Soweto Township Tour

SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARIS AND THE SOWETO

Soweto is a community and township area boasting a cultural and ethnic diversity. Soweto is located 15 km away from Johannesburg allowing for easy day-trip tours to this enlightening area. This region is the most metropolitan township in South Africa and a popular tourist destination for townships tours and cultural learning… The main attraction of this settlement is its huge black population; most of the people here are underprivileged but together they create a vibrant and positive atmosphere. Soweto contains the most amazing crafts, exciting African restaurants and even local drinking bars called shebeen’s. The housing in Soweto is predominately shacks; homes made from tin, brick, wood or any other material.

Soweto originated in 1904 during the segmentation and apartheid era. The oldest cluster of townships is called Klipspruit. Over the years this cluster grew and expanded creating the busy city it is now. Klipspruit housed many miners and local labourers who were working in Johannesburg (South Africa) - due to the segmentation and apartheid era they were not allowed to live in the main city and had to resort to living in the outskirts.

The name Soweto is an acronym for 'Southern Western Townships' and the name ‘Soweto’ was officially taken in 1963. In 1976 Soweto hosted a massive political campaign called the ‘1976 student uprising’ (over the apartheid policies); this is where Hector Peterson was shot and killed, earning this city massive amounts of publicity. Hector Peterson, a young and innocent child, was caught in the crossfire during the protest – his life made a political statement and Soweto became a sad example of what apartheid had caused. In 1983 Soweto became independent…

Soweto has produced many famous celebrities over the years, such as; singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka, boxer Baby Jake Matlala, Bishop Desmond Tutu and world-renowned activist and ex-president Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela’s house has been turned into a place of interest – a place where a Soweto township tour almost certainly goes!

Township tours are very popular for travellers – taking you all around the Soweto Township, introducing you to customs, selling crafts and souvenirs and to a wealth of diversity. Most township tours are structured in such a way that part of the tour fee goes towards a community upliftment or a sustainable development project.

There are a few attractions in Soweto that are highly recommended, such as; the African Institute of Art and Funda Community Centre, the Nelson Mandela House, Freedom square and the Hector Peterson Square.

Have a look at our Soweto township tour below... There are also other South African attractions beneath that you might want to visit on your South African Safari.

• Kruger National Park
• Garden Route
• Cape Town
• Winelands
• KwaZulu-Natal
• Addo Elephant National Park
• Greater St Lucia
• Hluhluwe-Umfolozi National Park
• Overberg
• Pilanesberg National Park
• Ukhahlamba
• West Coast
• Aquila
• Table Mountain
• Cango Caves
• Cape Point, Cape Agulhas
• Drakensberg
• Gods Window
• Kapama Game Reserve
• Kirstenbosch
• Knysna
• Madikwe Game Reserve
• Pilgrims Rest
• Robben Island
• Sun City
• Karoo South Africa
• Wild Coast
• V&A Waterfront
• Johannesburg
• Gansbaai
• Tsitsikamma
• Valley of a 1000 Hills
• Inverdoorn
• Cederberg
• Kimberley
• Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
• Zululand
• The Battlefields