Who We Are
Authentic Township Stories
We are an award-winning tour operator that provides authentic township tour experiences. Ours is to provide our guests with an experience that only a local can give. We share authentic township stories and realities. We are locals, our guides are local and our stories are authentic.
Our journey began in 2011, when we saw the need to provide the global community with a unique opportunity to experience our beautiful and diverse community. We saw how tourism can change lives and how it can be used as an agent of change. A challenge with Cape Town is that people often visit but never get to truly experience the people; we saw this as the perfect opportunity to connect the world with our people from the Cape.
We use tourism as a tool to connect people, change lives and positively contribute to societal change. 18 Township Tours demystifies the township and makes it accessible to the world. Safety is our number one priority, and making our clients feel at home is what we do best. Book with us and learn, have fun and far more importantly contribute to community change.
Our Mission
Why We Exist
🎯 Demystify
Challenge the glamorisation of gangsterism and present the brutal reality through raw, honest storytelling.
🌱 Offer Alternatives
Show young people that there are other paths — through tourism, storytelling, education, and enterprise.
🤝 Rehabilitate
Give ex-offenders a platform to share their stories with dignity and build purposeful lives in the community.
Our People
The Team Behind 18TT
Founding Director
FOUNDER
Established 18 Township Tours with a vision to create Africa's first living anti-gangsterism museum in Khayelitsha.
Head Curator
EX-OFFENDER CURATOR
Shares first-hand experience of gangsterism and imprisonment to help visitors understand the real human cost.
Lead Tour Guide
SENIOR GUIDE
Born and raised in Khayelitsha — shares deep community knowledge and cultural insight on every tour.