Experience Off the Beaten Track in Cape Town with Withlocals

"We started later than the designated time so Gilbert suggested we see the Mandela exhibit at City Hall. And rather than dashing off, he was generous enough of his time to allow us to take a quick walk through a wonderfully curated short exhibit of Mandela and his years in Cape Town. But that set the stage for the rest of the tour. Gilbert shared his personal story of his family and how they were displaced from District 6 and resettled in the Townships being offered for relocation. Gilbert shared vintage photographs of the District and overlaid where appropriate what stood at which spot and how the area is being rebuilt. The transition into Woodstock was an eye opener. Both from the beautiful street art work and the history of the neighborhood. We ended the tour on a different note. Having been to the Old Biscuit Mill, Gilbert offered to walk us to Observation. An area undergoing gentrification and with a totally different vibe. We said goodbye with him recommending a restaurant for lunch for us. A badly needed respite from all that walking. Certainly a very entertaining afternoon. Something we’d never have done on our own and we leave richer, knowing more of the history and background of Cape Town. "

"We had a great afternoon with Gilbert. He arrived at the allotted time and place. We walked from the Old Town Hall towards District 6, dropping in on a cultural centre ( very interesting) on the way. Gilbert gave us excellent historical context to buildings and street art. He is a font of knowledge and answered all our questions. It became very clear that the sad history of District 6 clearance is very close to his heart as his own parents and grandparents used to live here. From District 6 we took an über to the areas of Woodstock and Saltriver where gentrification is setting in which became the topic. We would have never dared to visit these areas without Gilbert… and that would have been our great loss. Such interesting buildings and friendly people everywhere. A big thank you to you, Gilbert, for sharing this with us! Katja&Chris "

"It was my first local tour and I had such a great time with Gilbert. He showed me some hidden gems and I learned a lot about SA history. He was able to customize my experience to my needs and I really felt I was safe and welcomed. I feel like I gained a friend and I will definitely book him again next time I visit. I also appreciated all the extra advice and suggestions he gave me to enjoy for the rest of my trip. "

"Gilbert was the perfect guide for our tour and helped us with his knowledge and insights to not only understand the historical background of Cape Town, but to feel the vibe of it. Thanks so much for this entertaining and interesting afternoon - we can highly recommend Gilbert!"

"Gilbert was the perfect guide for our first day in Cape Town. He provided is with a great overview of the city while mixing in the history and points of interest. We loved the fact that he shared family history that brought many of the areas to life and that he tailored the trip to our needs."

"Kobus was a great guide! From picking us up and dropping of on time, getting the gear that fitted well to a super nice experience in the water - he was very attentive to my mom during snorkeling and dived with me to slightly deeper depth! Cape Town from the underneath the service is as gorgeous! Highly recommend!"

"We met Gilbert and straight away we were impressed with his passion and knowledge. We gleaned a lot about the culture as well as the history of this beautiful city. Gilbert was accomodating with our needs and dealing with the weather. Highly recommend Gilbert for your next adventure. "

"Gilbert we would like to thank you very much about the tour yesterday. You’re the best, hope to see you again!! "

"We had a great unconventional tour with Gilbert, which was exactly what we wanted. He showed us authentic places we couldn’t have found ourselves and connected us with very interesting people. He gave us good advices during our trip as well. We recommend 100%"

"Many thanks, Gilbert, for a great Tour through district six and woodstock. We very much enjoyed the Tour and your explainations. After finishing the tour we spent some other hours at biscuit mill. Great closing of a great day. "