Things to do in Cape Town

Table Mountain/Cable Car

It is named table mountian because the top of it is as flat as a table top. The most beautiful bird's eye view of Cape Town is seen from the top of table mountain. The trip to the top of the mountain is serviced by a cablecar which takes you to the summit in less than 10 minutes. The Cable car rotates creating an all round movement which allows it's passagers to have a view from all angles - the view from the cable car is breath taking

The Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles are a group of small mountain peaks that run along the coast of the Atlantic ocean in South Africa. They are visible as you drive along the coastal highways in Cape Town.

Cage Diving with Great Whites

If you are a bit adventurous and want to have the experience of a lifetime, look into Cage Diving with Great Whites while in Cape Town.

You will have to travel approximately 2 hours by car to a small village on the Indian Ocean to begin your adventure. Most of the outfitters will pick you up directly at your hotel and transfer you to the dive location as part of the cost.

You will be fitted with a wet suit, and you will travel out into the bay. Once you reach your destination, they will lower the cage off of the side of the boat and you will be put into the cage in groups of 4. The crew will attempt to attract the sharks with chum and large pieces of fish in the water

Constantia Wine Estate

This place is just great. It is right in town very close to the Tokai area. When you enter the estate, you know you are in for a treat. The wine tasting is very reasonable. You pay for a pass that offers you 5 free tastings. You choose from an extensive list of varietials. The staff is very knowledgable about the region, the wines and proccess.

Canal Walk

This is truly where you can "shop the World" as their tagline suggests. There are over 400 stores, restaurants and entertainment under one roof. As in most cities and most places across Cape Town, you will have to pay for parking. Remember to pay for your parking before you go to your car. The payment machines are near the exits

Kirstenbosch

The world-famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens show the beauty and diversity of Cape flora, set against the majestic eastern slopes of Table Mountain. The Gardens date from 1913. The Dell is the focus of a popular walk and site of Bird’s Bath in the shape of a bird, surrounded by cycads. In 2008, the Kirstenbosch exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show won a gold medal for the most creative display.

There are two shops, a restaurant, tearoom and self-service area. In summer, sunset concerts are held in the Gardens on Sunday evenings. Kirstenbosch is open every day of the year.

Robben Island

Robben Island is separated from the Mainland by 9 kms of sea. The Dutch word for seals is robben, and there are plenty of seals and penguins around the island. From the 16th century, people have been banished there: Khoikhoi accused of petty theft, chiefs who opposed British imperialism (such as Langalibalele from the Drakensberg region), lunatics, convicts and lepers. Some of these worked the limestone quarry. In 1841 an Anglican church was built, and a second one was built by lepers in 1895 to the design of Sir Herbert Baker. Many Victorian buildings can be seen there today. In 1960 Robben Island became a High Security Prison. Famous prisoners were Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Jacob Zuma and Neville Alexander. In 1996 the island became a museum. Tourists can travel there by boat from the Waterfront; usually, booking is essential.

Boat trips from Hout Bay

On the Atlantic coast is the village of Hout Bay with a very active fishing harbour from which boat trips may be taken to Seal Island where Cape Seals bask in the sun. On the same cruise, view the Oakburn, wrecked in 1906, overshadowed by the wreck of the crane ship, Boss. The Oakburn was a British cargo steamer of 3865 tons that was carrying a cargo of railway lines and equipment, glassware, sewing machines, musical instruments, oil and paper – from New York to Sydney. 2 lives were lost. A calm day is best for this scenic cruise with Chapman’s Peak Drive visible across the bay.

V and A Waterfront

Cape Town’s latest tourist attraction is the V and A Waterfront, a bustling centre of shops and restaurants around a working harbour. Seals are usually visible in the water, and sea birds swoop on left-over food. This is also the starting-point for a tour to Robben Island

Cape of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve forms part of the Cape Peninsula Park and is managed by the South African National Parks. The Nature Reserve is recognized globally for its extraordinary land formation, rich and diverse fauna and unique flora. Nowhere else in the world does an area of such spectacular beauty and such rich biodiversity exist almost within a metropolitan area - the thriving and cosmopolitan City of Cape Town.

Cape Point

At the tip of the Cape Peninsula 60 km south-west of Cape Town, lies Cape Point, a nature reserve within the Table Mountain National Park; a declared Natural World Heritage Site. Encompassing 7 750 hectares of rich and varied flora and fauna; abounding with buck, baboons and Cape Mountain Zebra as well as over 250 species of birds, Cape Point is a nature enthusiast paradise.

Rugged rocks and sheer cliffs towering more than 200 metres above the sea and cutting deep into the ocean provide a spectacular background for the Parks’ rich bio-diversity. Cape Point falls within the southern section of Table Mountain National Park. The natural vegetation of the area, fynbos, comprises the smallest but richest of the world's six floral kingdoms.