CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA 7 Days

This itinerary visits one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The journey takes you to the touristy Waterfront, trendy Camps Bay, Table Mountain Reserve, the townships, Robben Island-the notorious prison that once held Nelson Mandela, Cape of Good Hope Reserve and the vineyards of Stellenbosch.

The oldest urban area in South Africa and one of the most populated and visited cities in Africa. It is one of the most multicultural cities in the world and a major destination for immigrants and expatriates to South Africa. Cape Town has earned the Blue Flag status due to its high-water quality, fantastic facilities, safety and cleanliness.

Cape Town (pop. 4.6 million) is situated on a peninsula beneath the imposing Table Mountain. At the top, you are rewarded with great views of the city, landmarks and the busy harbor.

Why go ?

Cape Town is the most cosmopolitan city in Africa, as it hosts a mixture of cultures that contributes to the city's eclectic music, food, and festival scenes. It is hard to beat the beautiful beaches, rolling vineyards, cuisine, thriving nightlife, and the spectacular Table Mountain.

DAY 1

• Arrive at Cape Town airport, and transfer to your hotel.

  • Getting to the hotel: You can rent a car, call Uber, take a metered taxi or inquire whether your hotel offers private shuttles to pick you up.

• Best places to stay: the Waterfront area <map> or Camps Bay <info and map>

  • The Waterfront is more of a tourist attraction with the harbor, plenty of shops, hotels and restaurants.

  • Camps Bay is a great place with plenty of restaurants and a long white sand beach. It is the trendiest spot (with great vibes) favored by the young crowd.

• If time allows, head to Victoria & Alfred's Waterfront for a relaxing dinner.

  • The Waterfront is a hub of activity where you’ll find upmarket restaurants <list> bars and hotels, plus part of Cape Town’s working harbor.

  • With Table Mountain as its backdrop, Victoria & Alfred’s Waterfront <map> is the place where locals and visitors come.  <Learn more>

  • At night, the V & A Waterfront transforms into a festive playground complete with street entertainers, live music, and hundreds of sparkling lights.

• Travel Guides:

  • Lonely Planet Cape Town and DK Top 10 Cape Town.

• Download the Cape Town Visitors Guide.

• Overnight: Cape Town. (6 nights)

• Distance: 

  Airport ---> Cape Town.  25 min / 20 km.

  Airport ---> Camps Bay. 30 min / 26 km.

  V&A Waterfront ---> Camps Bay. 15 min.

DAYS  2 and 3 

• Explore Cape Town. Known for world class wine, dining and stunning natural beauty.

• To get a general sense of Cape Town, buy a City Sightseeing Red Bus ticket. <Learn more>

  • The open-top, double-decker red buses stop at Cape Town’s must-see attractions.

  • The bus ticket allows you to hop-on and hop-off at your own pace.

• Go up to the top of Table Mountain (elev. 1084 m.) with a cable ride depending on the weather conditions. Whether it is covered in a blanket of clouds or showing off against a crisp cloudless blue sky, Table Mountain is always spectacular.

  • Early morning is the best chance of clear weather on top of the mountain - start before 10 am or late in the day.

  • The iconic mountain is flat-topped forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town.

Other Points of Interest:   

• Township Tours - a unique tour understanding the culture and people of the townships and an in-depth experience learning the history of apartheid.

• Greenmarket Square - is one of the liveliest hubs in Cape Town. A great open market for souvenirs. The cobbled square is a bustling market filled with curios, food, buskers, jewelry, clothing, and nick-nacks. 

• Camps Bay and Clifton:

  • A chic beach area with stunning views of the 12 Apostles mountain range.

  • Camps Bay is one of the world’s most famous beaches. <beach water temp>

  • Only a 15-minute drive from the city center, 30-minutes from the airport.

• Bo-Kaap - a traditionally multicultural area known for its colored homes and cobblestone streets. <map>

• Victoria & Alfred’s Waterfront - boasting five (5) shopping districts and countless restaurants and bars.

• Other activities - Biking. Cape Cycle Routes offers excellent tours with friends or family! (add an EXTRA day).

• Overnight: Cape Town.

DAY 4

Cape Point Highlights:

• Journey to Cape Point (aka Cape of Good Hope) located at the tip of the Cape Peninsula.

  • With its huge sea cliffs, beaches and valleys, the drive to Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve is one of the most scenic spots in South Africa. It is highly recommended.

  • Directions to Cape Point.

• Don’t miss the Best Short walks at Cape Point, capturing the blue ocean, mountain views and beautiful pristine beaches.

• Chapman Peak Drive - one of the world’s best scenic drives.

  • Things to do.

  • Noordhoek and Hout Bay are places worth stopping if you’re not in a hurry.

• Overnight: Cape Town.

• Distance: Cape Town to Cape Point.  1-hour.

DAY 5  

• Tour Robben Island. 

  • A visit to Robben Island gives you insight on the history of Apartheid. During apartheid many Black people were kept on Robben Island as political prisoners including former President Nelson Mandela.

  • The tour to Robben Island is 4-hours long and the ferry ride is about 30-minutes each way.

  • Ferries depart from the Waterfront. (you may experience seasickness from the rough waters) 

• Be advised: Robben Island tours need to be booked at least 4 DAYS in advance.

• Finish the day at one of Cape Town's famous restaurants. Reservations are a must! <Suggestions>

• Overnight: Cape Town.

Day 6

• Discover Stellenbosch.

• Stellenbosch is a wine and food capital and a lively university town.

• <Read more>                                      

• It is just an hour’s drive east of Cape Town and set at the foot of the Stellenbosch Mountain. 

• Wine Tours are recommended.

  • Suggested estates: Rust en Vrede, Spier, Delaire Graff, and Murati.

• The Stellenbosch Vine Hopper is a hop-on - hop-off bus that takes you around the Stellenbosch wine farms.

  • This bus picks you up at your accommodations.

• Overnight: Cape Town.

• Distance: Cape Town ---> Stellenbosch 1 hr.

DAY  7 

• Depart for your flight home or choose another African destination.

SAFETY CONCERNS: 

Cape Town comes up frequently as a concern by potential visitors. To be clear, it needs to be put in perspective:              

• Just like any other city in the world it has potential for crime, and this potential is increased by factors such as location, time of day and mode of transport.  For those visitors who use COMMON SENSE and visit the common tourist sites, steering clear of crime ridden areas, avoiding venturing late night and use official recognized transportation modes, the likelihood of being a victim of crime is no more than any other major city. 

• Tip about Parking: If you’re renting a car, keep some coins on hand to tip the guys who “look after” your car when you park on the streets. They usually wear a yellow or orange vest and are helpful in finding parking spaces and this is worth a tip.                                           

• Historical Weather Data.

• Cape Town has dry periods in November through March.

• The warmest months are December through March.

• The coolest months are July and August.

• June and July are the wettest months.

• December through February are the driest months. Nice time to visit.

• Monthly beach water temperature.

• Sunrise/Sunset times.