Things to Do

Easily the city's most recognizable landmark, Table Mountain towers over Cape Town just south of the city center. Having earned its name from its unique, flat-topped shape, the mountain is the most popular attraction found within Table Mountain National Park. To get to the top, either buy your tickets for the cable car (we highly recommend booking tickets in advance to avoid long lines) or prepare yourself for a long hike up. The hike is absolutely orth it, but imagine doing Stairmaster for a few hours.

The V&A Waterfront buzzes with activity at all hours of the day. This bustling harbor - built in the late 19th century by Queen Victoria's second son, Alfred - has acted as the stopover point for European ships for centuries. Today, the waterfront caters to tourists and residents alike, boasting beautiful views of Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean, a wide array of shopping venues, restaurants, and notable attractions. Activities Include:

• The Watershed - Art Market

• V&A Food Market

• Cape Wheel - Ferris Wheel

• The Silo Gallery - Modern Art Gallery

• Greenmarket Square - Historical Square + Venders

• Grand Africa Café - Beachside Restaurant (great for drinks)

To drive around the Cape Peninsula (Cape of Good Hope + Boulders Beach + Chapman's Peak) from Cape Town will take up most of a day, but the trip is certainly worth the time.

The highlights of the drive are undoubtedly the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point - offering crisp, clean air, and spectacular views from the high sea cliffs. Contrary to popular belief, however, this is not the most southern point of Africa but it sure does feel like it.

Continue on to Boulders Beach, just past Simon's Town - a rugged coastal area which is home to a large colony of African penguins. (More on this beach under “Beaches.”)

Drive back home and be sure to take Chapman's Peak Drive for the best view. Stop at the Chapman's Peak Hotel for a drink or Hout Bay for fish and chips.

Few places in the world hold the gravitas of Robben Island. Though the island, visible from mainland Cape Town, was both a whaling station and a leper colony, it’s best known for its period as a political prison. After the fall of apartheid, the prison shut down and the island opened to visitors, many of whom journey there to learn more about South Africa's history.

Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected president of South Africa, was imprisoned on Robben Island for 18 of his 27 years in jail. In 1997, it was turned into a museum and declared a national monument, and in 1999, it received designation as a World Heritage site.

Boulders Beach

• Boulders Beach is a sheltered beach made up of inlets between granite boulders. It is located on the Cape Peninsula, in Simon's Town, a suburb of Cape Town and filled with African penguins (formerly known as jackass penguins because of their distinctive braying). This is one of Kayla’s favorite places. (If you do the Cape Peninsula drive - see above - make this a stop for sure!)

Camps Bay

• Upmarket Camps Bay draws crowds to its namesake beach, known for its fine white sand, natural rock swimming pool and views of the Twelve Apostles mountains. Behind the beach, posh seafood restaurants, mellow cafes and cocktail bars with patios overlook the promenade.

Clifton

• Clifton’s beaches are a favorite of locals and tourists alike and are arguably some of the best in the country. Comprising of four beach coves separated by giant boulders that protect against Cape Town’s unruly ‘south-easter’ wind, the soft white sand and majestic blue water of each of the four beaches are truly beautiful.

Muizenberg

• A little bit of a drive from the main areas of Cape Town, this beach is perfect for those looking to surf.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world! Few gardens can match the sheer grandeur of the setting of Kirstenbosch, against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain.

Scattered throughout the 1,300 acres are various artwork and sculptures, and in the summer (which is when you’re coming!), the park hosts concerts and events against the stunning mountain backdrop. Definitely look into tickets, depending on your travel dates.

Otherwise, take advantage of the free tours, and make sure you get to the tree canopy walkway (called the “Boomslang”).

South Africa is known for its wine, which you’ll get plenty of in Stellenbosch, and its GIN!

A few recommendations in Cape Town here (the first two are at V&A Waterfront so check ‘em out if you end up going there).

Check out Harrington Street, Kloof Street, and Brew Street! FYI - Long Street’s not what it used to be… avoid at night.

Dust and Dynamite’s a cool spot near Harrington!

FROM CAPE TOWN

• Aquila Safari Park (~2 hours by car) - It's an option, but we'd personally give this one a skip. Even though it’s the closest, a lot of folks say it feels fake... and like a "glorified zoo." It's up to you!

• Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve (~2.5 hours by car) - The game reserve is larger than Aquila but another where you shouldn’t expect to see animals in their natural habitat. The animals are brought in from other areas (they’re rescued at least, but it’s not a true safari and has been described as "semi-natural").

• Gondhwana Private Game Reserve (~4.5 hours by car)

• Buffelsdrift Game Lodge (~5.5 hours by car)

• Addo Elephant Park (~8 hours by car, worth it if you’re driving the Garden Route already! — or 1.5 hours by plane to Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth + 1 hour drive)

  • There’s a self-driving option if that’s of interest (you just pay the entrance fee), and you can stay outside of the park. Read more here.

• Shamwari Private Game Reserve (~9 hours by car, another that would make sense if you’re driving the Garden Route — or 1.5 hours by plane to Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth + 1 hour drive)

*TLDR (that’s Too Long, Didn’t Read) - If it were us and we weren’t flying to Joburg for a safari (which would be our first choice!), we’d do Addo with Gondhwana as a second option.

FROM JOHANNESBURG

• Welgevonden Game Reserve(~3 hours by car)

  • If you’ve ever seen photos of animals from Steve or Kayla, it’s from here!

• Kruger National Park (~5 hours by car) - which can accommodate a variety of budgets, from simple tents to bungalows to private lodges (e.g. Sabi Sands or Londolozi)

• Pilanesberg (~2 hours by car) - a smaller park with accommodation ranging from self-catered cottages to full board hotels

ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW?

• In private reserves, guides are usually part of the price but in a national park (like Addo - see above), you can go DIY. You may get lucky, but if you’re a novice, you'll probably miss a lot. When there aren’t big animals that are easy to spot, good guides will bring the bush to life, showing you smaller species (look up a Bloukop Koggelmander), insects, and even vegetation.

• There’s more than just the “Big Five" - think zebra, hippo, kudu, eland, springbok, and giraffe, just to name a few. Make a list of the less famous animals, and try to spot those too!

• Days are structured around the heat. Because the animals are most active at the start of the day (get ready for early morning drives) and the last few hours of daylight, you won't be missing out on much by staying at camp during the day. Don’t worry - early mornings mean afternoon snoozes before evening drives.

• Terms you’ll hear:

  • Game drive = When you are in the safari vehicle, exploring the wilderness in search of wildlife and birds.

  • Bush = Any African savanna or grassland inhabited by many different animals.

  • Bushwalk = Self-explanatory term, but walking in the bush instead of going on a game drive. Some reserves offer guided walks, which can be quite the experience!

  • Braai = BBQ.

  • Sundowners = Drinks enjoyed at sunset.

  • Big Five = Lion, leopard, elephant, Cape buffalo, and rhino.

  • Little Five = Ant lion, leopard tortoise, elephant shrew, buffalo weaver, and rhinoceros beetle.

  • Ugly Five = Spotted hyena, warthog, wildebeest, marabou stork, and vulture… you can probably figure out why this is the grouping term, but honestly, warthogs are some of the most fun to observe!