Tours and activities

Johannesburg and Soweto full day tour

For a private, full day tour of Joburg and Soweto, we suggest Cecilia Mlangeni from Fankomo Tours.  Cecilia, has lived in Soweto her whole life, is a great guide, and just generally lovely to spend time with. She knows Johannesburg well and you would get real insight into the city. 

What makes this tour special, and quite unique, is that you will see the city in depth. Not just the Old City Centre, but also the Northern Suburbs where much of the commerce has moved to.  You will make a quick swing through the Northern Suburbs of Parkview, Rosebank, Illovo and Sandton, to get perspective on how multi-layered Johannesburg is, and to understand the history of how the City has changed over the last 20 years,  and why.  Then through Houghton, stopping on Munroe Drive to look back over the North of Jhb, the world’s largest man-made forest. Then through Yeoville, once the Bohemian, creative heart of South Africa. You will then drive through Hillbrow and stop and visit the Constitutional Court. You will stop briefly in Maboneng and the Kwa Mai Mai Market. From there through the Centre to Mandela Bridge, Mandela and O R Tambo Law Offices and the Mining District.

In Soweto you will pass FNB Soccer City stadium.

Welcome Board - Upper Class Group of Soweto

Diepkloof hostel - Former single sex residential homes

Bara Bridge - For high view of Soweto

Famous Twin Towers - Soweto coal plant towers

Lower Class Group - Tin houses

Vilakazi Street : Visit Mandela House and Hector Peterson Museum

The tour is very flexible. 

Pickup from the house is at 8.30.and drop-off 17.00. There is a stop for lunch in one of the Soweto restaurants, to be decided on the day.

The cost is R1300 per person, excluding any entrance fees and lunch. Kids below 12 half price. This can also be split into two tours over two days. The rate then is R795 per person excluding any entrance fees. There is a R200 supplement for single people.

Soweto half day Tours

These are our suggestions.

1. For a private and personal visit our preferred guide is Cecilia Mlangeni from Fankomo Tours. This tour covers all of the main points of Soweto, with in-depth history, and is pretty flexible. R850 per person which excludes any entrance fees. There is a R200 supplement for a single person. Cecilia, has lived in Soweto her whole life, is a great guide, and just generally lovely to spend time with. This is from 9h00am to 1h00pm, including collection and return to the house, or in the afternoon by arrangement. 

2. www.tasteofafrica.co.za. They do small, personal, un-touristy and private visits that involve walking and using mini-bus transport to see the townships and all of its major sites. They will collect you from the house at 8.30 and the rate is R650 per person. There is a supplement of R200 for a single person. They do ask that you pay for the guide’s mini-bus transport and a basic lunch. One mini-bus ride is around R8, and each guest will ride 3 buses. (Approximately  R24 per person for the mini-buses.) If you would like to include a visit to the `Apartheid Museum, they will drop you off at the Museum at 2.30, and then you make your way back to the house via UBER or a taxi, or we will arrange for your collection at 5pm when the Museum closes. The collection from the museum is R150. 

1. Then also Lebo’s: http://sowetobicycletours.com 2 hours at 10am for R550 per person or 4 hours at 13h00 for R660 per person. They also offer Tuk-Tuk tours. The guides are great!

French / Spanish / Portuguese speaking Tour Guide

A half day tour of Soweto is R900 per person.

Full day of Johannesburg and Soweto, including entrances at Constitution Hill, Top of Africa, Apartheid Museum, Mandela House and Hector Pietersen Museum is R1700 per person.

Collection and return from Lucky Bean Guesthouse.

Inner city tours

Dlala Nje: based in Ponte City and offering the most interesting Hillbrow, Yeoville and Ponte City tours.

This is a great organization, demystifying some of Johannesburg’s most misunderstood suburbs. Their work also funds a foundation educating kids in the city.

Main Street Walks: based at Maboneng they offer a range of walks and cycle tours around the city.

The Red Hop-on Hop-off Bus

This is a very effective way to see the city, and get a sense of it. It covers the main attractions and you have commentary in many languages. https://www.citysightseeing.co.za/johannesburg

The bus visits:
The Braamfontein district, Constitution Hill, The Mining District Walk, The Apartheid Museum and Newtown. There is also a route through the North of the city – this is not very important, especially if time is limited.

In Newtown, pop into The Market Photo Workshop, The Bus Factory / Artists Proof Studio at 2 President Street and The Market Theatre. There is also some graffiti that is worth seeing. Walk through Workshop Newtown, which is behind the Market Theatre, through the rear left exit. The graffiti runs under the motorway.

You are also able to walk to the Wits Art Museum (WAM) and Origins Centre, from the Braamfontein stop. WAM is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Quirky eating and entertainment

The Yeoville Dinner Club is worth checking. https://www.facebook.com/yeovilledinnerclub/ Sanza is an amazing character, and it’s a crazy experience. Yeoville is populated by immigrants from all over Southern and Central Africa, and Sanza serves Pan-African food at a table that seats about 14 guests. It’s R635 per person and this includes some drinks. He is a great story teller, and has interesting guests. You never know who you will be eating with!

Artists, diplomats, fellow travellers; Anthony Bourdain loved the Supper Club. It’s a unique experience. It’s best if we arrange your transport to Yeoville., this would be R200 one way, for a car. Sanza will put you in a car to send you home. Another R200.