Go Touch Down Travel and Tours has introduced the new eight-day Halal Cape Town tour, offering visitors a Muslim-friendly experience.
Deon Barnard, COO of Go Touch Down Travel and Tours, says: “What sets this apart from our standard Cape Town tour, is the addition of visits to historic mosques, stops for prayer times five times daily, and dining at only halal-certified restaurants.”
On arrival at Cape Town International Airport, guests are met by a Go Touch Down guide and transferred to Burgundy Estate, where a two-bedroom condo will be home for the next seven nights.
On day two, guests are driven to Hermanus, known for its land-based whale-watching, then continue to Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens in Betty’s Bay. After dinner, guests proceed to the nearby mosque for Easha Salaat (prayers) and a Zikr (Moulook reading).
Day three offers a tour of the Two Oceans Aquarium, one of the top tourist attractions at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. At midday, guests visit Auwal Mosque for reading of the Jumma Salaat, followed by lunch in the home of a local. The afternoon holds an enlightening half-day walking tour to experience the mystical legends within Bo-Kaap, the origin of the first Muslim community in South Africa.
Day four begins with a visit to the Boulders Beach penguin colony in Simon’s Town. Leisure time is spent at Mariners Wharf in Hout Bay. Later, Guests can walk to the summit of Cape Point where the Atlantic meets the Indian Ocean, or cruise to Seal Island, taking in scenery and the shipwreck in Maori Bay. They can also visit the World of Birds, which features over 3 000 birds, representing 400 species.
On day five, guests will be escorted to Robben Island to tour the site under the guidance of a former political prisoner. They then return to the V&A Waterfront for leisure time. During the evening, they travel along the sunset strip of Camps Bay beach where they will savour a halal dinner.
Day six starts at the V&A Waterfront with a tour of the city’s historic sites in the hop-on hop-off double-decker, open-roof bus.
Day seven includes a full-day tour where guests will ascend the mountain in Oudekraal to Sheikh Noorul Mubeen and learn about the myths and mysteries surrounding him and can visit kramats, the burial places of holy men. The highlight of this day is paying respects to Shaykh Yusuf al-Maqassari, a national hero of two countries, a Sufi Saint and a reformer in the Islamic mystical world of the 17th century. The day ends with a traditional Cape Malay dinner.
On the final day, guests are either transferred to Cape Town International Airport or continue their stay in South Africa.
