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South Africa🇿🇦 | festivalsSoweto Wine FestivalBlack-owned labels, amapiano stages, kota sandwiches, Vilakazi Street | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Soweto Wine
👌 Worth visitingfestival ranked #14
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 22, 2026

Soweto Wine Festival began as a small gathering of township wine lovers and has grown into a ticketed, multi-day weekend with crowds in the thousands. It runs in Soweto, Johannesburg's huge township southwest of the city center, in South Africa. On my way I took a minibus taxi, and the driver passed my fare hand to hand down the aisle with a calm nod. Buy tickets early, since the gate queue wastes your afternoon. Skip the Uber surge at closing by booking a ride before you leave. Social tasters and food-loving travelers will love it. Anyone wanting a quiet, serious cellar tasting will not.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #14 festival in South AfricaWhy Soweto Wine should be on your travel list

Soweto Wine Festival gives you a reason to spend a full weekend in Soweto instead of a rushed half-day tour. Winemakers from the Cape pour alongside Black-owned labels, so you taste wines you rarely find on a standard Cape Winelands circuit. The crowd is mostly local, which means conversation comes easy: strangers swap glasses, argue about pinotage and invite you to their table. It also sits neatly on a Johannesburg stop, so you can pair it with the Vilakazi Street area and the Hector Pieterson Museum before or after. Entry with a tasting glass costs far less than a comparable Cape Town weekend, and the township's shebeen culture keeps the evenings going.

💡 HighlightsMust-see experiences and standout moments

  1. Black-owned wine labels: Pour after pour from producers who have built brands outside the old Cape estate system. Tasting them is the point of the weekend.
  2. Live music stages: Jazz, amapiano and house acts keep the grounds moving, and the sets turn tasting into dancing.
  3. Township food stalls: Grilled meat, kota sandwiches and pap with sauces soak up the wine and cost little.
  4. Wine and food pairing sessions: Short guided sessions explain how local dishes match reds and bubbly, helpful if you are new to tasting.
  5. Vilakazi Street: Where two Nobel Peace Prize winners lived, now lined with restaurants. It makes an easy add-on before or after the festival.
Soweto Wine Festival fills a long afternoon and evening, so plan about one full day, plus a couple of hours for Vilakazi Street.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

Things to do around Soweto Wine Festival

Soweto and Johannesburg Exclusive Full Day Guided Tour

Soweto and Johannesburg Exclusive Full Day Guided Tour

5.0(419)
From €114
per personViator
Soweto half day Tour

Soweto half day Tour

5.0(105) 4h
From €83
per personViator
Private Full Day Soweto and Johannesburg Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria

Private Full Day Soweto and Johannesburg Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria

5.0(78) 7h
From €145
per personViator
SOWETO: much more than just museums! Engaging while giving back

SOWETO: much more than just museums! Engaging while giving back

5.0(62)
From €106
per personViator
Private Half Day Authentic Soweto Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria

Private Half Day Authentic Soweto Tour from Johannesburg or Pretoria

5.0(45) 5h
From €116
per personViator
Johannesburg Soweto and Apartheid Experience

Johannesburg Soweto and Apartheid Experience

4.9(42) 8h
From €97
per personViator
Johannesburg and Soweto Tour (6-7 hours)

Johannesburg and Soweto Tour (6-7 hours)

5.0(35) 7h
From €108
per personViator
Soweto & Apartheid Museum Full-Day Tour

Soweto & Apartheid Museum Full-Day Tour

5.0(33)
From €114
per personViator
Johannesburg, Apartheid Museum & Soweto Experience

Johannesburg, Apartheid Museum & Soweto Experience

5.0(25)
From €122
per personViator
Half-Day Guided Tour of Johannesburg and Soweto Township

Half-Day Guided Tour of Johannesburg and Soweto Township

5.0(23) 4h 30m
From €71
per personViator

Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?When is the celebration of Soweto Wine Festival?

Soweto Wine Festival is held over one weekend in spring, usually late September or October, at the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication in Kliptown, Soweto, with dates reset each year.
  • Best day: Saturday has the fullest stalls and the loudest music, while Sunday is calmer with shorter lines at the tasting tables.
  • Weather: Expect warm days of 22 to 28°C (72 to 82°F), a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, and strong highveld sun. Bring sunscreen, a hat and a light rain jacket.
  • Booking: Buy tickets 3 to 4 weeks ahead and book beds early, since Johannesburg prices climb about 20 to 30 percent that weekend.
  • Getting there: Arrive before midday to beat traffic on the Soweto roads, and leave by ride-hail before the late crowd.
Arrive by 11 am for a calm first hour of tasting.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: not recommended for travelingFEBFebruary: not recommended for travelingMARMarch: not recommended for travelingAPRApril: not recommended for travelingMAYMay: not recommended for travelingJUNJune: not recommended for travelingJULJuly: not recommended for travelingAUGAugust: not recommended for travelingSEPSeptember: excellent for travelingOCTOctober: not recommended for travelingNOVNovember: not recommended for travelingDECDecember: not recommended for traveling

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🛏️ Where to stay?Where staying makes the most sense

Maboneng and Braamfontein in Johannesburg suit most backpackers, while Soweto itself gives the most atmosphere if you want to sleep near the festival.
Vilakazi Street in Orlando West is the social center of Soweto, with guesthouses and hostel-style rooms, restaurants and evening taverns, and it is about 20 to 30 minutes by car from Kliptown. Kliptown has a few homestay-style options within walking distance of the square, ideal for stumbling home after the last pour.
Maboneng and Braamfontein offer more hostels, cafes and nightlife, and they feel livelier for solo travelers who want to meet people. … read more 👉
Maboneng and Braamfontein in Johannesburg suit most backpackers, while Soweto itself gives the most atmosphere if you want to sleep near the festival.
Vilakazi Street in Orlando West is the social center of Soweto, with guesthouses and hostel-style rooms, restaurants and evening taverns, and it is about 20 to 30 minutes by car from Kliptown. Kliptown has a few homestay-style options within walking distance of the square, ideal for stumbling home after the last pour.
Maboneng and Braamfontein offer more hostels, cafes and nightlife, and they feel livelier for solo travelers who want to meet people. Both are about 25 to 40 minutes from Kliptown by ride-hail. Stick to ride-hail apps after dark, avoid walking between areas at night, and choose places with secure parking or gated entrances.
Best hostels in South Africa


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👛 Costs (as of 22 October 2026)What things cost and how to budget

Soweto Wine Festival costs a backpacker roughly US$65 to 155 per day, including a bed in Johannesburg or Soweto.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Festival ticketsUS$15 to 30Entry usually includes a tasting glass; extra tasting tokens are sold on site.
AccommodationUS$20 to 60Dorms are at the low end, private guesthouse rooms cost more on festival weekends.
Local transportUS$10 to 25Ride-hail apps are the safest option between Johannesburg and Kliptown.
Food & drinksUS$15 to 30Kota and braai plates cost US$3 to 8, extra wine tastings add up.
Miscellaneous expensesUS$5 to 10Sunscreen, bottled water, tips and small souvenirs.
Total Daily BudgetUS$65 to 155About US$110 on a typical day.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

🍲 FoodLocal Flavors for Backpackers

Expect braai smoke everywhere. Stalls grill boerewors rolls, lamb chops and chicken, usually served with pap and a tangy tomato-onion relish. Kasi food is the thing to hunt down: kota (a quarter loaf stuffed with chips, polony, egg and sauce) and chakalaka are filling and cheap, and one kota easily feeds two.
On the drinks side, South African wines lead, from Stellenbosch chenin blanc to Pinotage and Cap Classique bubbly, poured in small tasting measures. Local craft beer and ciders sit alongside, plus water and soft drinks for pacing yourself.
Buy a tasting glass or token card at the entrance, then sip and chat with the winemakers. Carry some cash for food stalls, since card machines can be slow when the network is busy. Lines peak at lunch, so eat a little earlier.

FAQTraveler FAQ

Soweto Wine Festival takes place over one weekend, usually in late September or October, with dates announced each year. It is held at the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication in Kliptown, Soweto, about 25 to 40 minutes by car from central Johannesburg. Check the organizers’ announcement for the exact weekend before booking a bed.
Tickets for Soweto Wine Festival generally cost around US$15 to 30, and this normally includes a tasting glass. Extra tasting tokens, food and drinks are paid for on site. A realistic daily total, with a Johannesburg bed and ride-hail transport, is about US$75 to 140.
Advance tickets are recommended for Soweto Wine Festival, as the Saturday session in particular can sell out. Buy them online about 3 to 4 weeks before the weekend, which also secures the lowest price. Gate sales may be available for quieter slots, but lines at the entrance can run 30 minutes or more.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other South African festivals near Soweto Wine

Explore more nearby:

  • Oppikoppi—bushveld camping, rock and electronic music, multiple stages, North West Province| 166 km away
  • Mieliepop Festival—farm setting, alternative music, lakeside camping, intimate stages| 246 km away
  • Ficksburg Cherry Festival—cherry orchards, farm tours, fruit picking, rural Free State| 296 km away

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We 💚 feedbackParting advice and final tips

Soweto Wine Festival trips up travelers who arrive hungry and start tasting at the first stall, then fade by mid-afternoon. Eat first, drink water between pours and pace yourself. I would also book the ride home in advance and stay for the evening sets, when the crowd is at its best.

✈️ When did I visit South Africa?
I have visited South Africa, before and after my Zimbabwe trip in 2001.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in South Africa, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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