SOWETO: much more than just museums! Engaging while giving back

We had a wonderful day with Gabriel our guide on our day trip to Soweto. Gabriel is a warm, thoughtful and knowledgeable guide who made our trip sparkle. We visited Nelson Mandela’s home and had lunch at a local restaurant serving typical South African food. We also experienced great street performances by different groups. Gabriel explained the history of how Soweto came to be and how it has changed over the years. We enjoyed having a beer in a local bar. We loved everything that we did but the most thought provoking and confronting part of our trip was the visit to Kliptown. I am so glad we went there, the people we met were so kind and welcoming and the children were gorgeous. Kliptown is the poorest part of Soweto and most tourists don’t go there. We saw how this community is working together to improve young people’s lives through creative industry. We highly recommend this trip to anyone who wants to gain an understanding of Soweto’s history and its people.

Gabriel was a spectacular guide, we were grateful for the opportunity to learn about life in Soweto, its history, and support local organizations and businesses.

The 4 of us were the only ones on this full day tour with Gabriel who did an excellent job tailoring it to our expectations. Gabriel was very personable, friendly and knowledgeable enhancing our day even more. The Itinerary is an excellent one as are all the community based guides. We saw and learnt alot from the very sobering sites of Hector Pieterson Memorial; and Mandela’s House; to the amazingly athletic and joyful Zulu dancers. We made some great purchases from the very helpful and friendly roadside vendors; and enjoyed our local lunch; and brew. From the outset of our booking from downunder several months in advance Gilda was very helpful. Gilda has since ensured that our 40+ brand new running tops donations were well distributed, which we appreciated.

+4

We recently booked a half day tour. Was hoping for an authentic experience in Johannesburg, and that was exactly what we got. Our guide was Gabriel. He was knowledgeable and shared with us about his city and he was really passionate about it. We had a good time.

This was one of the best tours we have ever done anywhere! Our guide Gabriel was amazing, introducing us to the culture, some customs and practices of the locals. The tour showed that the people of Soweto are resilience personified! We enjoyed a local beer and traditional lunch, met local kids making the most of what they have! Highly recommend this tour!

+1

If you only do one thing whilst in Joburg, make sure it’s this tour with Gilda. From learning about Hector Pietson from a local, to the tour of Nelson Mandela’s house with an amazing tourism student and eating amazing food at a local restaurant, this tour had it all. We visited a local community with Gilda and ‘her boys’. They gave us a unique insight into life in Soweto which was informative, confronting and humbling. Gilda changed things up to enable us to experience everything, even though the first rain of the season threatened to derail our day. Amazing!!!!

Our experience was absolutely wonderful and the highlight of our trip to South Africa. Please do not miss out on the opportunity to learn about Johannesburg and meet her people. Gilda, one of the owners and our guide for the day was very professional. She shared her passion and knowledge about Johannesburg and specifically Soweto. Gilda's relationships with the community allowed us to have experiences that we wouldn't have had on a "traditional " tour.

I joined this Soweto tour on the last day of my stay in Johannesburg, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of my trip to South Africa. Many outsiders tend to think of Soweto only as a place of poverty and hardship. But my guide, Gabriel—who is from Soweto—opened my eyes to a very different reality. He showed me the diversity, resilience, and vibrancy of this community: people living on their own terms, creating beauty, and thriving despite challenges. At the beginning he told me that by the end of the tour I would understand how resilient the people of Soweto are. By the end, I completely agreed—mission accomplished! The tour was eye-opening and full of nuances. Gabriel introduced me not only to different neighborhoods and living conditions, but also to the people themselves. He explained how to greet locals, invited me to share a beer along the way, and emphasized that Soweto cannot simply be flattened into the stereotype of “the poor and oppressed.” Instead, it is a multifaceted community with rich cultural, social, and economic diversity. I was also deeply impressed to learn about the grassroots work that Eenblod Tours and its owner, Gilda, are doing in partnership with the community. One highlight was meeting four children supported by the program, who were engaging, curious, and eager to interact with visitors as part of their learning journey. Talking with them was both fun and inspiring. This tour—and the wonderful guidance of Gabriel—made my final day in South Africa unforgettable. I highly recommend Gabriel and Eenblod Tours to anyone visiting Johannesburg.

This tour delivers exactly what it claims in the Title. I gained a lot of information about Soweto and South Africa during the day. Our driver Gabriel was charming, friendly and very knowledgeable. The drive was very comfortable but most of all the memory of our visit to Kliptown will remain with us forever Amazing work is being done by this company to secure the futures of several young men in the township We met them personally as they guided us around with many smaller children in tow who were an absolute delight Well done to Gilda and her team for giving these boys the opportunity to make a difference in their lives and their families You should be very proud of your work

+2

We recently booked the Soweto tour with Gilda and were not disappointed. A 5 star tour full of history and authentic real world experiences. It was a day filled with love and laughter. We got to meet many fabulous people along the way. Check out our photos as they speak for themselves. We highly suggest you book a tour with her as it will be a day you will not soon forget!!!❤️😎

+6