Cape Town History Tour - Caleb's Express Tours

Cape Town City History Tour

From! R850pp

Table Mountain

Ah, the crown jewel in the vibrant crown of Cape Town. This characteristic feature of the Mother City has been the main attraction for many visitors across the globe.

Visitors can choose to spend the day hiking up the incredible mountain or can opt for the scenic option and take the cable car all the way to the top. The main attraction of Table Mountain is seeing the level plateau approximately 3 kilometres from side to side. It is 1086 metres above sea level and about 19 metres higher than the cable station at the end of the plateau.

Table Mountain caters to everyone – the adventurists can hike up its beautiful slopes while the more relaxed can choose to lounge in the restaurant at the top and simply enjoy the view.

Robben Island

This particular island was formed as a result of an ancient erosion event. It is flat and only a few metres above sea level. Access to the island is provided through a ferry trip to and from the island, starting at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront. Tours depart 3 times a day and take about 3 and a half hours.

Robben Island is famous for imprisoning inmates during the apartheid era. 3 South African presidents were former inmates namely Nelson Mandela, Kgalema Motlanthe and former president Jacob Zuma. Once on the island, you can tour the various historical sites that form part of the Robben Island Museum and the maximum security prison, including Nelson Mandela’s cell.

Bo Kaap

Bo-Kaap in Cape Town is known for its brightly coloured houses and cobblestone streets. This is a perfect area to experience the Cape Malay culture situated on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city centre. The Bo-Kaap Museum, which dates back to the 1760’s, is the oldest house in the area and it is still in its original form. The Museum displays the lifestyle of an affluent 19th century Cape Muslim family along with black and white photographs of daily life in the area. The Bo-Kaap Museum was established in 1978 as an outpost of the South African Culture History Museum.

District 6

Over 60 000 of Cape Town’s residents in the District 6 area was forcefully removed during the 1970’s by the apartheid regime. This area is now divided into 3 different suburbs namely Walmer Estate, Zonnebloem and Lower Vrede. The area only began to grow after the freeing of slaves in 1933. In 1989, the District 6 Museum Foundation was established and in 1994 the Museum came into being. The museum serves as a commemoration to all of those who were part of the apartheid era and the forced removal regime. There are many displays of their lives and histories of that time, and the museum serves as a community centre for Cape Town residents who identify with this history.