Bo Kaap walking tour with local
Led by Bo-Kaap local, very experienced in guiding, this walking tour gives a direct encounter with the neighbourhood’s living heritage.
The Bo-Kaap, translating from Afrikaans to “Upper Cape,” sits at the foot of Signal Hill and remains one of Cape Town’s most recognisable neighbourhoods. It began as a mid-18th century garrison before becoming a settlement for freed slaves and exiles from former Dutch colonies, including Batavia, Sumatra, Java and East Africa. Over time, residents transformed the once-white rental houses into the vibrant streetscape seen today, shaping a predominantly Muslim community formerly known as the Malay Quarter.
The tour moves through this historic suburb and stops at the Auwal Mosque, the oldest mosque in South Africa, established in 1794. We will go inside the mosque for a short talk to understand its design, and Muslim culture in Cape Town.
We walk along the country’s most photographed street and stop outside the famed Atlas Trading spice store, the oldest in South Africa some say – certainly very popular with locals (both chefs and home cooks).
We visit and learn about Bo-Kaap community projects and issues including overtourism and rising house prices.
Working with Bo-Kaap Roots for the best qualified guide possible, we hope it will be Muhammad Ilyas. He is a sixth-generation Bo-Kaap local. Ilyas directs both the Bo-Kaap Tourism Association and the Bo-Kaap Helpers Garden, an NPO dedicated to community gardening and neighbourhood upliftment. He brings deep personal insight to the experience, with roots tracing back to descendants of enslaved people and political exiles from the Far East, as well as first-hand knowledge of Robben Island, where he lived for more than a decade and currently works.
Date: 14 November 2026
Venue: Lekka Coffee, 81 Wale Street, Bo-Kaap
Time: 10 am – 12 pm
Cost: R750, or R550 if paid 10 days in advance. The fee includes snacks and a full briefing.
Book: kate@cultureconnectsa.com | WhatsApp/Phone +27 72 377 8014
