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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
Alternatively, check out some of our holiday offers below.
- Destinations
- Africa
- South Africa
- Cape Town
- Township Tours
Township Tours
The N2 highway that connects Cape Town International Airport to
the city is lined with townships, consisting of a mixture of shacks
and solid buildings. During the days of apartheid, people of colour
were not allowed to live in the white suburbs and were banished to
areas away from the city. Township tours allow visitors to
experience how the majority of Capetonians live in the townships
that surround the city. Guides, often residents, take visitors
around to meet the people, see community projects, have a drink in
a 'shebeen' (township pub) and shop for local crafts. Each township
has its own colourful character, and despite their difficult living
conditions, residents are generally hospitable and delighted to
receive visitors. Townships were once no-go areas for many people,
but today a visit is becoming a popular experience for tourists to
Cape Town. Visit Langa, the oldest of South Africa's black
townships, established in 1923, or the newest and second largest in
the country, Khayelitsha, which dates from the 1980s. Guguletu and
Nyanga were set up in the 1950s. Visitors are advised not to visit
the townships alone; there are many tour companies that offer
tours, including transport to and from the township areas. Contact
the Cape Town Tourism Visitor Information Centre or its satellite,
the Sivuyile Tourism Centre in Guguletu for information about
tours, accommodation and entertainment in the townships.
Information & Facts
Language
South Africa has 11 official languages, including
Afrikaans, English, Xhosa, Zulu and Sotho. English is widely
spoken.
Money
South Africa's currency is the Rand (ZAR), which is divided into
100 cents. Money can be exchanged at banks, bureaux de change and
the larger hotels. ATMs are widely available (there is a daily
limit for cash withdrawals) and major international credit cards
are widely accepted, except in petrol stations where cash is
required. Visitors should be vigilant when drawing cash from ATMs,
as con artists are known to operate there. Travellers cheques and
some foreign currencies are accepted at larger hotels and shops,
but commission is charged, otherwise all commercial banks will
exchange them.
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