4 / 5 - 2 reviews
How to get there
Accompanied by a guide; 15 km from central Johannesburg
When to go
All year round
Minimum stay
Half a day
Soweto (South Africa)
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David Debrincat
Practical information on Soweto
Reviews of Soweto
As indicated by its name, Soweto (which stands for South Western Townships) is located in the south west part of Johannesburg. This township is today the most famous in South Africa, and even the whole world.
My suggestion:
Though crime rates in Soweto have dropped significantly, going there on your own is still absolutely out of the question.
My review
Soweto, the very epicentre of the struggle against apartheid, has over time become one of the essential places to see when visiting South Africa. It's somewhere you really should visit so that you can find out for yourself what daily life is like there for its inhabitants. What you'll discover is that the reality is still a long way from the ideal envisaged by Nelson Mandela.
I strongly recommend touring Soweto in the company of a guide. As well as obviously being a good idea for safety reasons, having a competent guide at your side will help you gain a better understanding of Soweto's history. The energy the inhabitants dedicate to improving their daily lives provides good reason for hope. The money paid for the tour goes to help one of Soweto's many civic organisations.
The tour of Soweto takes around half a day. This is enough time to visit not just the township itself but also the Nelson Mandela Museum, the Hector Pieterson Museum, and the street on which two Nobel Prize winners, Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, have lived. Please, visit Soweto!
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David Debrincat
A symbolic and historic place located 15km south west of Johannesburg.
My suggestion:
Come to Soweto from Johannesburg accompanied by a local guide.
My review
I found my visit to Soweto particularly emotional out of all the places symbolic of the fight for the emancipation of black people and the victory against apartheid. A trip which is now necessary in my opinion to discover the particular and surprising history of this country when on a journey in South Africa.
The Soweto districtcan be visited in one morning, accompanied by a local guide who will be able to explain to you the subtleties of this place and take you to the hidden corners, but I would still recommend to set aside at least the entire day.
Don't miss the exciting Mandela Family Museum as well as Credo Mutwa village with its houses of both zulu and sotho style, and which has recently been excellently restored.
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Nina Montagné
111 travelers' photos
