It’s a sight for sore eyes to see Cape Town come alive again after the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Stores, eateries and all the hotspots of the city are buzzing, and we’re so here for it. Even better: there are a few new businesses and brands popping up. ScootIn is the new kid on the block, offering e-scooter tours with a twist.
ScootIn’s Jacques Shaban has been on a mission to make moving around Cape Town as accessible and fun as possible. Recently, he launched his grand plan to carve out a whole new niche in South Africa’s urban tourism market: on wheels. To make it happen, ScootIn partnered with local history genius Cameron Peters. They now offer the first daily guided e-scooter tour experience in the city. Epic!
Sticking almost entirely to pedestrianised paths through the CBD (with routes in the Waterfront and Sea Point still forthcoming), the tours set out from the shop at the top of Long every morning at 10am. En route, explorers can make pitstops for pictures and get some insight into cultural gems dotted around the city. The shop is located at 233 Long Street, Cape Town.
You’ll adventure through Company’s Gardens, Church Square, the Grand Parade, the Castle, City Hall, Greenmarket Square, St George’s Mall, the Strand Street Lutheran Church, and Bo-Kaap before returning to the Victorian joys of Long Street’s facades – all in just under two hours.
From Cameron’s side, this is the glide-through version of his popular Sunday Walking Tours; a perfect way for locals and tourists to get a taste of the Mother City’s colourful past. The highlights of the route cover three centuries of the city’s history in sequence, while four of his regular tours criss-cross the new path – giving you the chance to choose which era and district of the city to delve into deeper.
Although e-scooters do require an adjustment period for new riders to become fully comfortable, this usually ranges between 2 and 10 minutes. “If you’ve ever ridden a bike, you can ride an e-scooter without issue,” says Jacques. Helmets and high-vis jackets are provided.
Bookings are required and are restricted to four people. Tours need to be pre-booked at least a day in advance. Tickets cost R350 per person (half for the tour and half for the rental) and can be purchased by contacting Jacques via [email protected] or Cameron on [email protected].
Also read:
Practice the art of psychogeography with Cape Town Heritage Tours
Picture: scootinct / Instagram
