The 15 Workshops & Classes in South Africa That Earn Their Price

1.Malay Cooking Class and Lunch in Bo-Kaap

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

Cook Cape Malay dishes in a Bo-Kaap home with Faldela, learn local traditions, and enjoy a generous lunch for $49.

“Mdm Faldela is not only an amazing cooking instructor but also a wonderfully warm and welcoming host. From the moment we arrived, her humour set the tone for a fun, relaxed, and truly memorable experience. We learned to cook some amazing Cape Malay dishes, and everything was so delicious. Loved how she also shared the health benefits of different spices. Bonus: we got to take the recipes home so we can recreate the magic ourselves! A must-do activity when visiting Cape Town. Come hungry and ready for great vibes, laughter, and amazing food.”

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2.Cape Malay Cooking Class in Bo-Kaap

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

Cook a three-course Cape Malay meal in a Bo-Kaap family home, learn local food traditions, and share lunch with your host for $52.

“We really enjoyed our cooking class! The food was very tasty and everyone was able to participate in different parts of the process. The host gave us lots of information about the history of the cuisine and was very friendly.”

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3.Bo-Kapp Walking Tour and Malay Cooking Class

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

Walk Bo-Kaap with a local guide, learn Cape Malay history, cook samosas and curry, and share a homemade meal in this four-hour Cape Town tour.

“What a fabulous time! We learned so much about the Bo-Kaap - it's history, people, and community spirit. Our guide shared her passion for the community and her food. The cooking class was wonderfully interactive, with very tasty food prepared and shared. This activity is a must.”

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4.Private Surf Lesson

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

Learn to surf in Muizenberg with a private coach, board, wetsuit, lockers, and warm showers for an easy Cape Town ocean lesson.

“It was so nice! The instructor was really kind and competently! It was my first surf lesson and I leard all the most important things about it!”

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

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 50 reviews

Learn to surf in Cape Town with private transport, a pro coach, warm gear, photos, and beach choice based on the day’s conditions.

“Our first time surfing & all 4 of us had so much fun Would definitely recommend Stoked Surf School, our instructor Sam was great & Michelle gave us so much local knowledge on the drive Also the sea was warm even though it was May!”

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6.Private Surfing Lesson for Beginners

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

Learn to surf in Jeffreys Bay with a private coach, full equipment, beach practice, gentle water drills, and photos of your first rides.

“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

Learn to surf at Muizenberg Beach with expert coaching, beginner-friendly waves, discounted gear hire, and flexible booking from $34.

“This was our first time surfing and it was amazing. Tammy was a very good instructor with a lot of positive energy. She gave good instruction’s which made us learn the basics and hit the waves in the very first lesion. We highly recommend Tammy and will definitely come back again.”

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8.Learn to Surf Group Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 35 reviews · from $28

Learn to surf at Jeffreys Bay with a qualified coach, small groups, board and wetsuit included, for an affordable first wave experience.

“It was amazing! Lorenzo is super nice and such a great teacher. Highly recommend for anyone who would like to learn surfing, would definitely come back for next trip to Jeffreys Bay :)”

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9.Exploring Johannesburg through Skateboarding – incl. skate lesson for beginners!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 35 reviews · from $51

Skate through Maboneng, Gandhi Square, Marshalltown, and Newtown with a beginner lesson, city history, street art, and safety gear.

“We had a wonderful tour with Mike! After our initial reservation was cancelled due to rain, Mike and Ayanda were so accommodating when rescheduling. This was such a fun and unique way to explore Joburg's neighborhoods and art. Plus, we learned a new skill! Highly recommend and will recommend to friends!”

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10.Private Cape Malay Cooking Class in Cape Town with a Local Family

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · from $100

Cook Cape Malay dishes with Lorette and Desmond in their Grassy Park home, then share roti, curry, bobotie, and malva pudding.

“Lorette provided a 10/10 experience with her cooking class. To cook within her beautiful home such a vibrant meal and eat with her and her husband was very special. I highly recommend. The dish selections were delicious, she provided the recipes so we could try to recreate at home. Very lovely family and I wish them all the best!”

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

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

Walk Gqeberha with a local guide, then cook and share a traditional African meal in a small group for $56.

“Rawson was a very nice guide. We had a lot of fun and he showed us a lot of interessing spots of the city.”

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12.Koeksister and Samoosa Class by the Malay Cook Up

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

Learn to make Cape Malay samoosas and koesisters in a Bo-Kaap home kitchen, with hands-on cooking, local stories, and a shared tasting.

“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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13.1h15min surfing lessons in Victoria Bay & Wilderness

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 9 reviews · from $34

Learn to surf in Victoria Bay with qualified local instructors, provided gear, small groups, and practical ocean safety for $34.69.

“Brilliant surfing lesson in a beautiful bay, we got taught the basics and then spent the remainder of the time in the water practicing! Would highly recommend! You will sleep well after!”

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14.2-Hour Surf Lesson

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 8 reviews · from $35

Learn to surf in Plettenberg Bay with a two-hour lesson, wetsuit, board, safety coaching, and a chance to catch your first wave.

“Sadly, the conditions were not right for surfing so we did a kayaking session instead. Giovanni was very thorough with safety. It was just on the ocean so out and back. Sadly, the dolphins did not show themselves. Shower facilities were good.”

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15.2-Hour Surf Lesson in Cape Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 8 reviews · from $56

Learn to surf in Cape Town with equipment, patient instruction, and ocean safety guidance in a small group suited to beginners.

“Jarrod is a fantastic surfing teacher! My children absolutely loved him. We will definitely come back for more lessons.”

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