uprising that today is a symbol of resistance to the brutality of the apartheid government.
Tour at "the people's church" Regina Mundi church a pivotal role in the township's history of resistance against the apartheid.
Squatter camp tour (optional)
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please provide us with the pickup address of your choice. We do pickup at hotels as well as private residentials.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(390)
Great tour which covers a lot of sights over the day. Mo our tour guide had the right balance of knowledge and humour making sure the information was delivered in an interesting way.
A truly exceptional tour, with a truly exceptional guide. Mo couldn’t have been friendlier, or more informative. The tour covered the whole city, with a wonderful concentration on the old prison and Constitutional Court, but most importantly included a tour of Soweto, with Mandela House, the incredibly moving Museum of the Soweto Uprising, and most importantly an introduction to the great work being done by KYP. Highly, HIGHLY recommended.
We spent a fantastic day exploring Johannesburg with Mo and we couldn’t recommend him more highly. From the moment we met, he was warm, engaging and incredibly knowledgeable, bringing the city’s history and culture to life through stories and local insights. The highlights for us were visiting Soweto and the Hector Pieterson Museum. Mo provided thoughtful context that helped us understand South Africa’s history in a much deeper way. He struck the perfect balance between sharing important historical information and allowing us time to reflect and ask questions. Throughout the day, Mo was punctual, professional and genuinely passionate about his city. His enthusiasm was infectious, and he made every stop feel worthwhile. If you’re visiting Johannesburg and want a guide who is informative, personable and deeply knowledgeable, Mo is an excellent choice. He made our experience one we’ll remember for a long time.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We’re delighted to hear you had such a fantastic day exploring Johannesburg with Mo. It’s wonderful that his warmth, local knowledge, and passion for sharing South Africa’s history and culture made the experience so meaningful. We’re especially pleased that your visits to Soweto and the Hector Pieterson Museum left such a lasting impression. We truly appreciate your kind recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable experience in the future!
Mo was fantastic! A real wealth of information and a great guy to spend the day with.
Thank you for your feedback. We’re delighted to hear you had a fantastic day with Mo. It’s wonderful that his wealth of knowledge and friendly personality made your experience both enjoyable and memorable. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again soon!
The trip was really good. Collin is an excellent guide and explains everything so well. I learned a lot about South Africa! Thank you!
Thank you for your feedback. We’re delighted to hear you had such a great experience with Collins. It’s wonderful that his knowledge and clear explanations helped you learn so much about South Africa. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again soon!
We wanted a tour that would make Soweto and that was fantastic. It is worth knowing this side of history. To our luck the guide had an exceptional knowledge, besides living in the area and led us to very interesting points. We recommend
Thank you for your feedback. We’re delighted to hear you had a fantastic Soweto tour. It’s wonderful that your guide’s exceptional knowledge and local connection to the area made the experience so meaningful and insightful. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again soon!
We had a spare day in Johannesburg before our flight home, having just spent a few days at the Kruger National Park. We therefore decided to book a day tour of the city, having done similar tours in other cities. Our guide was excellent, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the city and its history, an engaging manner and a great sense of humour. He showed us the good and bad, explaining the problems faced by the city in a passionate but not an emotional way and we certainly learnt a lot. The tour left us with plenty to think about as well. A nice touch at the start and end was having separate transport arranged to pick us up from and drop us back at our hotel, at no extra cost.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We’re delighted to hear you chose to spend your final day in Johannesburg with us and had such a memorable experience. It’s fantastic that your guide’s knowledge, engaging personality, and balanced perspective gave you a deeper understanding of the city’s history and present-day challenges. We’re also pleased that the complimentary hotel transfers added extra convenience to your day. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back to South Africa again in the future!
There was so much to learn on the private guided tour of Johannesburg and Soweto. I’ve only known Africa from TV and movies which shows either safari or areas of poverty. This taught me that there is so much more to S Africa. While the animals on safari are amazing, learning the countries history made it all the better. Our driver Mo was a wealth of knowledge. He grew up in Soweto and knows the area and its history. On could say he is very proud of his country and rightfully so. There is so much history here. Things I heard about in high school and college came to life. The guides for the places we stopped were just as knowledgeable about their area whether a museum or church. Some of the things we learned about were heart breaking. Others lifted us up. That’s what happens when you learn about other people’s history and culture. Mo took us to a restaurant in his home town of Soweto. We had the most amazing food. Probably because it was authentic African cooking, what we were hoping for the two weeks that we were here. After all, what’s the point of traveling if you’re going to eat food similar to what you eat at home. It was the best meal we had in our two week visit. This was a great way to end our holiday. It made me happy I messed up when I ordered the plane tickets and ended up staying an extra day beyond our safari holiday. This was our fourth country with a Viator trip and it won’t be our last. I highly recommend Viator when traveling and if you’re going to Johannesburg I highly recommend a day tour with Mo.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback. We’re delighted to hear that your Johannesburg and Soweto tour was such a meaningful way to end your holiday. It’s especially rewarding to know that Mo’s passion, local knowledge, and personal connection to Soweto helped bring South Africa’s rich history and culture to life. We’re also pleased you enjoyed the authentic local cuisine and found it to be a highlight of your trip. Thank you for your kind recommendation. We truly appreciate your support and hope to welcome you back to South Africa for another unforgettable experience!
We really enjoyed our day with Opa and Byron, and we were entertained and educated from the minute they picked us up at the hotel. We stopped at several museums and monuments, and photo ops with Nelson Mandela’s statue and several memorable sites. Opa exudes confidence and we felt safe everywhere we went. A great day full of history and culture!
Thank you for your feedback. We’re delighted to hear you had such an enjoyable and enriching day with Oupa and Byron. It’s wonderful that their knowledge, professionalism, and confidence helped you feel safe and engaged throughout the tour while exploring key historical and cultural sites, including the Mandela statue and museums. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again soon!
Tsholo did a fantastic job guiding us throughout Joburg. He was easy to understand, was able to answer all questions, and super informative at all the itinerary. He did an amazing job giving an abridged tour through the apartheid museum cause we were short on time. Highly recommend this tour for its stops and overview of Joburg
Thank you for your feedback. We’re delighted to hear you had such a great experience exploring Johannesburg with Tsholo. It’s wonderful that his clear communication, knowledge, and ability to adapt the tour at the Apartheid Museum made the visit smooth and informative, even with limited time. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again soon!
