Q: How much does the tour cost?
A: 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 have to 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 has this “guest-first” approach… There are however NO obligations and you only tip what you feel the tour was worth to you.
Q: Can someone please suggest a suitable tip for these tours?
A: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:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.za/FAQ_Answers-g312659-d5028978-t4450237-How_much_is_a_reasonable_tip_for_this_tour.html
If you are still unsure you are more than welcome to read what the worldwide trend is for tipping on free walking tours:
https://thepointsguy.com/2017/03/tip-free-walking-tours-to-explore/
https://forums.redflagdeals.com/how-much-tip-free-walking-tour-guide-2129473/
Q: You say it is FREE, yet you expect a TIP. How ethical is that?
A: 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 are always welcome at the end of the tour, but it has to 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” blog post on this topic here: https://www.thertwguys.com/free-walking-tours/
Q: Do you have Covid-19 Protocols in place?
Yes, we do. We follow the Covid-19 Protocols as documented by SATSA (Southern Africa Tourism Services Association) and the Department of Health of South Africa: www.satsa.com/coronavirus-update or www.sacoronavirus.co.za/
Q: What time do the tours start?
A: The starting times for our tours are:
09:30 Best of 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
Q: Where do we meet up?
A: All our tours start from Motherland Coffee, St Georges Mall. Just look out for our green umbrellas.
Q: How long do the tours last?
A: The Historic City, Apartheid to Freedom and Bo Kaap Tours are all approximately 90 minutes each. Best of Bo Kaap Tour is 60 minutes. Customised and private tour lengths depend on the itinerary you've pre-booked with us.
Q: How do we book a tour?
A: This is another aspect where we differ from most tours; you don’t have to book! Just show up at Motherland Coffee, St Georges Mall at our starting times and we will sign you up.
Q: On which days do you operate and do you run tours on Sundays, Christmas, Thanksgiving and other celebration days?
A: Our tours run EVERY day, 365 days a year, rain or sunshine.
Q: Do you offer the tours in Spanish, French, German or other languages?
A: 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.
Q: What is included in your tour?
A: 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 advise. Alternatively you can book a private tour and we will create an itinerary that meets your requirements.
Q: We are a group of 10 (or more) guests, can we still come on the normal tour?
A: If you are a group of 10 or more guests you must book a private tour. You can send us an email (info@freewalkingtourscapetown.co.za) stating who you are, how many people in your group, what date & time you wish to have the tour, which aspects of our tours you want to cover, and we will send you a quote accordingly.
Q: We want to do more than one tour consecutively OR we wish to book a private tour with a customised itinerary?
A: As per above, you can book a private tour (email us:info@freewalkingtourscapetown.co.za) or you can contact us, stating who you are, how many people in your group, what date & time you wish to have the tour, which aspects of our tours you want to cover and we will send you a quote accordingly.
Q: What can typically be included in a private tour itinerary?
A: 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.
Q: Who would benefit from our tours?
A: 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 up-hill 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 a 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.