Victoria & Alfred Hotel

This full-day tour starts at 9.00am on the site of District Six, one of the old residential areas of the city. This once busy, multi-racial community was destroyed during apartheid when the government ordered mass evictions and sent people to townships miles outside of the city centre. Next, visit Langa, a typical black African township where you’ll be greeted by a community site guide who lives here and will show you around, perhaps even introducing you to their family. The tour continues with a visit to Bonteheuwel, a former mixed heritage township where you’ll learn how people were classified as ‘non-white’ during apartheid and separated into different areas. The final stop is at Gugulethu, where you will visit the Gugulethu Seven Memorial which commemorates the deaths of seven young black activists killed by police in 1986 and the Amy Biehl Memorial, who was a young American student and anti-apartheid activist who was murdered here. At about midday, you will be dropped at the V&A Waterfront where you can grab a bite to eat before boarding the boat to Robben Island. This part of the trip is run by the official Robben Island Museum and is split into two legs, a one-hour bus tour of the island and a tour of what used to be the maximum-security prison, led by a former political prisoner. You’ll get to see Nelson Mandela’s cell representing an incredibly important moment in South Africa’s history.

Taking off from the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is a highlight. Out at sea you will see Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated. From the air, you can fully appreciate the sheer scale of Table Mountain, one of the world’s Seven Natural Wonders. Passing Signal Hill and the Twelve Apostles you will be flown along the coast and over the white sand beaches of Clifton and Camps Bay. Circling above the picturesque harbour of Hout Bay, you may see ocean rip currents, whirlpools and, if you are lucky, whales.  After flying above the dramatic coastal road of Chapman’s Peak you will see the colourful beach huts of Muizenberg. Heading inland, the lush vineyards of the Constantia Valley unfold before you descend over the city bowl to land back at the V&A Waterfront.

The route takes you between Cape Town and Robben Island and the local guides will share their experiences of the city. You may sea seals lounging on the red buoys and curious dusky dolphins can often  be seen jumping the bow waves. Ropes and pulleys manually lift the sails as you bob on the waves while watching the sunset on this one and a half cruise. After passing Mouille Point lighthouse, you will turn back towards Cape Town. Watch as the city's lights start to twinkle and the last rays of sun hit the often cloud-shrouded Table Mountain as you return to the Waterfront.

Begin in the Dutch East India Company’s Gardens, a green oasis that began as a vegetable patch in the 1650s. Here you’ll also get to see the Houses of Parliament, which have decorative porticos and a dome. Other key sites you will visit include Church Square and the Slave Lodge, where your guide will explain about the long, challenging history of slavery in South Africa. You’ll also see St George’s Cathedral, which is the oldest in Southern Africa and known as the ‘People’s Cathedral’ as it played an important role in the struggle against apartheid. This tour is private and personalised to suit your interests. If you have Jewish heritage you may want to visit the Jewish Museum, or maybe you’ve seen pictures of the colourful houses in Bo-Kaap, where Muslim-majority slaves were once segregated under apartheid and want to visit this area. Not only will the guides explain about Cape Town’s history, but they can also point you in the right direction for the best restaurants and shopping areas.

Suitable for all ages, there are also longer sidecar tours available with the option to tailor-make your own two, four or eight-hour routes.