Tour the peninsula on foot and learn about it’s rich history

Heritage Tours tells gripping stories on walks from the city to Simon’s Town

Last updated: 16 August 2022

On Sundays from 10am or 2pm,  you can take one of 14 historical tours across the southern peninsula. These walking routes are led by aspiring filmmaker Cameron Peters, who has a passion for storytelling and history that brings areas from Loop Street to Simon’s Town alive. “You’ll never see the city in the same way again,” said one participant.

You don’t need to join all 14 tours, pick and choose which areas you’d like to explore and know more about. Image: Robin Elam-Rye

TOUR HISTORICAL AREAS OF THE PENINSULA  

When founder of Cape Town Heritage Tours, Cameron Peters returned home to Cape Town after completing a masters in film study, he “stumbled upon an incredibly rich literature of old Cape Town stories” that “he started to regale to friends as a kind of party trick”. With his passion for storytelling and history, his goal is to become a South African filmmaker and these tours are a way of finding and harvesting local stories.

What began as a hobby and an attempt to map the city for friends and “the old Capetonians [he’d] perhaps meet along the way to help us care for the space in a reinvigorated way,” it bloomed into a side-hustle that soon became his livelihood.

Meet new like-minded people every weekend as you tour the city. Image: Robin Elam-Rye

START FROM LONG STREET TO SIMON’S TOWN

He now has a list of 14 walking tours that run in sequence, so the next one starts where the last one ended. If you come every Sunday for three months you’ll have covered almost every iconic historical area of the city of Cape Town. The tours start in Long Street, Then proceed to Oranjezicht, the East City, Bo-Kaap, the Waterfront, Sea Point, Observatory, the Liesbeek River and the Southern Suburbs, and Kirstenbosch. The final three are Muizenberg to Kalk Bay, Simon’s Town and Hout Bay. 

Cameron will dive into the history behind iconic buildings, and also cover lesser-known sights. Image: @capetownheritagetours

BOOK A PRIVATE OR GROUP TOUR

The public, scheduled tours start at either 10am or 2pm. Most routes are covered in just over two hours, though they do often run a bit longer, depending on how engaged and open the discussion becomes. The Liesbeek River tour is closer to a 3-hour hike. However, you don’t have to be fit to enjoy the tours. 

Check out the Instagram page for a glimpse into the past. See if you can recognise any of the locations. Image: @capetownheritagetours

There are no age-limits (except 10 years and below need to be made aware they might get bored by all the history content). If there are more than 20 in a group, another tour may be scheduled so that everyone has a chance to hear Cameron and ask questions. Each tour costs R100 per person pre-booked and R150 if you arrive on the day. Cameron also hosts private pre-booked tours for groups bigger than 3 people, where you can choose your time and place (out of the 14 tours) at no added cost.

WHAT TO BRING TO THE CAPE TOWN HERITAGE TOURS

Bring your walking shoes, camera, water bottle, snacks, curiosity, an open-mind and, as Cameron says, “enjoy a 3D movie gliding through time and space to the heart of the peninsula.”  Groups are welcome to stay afterwards for lunch or drinks. 

Besides his walking tours, Cameron also has many other exciting projects in the works to look forward to. Such as merchandise and even a book formed from the content of all the tours put together. 

Cameron also works as the resident tour guide for the e-scooter rental service on weekends. Image: @capetownheritagetours

WHEN + WHERE TO GO 

Tours are available: Every Sunday

Cape Town Heritage Tours starts at: 10am or 2pm

Find it: Tours start at various locations

Book: Call 076 033 8164 or email cameron@cybertek.co.za 

Cost: R100 pre-booked, R150 on the day

Contact Cameron Peters on: 076 033 8164

By Sarah Jarvis

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