Markets of Warwick Tour
Markets of Warwick Tour
4.5
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About
Markets of Warwick Tour is a 2.5 hours walking tour through the 9 informal markets in Warwick Junction. Warwick Junction lies on the edge of the Durban's inner-city and is the primary public transport interchange in the city. On an average day the area accommodates 460 000 commuters, and at least 6000 street vendors. Given the confluence of rail, taxi and bus transport, this area has always been a natural market for street vendors. The Markets of Warwick includes between 5000 and 8000 vendors trading in 9 distinct markets. Currently this is the only informally structured market in a public space of this magnitude, and thus establishes itself as the single most authentic African market that South Africa has to offer. The products available vary from beadwork, traditional arts and crafts, traditional cuisine, fresh produce, music and entertainment merchandise, clothing, accessories and traditional medicine. We run tours everyday between 9:30 - 12:00 and 13:00 - 15:30.
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Markets of Warwick Tour
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
51 reviews
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37
Very good
10
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2
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0
Terrible
2
Desmond F
1 contribution
Jun 2023 • Family
Really interesting tour. Started at Victoria Street Market, which is full of friendly traders, but really doesn’t give a full sense of the diversity of Warwick markets. Asiye eTafuleni is all about empowering the traders themselves to share their own experience. Our guide, Sambo, operates a clothing stall in the market and seemed to know everyone. He combined discussion of the different markets—for incense, clay, clothing, electronics, bovine meat, early morning (fruit and veg), and herbs/medicine—with an emphasis on the way that trade is embedded in culture and history. The walking tour lasted 2.5 hours, which left us time to shop in the Victoria market before catching our taxi back to our hotel. Bring good walking shoes for uneven pavement, steps, wet tile, etc.
Written 28 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
heysooooos
Durban, South Africa67 contributions
Jan 2020
Warwick Markets are a place I have wanted to go for a long time, and today I was lucky enough to have Rosemary, a tour guide from the ASIYE ETAFULENI non-profit that runs tours headed by traders themselves.
Rosemary was well-versed in the history of the markets and especially about the herbs in the herb market where she and her sister have a stall. She took me through the warren of 9 markets, including the bovine head market where I instantly became a vegetarian.
This tour will show you a different side of Durban away from the glitz of the beachfront.
Be ready for a sensory overload.
Rosemary was well-versed in the history of the markets and especially about the herbs in the herb market where she and her sister have a stall. She took me through the warren of 9 markets, including the bovine head market where I instantly became a vegetarian.
This tour will show you a different side of Durban away from the glitz of the beachfront.
Be ready for a sensory overload.
Written 22 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
B.C.QAGELA
Durban, South Africa423 contributions
Nov 2019
Warwick Avenue Market is one of Durban's tourist attraction place. You have to visit this place if you are looking for bead work item or curio shopping. The designs are so many that you become confused of choosing the right one .
Written 12 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeanine V
Greater Johannesburg, South Africa16 contributions
Oct 2019 • Family
Great tour of markets in Durban you would normally not be able to visit as a tourist. Also the children liked it a lot.
Written 20 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dave Bell
Cape Town, South Africa25 contributions
Jun 2019 • Solo
This was a highlight. On the day I was the only guest which was nice but even in groups it will be great. My guide was Toe (pronounced Too). She was fantastic. She is one of the market traders and can tell you all about the markets and products as you walk. We walked through downtown Durban which I wouldn't recommend visitors do without a guide. The reason I say this is not because of crime but because it can be intimidating if you are not used to the environment. We went to Victoria Market which is a good buying spot, the beadwork market (Fridays only), the lime & impepho market, the muthi market, the fresh produce market, the station market and more. I would do this again I enjoyed it so much. What's nice is that these markets sell mainly to locals so you're not getting the typical tourist experience. I would consider this a must do. Ask for Toe!
Written 30 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dhardman2016
Ballito, South Africa13 contributions
Sep 2018
Go and experience the vibrancy of South Africa. You are perfectly safe and the tour guides are friendly and knowledgeable. This shows ubuntu in the true sense where people care and look out for one another. It is a sensory tour not to be missed.
Written 10 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your positive feedback, and for recommending the tour to others. We are glad that you enjoyed the experience!
Written 20 November 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kevan T
Pretoria194 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
We were lucky to be the only people on the tour plus it was a Friday and so all the stalls / Markets were in operation.
The parking under the Victoria Market is tricky to locate in the hustle and bustle of the street.
It is at the far end of Dennis Hurley Street and as you approach the Victoria Market Building there is large sign on the right for the Fish Market parking - it is not this one.
Travel a few meters more SLOWLY and before the traffic light there is run in to the underground parking.
We were met on time at the easy to find Queens Cafe by Jabulani.
There is such a lot one could say about the tour but in summary :-
Its a mind boggling area with massive daily trading going on.
Jubulani , a traditional healer, was very knowledgeable about the markets histories ( there are 9 distinct markets), its semi informal operating structure, the social and economic influences the markets have on Durban and surrounding areas( as well as into Africa) and aspects of the various cultures that operate there.
We did not feel threatened at any time and the traders did not harass us into buying.
Its a walking tour inside and outside ,with steps and stairs and often on unstable ground.
There are course a LOT of people about, with many stalls and alleyways which i think would make it unsuitable for toddlers.
Written 9 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We appreciate you taking the time to write a review, and are glad you enjoyed the experience. Thank you!
Written 20 November 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TravelAgentStacey
Perth, Australia62 contributions
Nov 2017 • Friends
I had great emails/organisation from the organiser before I left Australia. Everything seemed in order and we went to the meeting place at the arranged time. Nobody showed up to greet us and we waited for 45mins.
Fair enough if we were advised or there was a mix up but there wasn't even any follow up email afterwards to advise us what happened. Also worse is the organiser knew we were staying and no message was left for us.
We decided to walk around on our own, but its really a place you would feel more safe with someone from the area. Doing it alone feels dodgey in parts and could of potentially been a bit dangerous.
Fair enough if we were advised or there was a mix up but there wasn't even any follow up email afterwards to advise us what happened. Also worse is the organiser knew we were staying and no message was left for us.
We decided to walk around on our own, but its really a place you would feel more safe with someone from the area. Doing it alone feels dodgey in parts and could of potentially been a bit dangerous.
Written 26 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are responding more fully for the public record, to say that we conducted an investigation into the matter and the following was communicated with Stacey via email communication. We hope this clarifies that the tour was not cancelled out of negligence, but rather because of unfortunate circumstances.
-Considering the tours do not normally operate on a Sunday, this particular tour did receive extra attention and the Tour Guide was verified.
- The Tour Guide reported in to us, the day after the scheduled tour date (5 November 2017) and again provided more details telephonically after receiving this TripAdvisor comment (31 Jan 2018).
- The Tour Guide was waiting at the stipulated and regular meeting spot as communicated to Stacey prior to the scheduled tour date, by a Markets of Warwick administrator.
- The Tour Guide reported that he lingered in and around the meeting spot for 4 hours aided by the Victoria Street Market security guard to approach people to try and identify the tourists that had booked the tour.
- After the Tour Guide informed us about the failed event, we in fact, paid him for his lost time.
- Stacey subsequently verified that she was at the correct landmark, however, the two failed to connect at the specific location.
- The Markets of Warwick administrator provided Stacey with the assigned Tour Guide's cell number in an email communication prior to the scheduled tour date.
- What exacerbated the challenge was that the Tour Guide did not have a local number to get hold of Stacey and could not communicate that he was looking for her at the assigned meeting spot.
We welcome feedback of this nature, but are anxious that any unfortunate circumstances are clarified and communicated to not discourage potential visitors.
Written 19 March 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
RichardAck1960
Bristol, UK7 contributions
Sep 2017 • Couples
Just to echo all the positives below. We definitely feel we wouldn't have been able to have such a relaxed and informative time at the markets if we had gone on our own. Aside from the information about the markets, our guide had much of interest to say re. South Africa in general and Zulu culture. One of the best things we have done during our Durban holiday. One point to bear in mind ... our guide said that Friday was definitely the best day to visit the markets as it is when the most stalls etc. are open.
Written 22 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We appreciate you taking time to write the review, thank you. We are so pleased you enjoyed your visit to the Markets of Warwick and in Durban.
Written 27 September 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
robyn H
Durban, South Africa2 contributions
Jul 2017 • Family
Well worth doing when visiting durban. Our guide was outstanding.. Very informative and interesting.
Written 29 July 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Happy to hear that your experience was worthwhile and that your guide impressed! We value your feedback, thank you!
Written 5 December 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
loveholidays
Sunderland, UK332 contributions
We are staying in Umhalanga rocks, we would like to do a tour of Durban markets and other areas of Durban, could we hire a guide all day? Maybe Friday? Thank you Gwen
Phumzie1818
Durban, South Africa42 contributions
Dear Gwen,
Thank you for your message and your interest in visiting our City of Durban. We are happy to organize you a tour of the Markets in Warwick Junction and also a guide be available for you for the day.
Please send us your contact details via email available on our website to work out further details.
Best regards,
Phumzile