The Mandela Route

Travel in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela

To get a real sense of South Africa you cannot visit without seeking some insight into the country's most powerful leader - Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela - the man who set South Africa's people free and whose memory lives on, immortalised in avenues, bridges, highways, monuments, statues and museums across the country.

Loved and revered for his magnanimity towards all, he became known as Madiba, the ‘father' of the people.

Nelson Mandela, one of the world's most remarkable leaders, would have been 100 on 18 July 2018. He will be remembered for years to come as the man who went beyond the call of duty, the man who put any thought of retribution behind him to lead a country to peace and democracy.

Mandela's legacy is left predominantly in three geographical regions. To get a sense of the man, we trace his history through the Eastern Cape, Johannesburg and the Western Cape.

Design your own route

We've made it easy for you by dividing Mandela-infused sites into 3 sections:

1. Must-see sites
   These are the places of interest and attractions you won't want to miss
2. Additional sites of interest
   These sites will add further insight into Mandela's life
3. Sites for Mandela enthusiasts
   Really interesting sites which you can skip if you're pressed for time, but the real enthusiast will want to visit

Each of these sections has been grouped by the province in which they're located - the Eastern Cape, Johannesburg and the Western Cape - to make designing your own Madela Route as simple as selecting what's closest to you and plotting your route accordingly.

1. Eastern Cape
   Nelson Mandela's early years
2. Johannesburg
   Nelson Mandela's years of political activism
3. Western Cape
   Nelson Mandela's years in prison
4. Rest of the country
   Additional sites of interest