Gullah Tours

We came to Charleston specifically to visit the International African American Museum. It was so worth the long drive. While here, we wanted to focus on all the Black History we could find. I am so glad we booked the Gullah Tour with Mr. Alphonso Brown. He is a multilingual native of the Charleston area and speaks English and Gullah, beautifully mixing the two with wit and historical context. Mr. Brown is as entertaining as he is informative. I could have rode with him all day, and wish he had a longer tour time, so he could maaaaybe slow down a bit. Lol. He talks fast, and is always ready with a quip. Throw in his amazing Gullah accent and you'd better pay attention, or you'll miss something. If and when I come back to Charleston, I'll definitely consider booking with him again. Anyone on their way to Charleston should also book his tour, buy his book, and do some research on him as well. He is an amazing historian, linguist, tour guide, and comedian...and apparently quite the musician as well! Thank you, Mr. Brown for your wonderful tour! I hope to see you again.

An Unforgettable Journey into Living History - Don’t Miss This! Alphonso didn’t just give us a tour—he transported us into the heart of Gullah culture with passion, authenticity, and incredible storytelling. In just two hours, I gained a deeper understanding of South Carolina’s rich Gullah heritage than I ever imagined possible. What made this experience truly special was Alphonso’s ability to bring history to life. Hearing him speak Gullah and teaching us phrases in this beautiful language added layers of authenticity you simply can’t get from a textbook or typical tour guide. His knowledge runs deep, but he shares it in a way that’s engaging and accessible to everyone. This isn’t your average historical tour—it’s an immersive cultural experience that will change how you see Charleston and South Carolina. Whether you’re a history buff, curious traveler, or someone looking to understand the real stories behind this region, Alphonso’s tour is absolutely essential. I left feeling not just educated, but genuinely moved by the resilience and richness of Gullah culture. This tour deserves to be at the top of every Charleston visitor’s must-do list. Book it—you won’t regret it!

Had an absolutely amazing time on the Gullah Tour in Charleston, SC. Our tour guide, Mr. Brown, was phenomenal—his knowledge of Charleston’s history and the rich Gullah heritage was beyond impressive. He brought the stories to life with such passion and authenticity that it felt like we were experiencing history firsthand. If you’re visiting Charleston, this tour is an absolute must. Book it—you will not be disappointed!

My family and I really enjoyed the tour. Alphonso was very informative and engaging. He allows the tour to be conversational and is happy to answer any questions you may have throughout. He has a monitor, so we had visuals of the individuals he was talking about the entire tour. He is also funny, which made it really fun. This is a good tour if you enjoy architecture and learning about historical buildings. He also goes in depth about Black Charlestonians. It is really nice to learn about these stories from a native of Charleston. I recommend going on this tour at the beginning of your trip because Alphonso provides plenty of recommendations, including other museums and historical sites, food, and local artisans. He is also very timely, and left and arrived for the tour exactly on time.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Must-Do Experience in Charleston! Alphonso Brown’s Gullah Tour is simply phenomenal. Incredibly informative, deeply engaging, and wonderfully entertaining from start to finish. Mr. Brown is not only a wealth of knowledge about Charleston's rich African American and Gullah heritage, but he delivers it with humor, heart, and authenticity that makes the tour unforgettable. You’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for the city’s culture and history—and plenty of great stories. Absolutely a must-do for any visitor to Charleston!

This tour was amazing!! So much history. Mr. Brown is personable and very funny. He was welcoming to all and you learn a lot about the hidden history of Charleston. It’s an awesome way to hear about history from the comfort of an air conditioned bus, yet still get close enough to experience the sites. Perfect for older individuals who can’t or do not want to do a lot of walking. The 2 hours flew by. Parking was easy to find at the visitor center where there was also easy access to bathrooms, water for purchase and Charleston made products including baskets.

The tour was AMAZING!! The tour guide was so knowledgeable and very funny. I learned so must about the history of Charleston and would recommend anyone book this tour. 😁

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the Gullah tour on a recent visit to Charleston. Mr. Brown was professional, engaging, and intimately knowledgeable about the Gullah history and culture. He dropped many humorous stories along the two hour ride through Charleston’s historical sites. Highly recommended this tour when you vacation in Charleston!

Get Ready....Get Ready!!! If you are not ready for the real history of Charleston, SC then don't take the tour. Godfrey has so much knowledge that he can't explain it all in 1-hour. He is very knowledgeable about the history ...and he keeps it real - it doesn't matter if you're black / white / latino/ or blue he keeps it real. Our tour ran 30mts over but it was well worth it. He has a night tour as well - Thank You Godfrey!!! He also has a YouTube channel I will be sure to follow.

Chief Godfrey is an amazing tour guide. He explained even the smallest details and answered everyone of our questions. Loved the comparison of Charleston to the bible of enslavement history. I would recommend Godfrey's tours to all descendants of the former enslaved.

I visited Charleston over the Thanksgiving weekend, I went on four tours over the weekend and the Gullah Gullah event with Godfrey was the best by far!!! Godfrey provided an in-depth look at the History of Charleston, it's symbolism and insight that the commercial tourist provider's fail to tell! Godfrey is very passionate and well connected to his roots and knows Charleston! This was the highlight of my Charleston visit; I don't consider it a tour but more of a history lesson on Charleston, it's culture and things that are right in front of us that we don't see. Godfrey says, "once you see, it can't be unseen." He's spot on, don't miss his history lessons. I would definitely repeat this event on my next trip to Charleston. I love his passion and courage to give us the truth!

This bus tour was beyond disappointing. Godfrey began his tour kissing up to the only white rider present, then tearing down the other 2 Black-owned tour operators as liars and "coons." Things went downhill from there. He didn't back up his presentation with facts, but with fairy tales, literally quoting nursery rhymes and movie scenes as the basis for his misinformation, insisting that Gullah people are of Hebrew, not African lineage, and misinterpreting the Adinkra symbols on iron gates across the city. He rushed past the history of Mother Emanuel church and the 2016 massacre, focusing his time instead on his theory that Roof was the reincarnation of a civil war commander. Not even a moment of silence for the dead. He also went off on a homophobic tirade and when challenged by an elderly woman of Gullah descent, called her a swine. I defended her and was told as a woman I should automatically "submit to a man." It was so egregious, a woman from Ghana and her friend made him pull over and they left before the tour even completed. I hated that I spent time and money on such a trash tour, when I'd gone out of my way to find a Black-owned tour to support. Even the white guy, who was from Europe, said it was out of line.

In town from Michigan and this was the only tour we booked ahead. This was a sincere reflection on the history of black folks. We enjoyed his energy and willingness to have the hard talks. He pointed it that our mixed ethnic union was illegal, jokingly but not. He uses a media screen to see visually as he talks. I learned a lot listening to him. All white folks should have a chance to experience such insight. We don't know, what we don't know, until we know it.

There's a conversation about Black self-realization, self-determination, and the-humanizing of Black descendants of Aleutian that Brother Godfrey keeps alive. In the killed of distorted Black history, truth lays at the center. We as a people need to explore every angle of our possibility and our reality. We have been fed lies and had our history bastardized to the point of only pain without analysis. Bro Godfrey offers a glimpse into that truth we have to maintain. In order to reclaim who we were we have to listen to every story and collectively restate that we are human, supremely Divine, and worthy of a place in history that is not bound by the wyte man's definition. The tour is inexplicably illustrative of a portion (not the whole) of our somatic history. Biggup to Bro Godfrey. Imma stay in this fight with you...and meet you at the middle of the battlefield. Ashé

We took the tour with my family. I found it very uninteresting. I originally thought the tour bus would stop and we could get off the bus and check out the sights but I was wrong. I felt stuck on this bus for 2 hours. I had a difficult time understanding what the driver was saying. It started off bad when other guests brought smelly food on the bus to eat.

Party of 6 Best welcome ever for a tour ride, Sweetwater roses for the women, Bro hugs for the Men. Pros: keep telling the story of Charleston. We all love your message and will keep spreading the word. Health & Wealth & Education from the DMV-6 (DC/MD/VA)

Party of 4. This tour is definitely a MUST DO while in Charleston. Initially I thought it was going to be a cheesy city tour but I was wrong. It was very enlightening and we left having learned a lot. The tour guide-Godfrey was knowable, funny & provided insight that only a local/ native could do. You can tell that he is very passionate about the history of his city, Charleston. Not only do you get to site see in a big and spacious shuttle bus but Godfrey also has a TV on the shuttle that allows you to see a close up of the monuments/sites.

Not what we were expecting. Before we even left our pick up site, he spent about 10 minutes bad mouthing the other tour companies. He claimed that they didn't want us to know the true history and details he was going to provide. That should have been our first red flag. While there was some (limited) historical information provided, it was mostly conspiracy theories and a few Bible verses used as an attempt to tie it in. Our guide just rambled on an on. He also continued to point out the "slave auction blocks" or carriage steps. Although it was interesting, I'm sure there were other things we could've seen as well. Sadly, it wasn't about the history and culture of the Gullah people which I was expecting. Immediately after his tour we took Alfonzo's. That one was longer (90 mms vrs 60) and much better. It was also $100 cheaper. For those interested save your money and take the Gullah Tour instead.

The Gullah Geechee tour was very enlightening! Godfrey brings a lot of passion as he drops difficult nuggets of historical facts. Some may not agree with his approach but you have to respect his knowledge and passion! He explores the true, hard, cold facts of enslavement in Charleston. "Once you know, you can't unknow and once you see, you can't unsee". Don't kill the messager! I sincerely hope that someone in the entertainment industry would invest the time and resources to producie a documentary or mini series of Charleston's colored past (pun intended). Especially given today's climate with attempts to whitewash history. This country was literally built on the backs of our ancestors and white folk continue to benefit from generational wealth resulting from centuries of free labor. Stay Woke!

If you're a novice to touring then you might just enjoy this tour. I've traveled the world over and have taken hundreds of tours. I must say this tour hosted by Godfrey was my absolute WORST TOUR EXPERIENCE EVER to date! SAVE YOUR TIME n MONEY (Don't take this tour if you're looking to learn about the Gullah culture). Godfrey started off by saying if you're touring with me then you must not have read the negative reviews about me so now i have you held hostage! He was right because had i read them (negative reviews) I would have NEVER booked with him. I literally felt we were held hostage as we sat parked not moving for at least 12-15mins as he went on a verbal rampage of his religious conspiracy/illuminati theory. TV monitor displayed scriptures to back up (his) religious beliefs as he defunct others. He spoke of (The Law) often which led me to believe he's a member of a religious organization (cult) called (The Hebrew Israelites). Godfrey use of constant profane language was uncalled for and totally unprofessional. I honestly thought he was under the influence as his unstable mannerism were questionable. He was all over the place. I respectfully asked him, "how much longer before we take off as i needed to step out to make a call" before pulling off. This was no joke just a question. But others started laughing because i'm sure they were wondering the same thing. He immediately took offense to my question as he stated on the mike"This tour is not for everyone" I'm like wow. But i guessed that question helped because he ended his long (Non Gullah) rhetoric and pulled off. I was like here we go as he pointed out a few historic sights referencing the slave trade. I thought maybe it was just a bad start. WRONG! the tour went downhill from there. He stopped the bus several times as he started his conspiracy theories again. Referencing Jack and Jill and other characters. OMG i really wanted to ask to be let off the bus but unfortunately i had a couple of seniors accompanying me and they wouldn't have been able to take the walk back to the bus terminal. I thought maybe it was just me so I took a poll of my traveling companions to see what was learned of the Gullah culture from this tour? I received Blank stares as answers as they pondered their thoughts(no answer). The others said, "I learned Absolutely Nothing"!!! It's really sad because I love to patronize my people. And i can tell Godfrey has the personality to be a great host. Maybe he should take a class on hosting tours(if there's such). And learn to stick to the subject as hand. As this was suppose to be a Gullah tour and Not my personal Godfrey religious belief tour.

This tour was simply amazing!!!!! Mr. Godfrey brought out the real truth of Charleston's historic roots. All praises to The Most High for his servant teaching the real facts about what was once hidden that is now being revealed in this hour. We would highly recommend this tour for anyone looking for TRUTH!

This tour was amazing, I have gone twice, and I plan to go again. I highly recommend it, and try to bring as many new friends as I can every time. Godfrey really gives the real truth of this city, and it isn't easy to digest by any means. It's an experience of both pain and healing, and the profound. It is the equivalent to the moment in the Matrix, when Neo finally sees the whole world through this epic clarity as the binary code behind it... the minute he accepts his power, role in history, and stops arguing with the reality and his destiny. You won't be able to go back to seeing the city as the rainbow painted picture it pretends to be, but you will gain the sight of a whole new kind of beauty- the resulting resilience of the Gullah people throughout history, and the echo of their strength in every part of this city. It runs long, usually over an hour, so go pee beforehand and don't hydrate during unless you have the bladder to back it up, haha. BUT even then, at least in my experience so far, each attendee wished it would keep going, and felt it ended too soon.

The tour van smelled like fresh cigarette smoke. The tour guide, Godfrey, did not speak about the Gullah/ Geechee culture at all. The name of the tour is misleading since the tour guide did not speak about the Gullah Geechee. We were extremely disappointed. I definitely would like a refund.

Honestly debated whether or not to write this review, but in efforts to save other hopefuls like ourselves (me and my fiancé) I've gone ahead with writing it. So let's begin. First time in Charleston and wanted to take a tour, came across Gullah Gullah Tours. We were immediately interested because it was the only tour bus company than was geared towards the black history of Charleston. So we booked our seats on the bus for $27 each. Once we got on the bus, it was obviously overbooked but Godfrey (our tour guide) assured everyone it would be alright, I didn't know how seats were magically going to appear. He then pulls out two foldable chairs and places them in the aisle of the bus... I kid you not, like that can't even be legal! Seated members initially astonished at the act, grumbled stating that the people in the chairs should only have to pay half price, Godfrey chuckled but never agreed. From here it continued to go downhill, there's just so much foolishness that occurred, it's hard to list it all. While other tour buses actually drove around, we were subjected to 15-20 minute parked lectures from Godfrey of nothing more than baseless conspiracy theories. He spoke a lot about black dominance and how our time was coming. Many derogatory remarks made towards white people throughout the "tour", as well as referring to God as a nigga. Overall the tour had nothing and said NOTHING about the Gullah Geechee people and their history. It was a complete SCAM! He is by no means a historian. Not to mention he turned the air off to accommodate two people as if it wasn't hot and humid outside, as well as ran over time by 20-30 minutes. Now he did ask if it was okay, to which two or so people immediately said yes and he went on without getting a real consensus from everyone. Very disappointed by this whole charade because the potential was so great, but disappointment exists in the world. P.S. Gullah Geechee after dark is the same tour done during the day, but at night. Nothing special, except this time you'll pay $27 a piece to not see anything.

Now I will say it started off a little shaky lol but it's real. I seen the reviews of people complaining about the subject matter but guess what CHARLESTON SC was built on the backs of slaves. It's not pretty and funny. It's not meant to make you feel warm and fuzzy it's the hard cold facts. Those cobbled streets you walk on are stained with blood and tears of black people. You will not get a tour like this from a white man. If you want the Caucasian view book a horse-cart tour. So if you are white you might feel uncomfortable hearing what your skinfolk did to acquire all this wealth‍. Facts don't have feelings. When you go to the big beautiful market with the lovely stairs right by the bay and he asks you hmmm. What do you think was being sold on the top of the stairs of this market and you see pictures of black men and women being sold in that very same market like cattle on the screen. You see the "daughters of the confederate" placard on the wall. How do you see that and then come write a bad review? I mean I get it. You don't wanna look at white people a certain way and they all aren't the same. Some shed blood to free enslaved people. Some also still collect "auction blocks" and keep them right in front of their big beautiful homes. I loved the tour. I might not agree with everything he says religious wise but facts have no feelings. If you want to hear the real history of Charleston and how all those big beautiful homes came to be there book this tour. One thing i will say he is passionate about what he does. RESPECT BROTHER GODFREY!!! It's not just a job to him. SUPPORT SUPPORT SUPPORT. Shame on the black ladies above that wrote those reviews. All skinfolk ain't kinfold.

If you're looking for a tour in Charleston that speaks to slave history and focuses Gullah/Geechie culture, this is the tour you need to be on. Godfrey is personable, humble and passionate about the culture of the Gullah people. You'll learn a lot, and will feel inspired to do more research on your own. In comparison to another Black-owned tour we took on the same day, this tour was not watered down, and gives those seeking the know the rich slave history of Charleston exactly what they're looking for.

This tour had nothing to do with learning more about the Gullah culture. It's mentioned only as a way to talk about Black Israelite theories and other random "facts" like the meaning of pineapples, bantu knots and the number 33. I prepaid and was very excited to learn about the Gullah people and their history in this country, but I learned nothing. The tour started with a 20 minute lecture, we went half a mile, stopped for another 20 lecture then went to the Customs Building and Godfrey talked for nearly 30 straight minutes. The whole tour was a total of less than 2 miles in the van. I do not recommend this at all and wish I could have a refund to book the ACTUAL Gullah tour people are recommending. I wish I had read the reviews on Trip Advisor before booking.

I was open to this experience and whatever I could gain. And gain we did!!! It is always interesting to learn history and get the feel of the place and history from someone who knows. Who has seen the shifts, changes, the overall history from past to know and how it goes together. Not your typical white-washed and fluffy "nice" tour. It is the real thing...would do it again and again!

10 out of 10 stars if you're black you absolutely must see this tour. The other negative reviews may hate the truth but this tour is a must for all! I'm from Charleston and learned so much. It has truly opened my eyes.

We are absolute history buffs and this tour greatly exceeded our lofty expectations. Godfrey's Native knowledge of the true history of Charleston is mesmerizing. We highly recommend this tour. We'll be back with friends!

Excellent tour guide and very professional and knowledgeable! I would highly recommend this tour guide and his tour to anyone who would like to learn more about South Carolina.

I absolutely loved this tour. The fact that our guide backed up his statements with evidence made it even better. He was very knowledgeable and offered that southern hospitality that is always talked about, but never witnessed in the Charleston area. I would definitely go again and take friends. Do not go if you aren't prepared to hear the truth or if you don't truly love history!

I've lived in Charleston almost 20 years and had never been on any of the tours until recently two of my girlfriends came to visit me from N.C., we decided to take this tour and honey let me tell you I was struck in awe! Godfrey has a way of captivating his guests, he has a lot to share! I HIGHLY recommend this tour!

This was an absolutely fantastic tour that we didn't want to end. Our guide was so full of energy, information and secrets of the Gullah people and secrets all around Charleston. Once you take this tour, you will see Charleston through different eyes and will be looking for and seeing secret signs all over the city. It is a fascinating, "must take" tour!