A New Walking Tour has launched in the Mother City!

The nation mourns a leader, a father, and an inspiration to many upon the loss of Nelson Mandela. We seek ways to celebrate him, to continue his legacy, and to learn more about the man who fought for so many. The man who created the opportunities that many of us have taken for granted.

So it seems only fitting that Footsteps to Freedom Tours has launched a new 2.5 hour walking tour detailing the inspirational life of our beloved Madiba. The tour, held twice weekly, covers approximately 2km of the historic and cultural heart of Cape Town and gives visitors an insight into his struggle. The tour will depict Mandela’s life from his conviction in 1964 at the Rivonia Trial, to when he became South Africa’s first democratically-elected president, and on until his current status as a global icon of overwhelming and unwavering bravery and freedom.

Nelson Mandela's Prison Cell

When people think of Nelson Mandela, they often tend to linger on the time he spent on Robben Island, but there is so much more to tell of Madiba’s time in the Mother City. Cape Town was his home for 3 decades and played a vital role in his journey from prisoner to president. Walk through the streets of the city and learn about Mandela’s fascinating life story that led to the unbanning of the ANC in February 1990. The story is rich with elements of drama, pain, courage, secrecy, and intrigue, and offers a tribute to Nelson Mandela like no other.

Presidential inaugauration May 1994 Cape Town City Hall

Highlights include:

  • The Mandela Rhodes Building where you’ll get a chronological overview of Mandela’s life.
  • Greenmarket Square to understand the role played by religious groupings in the struggle.
  • The City Hall for its iconic moment of 11th Feb 1990, when Madiba was released from prison.
  • Rhodes and Smuts to understand the role of imperialism and the South African Nationalist Party.
  • Parliament where the laws of apartheid were legalised and where Mandela sat as the first democratically-elected president
  • Tuynhuis: the setting for secret behind the scenes meetings and negotiations.
  • Queen Victoria Street with its apartheid benches and high court buildings

Tuynhuis: the setting for secret behind the scenes meetings and negotiations

More information

  • When: Wednesdays and Saturdays
  • Time: 10h30
  • Starts and ends at The lobby of the Taj Hotel, Wale Street (opposite St. George’s Cathedral), Cape Town.
  • Duration: 2 ½ hours
  • Cost: R220 pp
  • Contact: tours@footstepstofreedom.co.za +27 (0)21 671 6878 or visit the website.
  • Limited to 20 people per tour
  • Please contact to arrange a private tour

Celebrate the life and legacy of the father of our nation by experiencing the Mandela in Cape Town: From Prisoner to President Walk in his honour.