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4.5
4.5/5

Half Day Township Tour

From ZAR 980
ZAR 1960 Per Single Traveller

2023 Rates

ZAR 980 Per Person Sharing
ZAR 1960 Per Single Traveller

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Duration

Half Day

Pickup

Any Hotel or Address in Cape Town City

Itinerary

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Highlights:

  • District Six
  • Langa
  • Joe Slovo informal settlement
  • Bonteheuwel
  • Gugulethu

Description:

That is the simple wish of a typical township tour where visitors are encouraged to immerse themselves into the township experience.

There are two reasons why township tours have become so popular. The first is for the economic benefit of the residents, as tourism brings money into the impoverished communities. Secondly, and more importantly, is for the unique opportunity of an authentic township experience. You get to ‘walk in the shoes’ of the people who live there, if only for just a few hours.

District Six

The historic township of District Six was once an impoverished but lively community of some 60 000 predominantly-Coloured people. It was originally established to house freed slaves, merchants and laborers who worked to build the city center.

In the late 1960s, the community’s lives were torn apart when they were forcibly removed to live in the desolate Cape Flats during the apartheid era. The rich cultural life with its narrow alleys and crowded apartments are now nothing more than a memory and the land stands vacant and neglected.

Langa

Langa was formally established in 1927 in terms of the Urban Area Act and is one of the oldest townships in South Africa. The original settlement developed in 1919 after the first wave of the Spanish Flu in the Cape highlighted the appalling conditions in which Black people were living rough near the highway.

Langa was the epicenter of resistance during the turbulent apartheid years and many key political events in the Cape played out from the impoverished township. Today, Langa has a thriving business center, warm and welcoming community and a rich cultural heritage. The name Langa means ‘sun’.

Joe Slovo informal settlement

Joe Slovo is an informal settlement within Langa township. It was named after former anti-Apartheid activist, Joe Slovo. It’s home to over 20 000 residents and is one of the largest informal settlements in South Africa.

Bonteheuwel

Bonteheuwel was the first Coloured, state-rental township established in Cape Town. It was set up to house people being forcibly removed from District 6 and Claremont under the Group Areas Act. The community were housed in simple ‘matchbox’ houses with a tin roof.

The township is located in the Cape Flats which is a barren, sand-blown area located just inland of the coastline. Bonteheuwel has been upgraded since the fall of the apartheid regime but it remains a very poor community that’s bursting at the seams. Many of its residents still live in shacks made of corrugated iron and wood.

Gugulethu

Gugulethu is a vast township that’s home to a predominantly Black community. It was established in the 1960s to ease the overcrowding in Langa and Blacks who were forcibly removed from Windermere. The latter was re-classified a Coloured area. At the time, Black residents were not allowed to live in the city of Cape Town under apartheid ruling.

Gugulethu is a contraction of ‘igugu lethu’ which is the Xhosa word for ‘our pride’. It’s nicknamed ‘Gugs’ by the locals. Today, Gugulethu is still a deeply impoverished township but it’s community is lively, warm and welcoming.

Itinerary:

Discover the history, culture and resilience of the people who live in the 5 largest townships near Cape Town on this eye-opening tour. You will visit District Six, Langa, Jo Slovo Informal Settlement, Bonteheuwel and Gugulethu, all located within 15 kilometres from the city centre. You will meet some of the locals, hear their stories of struggle and triumph, and learn about their daily challenges and hopes. You will also witness the vibrant and creative spirit of these communities, as you see their art, music and crafts.

Included:

  • Transfers in an air-conditioned tour vehicle
  • English-speaking tour guide

Excluded:

  • Lunch and beverages
  • Purchases of a personal nature

Good to know:

  • Tour available daily.
  • A minimum of 2 people per group is required.

Enquire Now

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