Soweto

Soweto is South Africa's most storied township — Vilakazi Street (the only street with two Nobel laureates' homes), the Hector Pieterson Museum, Orlando Towers, and a food and shebeen scene that's pure Joburg. It's essential, not optional. Go with a local guide or reputable tour for your first visit; you'll see more and understand far more.

Key facts

Frequently asked questions

Is the Apartheid Museum in Soweto?

Technically no — it's in Ormonde, on the road between the city and Soweto, which is exactly why most tours combine them. Entry is R175 for adults (R120 concessions), and it needs two to three hours. If you do one museum in Joburg, it's this plus Hector Pieterson.

How big is Soweto really?

Enormous — well over a million people across dozens of distinct neighbourhoods, from struggling informal sections to leafy middle-class suburbs with golf estates. The tourist circuit shows you a sliver; a good guide will show you the range, which is the real story.

Where do I eat in Soweto?

Vilakazi Street's restaurants do the classics — try chesa nyama (braaied meat), kota (a loaded quarter-loaf), and a local craft beer. For the real thing, ask your guide to include a shebeen stop; Sunday afternoons there are an institution.

What are the Orlando Towers?

The muraled cooling towers of a decommissioned power station, now an adventure site: bungee jumping from the rig between them costs about R630, with SCAD freefall around R400. Open Thursday from noon and Friday-Sunday from 10:00 till sunset, first come, first served.

How much does the Hector Pieterson Museum cost?

Around R30 for adults, with student and pensioner discounts, open roughly 10:00-17:00. It tells the story of the 1976 student uprising with devastating clarity — pair it with the memorial outside and give it a solid hour or more.

Should I do a tour or explore Soweto on my own?

First time: tour — cycling tours out of Orlando are the best of the lot, getting you into backstreets and shebeens a car never would. Repeat visits or with a local friend, self-driving or Ubering to Vilakazi Street is perfectly doable.

Is it safe to visit Soweto as a tourist?

The tourist spine — Vilakazi Street, the Hector Pieterson precinct, Orlando Towers — is well-visited and comfortable by day, and locals are famously welcoming. For a first visit, take a guided tour or local guide; freelancing into unfamiliar sections isn't wise, same as anywhere in Joburg.

What is Vilakazi Street?

The only street on earth that housed two Nobel Peace Prize winners — Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Mandela's little red-brick house is now a museum, and the street around it is lined with restaurants, buskers and street vendors. Touristy, yes, but deservedly.

Nearby in Ask Johannesburg

• Walter Sisulu Square of DedicationAttraction3.25 km · 41 min walk
• Wandie's PlaceRestaurant3.96 km · 49 min walk
• Sakhumzi RestaurantRestaurant5.9 km · 74 min walk
• Mandela House on Vilakazi StreetMuseum5.99 km · 75 min walk
• Hector Pieterson Memorial and MuseumMuseum6.17 km · 77 min walk