SOWETO Day Tour

Let one of our Cardinal Tour Guides show you how to do the Soweto Township the right way. Herewith some of the highlights the Soweto Tour Includes:

Diepkloof: Enter Soweto via the up-market area called Diepkloof Ext where some of the houses can cost in the millions.

In complete contrast we visit a large hostel in the area, in days gone by the notorious hostel system was used as single gender accommodation for migrant labourers, it is now used as informal lodgings for family units.

Soweto Towers Power Swing: Orlando Towers offers you the first ever wing between2 cooling towers, a whooping 100m from the ground.And they're not just any towers! These two cooling towers are the largest landmark in historical Soweto, now one of South Africa's biggest tourist attractions

Baragwanath: We pass Baragwanath Hospital, the largest hospital in the southern hemisphere. Soak up the sites, sounds and "smells" of Africa at close quarters - informal open-air butcher shop, herbalists, barbers and market etc. Enjoy a ‘Smilies’ breakfast (the meat of a cow or sheep’s head) and sip on an Omqombothi (traditional beer) at on of our local shebeens.

Rotsos Shebeen: This is one of the most typical shebeens in Soweto. Here guests are able to mingle with the friendly locals.Rotsos Shebeen is opposite the Baragwanath Hospital, the biggest hospital in the Southern Hemisphere.

Lunch: A highlight of a visit to Soweto is a delicious lunch at one of the well run restaurantspatronized by both tourists and locals alike, offering typical "township" fare including dom bolo (steamed bread), moro ga (spinach), Umqhusho (Khosa samp and beans-Nelson Mandela's favourite dish), Mogodu (tripe-not for the faint hearted!) and a variety of meats, salads and vegetables. Desserts and drinks are not included.

Vilakazi Street: The tour bus will drive through Vilakazi Street, which is the only street in the world where two Nobel Prize winners lived: Nelson Mandela & Desmond Tutu. Unfortunate we won’t be able to enter as the Mandela Family Museum has been closed for renovations.

Hector Peterson museum: After lunch the trip continues to the neighbouring suburb of Orlando West & the Hector Peterson Memorial. Here clients can spend some time wandering through the museum, learning about the student uprising of 1976.Visit the fascinating museum which is a state of the art multi media centre depicting scenes leading up to the student uprising of 1976 and the eventual transition to democracy in South Africa.

Regina Mundi & Thokoza Park: This is one of the biggest Catholic churches in South Africa. The Reginal Mundi Church is the focal point of much of the struggle in the 70's and 80's and home to the famous Black Madonna and Child painting. This church is also known as “The Parliament of Soweto”

Should you require more information on this or other tours around South Africa, please have a look on our website or contact Charl at charl@saitravel.co.za