A bicycle tour is a better way to appreciate Soweto street life than from behind the windows of a tour bus.
Soweto from the saddle —
A bicycle tour is a better way to appreciate Soweto street life than from behind the windows of a tour bus.
Claire Hu/CNN
After major regeneration, Soweto's now fairly safe -- as well as fascinating.
Reborn city —
After major regeneration, Soweto's now fairly safe -- as well as fascinating.
courtesy Joburg Tourism
The roads are good but be warned: Soweto has hills, providing great views of sights such as Orlando Towers, which you can bungee jump from.
Views from the hills —
The roads are good but be warned: Soweto has hills, providing great views of sights such as Orlando Towers, which you can bungee jump from.
courtesy Joburg Tourism
Shebeens were originally a type of illegal pub housed in a shack and run by women for men living in rundown workers' hostels.
Down at the shebeen —
Shebeens were originally a type of illegal pub housed in a shack and run by women for men living in rundown workers' hostels.
courtesy Stephanie Biden
People would make noises as if attending a church service when police threatened to enter a shebeen.
Evading the police —
People would make noises as if attending a church service when police threatened to enter a shebeen.
courtesy Stephanie Biden
Another cunning plan was to dress in traditional attire, as if in the midst of a Zulu ceremony.
Cunning plan —
Another cunning plan was to dress in traditional attire, as if in the midst of a Zulu ceremony.
courtesy Stephanie Biden
Set on a hill with views over affluent Orlando West, Lebo's Backpackers Hostel has the feel of a laid-back beach hotel.
Black-run backpackers' —
Set on a hill with views over affluent Orlando West, Lebo's Backpackers Hostel has the feel of a laid-back beach hotel.
Courtesy Stephanie Biden
Lebo Malepa started offering overnight accommodation at his great-grandparents' house before opening the guesthouse and bike tour business with his Swedish wife.
The hostel owner and his wife —
Lebo Malepa started offering overnight accommodation at his great-grandparents' house before opening the guesthouse and bike tour business with his Swedish wife.
courtesy Stephanie Biden
Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu -- two Nobel Peace Prize winners -- both lived on Soweto's Vilakazi Street.
Prize-winning street —
Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu -- two Nobel Peace Prize winners -- both lived on Soweto's Vilakazi Street.
courtesy Joburg Tourism
It's also where locals done good come to rev up their Mercs and blare out kwaito, a form of South African house music.
In da Soweto house —
It's also where locals done good come to rev up their Mercs and blare out kwaito, a form of South African house music.
courtesy Joburg Tourism
You can learn about Soweto's past as a center of anti-apartheid struggle at the Hector Pieterson Museum, named after a 13-year-old boy shot dead by police.
Museum of the struggle —
You can learn about Soweto's past as a center of anti-apartheid struggle at the Hector Pieterson Museum, named after a 13-year-old boy shot dead by police.
courtesy Joburg Tourism
If kids run up to you on your bike and plead with you to "shoot" them, they don't have a death wish but want you to take a photo.
"Shoot you?" —
If kids run up to you on your bike and plead with you to "shoot" them, they don't have a death wish but want you to take a photo.
courtesy Stephanie Biden