I had a tour of Langa township as a solo female traveler. A visit to Langa Township is more than... read more
I had a tour of Langa township as a solo female traveler. A visit to Langa Township is more than... read more
Thank you !It was a great experience and I am grateful for th LW opportunity with this nice... read more
After visiting Kirstenbosch Garden (stop #20), we boarded the HOHO bus to Imizamo Yethu Township (stop #23 on blue route). You must notify the driver that you are wanting the township tour & pay the driver, so they can radio ahead and have a guide waiting to meet you at the township bus stop.
We were met at the bus stop by a very friendly local guide, who provided a very informative 45 minute walk. We walked the neighborhood, visited some homes (purchased some hand crafts), stopped by a sheeban bar and spent some time at a school.
Note: Please don't bring candy for the children; many are in need of dental care. A donation to the school or bringing school supplies would be better.
The guide returned us to the bus stop in time for the bus.
Additional cultural places in CPT are Robben Island and the District Six Museum. We also visited SOWETO while in JNB.
Aside from the safaris, visiting the township of Imizamo Yethu was my most memorable experience of South Africa. We stopped on the Hop On/Hop Off bus tour, and it was so worth it! Our personal tour guide was amazing; as a resident of the township, she was able to tell us all about it's history and the experiences of living there. It was fascinating (and sad) to see. I only wish we had known that there would be opportunities to buy things made by the residents (bead work, paintings, etc.) as I would have waited to do all my souvenir shopping until after we had gone so to support the local community. This is a must do experience for everyone; especially those with children.
Be prepared for an unforgettable journey into this village. The residents are people full of hope for the future and appear to be happy. The children are beautiful. The conditions they live in have to be seen to be believed, corrugated iron and old timber make shift homes. Most do not have toilets, showers or even running water. These facilities that we take for granted are shared, 4 toilets for 120 people. Precious water is bucketed from the one tap, at the toilet block for bathing and washing. 4500 people live in this village. The government is assisting, with health programs. A visit to this village helps financially. Our guide was brimming with pride about the achievements they have made to make these peoples lives happier and fullmof hope.
I really enjoyed touring the township. It was really a special experience and one that I will never forget. If I ever go to Cape Town again, I will do this township tour. We went briefly through here on the Hop on Hop Off Tour but our guide was very nice and informative. Really great experience.
Any trip to Cape Town cannot be complete without a tour of one of its many townships. They sprawl for miles and miles and at times punctuate the beautiful landscapes, appearing intimidatingly impenetrable for western tourists.
But our guide - Mr X - was the perfect host as he showed us the different sides of township life in Langa, from inspirational speeches from community leaders, to the shocking poverty in which a large proportion of residents live. We tasted the local beer (surprisingly nice) and walked through the streets, seeing the humble residents go about their daily lives.
Our tour was made by Mr X, a resident of Khayelitscha, whose knowledge of the history, present and future plans of the township was invaluable. We met our host Mzu at the end in his home in Khayelitscha, where we learnt more about his mission and the bright outlook of township life.
This tour really was a highlight of our time in South Africa!
Mzu, the MD of this township tour business in an inspirational person who works so hard to educate tourists about the work still needed in the Townships of South Africa. As he himself says, South Africans may be free but there is so much work still to do.
We went with a local friend who also works in education in the townships but his south African children and mine (18, 18, 13, 9) has never been to a township before. I am so glad I did this trip (visiting Langa and Khayelitsha) and its part of life's reality that should not be brushed under the carpet. This trip will certainly leave you feeling uncomfortable, guilty and slightly embarrassed (from a comfortable western perspective) but also amazed at people's resilience and laughing along with the children. We felt very safe, but do go on a guided tour.
What struck me was the different life situations that also exist in the Townships, from the downright awful, with 6 people living in 1/3 of a converted 20ft container to areas where the houses are compact but well maintained and with cars and satellite TV.
If you want to see the Townships, I cant recommend Mzu highly enough. Visit with someone who lives in the townships, cares deeply about the education of the children who live there and gives back to the people