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Travel bucket list idea:

Last updated: 24 June, 2023
Expert travel writer: Richard Holmes

Townships – undeveloped, sprawling communities of small houses and shacks – are a blight on what is otherwise a gorgeous city. Home to the ‘non-whites’ during apartheid area, they remain a symbol of division and inequality. Aside from a few new satellite dishes, for most residents, not a lot has changed in the post-Apartheid era. Most houses are still made from cobbled-together corrugated iron sheeting for ceilings and walls.

Townships are integral to the city landscape, and to understanding Cape Town’s history, culture and post-apartheid challenges. No wonder then that so-called ‘Township Tours’ have become so popular. They offer a fascinating insight into the realities of life on the socially-depressed Cape Flats.

Perhaps surprisingly, rather than being a depressing experience, they can be uplifting – especially when you witness the ubuntu, meaning the spirit of togetherness, despite the hardships and challenges of daily life. There are many community projects on the go, with opportunities for sponsorship or a donation.

Locals are generally friendly, and you may even get invited into the local ‘pub’ to try some home-made beer.

Logistics

Price from: £35
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Duration: 4 hours

Getting there & doing it

Only visit townships with a reputable organised tour. Tours operators will pick you up from your accommodation. The whole experience will last about 4 hours.

Choose a tour that matches your interests – from cycling through the streets to visiting a jazz musician in their home and enjoying a meal together.

When to do it

Tours run all year round, seven days a week. Times vary with tour and operator, but morning tours usually depart around 8.30am, afternoon tours around 1.30pm.

Who to go with: organised tours

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Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Cape Town Township Private Tour

Cape Town

Cape Town Township Private Tour
To get to see the other side of Cape Town where the majority of Catonians live. We show you the good and bad then you can have a clear understanding of what's happening around. Mingle and interact with the other side of Cape Town

Price: $100

Min age: 0

Rating 4.93 / 5 [145 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Half-Day Small-Group Township Tour South Africa from Cape Town

Cape Town

Half-Day Small-Group Township Tour South Africa from Cape Town
Experience this guided half-day cultural tour, starts in District Six with an introduction to the townships and the damage of apartheid policies, visit several of the townships starting with Langa, the oldest and smallest township where you will see various cultural and historical sites. Visit a local pre-school where you will spend time with local children who are full of energy and fun, you will also visit with a traditional healer and go on a walking tour to a shebeen (local pub) and maybe taste local beer. Enjoy the small group tour on an air-conditioned transport, which remains personal and intimate, there are plenty of opportunities to ask questions and engage with local members of the communities. Choose from one of 2 departure times when you book, if you choose the Robben Island tour extension, your guide will drop you off at Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V and A Waterfront where your trip to Robben Island departs.

Price: Z690

Min age: 0

Rating 4.57 / 5 [40 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Cape Town Township Tour Including Langa Township and Bo-Kaap

Cape Town

Cape Town Township Tour Including Langa Township and Bo-Kaap
Discover Cape Town’s cultural heritage and get a snapshot of township life on this 3.5-hour tour. With a knowledgeable guide at your side, take in the kaleidoscopic houses of Bo-Kaap, otherwise known as the Malay Quarter, then visit District Six for more insight into the Apartheid years, before heading to Langa, the oldest informal settlement in Cape Town.

Price: Z870

Min age: 2

Rating 4.41 / 5 [36 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Bicycle Township Tour in Cape Town

Cape Town

Bicycle Township Tour in Cape Town
Gain insight into the changing urban dynamic of Cape Town on this bicycle township tour guided by a local. You will get to see traditional dancing by a Sangoma (traditional healer), visit a creche/ day care and have lunch at a local restaurant, either Nongoloza's or Nonny's. 10% of tour proceeds go towards Masicorp, an NGO dedicated to improving lives of the people in the local community. Choose to meet your guide at the starting point or to be picked up form your hotel.

Price: Z1,250

Min age: 0

Rating 4.93 / 5 [30 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Township Cultural small group tour from Cape Town

Cape Town

Township Cultural small group tour from Cape Town
Learn about the rich cultural history of Cape Town, while visiting Langa and going on a drive through sightseeing of Gugulethu townships in the Cape Flats, an area which from the 1950's became home to people that the then apartheid government deemed as non-white. Visit the District Six Museum and experience a walking tour in Langa before visiting an arts and crafts centre, a sangoma (traditional doctor), a local market and a shebeen (tavern). If you prefer to follow your own time and schedule, let us provide you with a vehicle and a guide to explore the Cape’s unspoiled beauty. Plan your own tour and experience the Cape in your own style! We offer Individual or group private tours of Cape Town. If you or a group of people would like to go on tours without any other strangers, you can take advantage of our private group tours where it will be only you and your friends / family / group on the tour, no outsiders.

Price: Z795

Min age: 0

Rating 4.75 / 5 [24 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Destination guides

1

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Cape Town

Western Cape, South Africa

Aerial view of the whole city at dusk

A vibrant, multicultural city with dramatic scenery, adrenaline adventure galore, Africa’s best art scene, golden beaches world-class wine regions and outstanding gastronomy. All in the shadows of the mighty Table Mountain.