Amandala tours … total rip off. Drivers represent themselves as taxi drivers but then turn around & charge 5x what a ride should cost. CT Airport to Kensington: $279USD, no receipt. Another driver charged us $75 to go about 15 minutes. Avoid them. They will rip you off

Amazing tour! Thuli is very knowledgeable and knows exactly where to take you for an authentic tour of Joburg and Soweto. We only had time for a half day tour but she was able to show us so much which included cool local areas and restaurants. Thuli took us to a project in Soweto where we had a separate guide walk us around (very interesting!). Highly recommend!!

We had just shy of 48 hours in Johannesburg and wanted to see as much as possible. On our only full day, we engaged Thuli for an all day Contrast tour. The tour covered a LOT of ground, both literally and figuratively, including townships, suburbs, central business district and up-and-coming arts areas. From Sandton to Alexandra, downtown to Soweto, Melville to Maboneng (it was Sunday!). We drove, got out and walked as appropriate, shopped, lunched. We are still, a month later talking about and unpacking the amount of information, observations and experiences. Born and raised in Jo'burg, Thuli lived in Germany for 6 years and has a unique insider/outsider perspective into her hometown. Highly recommended.

We arranged with Thuli for her two-day tour of Johannesburg. It was a thorough and at many times sobering view of a city that has come a long way since the end of Apartheid, but still faces many challenges. We visited the poorest and richest neighborhoods, the Apartheid Museum, sites relevant to Nelson Mandela's life and career, and both older and revitalized parts of the downtown. Thuli and her staff were always prompt, friendly, and very willing to discuss both the difficult and triumphant past (and present) of the city and its residents. Thuli always made sure that we were well taken care of. Even if you're not a big fan of jazz, consider arranging with Thuli for the evening at a Johannesburg jazz club. The venue, food and music made for a great evening!

My family of 4 spent 2 days with Thuli on the Contrast and Soweto tours. Although the schedule was tight, Thuli squeezed in all the sights that we wanted to see. We really enjoyed our tour with Thuli. Thuli's love and passion for SA is clear and sincere.

My boyfriend and I spent one day with Thuli which was the perfect start to get to know Johannesburg and its people. We combined the Contrast Tour with the Johannesburg and Soweto Tour. The visits of the different parts of the city (e.g. Sandton, Melville, Alexandra, the Apartheid Museum, Soweto etc.) help us now to better understand Johannesburg and its history. We are already planning on flying back to Johannesburg - especially to feel the warm-hearted and welcoming atmosphere again!

Thank you, Thuli, for making our Johannesburg-Soweto trip one of our great memories! We had a mixed group, which included our two teenage children, our daughter's exchange student friend from Germany and 2 business friends. A true mix of cultures. All of us, from me growing up in Johannesburg, to our European guest and a girl that comes from a village in the Freestate, learnt something new and intetesting. We loved the vibe at the art markets in Maboneng and the old history of inner Jo'burg. Having drinks in Soweto at a Shabeen was fun, and the meal at Vilekazi Restaurant was excellent. En experience highly recommended for all.

We did a three-hour-tour around Johannesburg with Atamela. It was our first experience in South Africa and a great one, it could not have been better at all. Thuli, our guide, is so passionate and really driven by the desire to bring her guests straight to the people and the heart of her country. We got in touch with two families, had a trip around Soweto and an African market. We felt absolutely safe in Atamela's Volkswagen van and, listening to Thuli and her likeable driver while driving, we learnt a lot more about the history of South Africa than we could have read in a dozen travel books.

My wife and I contacted Atamela Tours after noticing her high ratings on Tripadvisor. We were not disappointed. Thuli treated us as long lost family members. She accommodated us on short notice for a 6 hour tour. We visied areas of Johannesburg which we later discovered were best visited with a trusted guide. Thuli was very knowledgeable with her history of South Africa and the way Johannesburg and its townships have dealt with the dissolution of Apartheid. So fascinating to hear a locals perspective and experience of Soweto and the country's politics. Visited a local school in Soweto and enjoyed a visit with a group of students and their principal that we will never forget. Thuli arranged a great tour for us and we missed her that much more the next day when we were robbed crossing the Mandela bridge.She had warned us to be vigilant and advised us against independent travel through the redeveloped newly gentrified hip neighborhoods and we later wished we had listened. We highly recommend Thuli and Atamela Tours as we would advise any travellers to use guides or tours when visiting Johannesburg.

We took a day tour with Thuli and felt that we really got to experience Johannesburg & Soweto. Thuli really shares herself and will take you deep into the city and make it come alive. A highlight of our South African adventure.

Booked Thuli after reading reviews on Trip Advisor and was not disappointed. We spent much longer than we agreed upon, as we were stuck in traffic and Thuli knew we really wanted to learn about Soweto. Our day started Soweto at a local school. I had my nine-year with us and she really wanted to see a school. We were able to meet with some teachers and pop in a few classrooms.. Next, we went in Joburg where she explained the history and how areas of wealth came to be right next to some of the poorest areas in the city. We were able to visit the township of Alexandra and meet a local family and see their home. We also checked out an up and coming funky area of Joburg and Thuli took us to a great dress shop, where we were able to buy fantastic, African dresses, handmade by a young female entrepreneur. She uses African cloth and combines them in a modern style, focusing on all different body types. Finally, we ended up in Soweto, seeing different neighborhoods, the towers and spending a little time at the market. Thuli is very knowledgeable, easy to be with, open to making the tour what you want and a lot of fun. I would highly recommend her tours.

After contacting Thuli on short notice, she still managed to plan a tour for us, which fit our schedule perfectly. After she picked us up at our hotel, we got the first impression of Johannesburg from a nice vantage point and Thuli provided us with interesting historic background information, to get us started off. After that, she walked us through interesting parts of the city, pointing out the contrasts that Johannesburg provides and always giving us insight into what living here really means. After the most impressive visit to the Apartheit Museum, she rounded off the tour with a visit to Soweto and surroundings. We all had a great time and now see the city with eyes a little changed. Highly recommended!

We spent the winter (IE- the summer) in South Africa, and this tour with Thuli was one of the highlights. We had two small kids with us which didn't make things easy but Thuli and her driver were terrific, the tour was genuinely interesting and gave us a sense of being in the actual place (Soweto) and not just passing through in some giant bus like a pack of wild tourist-hyenas... As the title of review says, we generally don't do tours and don't hire guides, but this was a happy exception. We spent most of the time walking around Soweto and not stuck in a vehicle... highly recommended.

We only had half a day before catching our flight but really wanted to see Soweto and Thuli was the perfect guide. She kept all of us (including a 16 and 18 year old) really interested with all the history, stories and culture and kept us completely on schedule. We felt completely safe in her hands and knew we were getting access to places we just wouldn't know about without her. It was a completely bespoke and personal service and really made our holiday. We'll be coming back for a more extensive tour when we're next in Jo'burg. The Harrison Family - Brighton, UK

This privately managed tour company based in Johannesburg provides the opportunity to work with the owner to tailor make a tour to fit ones own interest and timeframe. The enthusiastic owner and CEO, Thuli Khumalo, is extremely professional and really "knows her stuff". Her mission really is to bring the tourist closer to her love, being South Africa. We were treated to a very personal visit to Soweto which gave us a very thorough and clear picture of history and hopes for the future. Casual stops in town, at a bar to chat with locals, and closing with a meal close to the Nelson Mandela museum and just up the road from Desmond Tutu's house, provided great insight and got our first visit to the area off to a memorable start. Thuli is a consummate guide, and if we were looking again for a hand made itinerary in the area, we would not hesitate to contact her again.