Discover the Cape

Cape Town excursions

Without a doubt, Cape Town is one of the most lively and most frequently visited cities in South Africa, if not Africa. This cosmopolitan city has something for everyone; no need to be bored here. Table Mountain is the city's pride and joy. This mountain rises up from the middle of the city and offers an incredible view of the area. And what about the relaxing, trendy beaches of Camps Bay, the penguins at Boulders Beach or the most southwestern point of the African continent: the Cape of Good Hope? Each and every one of these places is special and definitely worth visiting. But there's more to Cape Town than excursions and sight-seeing alone. This city also offers countless bars and restaurants where you can enjoy an Amarula (African drink) after a day of taking in the sights. In the evening, you may even join in on a genuine African "braai".

This Cape Town excursions module includes a three-night stay in Cape Town, so that you'll have all the time you need to explore the city and perhaps to do some shopping in one of the many shopping malls. Naturally you can choose to lengthen or shorten this module if you have more or less time available. Cape Town really is a fantastic, world-class city and you could never spend too much time here.

Today you'll arrive in Cape Town. There are three different guest house options to choose from in our Cape Town excursions module, each of which are centrally located, near major attractions and only about 25 minutes from the airport. After you've had a chance to freshen up in the guest house, you'll have the entire remainder of the afternoon to have a look around Cape Town. 

The Waterfront is a wonderful place to visit, have a drink and enjoy the view. There are also countless bars, restaurants and a nice shopping mall nearby. If the weather is clear, you can even see Table Mountain from here; an incredible view. You'll also find Two Oceans Aquarium here. This is an impressive aquarium with hundreds of different types of fish as well as seals, penguins, sea horses and enormous sharks. You could spend the entire day here and then go out for a bit to eat before heading back to the guest house. 

If you enjoyed a day at the Waterfront yesterday, you may enjoy spending today getting to know more about local culture while enjoying breathtaking views. 

Robben Island: you'll visit the prison where Nelson Mandela was an inmate for 27 years. For just a short while, walk in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela and experience what it's like to be 'exiled' to this prison island off the coast of Cape Town. He and many others with him were sent to Robben Island in the 60's for opposing the Apartheids regime. Several boats head towards the island from the waterfront each day. Tickets are for sale at the clock tower and the boat ride will take approximately 45 minutes (if you're prone to sea sickness, you may want to take a pill for nausea before boarding the boat). Once you arrive on the island, you'll receive a guided tour by an ex-inmate of Robben Island.  

Tip: these Cape Town excursions are quite popular and are quickly fully booked in peak travel season (December - January and July - August). That's why we suggest you book this excursion right after your arrival in Cape Town. Whether or not the boats depart for the island, depends on the weather and at times their departure is delayed or cancelled; if this happens, your money will be returned to you. 

Table Mountain: After a very unique excursion to Robben Island, it's time to visit one of the most famous mountains in the world. Along with Mount Everest this is probably one of the most written about peaks in the world, as well as the centre piece of the city. The mountain however is somewhat easier to climb than Everest though; in about 2 hours you'll be at the top of the mountain. For those who don't feel like climbing to the summit, there's a cable car with a 360 degrees rotating carriage for an increasingly more beautiful view. Once you reach the top, you'll be able to enjoy a view unlike any other of all of Cape Town. Sometimes you may be a bit out of luck if the cloud cover appears. This mist covers the top of the mountain is locally referred to as the 'table cloth'. 

After this impressive day, you'll be able to recuperate in one of the modern restaurants at the cosmopolitan beach Camps Bay. This beach is located behind the Table Mountain's 'Lion's Head' and the 'Twelve Apostles'. Coming from Table Mountain, you'll see the beach villas and beaches lying before you. With its many palm trees, beautiful beaches and happening restaurants, this place has been a favourite amongst Cape Town excursion visitors for years. A walk on the boulevard is a perfect way to end the day. 

Chapman's Peak: after visiting two top Cape Town attractions yesterday, you may want to spend the day exploring the area surrounding the city. One of the most famous trails in the world is the Chapman's Peak Drive. This route begins in Cape Town and passes by places such as Chapman's Peak, Cape of Good Hope and the penguin beach, Boulders Beach.

The excursion begins in Cape Town from where you'll drive to the harbour town, Hout Bay. This small town lies in a 'bowl' and is surrounded by several mountains. You'll probably want to park the car and perhaps go on a seal tour here. Even while having a bite to eat at one of the friendly harbour restaurants, you'll likely spot quite a few seals. Next you'll drive on towards Cape of Good Hope. You'll drive through mountain roads around Hout Bay and you'll have a wonderful view of white beaches and the crystal blue sea. There are several places you can stop and park the car along the road to enjoy the view. 

Cape of Good Hope: Next, you'll drive on to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve where you'll reach the most south-western part of the African continent. There are several places to picnic in the park where you'll be surrounded by sea and mountains. Be aware of the baboons walking around the reserve, before you know it they will have stolen your lunch.... Once you reach the most south-western point, you'll have an opportunity to climb the top of the mountain in about 1,5 hour. A little further down in the park lies Cape Point; here you can take The Flying Dutchman railway up to the top. 

Boulders Beach: the last major stop along the Chapman's Peak Drive excursion is Boulders Beach at Simon's Town; a true penguin beach. Walk across wooden boards onto this beach where you'll sea entire colonies of penguins waddling by. These penguins are also known as the Jackass penguins. There are more than 3000 (!) penguins to be seen in this area.

After this long, yet impressive day, it's great to relax and unwind in the guest house pool before preparing for a lovely dinner. We suggest having dinner at 'Mama Africa' on Long Street where there's live music after dinner each evening. We really enjoyed the atmosphere in the restaurant and the menu is very diverse; you could even eat spring bock, kudu or crocodile... A great place to have dinner. Be sure to make reservations though, this restaurant is usually booked full.

Would you rather see the sights with a guide? You can also book this Cape Town excursion: Penguins and the Cape Peninsula.

This Cape Town excursions module finishes after breakfast this morning. We can highly recommend visiting the Kirstenbosch Botanical gardens before you leave Cape Town. There's always something going on here, all year round. You'll see the most beautiful flora and fauna here while you walk through the gardens. During the summer months you may even be surprised by an outdoor concert and you'll be able to sit in the grass and enjoy the music. Whether you visit the gardens in the summer or in the winter (on sunny days), this place is great for ending your visit to Cape Town with an outdoor picnic. If the weather doesn't work in your favour, you can have a bite to eat in the bistro or the restaurant. This is a great way to mark the end (or beginning) of your South Africa tour.