Siviwe Township Tours
Siviwe Township Tours
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About
We specialize in eye-opening guided visits of Langa, Cape Town’s oldest township. You will learn about our culture, lifestyle, history, hopes and dreams and you will get the chance to interact with us locals along the way. The visit takes approximately 2-hours. Private tours are possible on request and can be tailored to suit your preferences. It's possible to use your own transport to get to the tour or have transport included. Safe parking is provided if you come with you own transport.
Cape Town Central, South Africa
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
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Siviwe Township Tours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1 097 reviews
Excellent
1 038
Very good
46
Average
3
Poor
6
Terrible
4
Patrick
8 contributions
May 2022
We booked our tour with Siviwe because we wanted something organised by locals and this was definitely a good choice. We parked our car at Guga S’thebe Cultural Centre, where we received a warm welcome. Don, our guide, introduced himself and explained about the history of Langa and some Xhosa customs. We then proceeded on a walking tour, visiting a hostel, some local businesses and meeting a lot of people. It was amazing how Don seemed to know every single person in Langa.
Before, we had some safety and ethical concerns when deciding whether to do a township tour but we are very glad we did. We were welcomed by people that live under very different circumstances, but who show resilience, creativity and a much stronger sense of community than we are used to. As Don put it correctly "the situation in which you currently are, does not define who you are".
We felt perfectly safe the entire tour and also our ethical concerns were clearly unfounded, as the Langa people seemed pleased to see that tourists are indeed interested in the stories of the locals.
After the tour we went back to the Guga S’thebe Cultural Centre where were introduced to different artists and activities (crafts, sand painting, music).
All in all this was a very positive experience that opened our minds and changed our perspectives. We highly recommend this tour. Don was a great guide, we learned a lot, and really enjoyed our visit. We spent about 3.5 hours in Langa, so we do recommend reserving enough time, as it is really worth it.
Before, we had some safety and ethical concerns when deciding whether to do a township tour but we are very glad we did. We were welcomed by people that live under very different circumstances, but who show resilience, creativity and a much stronger sense of community than we are used to. As Don put it correctly "the situation in which you currently are, does not define who you are".
We felt perfectly safe the entire tour and also our ethical concerns were clearly unfounded, as the Langa people seemed pleased to see that tourists are indeed interested in the stories of the locals.
After the tour we went back to the Guga S’thebe Cultural Centre where were introduced to different artists and activities (crafts, sand painting, music).
All in all this was a very positive experience that opened our minds and changed our perspectives. We highly recommend this tour. Don was a great guide, we learned a lot, and really enjoyed our visit. We spent about 3.5 hours in Langa, so we do recommend reserving enough time, as it is really worth it.
Written 14 May 2022
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.
Lauren S
2 contributions
Dec 2019
Our family of 5 (kids ages 15,12, and 9) took a tour with Zuzi the day after Christmas. Zuzi was an incredible guide who provided us with wonderful insight into life in the townships. She was not only a wonderful guide but also a wonderful teacher. She was very honest and open with her answers and made us feel like students instead of tourists. The two hours spent with her quite literally changed our view of the world and our place in it. I cannot recommend this tour highly enough!
P.S. There is some wonderful art and jewelry made by community artisans for sale following the tour. The credit card readers can be a bit troublesome, so cash is recommended.
P.S. There is some wonderful art and jewelry made by community artisans for sale following the tour. The credit card readers can be a bit troublesome, so cash is recommended.
Written 6 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.
Sandra L
2 contributions
Feb 2020
My friend and I were greeted by our guid Loyiso in front of the cultural centre of Langa. That's when the amazing tour began! Loyiso, a local himself, told us about the important history of Langa, the virbating presence as well as the plans for a bright future.
We walked around the area, visited a museum, a children's home, the hostels of Langa as well as a Music school and Art gallery. We've got to talk to plenty of people and learn a lot about a culture, history and people that we didn't know before.
So what I'm trying to say is - go for it! Everyone heard about townships somewhere before visting Cape Town - but I highly doubt that these talks are doing the job for Langa. Visit and see yourself! And if you're lucky you get to have lunch with Loyiso, who had all the answers to our questions and is an inspiring person just himself.
Thank you very much - I will keep that experience in my memories!
All the best for your studies and your family. :)
Greetings from Munich!
We walked around the area, visited a museum, a children's home, the hostels of Langa as well as a Music school and Art gallery. We've got to talk to plenty of people and learn a lot about a culture, history and people that we didn't know before.
So what I'm trying to say is - go for it! Everyone heard about townships somewhere before visting Cape Town - but I highly doubt that these talks are doing the job for Langa. Visit and see yourself! And if you're lucky you get to have lunch with Loyiso, who had all the answers to our questions and is an inspiring person just himself.
Thank you very much - I will keep that experience in my memories!
All the best for your studies and your family. :)
Greetings from Munich!
Written 21 February 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.
Claudia
1 contribution
Feb 2020 • Couples
We have made the tour with Zuzeka, our guide tout that come from and live in this township. She is very easy going person, she interact a lot with the group, which make the tour adaptative to the group. She tells well the history of the township and how is the life there today. We felt free to ask all our questions, and we felt secure at all time. She took good care of the group. We have like also that there was redevance from the tour to the community and also that the visitor center offers good initiatives to their young’s. We definitely recommend the tour!
Written 13 February 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.
Andrew
14 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
My wife and met our guide, Nela in Langa township, in front of the community center. Immediately, he made us feel comfortable, while one of the locals watched our car for us (very common in CT). It happened to be just the two of us that morning, which made for a much more intimate experience. Nela is from Langa and still lives there. It’s clear he’s proud of the township; where it’s come from and more important, where it’s going. The youth is mobilized and pushing for change, and given Nela’s role in showing the outside world Langa, he’s a popular guy! He must’ve had had 25 people say hello to him throughout the tour.
We can’t recommend this tour enough. Cape Town is full of wonderful restaurants and chic bars, however it’s worth the time to spend a few hours immersed in the other part of the city.
One other recommendation: visit the District Six Museum BEFORE doing the tour, as this will help provide context during the tour.
Thanks, Nela!
We can’t recommend this tour enough. Cape Town is full of wonderful restaurants and chic bars, however it’s worth the time to spend a few hours immersed in the other part of the city.
One other recommendation: visit the District Six Museum BEFORE doing the tour, as this will help provide context during the tour.
Thanks, Nela!
Written 17 March 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.
Emily
Norwich, UK51 contributions
Jul 2023
We had a private tour round the Langa township this week. It was a great experience and one I would really recommend to anyone visiting Cape Town - certainly eye-opening to see and shows a reality beyond the Waterfront area built for tourists. Our guide was Loyiso, who was very informative and welcoming, and we felt very safe walking round, which I appreciate has been flagged as a concern in a few of these reviews. The only thing I would say is that the tour, understandably given these tours are a way to generate money for the community, does become to some extent a practice of taking you from one buying opportunity to the next. We were very happy to engage initially: going round the art gallery with a community farming fund to donate to, buying a coffee from the local coffee shop next door etc, being shown round a children’s orphanage where we could donate, but it became slightly pressured when we were taken to a tent with local items to buy and felt we couldn’t leave without purchasing a painting and a bracelet, to then be taken to 2 more ‘local artist’ shops in which we awkwardly had to decline to buy anything more. Again, whilst I understand this is a way to make money, I think it’s important to flag as it can become quite uncomfortable and the price of a private tour (+ a tip for your guide) certainly isn’t the cost of the entire trip. Nonetheless, with that in mind, we really did enjoy our tour!
Written 30 July 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.
Noc389
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates32 contributions
Dec 2022 • Couples
Definitely would not recommend this tour. Go with a reputable tour group. Our driver was late for collection and our guide was completely uninterested throughout the tour, constantly on his phone and at the end of the tour we saw other tours going to play drums and he just brought us to a room where a man was doing pottery and left us there. When we came back outside he was sitting on the stairs on his phone. We also saw pictures of other tours where they visited one of the local shebeens, we did none of that. Every person he introduced us to asked for donations/tips after we had already paid 600 rands each to do the tour. We felt extremely uncomfortable and felt we had to tip everyone. Complete waste of money, do not go with this company.
Written 22 December 2022
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.
Ekaterina S
3 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We have a wonderful Langa tour with our guide Nela. He was very nice, involved in township community, caring about Langa’s problems.
The organization of Siviwe tours was also very good. We booked our tour at 9:00 p.m. for the next day 9:00 a.m. and the drop on service was already organized. Recommend
The organization of Siviwe tours was also very good. We booked our tour at 9:00 p.m. for the next day 9:00 a.m. and the drop on service was already organized. Recommend
Written 19 February 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.
Lucia Bezzato
3 contributions
Nov 2023 • Friends
We had a beautiful and inspiring morning tour with Zuzi, a fantastic and big-smile tour guide who was so kind to reveal all the best spots of the Township, taking us to all the hidden places that normal tourists would not get by with a simple car drive. The kindness of the people at Langa is unprecedented and we enjoyed not only meeting the locals but also discovering and appreciating the handcrafted art and the projects that are running in the community. Highly recommend you to take time off of your stay in Cape Town to experience this other side of the African reality.
Written 4 November 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.
NW_T
Toronto, Canada836 contributions
Jun 2022
I spent a memorable couple of hours with Nellissa (Nela) a couple of weeks ago. His enthusiasm is contagious and gave me a lot of hope for the Langa community.
The development of the community from the extremely humble workers' "hostel" all the way to "Beverly Hills", reveals what is a complex mix of government "solutions" that unfortunately, often demonstrates a lack of common sense and understanding of Langa community needs.
Another highlight was a tour of the art gallery representing some world renowned Langa Artists and the future community garden. You can get some great ice coffee next door as well. Wish I had time to enjoy a proper meal from one of the local restaurants -- Next time.
Thank you Nela for patiently answering all of my questions and for being so informative. I look forward to returning to learn more. I visited the District Six museum after my tour. Would recommend doing the museum first to get a good background understanding.
I know that there has been some strong storms causing flooding and power loss to Langa. Hope the situation has improved and everyone is ok.
The development of the community from the extremely humble workers' "hostel" all the way to "Beverly Hills", reveals what is a complex mix of government "solutions" that unfortunately, often demonstrates a lack of common sense and understanding of Langa community needs.
Another highlight was a tour of the art gallery representing some world renowned Langa Artists and the future community garden. You can get some great ice coffee next door as well. Wish I had time to enjoy a proper meal from one of the local restaurants -- Next time.
Thank you Nela for patiently answering all of my questions and for being so informative. I look forward to returning to learn more. I visited the District Six museum after my tour. Would recommend doing the museum first to get a good background understanding.
I know that there has been some strong storms causing flooding and power loss to Langa. Hope the situation has improved and everyone is ok.
Written 25 June 2022
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 did a morning tour that started at 9:30 I think and it included church. I think church lasted for 2hrs and started at 10:30. We dropped into the service for about 15mins.
Written 13 January 2023
Sarah
Strasbourg, France
Hello,
My name is Sarah, I'm trying to contact you via Email, phone etc to book a tour, but can't reach you.
Are you still operating ?
Thank you
Nice day
Written 19 July 2021
Bonjour,
Nous nous rendons au Cap, mous ne maitrisons pas les subilités de la langue anglaise, votre guide parlait'il francais?
Cordialement
Yvon
Written 6 October 2019
What is the maximum size of a group tour - do like to meet other travelers depending on group size?
Written 14 September 2019
I am not sure. Why not ask the operator directly?
Written 3 November 2019
Is it possible to pick up 1 person from 2sentral avenue Pineĺands one day you are not fullbooket and what price?
Written 13 November 2018
Hello, Do you do private tours for 6? How much should this cost?
Written 28 April 2018
hi there i made an inquiry about the availability of your tour for sunday, can you respond to my message? thank you
Written 16 September 2017
Siviwe M
Cape Town Central, South Africa
Dear abcde1550,
Our apologies if we anwsered your email late, what we know we anwsered all emails of the day. We try our best to answer all emails as soon as we can but somtimes it can't be done the same day or we might miss one.
We are in the process of implementing online booking system so it will be easier to book online and be sure that everyone can see our availibility immidiatley.
With a last minute booking (same day or next day) please confirm via phone if you do not get an answer quickly via email. One of us always have the phone with us.
Hope to see you on tour on Sunday.
Thank you,
Siviwe
Written 16 September 2017
How were the tours booked?
I was very interested in booking with this company, but I have emailed and received no response. I also called and no one answered.
Considering booking with a different company now..
Written 29 April 2017
Siviwe M
Cape Town Central, South Africa
Dear Sarah,
Our tours are booked via email or phone.
We are well known for our fast answers and apologies if we by any chance have missed your email. We have seen your email you sent yesterday night and we have answered you.
When it comes to our phone we might sometimes miss your phone call if we are busy. As soon as we see a missed call we phone back as soon as possible.
Looking forward having you on a tour soon.
Thank you,
Siviwe and the whole team
Written 30 April 2017
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