Cape Town is a city of rare beauty that has something for everyone. The nature lovers will enjoy its hiking trails, beaches, and proximity to game reserves. If you love city life, you will certainly appreciate Cape Town’s vibrant restaurants, cafés and nightlife. And if history is your thing, Cape Town has no shortage of historically significant sights that are bound to spark your interest. Whatever you’re after with your next trip, Cape Town can probably provide it! If this amazing city has caught your attention, check out this post for the 12 best things to do in Cape Town.
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Best tours of Cape Town’s attractions
See the city from above from the top of Table Mountain
As one of Cape Town’s most recognisable features, Table Mountain towers over many areas of the city. It’s a flat mountain just over 1,000 metres tall (roughly 3,550 feet), with gorgeous views from the top.
For the avid hikers, there are plenty of walking trails to reach the top. The trails start from the city centre and many of the surrounding areas, giving you plenty of options. You can explore the entire nature reserve, with all its gorges and waterfalls. Many trails also lead to the area of the top that looks over the city centre, the most visited area, and the spectacular nearby peaks.
While there is plenty to explore, it’s important to remember to take personal safety seriously when visiting Cape Town and South Africa in general. For more information, check out my post on how to stay safe in South Africa. Unfortunately there have been cases of hikers being robbed on Table Mountain. For this reason, you should avoid hiking alone, stick to the main trails and be part of a group. There is a local Hiker’s Network that you can use to get in touch with other hikers and arrange group hikes on Table Mountain. You can also join a guided hike, where a professional guide will take a group of hikers through the spectacular trails. Below are some well-rated options for guided hikes on Table Mountain.
If hiking is not your cup of tea, you can take the cable car to the top. Conveniently located in the city centre, the cable car leads to the best known area of the top. There, you’ll find a visitor centre with useful facilities, and you can enjoy the gorgeous views of the city centre and the ocean in total ease. To purchase your tickets for the cable car, visit their website. The website will also have information on the annual maintenance period, during which the cable car will be closed.
Hike up Lion’s Head
Another of Cape Town’s main natural landmarks, Lion’s Head is a spectacular pointy mountain that towers over the city’s skyline. It’s about 669 metres tall (nearly 2,200 feet), and a popular hiking destination for visitors and locals alike. The small rocky top makes the hike worth every second, with stunning views of the city and the blue ocean.
The trails start at the bottom of the mountain, near another famous viewpoint called Signal Hill. The hike is about 5.5 km (~ 3.4 miles) round trip and most of the way up is quite steep. Therefore, it gets quite intense and inexperienced hikers should definitely hike up with experienced people.
As with hiking the Table Mountain, you should hike the Lion’s Head in a group for improved safety and stick to busy trails. If you’d rather have the knowledge of local guides, you can also join a guided hike (see below).
Explore the V&A Waterfront
Set in the location of Cape Town’s historic port, the V&A Waterfront is now a shopping and cultural centre. It’s a place where it’s impossible to get bored, and there is plenty to do and explore.
In the main shopping centre, you can find all the major store chains, as well as lesser known shops. You can also find amazing eateries dotted throughout the area, to try out local delicacies and international cuisines.
If you’d like to explore local products and art, heat to The Watershed. Here you’ll find stunning works from local artists, from photography to paintings and sculptures. You can also find a variety of local crafts, and it can be a great place to find an amazing keepsake for your visit to Cape Town.
Don’t forget to take a walk along the waterfront, and soak in the views of the blue ocean and the Table Mountain. It’s also a great place to take photos, with spectacular mountain and ocean views.
The V&A Waterfront is also the gateway to Robben Island, which is further down in this post!
Explore the Two Oceans Aquarium
If you are passionate about nature, the ocean or wildlife, you’ll certainly enjoy a visit to the Two Oceans Aquarium. It’s an amazing place to admire a variety of animals that call the ocean home.
They also offer several experiences that all ocean enthusiasts will love. For example, you can interact with penguins up close, or dive in some of the aquarium’s tanks. They also offer diving tours in the ocean around Cape Town’s shoreline. And if you haven’t learnt to dive yet, you can also get diving lessons there. You can also witness the frenzies at the animal’s feeding times, or take a behind the scenes tour.
If you’d like to visit the Two Oceans Aquarium, visit their website to book tickets and experiences.
Visit Robben Island
No journey to Cape Town is complete without a visit to Robben Island. An historically significant location for both the city and the country, Robben Island is where many political prisoners were held during the Apartheid years. Nelson Mandela was among the detainees there, for 18 years out of the 27 he spent imprisoned.
Robben Island is now a museum, where you can learn about the prison’s history and significance, guided by former detainees.
You can conveniently book a tour of the island that includes the ferry ride from and back to the city. The ferries leave from the Nelson Mandela Gateway, located in the V&A Waterfront. Sea conditions are frequently choppy, so seasickness may be a concern for some. The whole tour will take between 3 and 4 hours.
You can book tickets directly from their website, or book them through an operator if you require transport from your accommodation.
Spend some relaxing time in Camps Bay
Camps Bay is one of Cape Town’s most beautiful and scenic areas. Located just south of Lion’s Head and to the west of Table Mountain, it enjoys amazing views of both. It’s also from Camps Bay that the top of Lion’s Head looks like a crouched lion, which gives the mountain its curious name.
Camps Bay is home to one of the city’s best beaches, with stunning views, clear water and access to plenty of facilities. It’s one of the best places to take a break from the busy city and enjoy the natural beauty and the local restaurants, and maybe even go for a swim.
Cape Town has pretty mild winters, with frequent warm temperatures and sunny days. It’s possible to swim in the sea and enjoy beach life all year around. Areas like Camps Bay have lifeguards and other facilities, making it pleasant and safe. However, the Atlantic Ocean water is notoriously cold, so you should avoid being in the water for too long.
Admire the views and unique flora at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
This is one of the most scenic and interesting botanical gardens I’ve ever seen. Located at the foot of Table Mountain, the garden boasts plenty of walking trails with stunning mountain views.
What makes this botanical garden so unique, though, is the native flora it contains. The area surrounding Cape Town has its own ecosystem with unique species, which you can find in the botanical garden. You can learn so much about the environment in the Cape area, all while admiring the beautiful flowers and mountain views.
If you’re interested in knowing more about the garden and the rare plants it boasts, join one of the walking tours that they offer. The knowledgeable guides will ensure you have a relaxing and informative visit.
For more information on the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden and to buy tickets, visit this website.
Take a trip to the Cape Winelands
The scenic area surrounding Cape Town is one of the world’s most famous wine-making regions, known as the Cape Winelands. The area is located roughly one hour from the centre of Cape Town, it’s surrounded by mountains and dotted with large wine estates. There are endless opportunities to visit these stunning estates and taste the delicious wine.
If you have rented your own vehicle, you can book an experience directly at your chosen winery. If you need transport, you can book one of the many available tours that will pick you up straight from your accommodation. Most tours will cover more than one winery and will explore the area’s stunning views.
If you have time, why not explore the vibrant towns of the Cape Winelands. Stellenbosch has a beautiful town centre with a university campus, plenty of shops and restaurants. If you’re after somewhere quieter, Franschhoek is nestled among the mountains and is a great place to enjoy a peaceful meal, or even to go on a hike.
Enjoy a wildlife experience at a game reserve
Most visitors to South Africa will spend some time in nature reserves to enjoy safari experiences. If you’d like to know more about safaris in South Africa, I have written about it in another post.
If you’re short of time or wouldn’t want to spend too long on safaris, you can add an experience to your stay in Cape Town. The closest reserve to the city where you can admire all the Big 5 is Aquila Private Game Reserve. It’s located 165 km (~103 miles) from the centre of Cape Town, or a two-hour drive, and is a popular day trip destination from the city.
They have many options for half-day, full-day or overnight stays. You can book directly with them on their website, or you can join a tour with transport from Cape Town.
Take a spectacular drive on Chapman’s Peak Drive and Hout Bay
These locations lie on the most scenic route to the Cape of Good Hope. To get there, take the M6 road from central Cape Town and head down through Sea Point, Clifton and Camps Bay. Afterwards, you’ll drive a few miles on a coastal road with spectacular views of the Oudekraal Nature Reserve.
You’ll then arrive at the village of Hout Bay. It’s well worth a quick stop for a stroll along the beach and to admire the spectacular bay, with views of the surrounding mountains seemingly going straight into the ocean.
From there, continue down the M6 and you’ll reach the toll booth for Chapman’s Peak Drive. This is another beautiful coastal road with ocean and mountain views on both sides. On the way, you should stop at one of the lookouts and enjoy one of the best views in Cape Town. The road looks back at Hout Bay, with a truly spectacular view of the bay and its surrounding hills and mountains.
To continue your exploration, keep driving south to the Cape of Good Hope.
Soak in the views at Cape Point
Approximately 50 km (~31 miles) from Hout Bay, a 70-minute drive, you’ll reach the car park at the bottom of Cape of Good Hope. This is known as Cape Point, and it’s the most south-western point of the African Continent. From the M6 you can take both the M65 and M4. I’d recommend taking the M65 on the way down. This road runs through the middle of the cape and offers spectacular views of the rugged hills. You should then take the M4 on the way back to enjoy the coastal views and stop at Boulder’s Beach, which is another must-see location described below.
Cape Point is another of the city’s most significant locations, being an important landmark for circumnavigating Africa. Nowadays you can easily get to the Old Lighthouse, either via a walking path or a funicular cable railway, and admire the stunning views. Look back towards the city and the large bay, or simply out into the vast and empty ocean.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also walk some of the paths that start here and explore the spectacular sights of the Cape Peninsula. The large Diaz Beach is only 700 m from the car park and accessible with a wooden walkway. It could be a great spot to chill and enjoy the relaxing noise of the oceanic waves. I wouldn’t recommend swimming there though, due to the strong currents and the absence of lifeguards.
Another beautiful beach, Buffels Bay Beach, is located a short drive (6 km, ~3.7 miles) northwards on the eastern side. This is another amazing spot to enjoy some relaxing time and have a picnic by the ocean. You can even safely go swimming in the two tidal pools located near the beach.
Visit the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach
This is the most famous, and the most beautiful, location to view African penguins in their habitat. Boulders Beach is a stunning beach of white sand that is spacious and sheltered from the ocean, providing an excellent place for the penguin colony.
A boardwalk that’s been constructed along the beach allows you to observe the penguins up-close in complete safety and without disturbing them.
To see the penguins, head to the main visitor centre and pay the small conservation fee, currently R190 for international visitors (roughly $10 or £8).
If you fancy a swim in the ocean, a short walk away from the main visitor centre is Middle Beach. From there you can access a section of the beach that is open to bathers. It’s just as beautiful and sheltered, making it a great place for peaceful swim on a warm day. If you’re lucky, you may even spot the odd penguin from the colony that ended up on the wrong beach!
