Cape Town

Cape Town has been voted as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. And is a must-see city on any tourist list of holiday places to visit in South Africa. Let us show you this beautiful city on your next South African holiday.

Cape Town is fondly called, ‘The Mother City’, and is in the Western Cape Province. It is at the southwest tip of Africa; where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. It is approximately 1600km’s from Johannesburg.

A Mediterranean climate means it experiences pleasingly warm summers while winters are cool and wet.

Table Mountain dominates the city. Catch the revolving cable car up the 1086m summit. For the more energetic; walk up or down; or both ways. To get a fantastic view of this beautiful city. The ‘Cape doctor’ is a southeasterly wind that causes clouds to sit on top of Table Mountain like a table cloth; hence the name. We recommend going up the mountain on the 1st clear day you have so you don’t miss it.

Best Cape Town holiday — Cape Grace Hotel and Table Mountain

Cape Town attractions

The first thing people think of when planning a visit to Cape Town is Table Mountain. But there is so much more to this beautiful city. Close by is the scenic Cape Winelands where you can taste some of the finest wines. Visit Hermanus to see the whales or dive with sharks. See below for more. We offer Cape Town day tours to all the popular attractions.

The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

The V&A Waterfront is one of the most visited attractions in Cape Town. It offers an assortment of shopping, eating, entertainment, and sightseeing facilities. All set within a working harbor. The Cape Town/Two Oceans Aquarium is also on the V&A Waterfront. It is home to over 3000 living sea animals including sharks, fish, turtles, and penguins. Diving with ragged-tooth sharks (sand tigers), shoals of large predators, rays and a turtle is also available. Open Water One or Discover Scuba qualification is required.

Robben Island tours also depart from The V&A Waterfront. Robben Island is the former prison where Nelson Mandela; and many other anti-apartheid activists spent so many of their adult years. This is a short boat/ferry ride from The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The full tour takes about 3 – 4 hours.

Cape Point

The most southern point of the Cape Peninsula is Cape Point. It has some 26 shipwrecks recorded. Some of them present good diving spots. A funicular takes visitors on a scenic trip up to an old lighthouse. This is a bird-watching paradise.

Beaches in Cape Town

Cape Town’s beaches are also what make it such a popular holiday destination. The picture-perfect Camps Bay and Clifton; are the trendy beaches on the Atlantic side of Cape Town. The Atlantic Ocean beaches have beautiful clear blue waters and white sandy beaches. Be prepared, the sea is very cold on the Atlantic side of Cape Town. If you are looking for warmer water, the False Bay/Indian Ocean side (Muizenberg, Fish Hoek, Boulders) is your best bet.

Cape Town holiday - Muizenberg Beach — Muizenberg Beach

Boulders Penguin Colony in Simons Town is home to a unique and endangered land-based colony of African Penguins, one of only a few in the world. The site is a popular tourist destination. The Boulders section consists of 3 x pristine beaches, 1 x penguin viewing area, and 3 x boardwalks. The boardwalks allow for the viewing of the birds; whilst keeping them safe. Boulders Beach is ideal for children as immense boulders shelter the cove from currents, wind, and large waves. Look out for Penguins swimming in the waves too.

A must-do in Cape Town is to drive along Chapman’s Peak Drive. This is one of the world’s most spectacular scenic drives. The road is regularly closed for maintenance so do check if it is open when you are in Cape Town.

Other attractions

There is a lot more to Cape Town than the beauty of this city. It is rich in history and is South Africa’s oldest city. There are several museums in the city which are well worth a visit. The Bo-Kaap is a historic part of Cape Town. It was developed in the 1700s to house predominantly Muslim workers after slavery was abolished. This multicultural area, tucked safely into the fold of Signal Hill has cobblestoned, steep, and narrow streets and brightly painted Cape Dutch and Edwardian houses.

Every year, the residents of Bo-Kaap, District 6, and other areas hold the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival or Tweede Nuwejaar which means the second New Year (previously called the ‘Coon Carnival’). Celebrations usually start on New Year’s Day. Over 10 000 costumed, banjo-picking musicians and dancers parade and march through the streets of Cape Town city. Often compared to the Rio Carnival, it is a celebration of life and the New Year. The more garish the costume or loud the banjo tunes, the better.

Safari near Cape Town

If you have limited time in South Africa; there are a few private game reserves near Cape Town that we can recommend and that you could do a day tour from Cape Town to or spend a night or two.

Fairy Glen Game Reserve is about an hour away and also offers horseback safaris. Aquila Game Reserve is the smallest of the private game reserves; and is about 90 minutes from Cape Town, making it the closest. They offer a shuttle service that picks you up from your Cape Town hotel for day safaris. They also cater for overnight and fly-in safaris from Cape Town.

Approximately 2 ½ hours away, is Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve which is also home to a Cheetah conservation project. A three-hour scenic drive from Cape Town; on Route 62; is Sanbona Wildlife Reserve that has White Lions. Garden Route Game Lodge is 3½ hours from Cape Town.

Gondwana Game Reserve also has the Big 5 and is near George on the Garden Route. About a 4-hour drive from Cape Town. Botlierskop Game Reserve is 4½ hours drive with horseback safaris too.

If you are looking for an authentic Big 5 safari experience, we would recommend Addo National Park or Shamwari. These are both near Port Elizabeth which is approximately 800 km away. There are regular flights to Port Elizabeth (approximately 1 hour’s flight). Or combine Cape Town with a self-drive holiday along the Garden Route to really see South Africa and the beauty it has to offer. If you possibly can, we’d definitely recommend rather going to Kruger National Park due to the diversity of animals and the larger numbers.

West Coast National Park

A short drive out of Cape Town is the West Coast National Park. This stretches from Yzerfontein to Langebaan. Against the backdrop of the azure blue lagoon, white dunes, rare fynbos, green wetlands and unbounded waves, there is much to experience. A paradise for hikers, cyclists & mountain bikers, birders and nature-lovers alike. The West Coast National Park is home to over 250 bird species. Making it a bird-lover’s paradise. Huge pods of southern right whales visit from August until October. Langebaan also offers incredible kite-surfing.