Mandela House, Johannesburg

We had an historic experience there. If you’re visiting the place, it’s best to have a guide who would be explaining the ins and outs of the house. Especially some of the memorabilia inside the house, our guide explained the belt he got from Sugar Ray Leonard, the letter in the cupboard, the setup of the house, the fire bombing of the house, the graves on the house, the umbilical cords of the children. I’d recommend this for any traveller, especially for those who didn’t get to experience Mandela. You get to be up close and personal and feel like you knew Mandela. It’s relatively affordable, we went during the Youth Day (16 June) and the fee was R40.

Visiting here is like walking in the footsteps of a great man and through his life. To say the least it is a humbling experience. The house is small but cosy. The renovations have certainly helped to restore the place and gives one a glimpse of the Mandela family life. The coal stove and bedroom are true replicas. The volunteers who guide you through the tour shed a lot of light on the history and events associated with the home and family. It is inspiring to think that he came from such a simple background but went on to do such amazing things. Note there are MANY groups performing traditional dances on the street outside. It’s fun to watch however they do expect a tip for their performance. This can be overwhelming on the wallet.