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The Mother City in macabre mode
Cape Town's ghost tours
The eerie side of the Mother City is presented on Cape Town ghost tours.
© Chris Marais
Did you know?
The Lady in Grey is Cape Town Castle's most famous ghost.
There's a Cape Town ghost story about the Dutchman & the Devil that's been doing the rounds of the Mother City – and the country – since the early days.
In the early 1700s, the story goes, a Hollander called Van Hunks lived on the slopes of Table Mountain with his wife and daughters. He used to love smoking his big old pipe at the kitchen table, but one evening he decided to go for a walk up the mountain and smoke alone.
As he sat there, a tall man in a long cloak approached him and they began to talk about their mutual love of smoking, a conversation which soon turned competitive. So out came the loaded pipes at two paces, and they were off, puffing like chimneys.
Some say Van Hunks won. Others say he glimpsed a cloven hoof and ran away. Most people, when they look up and see the clouds dropping over Table Mountain, say the battle's still on. You'll hear versions of this tale on all the good Cape Town ghost tours.
But the most haunted places in Cape Town are actually out at sea, off Cape Point.
Made famous by the German composer Richard Wagner (who wrote an opera called Der Fliegende Hollender), the legend of the Flying Dutchman is about Captain Vanderdecken, who finds himself in a vicious storm off the Cape of Good Hope. In return for his vessel's safety, he pledges his soul to the Devil – meaning he is forever doomed to round the Cape of Good Hope, never reaching dry land. The ghost ship and its crazed captain have been spotted in these parts.
A Cape Town ghost tour, hosted by Mark Rose-Christie, includes visits to ghost spots at the Good Hope Seminary, the story of the District Six poltergeist and the eerie tales of saints, sinners and students of Rondebosch.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
How to get here
Cape Town is served by the Cape Town International Airport, and is easily reached by air, train, bus or car.
Get around
Your tour company will provide transport.
What will it cost
Cost will depend on the tour and tour company chosen, but generally a tour should coast in the region of R300 per person.
What to pack
Bring along a jacket, a flashlight, your camera, and some extra cash for drinks and food. And wear comfortable walking shoes.
Where to stay
Cape Town has a plethora of accommodation options to suit all tastes and budgets.
Best buys
To find out about more South Africa's restless spirits invest in a copy of 'Ghosts of South Africa' by Pat Hopkins, published by Zebra Press, found in most bookshops.