The 13 Best Workshops in South Africa

1.Malay Cooking Class and Lunch in Bo-Kaap

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 515 reviews · 2h 30m · from $49Our pick

Cook Cape Malay dishes in Bo-Kaap with chef Faldela, then eat lunch you made. Hands-on spice class in 150 minutes.

“It was one of the best things we did in Cape Town and that's saying something because we had an amazing time. Faldela's dry wit and warmth made her a fantastic teacher and she imparted so much wisdom about each dish and the spices used. The end result was a delicious lunch shared with a small community. It was a lovely afternoon and I'd strongly recommend to anyone visiting Cape Town.”

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2.Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 120 reviews · 2 hours · from $52

Cook Cape Malay food in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town. Hands-on 3-course class with lunch and soft drinks, plus local history. $52.

“Welcomed by the family into their lovely home. Very enjoyable evening learning a lot and amazingly tasty food”

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3.Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 105 reviews · 4 hours · from $68

Bo-Kaap cobblestone walk and Malay home cooking in Cape Town. Learn the stories, then make curry, roti, sambal and koesisters.

“Our tour guide was very personable and we thoroughly enjoyed the knowledge she shared as we walked around Bo Kaap. Faldela’s personality shined in teaching the cooking portion of the experience and she was both informative and entertaining. Pro tip: start a video when she breaks out the spices! You’ll want to capture her extensive knowledge about the health benefits and various ways to use EACH one. We can’t wait for her book to come out!”

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4.Private Surf Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · from $26Top rated

Private surf lesson in Cape Town’s Muizenberg with a qualified coach, board and wetsuit rental, and lockers plus warm showers.

“The kids absolutely loved it. The staff members and coached are the best! They are friendly, helpful and kind Highly recommended”

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5.Private Surf Lesson in Cape Town – Transport & Photos Included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 50 reviews · from $184

Private Cape Town surf lesson with pickup, wetsuit and board, personalized coaching, and lesson photos, all wrapped into a half-day outing.

“Well organized, great first time surfing, fantastic instructor. The water and waves were just right. The pick up was on time. Try surfing in Cape Town....it's a don't miss experience.”

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6.Jeffreys Bay: Private Surfing Lesson for Beginners

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 43 reviews · 2 hours · from $43

Beginner private surfing lesson in Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape. Learn paddling and wave skills in 2 hours with photos included.

“Heel leuke eerste surfervaring! Onze begeleider Ernie heeft ervoor gezorgd dat we tegen het einde konden rechtstaan. Goede tips van hem, leuke sfeer! Een echte aanrader! Bedankt Ernie”

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7.Muizenberg Cape Town: Private Surf Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 37 reviews · 1 hour - 80 minutes · from $34

Private Muizenberg surf lesson with English coaches, beginner-friendly waves, and real feedback on pop-up and wave riding for $34.

“Muizenbers is the perfect spot for beginners with regular, mid sized waves. Our teacher Alphonso was brilliant: With no prior experience we successfully learned to ride waves.”

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8.Jeffreys Bay: Learn to Surf Group Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 35 reviews · from $28

Learn to surf in Jeffreys Bay with a small-group lesson, gear and coach included. Stand up on your first wave in Eastern Cape.

“It was a nice activity, the trainers were friendly and learned our the basic skills.”

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9.GQ: City Walking Tour & African Cuisine Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 11 reviews · 2 hours - 210 minutes · from $56

Port Elizabeth to Gqeberha on foot, then a hands-on African cooking class with what you make, eat, and take home.

“Knowledgeable tour guide who didn't only show the shiny places.”

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10.Koeksister and Samoosa Class by the Malay Cook Up

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 9 reviews · from $23Best value

Learn koesister and samoosa from scratch in a Bo-Kaap home kitchen. 2-hour class, tasting, history, and Cape Malay flavor.

“Though our host was lovely and very welcoming we found the actual cooking experience a bit disappointing. The samosa pastry was store bought and there was no insight into how to make the pastry from scratch. I understand it is a complicated and long process but even a partial experience with homemade dough would have been nice. The fillings were pre-done, so one missed out on tasting and smelling and working with the ingredients. The Koesister part of the class was a more interactive and thus more enjoyable and they did taste very good. All in all we had a pleasant experience, just not quite as hands on as we…”

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11.2-Hour Surf Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 8 reviews · from $35

2-hour surf lesson in Plettenberg Bay with wetsuit and board included, focused coaching, and time to practice after. Great first-wave payoff.

“2 hours of super interesting and fun discovery. An instructor who explains very well on the sand and who, once in the water, helps you take your first waves. Groups of 5 make the session enjoyable. In addition, the cold is not a problem since the wetsuits are suitable. I recommend it. 👍🏼”

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12.African Art Workshop

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · from $29

A small 3-hour African art workshop in Langa, Cape Town, with equipment provided, history from an artist’s story, and a take-home painting.

“The whole experience was amazing! We got a short tour and just learning about the Langa township was truly moving. The art part of the excursion was great, I learned some new skills and was able to talk to the guide about social issues going on in Cape Town and in the States. I definitely recommend doing this excursion.”

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13.2 Hour Surf Lesson Jeffreys Bay

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 4 reviews · 2 hours · from $23

2-hour surf lesson at J-Bay’s Dolphin Beach, small-group coaching, one-on-one attention, and wetsuit plus board included for $23.

“instructor Lungani was great. I never surfed before only skateboarded and I was riding a few waves within minutes. instructions were clear and conscise. would definitely go back only thing is surfing is very tiring so be prepared”

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