Soweto Adventure Experiences
Soweto is not necessarily a place you’d associate with adventure experiences. But there are adrenaline highs on offer for those brave enough to try them. The epicentre for such thrills is the Soweto Towers, near where the
Soweto Outdoor Adventure (SOAC) has its base.
These giant cooling towers are the remnants of the former Orlando coal-powered power station and dominate the view from many parts of Soweto. Now covered in colourful artwork, they offer an artificial high for activities such as bungee jumping, abseiling, ziplining or a SCAD Freefall into a net (guided by a safety wire). Other energy outlets include paintballing, go-karting and indoor climbing. SOAC is also a base for the Soweto Canoe Club (yes, really).
For something slightly more sedate, but still pretty exciting, quad bikes tours are the way to go. Led by SOAC, visitors are guided down dirt roads into areas other tours can’t reach. It’s a great way to see another side of Soweto away from the usual tourist highlights. Stops include the upmarket Maponya Mall, as well as interesting local businesses, shops and restaurants where you can sample some unfamiliar dishes. Without the isolation of a closed-in vehicle, you can also interact with passers-by – the most memorable part of the tour – and use all your senses, heightened by the rush that comes free with any quad-bike ride. Safety is a priority, with motorbike outriders to stop traffic at junctions and shepherd any stragglers who stop for photos back into the group. Even if you can’t drive, don’t worry. A quick briefing, on a bike with automatic gears, is all you need to join the tour.
If you do nothing else, the viewing platform atop the Soweto Towers gives a great view of life in the streets around.
DON’T MISS: The Cradle of Humankind site, 50km outside Johannesburg, is where around forty percent of human ancestor fossils have been found, making it the richest of these sites in the world.