The tale of one city
There is a trend on TikTok (yes, I’m a scroller), where creators ask random people on the street geography questions.
You’ll experience the rich culture and history of the Cape Malay community of Cape Town. A story older than 300 years. Enjoy the delights our locals have on offer.
Every day at 9:30*, 14:00 & 16:20
90 minutes, except 9:30 tour
is a 60-minute walk
Free, tips for guides only
The following city highlights are on our tour list. We aim to visit them all, but the final itinerary may vary depending on time and group pace. Note that we only pass-by these establishments.
Tour Highlights:
See the colourful houses, smell the spices of the East, hear the mosques calling for prayer, let the Cape Malay food tempt your taste buds and get a feel of what else to do in Cape Town. On the way there we could reveal hidden spots to enjoy a local beer.
Walk the streets of the Mother City and journey through Cape Town’s story, from Khoi and San heritage to the colonial era, in an entertaining and informative way.
Every day at 11:00 & 16:20
90 min
Free, tips for guides only
The following city highlights are on our tour list. We aim to visit them all, but the final itinerary may vary depending on time and group pace. Note that we only pass-by these establishments.
A unique story built on a struggle and offering walkers an experience to see hope grew from conflict in the Mother City.
Every day at 11:00 & 14:00
90 min
Free, tips for guides only
The following city highlights are on our tour list. We aim to visit them all, but the final itinerary may vary depending on time and group pace. Note that we only pass-by these establishments.
Book a customised, private tour such as Taste of Cape Town, Diamond Mining History, Art & Music and more to suit your needs and specifications.
No need to book, but reserving your spot is best. Groups of 10+ guests must book a private tour. Meet us at least 5 minutes before the starting time of a tour at Morning Mojo Cafe & Deli, and sign up – look out for our green umbrellas!
Tours departing every day 365 days a year, rain or sunshine, at 09:30, 11:00, 14:00 and 16:20
Our daily tours do not require a booking however if you reserve your spot, on the tour and the time of your preference, you are guaranteed a wonderful experience. Reservation form here. Private tours and groups bigger than 10 must book.
We have received more than 3000
5-star reviews on Tripadvisor. Thank you to each and everyone who contributed to our high rating. We are honoured and humbled by your overwhelming positive support.
Walk with us, talk with us,
fall in love with Cape Town
Our mission is to make Cape Town walkable for everyone, it’s as simple as that. That is why our tours are educative, while fun and light, and run on tips alone. We like to call it “infotainment”. We think everyone, regardless of their budget, should experience #freetourscapetown.
With 50,000 guests annually we are one of the top things to do in Cape Town, and definitely one of the top ten free things to do in in the Mother City.
While visiting Cape Town, whether you are looking for historical walking tours, just want to have fun walking the Cape Town city centre or relish the opportunity to meet great people, you should take our tour and explore the Cape Town CBD.
Bo-Kaap Tour:
9:30* 14:00 & 16:20
*9:30 tour is a 60 min walk
Historic City Tour:
11:00 & 16:20
Apartheid To Freedom Tour:
11:00 & 14:00
Our Guides
Our guides are the secret ingredient to the best walk in Cape Town. We work for tips only. Feel free to tip our guides what you feel the tour was worth to you.
Nizaam, our go-to tour guide, is a walking history encyclopaedia with a big heart. Raised in the colorful Bo Kaap community, he’s not just a dedicated tourism lecturer but also your passport to a journey rich in local tales, all shared with that ever-present BIG smile.
Myles, a former teacher turned walking tour guide, effortlessly weaves through history with a clarity that could cut through fog. Armed with nothing but a chalk-drawn map, he unfolds the past like a story, infusing each detail with a passion that extends beyond facts, as he also dedicates himself to coaching kids and teachers through the maze of life.
Reinette has a passion for Cape Town (obviously), as well as for history, paintings, and authentic pictures of bygone days. This former teacher knows how to convey a message and that makes her a very relatable, informative, friendly, knowledgeable, and loved guide. Enough said.
Natalie was only a baby when she arrived in Cape Town from the Netherlands. She has since lived in other countries but South Africa is her home and Bloubergstrand her residence of choice. She is a seasoned trainer and addiction counsellor, and recently her passion for South Africa led her to become a tour guide.
Meet Cameron, our laid-back PhD student turned walking tour guide. With a passion for heritage, he’ll relay tales of the past like a pro, and when the history lesson is over, trust him to spill the beans on the coolest places to party in town.
Meet Tim, the ultimate globe-trotter turned walking tour guide. When he’s not exploring on two wheels for his YouTube channel, he’s weaving history into his tours with a storytelling style that’s quintessential Tim.
Cedric is a nerd-jock. He has a Master’s Degree in Sociology and has worked as a human rights researcher. But he loves going to the gym and outdoor hiking. This wine lover also worked at wine cellars during harvesting season. Who wouldn’t want to walk with a guide who has read history books since childhood?
Geoff’s been into tourism since he was practically a kid, and the guy’s a total history nerd. Plus, he’s got this knack for reading people that makes his walking tours way more interesting than your average history lesson.
Milo is a Cape Town-based comedian with roots in Durban. His passions are African history and culture, the ocean and comedy. His favourite movie is Kung Fu Panda, and his sources for African history are The Lion King, Black Panther and Tarzan.
There is a trend on TikTok (yes, I’m a scroller), where creators ask random people on the street geography questions.
You might call it a veranda or a porch – and not to be confused with the American stoop, but
I’m quoting an article I read recently on the web: “Clichés are mental shortcuts to familiar concepts. Your brain processes
Our tours are really FREE… okay, free in the sense that we don’t charge a fixed fee like other tour operators; we work on TIPS only. Out of these tips we cover our marketing costs, buy our nice green umbrellas and T-shirts, and then we also must earn a living. ALL our guides are qualified professionals and for most of them this is their only source of income. The difference is that we believe so much in our ability to make these tours worth your while, that we are willing to allow you to determine how much it was worth to you AFTER we’ve completed the tour. We don’t know too many companies that have this “guest-first” approach. There are however NO obligations and you only tip what you feel the tour was worth to you.
This is the most common question we receive and the ONLY question we feel would be unfair for us to respond to. So, we created a link to our TripAdvisor page where our guests give you their view on this topic.
If you are still unsure, you are more than welcome to read what the worldwide trend is for tipping on free walking tours.
This is a hotly debated topic in the free walking tour community worldwide. We cannot speak for others, but at Cape Town Free Walking Tours our aim is to make Cape Town’s streets walkable for everyone. Not every visitor to our Mother City has a wallet bulging with Euros or Uncle Sam’s Dollars that can easily afford paid tour options available. Or maybe you just want to experience local culture at street level in the safety of a group led by a professional guide. Maybe you just want to get some tips and recommendations on how to support the locals. We just want you to experience our beautiful city through our guest-first approach, no matter your budget. But there are costs involved for us. To maintain our independence and be able to give you a real and personal perspective of Cape Town, we do not have any commercial relationship with any group or entity that wishes to promote their views and goals. In addition, we don’t ‘sell’ advertising space, nor do we send out spam emails. Our ONLY source of income is those tips. All our promotional material and social media advertising comes at a cost, so do our umbrellas, clothing and admin. Our guides and managers also need to support themselves and their families. A supporting tip is always welcome at the end of the tour, but it must be based on the value you feel you got from this experience. Should you wish to get a more independent view on this, please feel free to search the internet for any of the thousands of opinions posted. You can also read “The Round the World Guys”.
All our tours start from Morning Mojo Cafe & Deli, St Georges Mall, Cape Town City Centre. Just look out for our green umbrellas.
The starting times for our tours are: 09:30 Bo-Kaap tour, 11:00 Historic City tour OR Apartheid to Freedom tour, 14:00 Apartheid to Freedom tour OR Bo-Kaap tour, 16:20 Bo-Kaap tour OR Historic City tour.
The Historic City, Apartheid to Freedom and Bo-Kaap Tours are all approximately 90 minutes each. The morning (9:30) Bo-Kaap Tour is 60 minutes. Customised and private tour lengths depend on the itinerary you’ve pre-booked with us.
Our tours run EVERY day, 365 days a year, rain or sunshine.
All our tours are in English only. Our guides are however very well spoken in English and extremely patient, so you can ask them to repeat or explain info at any time.
Included in our tours are loads of fun, sightseeing, information sharing and extremely entertaining guides; we call it “infotainment”. What we cannot do, even though we are amazing, is to share more than 350 years of history or all the sights in Cape Town in 90 minutes. We will, however, gladly spend time with you during or after the tour to make recommendations or give further advice. Alternatively, you can book a private tour, and we will create an itinerary that meets your requirements.
You can choose from our regular tours (Historic City, Apartheid to Freedom, Bo Kaap) and request a combination of these or do them consecutively with a private guide OR we can customise a tour to your specifications that can include the History of Diamond Mining, Taste of Cape Town, Art & Music or more. Contact us, and we can discuss your needs, and design a personalised walking tour.
Everyone. Families with children of all ages (including toddlers/babies in prams/strollers), couples, single travellers, senior citizens, teenagers, disabled people… the list goes on. Our most strenuous walk is up to the Bo Kaap, but it’s a short uphill route, with steps, which can easily be left out by those that cannot navigate them. Our normal tours are only 90 minutes per tour, thus can easily be enjoyed by those on business in Cape Town and who want a short break to explore the city. Also those visiting the Mother City on a cruise liner to find their “land feet”, anyone that wants to go sightseeing, those that are on a city break, friends on holiday and colleagues on team building. We’re the perfect option if the weather prevents you from going up a mountain or taking a trip on water. We walk no matter how wet, hot, windy or cold it is.
R 0: The “zero / nothing / nto / nada / you-should-be-paying-me” option when you really feel it was a complete waste of your valuable time..
R 100: The tour was okay but I’ve had better!
R 100 – R 150: The tour was professional and the guides knowledgeable.
R 150 – R 200: You had fun and received valuable recommendations and insights.
R 250 – no limit: You loved the tour and it was truly a memorable experience. A highlight of your vacation.
