Walk to Freedom Private Tour in Cape Town Including Robben Island

“No easy road to freedom” was a central theme in most of the Mass Democratic Movement’s campaigns, from the early days through to the late 1980s. Any understanding of present day conditions in South Africa is greatly enhanced by looking at past injustice, the legacy of the struggle and the promise of reconstruction and development initiatives under way at present. Freedom has not come easy. This tour offers a wealth of insight into South African history. It includes a brief educational introduction to Cape Town, one of the world’s most varied and popular cities.
The Bo-Kaap: A look at the picturesque “Malay Quarter”, a living cultural museum and home to the oldest mosque in the Southern Hemisphere. We discover the unique culture, lifestyle and personality of the Cape Muslim community and their contribution to South Africa’s development.
District Six: As a result of the Group Areas Act, 60 000 Capetonian families were forcibly removed from this once vibrant area between 1966 and 1982. The District Six issue remains crucial. We examine the now desolate area, Zonnebloem, which was District Six and visit the living museum which attempts to represent and recapture District Six in various ways – as a fine-spun tapestry of communal life torn apart but not forgotten.
Langa Township: Head out to the Cape Flats where a stop will be made in Langa Township’s Gugu S’Thebe Arts & Cultural Centre. The centre is housed in a brightly coloured building and is dedicated to the empowerment of the people of Langa and improving their socio-economic situation. Their focus is on alleviating unemployment by providing support services to entrepreneurs as well as the improvement of life in the township through Arts & Culture. There are exhibition areas and art studios, a resource centre, storeroom facilities, a retail facility for arts and crafts, a workshop metal work and a workshop pottery, and much more. A walking tour through Langa with a local resident and registered guide departs from the centre. During the walk, you will engage with the community and get a real feel for life here.
Robben Island: Formerly a political prison and leper colony before that, this historic landmark was recently established as a museum and national monument. Experience the conditions of incarceration – view Nelson Mandela’s maximum-security prison cell (Cell 5) and see the lime quarries. In the one, hard labour was served, in the other prisoners discussed strategy, freedom and the future. Later, many would develop eye problems as a result of the sun’s reflection off the lime surfaces. This well-preserved landmark is a monument to the triumph of freedom, dignity and determination over humiliation and oppression. On Robben Island, visitors’ movements are restricted by regulation to the bus and the group’s guide. Tours of the island are conducted in large buses.