After being picked up from your hotel in Cape Town, you will be driven to the V&A Waterfront where you board the Robben Island Ferry to the world-famous place of incarceration of Nelson Mandela for 18 of his 27 years. This place, dubbed “South Africa Alcatraz” served as a leper colony, a place of isolation, banishment, and imprisonment. The Island is a state reminder of the harsh conditions endured as a reward for freedom from the Government of apartheid. After the historical, emotional, educative and informative tour which is conducted either by ex-prison warders or ex-prisoners of Robben Island, you board the ferry back to the Waterfront. You then have lunch and are picked up immediately after.The tour proceeds to the Bo Kaap (Afrikaans for upper Cape) that has colorful houses for a Cape cultural experience. Also known as the Cape Malay Quarter, this is one of the major tourist attractions on the City tour. It is a place known for its brightly coloured homes and cobblestoned streets. The area is traditionally a multicultural neighbourhood with a predominantly Muslim community. Slaves were initially imported from Malaysia, Indonesia and other parts of Africa hence the name “Malay”.The Company Gardens is a park and heritage site located in central Cape Town. The gardens were originally created in the 1650s by the Dutch East Indian Company purposefully to provide fresh vegetables, fruit, and water. Here are some of the reasons you visit this garden
History – It was built as a refreshment station for sailors sailing around the tip of Africa to and from the East. Ships sailing to the East would stop by after months at sea to stock up on fresh produce which was grown in the Garden and freshwater – hence, “The Company Garden”. There is so much in terms of history in the garden, with a combination of memorials, statues, and monuments all contributing to the rich history of the Garden. There is more to see. Critters – This garden is home to amazing and overwhelming amounts of fauna. In there you will find pigeons, Egyptian Geese, herons, rodents the famous squirrels and last but not least an aviary where you can view dozens of bird species. If you fancy it, you may buy a bag of peanuts in the gardens to feed the squirrels which are more than happy to scamper right up to you for a snack. The Food The Food – The restaurant in the Company Gardens is very popular with domestic and international tourists Sit down and enjoy traditional Capetonian food that includes – burgers, sandwiches, fish, and chips. A variety of juices, beers, milkshakes, and wine can be enjoyed in the huge outdoor seating area. Really a lovely place to enjoy a city centre lunch, and beneath the large trees among the reeds- a dreamland The Art- The Company Gardens is also home to the South African Art Gallery, which houses an impressive permanent collection of South African, African, British, French, Dutch and Hamish art. This Gallery also hosts temporary exhibitions by some of the country’s top artists, and occasionally international artists too. The Natural Beauty- A trip to the Company Gardens is not complete without sparing a moment to admire the beautiful flora. There’s an 80-year-old bamboo plantation, the Ginkgo tree with no living relatives, the towering rubber tree and the ancient saffron pear Next to the Company Gardens is the South African Parliament, National Library of S.A. St Georges Cathedral, Slave lodge, centre for the books and more. After the Company Garden, you proceed to the Castle of Good Hope.This is an imposing structure in the City of Cape Town known as The Castle of Good Hope. It was built by the Dutch between 1666 and 1679 and is the oldest standing colonial building in S.Africa. This has been the centre of civilian, political. Religious and military life at the Cape from around 1679. In its current state, the Castle arguably represents one of the best-preserved 17th century DEIC architecture on the entire globe. The Historical building now houses among others the William Fehr Collection, a permanent ceramic exhibition (FIRED) and the Castle military museum. The tour ends with a drop off at your hotel.Our registered Guide will then take you to District Six Museum which is located in the former inner city residential area in Cape Town. This Museum was established in 1994 as a memorial to the forced removals of 60 000 multicultural inhabitants of District Six. Tourists will be taken on an emotional tour about the forced removals from 1968 after a declaration by the Apartheid government in 1966.
