Perched on the slopes of Signal Hill, overlooking Table Bay, the Bo-Kaap is as idiosyncratically ‘Cape’ as the spicy scents and flavours that waft downhill from its eccentrically colourful cobbled streets. Our walk through the historic Malay quarter of Cape Town takes us through its nooks and crannies, its legends and secrets, as we hunt for the sources of those wonderful aromas and discover the distinctive cuisine of the Cape Malay community. The Cape Malay Cooking Safari is a truly special Cape experience.

Tour Details Price: ZAR 595 per person Type: Half Day Tour Includes: Guided Walking Tour of historical heart of the Bo-Kaap with accredited tour guide, Cooking Workshop and demonstration, full course traditional meal (one in the morning and one in the afternoon), small gift. Book Tour

The adventure begins at the Bo-Kaap Museum, where an intimate group of no more than ten people will meet to enjoy the photo exhibition, and get a feel for the history and tradition of the area. Your guide will lead you on a leisurely stroll through some of the more historic streets, giving you a chance to appreciate the extraordinary collection of pre-1840 architecture that resulted in this area being declared a national monument. Then its time to follow our noses towards the scents of ginger, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, and chilli which drift tantalisingly from the storefronts and cafés, as we shop for ingredients to make a typical Cape Malay dish.

It’s “hands-on” during the informal cooking workshop which follows in a Bo-Kaap family home. We learn how to mix Masala, fold Samoosas, and how to balance the delicate flavours of a Cape Malay curry. Over a mug of faloodah (a traditional, lightly rose-scented milk drink) our hostess and cooking instructor will tell you more about the ways in which food, history and religion are interwoven in the Bo-Kaap culture. Then it’s time to sit back, relax, and appreciate your handwork as you dig in to a full course traditional Malay Meal. Book Tour

Pull up a pew! It’s time to experience praise and worship township-style, as your local guides in Langa, Cape Town, or Kayamandi, Stellenbosch, take you into the very heart of the community: the church. This tour throws you right into the deep end of township life – and surprise, surprise – the water’s warm! Across the world, churches have always been an integral part of the life of poorer communities, serving a role that goes well beyond the purely spiritual. In the local townships, this truth has played out in a unique and profoundly South African way. After 1960, when the Apartheid regime banned political gatherings, it was from the pulpits that the oppressed voiced their rage, and it fell to the church leaders to rally the community under the banner of the one institution that the ruling party could not conceivably ban.

Tour Details Price: ZAR 730 per person Type: Sunday Morning (Half Day Tour) Includes: (Transport)transfers return City Bowl, guided walk & visits with accredited tour guide and local guide, refreshments in local homes or in local restaurant, Typical buffet lunch at local Roots African Restaurant an optional extra. Book Tour

Today, the churches continue to play an indispensable and variegated role in the cultural and social life of township communities. As a result of the broad range of needs to which they answer, services are somewhat different from those you might be used to. Casual, charismatic, and peppered with jubilant interjections from the congregation, they are as much a platform for community debate and discussion as they are occasions of worship. The welcoming attitude of the churchgoers and the rousing gospel music of the choirs are sure to lift the dourest of spirits, and will leave you with a whole new understanding of what it means to rejoice!

Under no circumstances should you assume that this tour is just for Christians. It’s for anyone who has a desire to understand the African community at its most fundamental level and experience firsthand the warmth of its people. Of course, it’s also for any fan of Gospel – whether you prefer the music or the teachings of the Good Book.

Before the service, a guided township walk allows us to further explore the vibrant life of the township. We will visit various places of interest such as local shops, a community centre, and private homes To round off our visit, Mama Shumi (on the Kayamandi Gospel tour only), the mother of a local priest, welcomes us into her home for a cup of tea or a glass of homemade ginger beer, and tells us stories about the spiritual life of the township, now and in the difficult years gone by.
This tour brings you right to the heart and soul of South Africa, and into the lives of the ordinary people that earn Cape Town the moniker ‘The Friendly City.’ Book Tour

Join our local guide at the Kayamandi Community Centre and accompany him on a walk highlighting the way of life in his town. He will make various stops along the way, of which the Kindergarten, the library, private homes and „Spaza Shops“ (informal stores) are the most popular. On return to the centre, you will have the opportunity to catch further Kayamandi vibes by participating in a drumming session! With the help and humour of Vuyo, who has experience in the performing arts, even novice drummers will feel the rhythms of African drums at their fingertips!

Tour Details Price: R620 per person Type: Half Day Tour Includes: transport, township walking tour, drumming workshop. Book Tour

Information:
Kayamandi lies on the outskirts of historical Stellenbosch in the Cape Winelands. As with other townships, Kayamandi bears the harsh traces of apartheid. However today as an established „township“, Kayamandi is open to visitors and tourists from around the world. Due to its proximity to the heart of the Winelands, an inspiring tour of Kayamandi is a perfect way to round off either a city tour or a wine tour. Book Tour

In a city where fences, freeways, trainlines and old habits continue to divide society along the lines of colour and culture South Africans have fought so hard to overcome, Kalkfontein is a breath of fresh air. Established in the late ‘80’s by migrant labourers from the Eastern and Western Cape, Kalkfontein has been called “one of the country’s most surprising places.” Home to Xhosa, Zulu, Khoisan, Angolan, Coloured and Mozambican residents, among others, this vibrant and eclectic township community is South Africa in microcosm: a veritable cultural melting-potjie. So much more than just another tourist jaunt, the Kalkfontein tour offers you a chance to unlearn your preconceptions, break down barriers, and maybe even make a few new friends.

Tour Details Price: ZAR 795 Type: Evening Township Tour Includes: Transfer return from city bowl, buchu tea, snacks, traditional potjiekos (vegetable stew cooked on open fire), braai chicken, We cater for vegetarians. Book Tour

This unique township experience begins at the home of “ghetto poet” and living national treasure, Jethro Louw, and his wife, Sarah. Accompanied by various musicians, Jethro will give us a taste of the innovative art-form he and his brethren have dubbed “word-bombing.” Not quite poetry, not quite music, Jethro’s performances are a testimony to the healing power of the spoken word. Later, we move to Oom Daan and Ma Nuri's house for a taste of homegrown oral tradition over a cup of buchu tea. These master storytellers will evoke township life and history with unforgettable and inimitable wit and insight. And there’s no telling who might stop in for a dop!*

After nightfall the township comes to life. The fun begins when the doors of Norm’s Shebeen are thrown open. We stop here for drinks and conversation with all manner of interesting township characters; if you’re lucky you might even catch an impromptu breakdancing show. Then it’s back to Jethro’s for more good traditional food, good music, and good conversation. Every evening in Kalkfontein is a surprise, and every tour unique. One thing is certain: you’ll leave with a new understanding of what it means to “embrace diversity.” On this tour, you are Kalkfontein’s guest for a day. So why watch if you can participate? And why listen if you can sing along? Book Tour

Any seasoned traveller will tell you that to truly get to know the rhythm of a culture; you need to get to know the rhythms of its music. And in Cape Town, that means jazz. Cape Jazz is a distinctive mix of western and African influences, with riffs borrowed from all the kindred ports of the world, and infused with the indominatable spirit of the Cape people. Forged in the townships in darker times, this captivating art-form has given expression to South Africa’s struggles and joys throughout the lean years and into the fat. But, like jazz scenes everywhere, the jazz scene of the Cape tends to guard its secrets from newcomers. Finding the hot spots can take time and effort... unless a little Bird tells you where to look.

Tour Details Price: ZAR 950 per person Type: Evening tour (19h00-23h00) Includes: Rendezvous with Cape Town Musicians, dinner, drinks, transport. Book Tour

The Cape Town Jazz Safari takes visitors right into the fabric of the city’s musical spirit, at the same time giving back to the local music scene. Join us on an intimate evening excursion into the living room of latter-day Cape jazz cats. Dinner, drinks, and exclusive performances by one of these virtuoso musicians will be followed by a taste of contemporary Cape Town sounds, as we venture out of the inner city to enjoy live jazz at a nightspot, or saunter across town for a nightcap at the home of a second musician.
The tour kicks off at 7pm at the Distrix Café. There can be no more fitting place to begin our jazz experience than here at the foot of District Six, where old-school greats such as Basil Coetzee and Abdullah Ibrahim gave a musical voice to a nation’s heartache and hope.

Under the accredited guidance of a local jazz aficionado, you will then enjoy privileged access to Abdullah Ibrahim’s music school, “M7”. A beautiful collection of black and white photos and an introductory talk will give you a feel for the city's distinguished jazz history. This is an opportunity to experience a rarefied side of Cape Town. The Jazz Safari puts you in the talented hands of those who make a living from conjuring the city’s soul. You won’t want to miss a beat.  Book Tour