Walking Tour
40 mins
0.8mi
About the Tour
About the Tour
Shereen Habib has been a tour guide in the Bo-Kaap for over twenty years, and her family has lived here for almost a century. She’ll take you on a deeply personal loop through the historical heart of this area. Rather than painting a picture of cobblestones, carnivals and colourful houses, she’ll take you right into the very core of the place, and help you understand why the "village in the city" is so close to the hearts of thousands of people across the world.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
Shereen Habib
Shereen has been a tour guide in the Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, for over 20 years, since just before the end of Apartheid. Her family has lived in the area for the better part of the last two centuries. She is interested in the history of a place as told by it's people, and she believes that the history of Cape Town needs some serious re-writing. She's made a good start.
Map
Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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Iziko Bo Kaap Museum
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Auwal Mosque
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Tana Baru Cemetery
Directions to Starting Point
Directions to Starting Point
71 Wale Street - the Bo-Kaap museum. It's a bit of a far walk from the Cape Town Train Station, but there are MyCiti bus stops nearby.
Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
Bo-Kaap museum, Oldest Mosque, Tana Baru Cemetery, Bo-Kaap Kombuis
Best time of day
One of the locations on this tour, Tana Baru, is only open on Saturdays and Sundays between 10am and 2pm. To reach it in time, you'll need to start the tour before 1:30pm, but like many neighbourhoods at the edge of a city centre, Bo-Kaap is safest during daylight. People stop in at the neighbourhood's many mosques between 12pm and 2pm, and you'll get a better sense of the role Islam plays in people's lives here.
Precautions
If you're a woman, bring a headscarf and be sure to dress appropriately if you'd like to enter holy spaces. Make sure your chest, shoulders and legs are covered up. Avoid the area after dark, and it's always safer to walk with a friend or group.
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Good work
Nice
I enjoyed it more than the free walking tour. Good work!
This tour was fabulous!
Yes
Great tour! Enjoyed it!
Oh, ok. I found the bio when I hit on the picture. Never mind.
Nice tour
This is a great product. The guide's knowledge on the neighborhood and humorous style make it even better. Why don't you include a brief written biography/background about the guide so we know more about the person guiding us. Thanks
Village in the City is an updated version of Bo-Kaap Walking Tour. It was already our most popular walk in Cape Town (and my personal favourite), but it's even better now, with clearer directions and some authentic, atmospheric sound design.