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Bo-Kaap: Authentic Local Experience with Qualified Tour Guides
4.9
130 Ratings
Cape Town
Experience the rich history and culture of Bo-Kaap with authentic local tour guides. Discover the hidden gems beyond the postcard pictures.
Experience the rich history and culture of Bo-Kaap with authentic local tour guides. Discover the hidden gems beyond the postcard pictures.
Duration:
1 hour
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Bo-kaap - Bo-Kaap is a beautiful, quaint, and colourful suburb that nestles at the foot of Signal Hill in the City Bowl of Cape Town. Its history however is steeped in Slavery and it is also known as the ‘ Birthplace of Islam’ in the Cape. Enslaved people, artisans and political exiles were brought here from Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and…
- Bo-kaap - Bo-Kaap is a beautiful, quaint, and colourful suburb that nestles at the foot of Signal Hill in the City Bowl of Cape Town. Its history however is steeped in Slavery and it is also known as the ‘ Birthplace of Islam’ in the Cape. Enslaved people, artisans and political exiles were brought here from Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Malaysia amongst other places.
- Wale Street - We will meet at 71 Wale Street for an introduction to the area, providing an overview of the history of Cape Town and Bo-Kaap.
- Atlas Trading Company - We then stop at Cape Town’s famed spice shop Atlas, where you will smell the heady aromas of spices used in everyday Cape Malay cooking. These are the same spices used by slaves as an expression of freedom in their ‘masters’ kitchens.
What's Included
- Snacks
- Snacks
Additional Information
As offspring of the slaves transported to the Cape by early Dutch colonists to Bo-Kaap, we are deeply rooted in and tied to the profound history of this place. It’s this profound bond that motivates us to introduce you to this remarkable and intricately designed culture - one that’s unparalleled globally. As locals and accredited tour guides with…
As offspring of the slaves transported to the Cape by early Dutch colonists to Bo-Kaap, we are deeply rooted in and tied to the profound history of this place. It’s this profound bond that motivates us to introduce you to this remarkable and intricately designed culture - one that’s unparalleled globally. As locals and accredited tour guides with abundant experience, we offer you an immersive experience of Bo-Kaap beyond mere holiday snapshots.
Location
71 Wale St
Wale Street
The museum is directly opposite Rose Street Corner cafe shop. Please meet me in front of the museum and not inside the museum.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(130 Ratings)
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Kathryn_j
May 6, 2025
Fantastic tour of the colourful Bo Kaap neighbourhood - We had a wonderful tour with Ilyas. He is a born and bred Bo Kaap native. Very knowledgeable and enthusiastic with a deep love of the area. An absolute highlight was a visit to Ilyas’s aunts house where we were treated to, just out of the oven, koe’sisters - delicious!
Review provided by Viator
Kj63
May 3, 2025
5 star tour of a fascinating Cape Town neighbourhood. - Excellent tour! A must do when in Cape Town.
Our guide, Ilyas, was born and bred in Bo Kaap. He was knowledgeable, entertaining and obviously loved the neighbourhood. An absolute highlight was a visit to Ilyas’s Aunts house where we were treated to freshly made Koe’sisters - delicious.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Coloradosll
Apr 20, 2025
Excellent guide and tour in Bo Kaamp - We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Ilyas Salias who grew up in Bo-Kaamp and enriched our knowledge about this neighborhood in a way we never expected. He has a deep passion about the history and evolution of the people and culture of Bo Kaamp that deepened our understanding and appreciation of various locations and mosques. We also enjoyed a local treat, Koesiesters, baked by his Aunt and enjoyed them in her home! Truly unforgettable and highly recommend a private tour with Ilyas.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eff0m
Apr 14, 2025
Awesome! - Learned a lot about Bo Kaap! The guide was super friendly and very clear with his explanation. Highly recommended for everyone!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laura
Apr 1, 2025
Beautiful scenery - Llunga our tour guide was amazing. Very knowledgeable and takes great pictures too. The boo kaap is beautiful with iconic scenery.
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326anushkar
Mar 29, 2025
Ilyas was a great guide! - This tour is really great if you’re interested in learning about the locals, culture and history of the Bo Kaap area! Ilyas is a true local who knows EVERYONE in the area - he takes you through and introduces you to his friends, family, many of who run different shops, mosques or gardens in the area. Everyone is SO friendly and you learn a lot about the people there.
Also, it’s a GREAT photo op for cute photos with the gorgeous colorful buildings
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Timothy
Mar 27, 2025
Excellent and worth doing. - Extremely informative and enjoyable tour. Our guide was very good and interesting to listen to and even took us to a local restaurant and bought us a koesister each
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Craig_h
Mar 12, 2025
A must if you’re in Cape Town - Sadiq was an absolute gentleman, lovely man and wonderful story teller. Would highly recommend him as a guide, he makes the tour very personal. Such a beautiful part of Cape Town, so much vibrant color and history. Bo-Kaap needs to be preserved for future generations.
Review provided by Viator
Vickybs1958fs
Mar 8, 2025
History I never knew about. - A 90 minute walk around the area of Bo-Kaap with a local guide which included a taste of the local cuisine. Very informative talk - full of interesting historical facts.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dy7g9bqqp2
Mar 1, 2025
Authentic and enjoyable - Such an enjoyable morning spent with Ilyas hearing of the history of Bo Kaap from someone who has a strong family history of living in the area and still lives there. Lovely to meet friends from the community and taste a local home made delicacy. Authentic and interesting - well worth doing.
Review provided by Viator