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Soweto and Johannesburg: Historic Bus and Walking Tour
4.8
54 Ratings
Johannesburg
Immerse yourself in the rich history of Soweto on a 2-hour guided tour, then explore the sights of Johannesburg at your own pace on a hop-on hop-off bus tour.
Immerse yourself in the rich history of Soweto on a 2-hour guided tour, then explore the sights of Johannesburg at your own pace on a hop-on hop-off bus tour.
Duration:
6 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Melrose Arch - Melrose Arch captures the imagination, invades the senses and invites you into a new world that evokes the renaissance spirit of the world’s great squares and piazzas. Its people-friendly meeting places, amazing buildings and curved streets create a vibrant atmosphere that is out of this world.
- Melrose Arch - Melrose Arch captures the imagination, invades the senses and invites you into a new world that evokes the renaissance spirit of the world’s great squares and piazzas. Its people-friendly meeting places, amazing buildings and curved streets create a vibrant atmosphere that is out of this world.
What's Included
- Hop on Hop Off Sightseeing bus
- Soweto small group tour
- Hop on Hop Off Sightseeing bus
- Soweto small group tour
What's Not Included
- Apartheid Museum Entrance ZAR 150
- Nelson Mandela’s Home Entrance fee, Vilakazi Street: ZAR 60
- Lunch
- Apartheid Museum Entrance ZAR 150
- Nelson Mandela’s Home Entrance fee, Vilakazi Street: ZAR 60
- Lunch
Additional Information
Join a 2-hour small group tour of the township of Soweto, described as the
definition: the
-
New York of Africa
, guided by a Soweto resident guide. Take in the sights of the city where Mandela once lived and where Mahatma Gandhi began his legal journey.
Finish the experience by exploring Johannesburg at your own rhythm with the hop-on hop-off…
Join a 2-hour small group tour of the township of Soweto, described as the
definition: the
- New York of Africa
, guided by a Soweto resident guide. Take in the sights of the city where Mandela once lived and where Mahatma Gandhi began his legal journey.
Finish the experience by exploring Johannesburg at your own rhythm with the hop-on hop-off city sightseeing bus tour. Absorb the story of Johannesburg through the recorded narration available on the double-decker tour bus. Traverse the city’s heritage-rich districts and discover sites significant to the battle against apartheid. Feel free to board and alight as often as you wish.
Reconnect with the legacy of Nelson Mandela and gain insight into his initial resistance to apartheid at his old family residence in Soweto, located at 8115 Vilakazi Street. A brief stroll away stands Tutu House, the abode of the Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. Soweto is a lively hub for countless South Africans and has been the backdrop for several seminal moments in the country’s timeline.
Location
City Sightseeing Johannesburg Visitor Center
Oxford Road
Our office is located pedestrian mall at the "Zone Shopping centre" in Oxford Road, Rosebank, right next to Hamley's Toys, with the Main Bus Stop nearby.
Check Google Map location of the "City Sightseeing Johannesburg Visitor Center" or Google "Holiday Inn Rosebank"
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(54 Ratings)
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670jeremiahm
Jul 30, 2025
Joburg tour with Kia, Kimi and Themba - Today was one of those days I know I’ll carry with me for a long time. We spent the day exploring Johannesburg via
@hop_on_hop_off_bus_tour and what stood out most was the contrast between the polished modern city of Rosebank and the raw, deeply human side of Soweto. 🏙️➡️🏘️
Rosebank was full of energy, art, and modern living. But in Soweto, we were shown a different kind of beauty — one that lives in the everyday lives of people who face real challenges yet carry incredible strength.
Soweto isn’t flashy or vibrant in the usual sense. There’s visible poverty, tough conditions, and signs of struggle everywhere. But what struck me most was the sense of unity. Neighbours supporting neighbours, communities coming together, people still smiling, sharing, and standing strong. That spirit, it’s powerful. It’s real.
We were lucky to be guided by Kizmo, Kia, and Themba. Kind, funny, and full of insight. Through their stories, we didn’t just see Soweto, we understood it a little better.
We were also given South African names as part of the experience:
✨ Manqoba (Travis) “The Conqueror” (don’t forget the tongue click 😄)
✨ Mine: Siayabonga “Thankful” 🙏
And I really am. Thankful for the lessons. Thankful to be reminded of what truly matters. Thankful to have witnessed a side of life that many overlook and to feel a deep respect for the strength and heart of the people here.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ian_p
Jul 28, 2025
Soweto combo - It was excellent - the tour guides were so informative and good fun - a great team - SK, ET and Slim Shady!
Would highly recommend the Soweto tour
Review provided by Viator
Mweemba
Jul 11, 2025
Soweto bus tour 10/10 - Such an insightful experience. We went to the museum, Mandelas house and even Desmond Tutu’s house. A big shoutout to our guides DT, SK and Kamo. Their service was 10/10 minus nothing. If you ever go on this tour, request for these three men. You won’t regret it. Their explanations and interactions made the tour memorable
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Silvana
Jul 7, 2025
Joburg in pills - Interesting city tour of Joburg in early July. The stages to choose are many and it is advisable to start at the first lap at 9 am. We booked the combination with Soweto and I loved it. On the tour of Soweto we boarded a minibus and throughout the journey and the scheduled stops we had a dedicated guide in English and it was very interesting to tell the story of the townships present and the history of apartheid. Another unmissable stop is Constitution hill where you can immerse yourself in the dark period of apartheid and you can visit the prisons where Mandela and Gandhi also lived for years.
Pay attention to managing time well. Unfortunately, we wanted to make the return from Soweto in the afternoon the visit to the apartheid museum, which they say is a must-see, but the bus returned to the starting point without stopping. Soweto has dedicated hours and the last tour is in the early afternoon (it lasts 2 hours)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Erykac2025
Jun 24, 2025
Fun and informative tour !!! - Very informative tour in Johannesburg and got to see different parts of the city that you normally wouldn’t see. Many opportunities to hop off and look around, although I would recommend not getting the last bus (like we did) so there is more opportunity to explore and catch another tour bus. The Soweto tour was great thanks to our lovely tour guide SK who made the trip interesting and fun! Thank you to Themba, our driver and the rest of the Sowetoo crew who made our trip so enjoyable and they were helpful too. Had a great time!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J2248cgaliciac
Jun 24, 2025
Great - Did the tour of Johannesburg love how we visited all types of areas not just “affluent” ones, and really got an insight into the history of Joburg. Took the Soweto extension tour at stop 8 with SK and Themba, it was great!! Very knowledgeable, funny and made you feel comfortable from the moment you arrived. Loved the addition of giving us South African names and I would highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
U2354zwjosepho
Jun 20, 2025
Joburg Tour - We truly had an amazing time on the Soweto route. It was by far the highlight of our city sightseeing experience. SK, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable, patient, and kind. KG drove us safely. Kia told us what we needed to know at Mandela House. Overall, it was a pleasant experience and I can not recommend this combination enough.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roving46635434833
May 12, 2025
Jhb - A really nice way to discover Johannesburg with lots of anecdotes.
Constitution hill is a must.
The Soweto tour with Kg and Vincent was brilliant, very lively and informative.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andressamarat
May 6, 2025
Joburg + Soweto in one day - My fiancé and I had a great experience! The tour was very informative, and we had the chance to see the most important attractions in Joburg in just one day. It was very easy to switch buses, and the schedule was followed punctually. We also visited Soweto with TD and Linda—they were very nice and explained what life is like in that part of the city. We definitely recommend this experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Voyager258281
May 8, 2025
dissapointing experience! - The bus tour didn’t provide much information. Sometimes they just talked about a nearby bar or shop, which I didn’t find very interesting. Some historical facts would have been much better.
As for the Soweto tour, it was okay and the guides were very nice, but there were too many stops just to buy tourist items from stores. For example, we stopped for 15 minutes at a snake museum to take a picture with a snake for about $5, which none of us wanted to do. In another stop during the Soweto tour we had a different guide who explained us a historical fact for three minutes and then wanted a tip. At the end of the tour our guides said that the tour was for free and that they were expecting a tip, which I found odd because we paid 17$ or so extra for the tour.
It would have been better to visit only the interesting places on our own.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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