Our last trip involved a lot of traveling around. We jumped from Sydney to Bangkok, to Chiang Mai, to Phuket, to Bangkok, and then back to Sydney. And honestly, we loved that trip so much, but we were exhausted. So we’re reevaluating our approach to 2 week trips – and one of the conclusions is that we’re going to move around LESS.

So that means we’ve got to zero in on a location that offers it all. And where in the world can you find beaches, wildlife, city convenience, history and mountains? It’s got to be Cape Town. 

Cape Town, South Africa, is – the name gives you a hint – the most southern country in Africa. The city has a lot to offer so that even those with completely different ideas on what your vacation activities should be, there will be something for everyone. 

• Adrenaline fuelled activities
• Beaches
• Table Mountain
• Robben Island
• Safari – on land
• Safari – on sea
• Vineyards

So lets dive in on some activities that I absolutely will not skip when I visit Cape Town.

Adrenaline Fuelled Activities

Table Mountain is a great place to start in Cape Town for some adrenaline fuelled activities. 

The mountain has a flat top (hence the name) and offers a variety of activities including hiking, biking and abseiling. Abseiling being our focus for adrenaline.

Abseiling Down Table Mountain

Table Mountain is over 1000m high and the thought of dangling off the ledge is honestly quite terrifying.

Of the tours that I have found, you’ll make your own way to the top of Table Mountain (there is a cable car which is not included in the activity price). Once at the top, you’ll meet your guide and do the necessary safety briefings before leaning back and taking the big step into nothing. 

You’ll be doing over 100m abseil down the side of Table Mountain with views of Cape Town and the ocean. With strong winds and nothing below you, this will be a terrifying activity to do. 

The website says that once you’ve lowered down to 112m, you’ll be pulled back up to the top of the mountain, however the reviews suggest you have to walk back up to the top which takes around 30 minutes. It’s unclear which option is correct or whether it is weather dependent / another reason. 

The activity is under $100 (Australian) and you can book here.

Sandboarding and 4 x 4 adventure

The Atlantis Dunes are about a 40 minute drive north of the city and offers varying heights to board down, 

The only thing you need to decide is how you’re going to board down: head first on your belly? Sitting down like you’re sledding? Standing up? Maybe give them all a try.

You’ll get a guide to show you the ropes, but ultimately, you cruise down on a board – not too much to think about. 

It’s pretty pricey considering there’s no transport to or from the location, but it seems like a cool activity to try out.

You can find the link here.

Beaches

Boulder Bay

OK I’m not going to write about all the beaches in Cape Town because the blog post will be TOO LONG. So instead I’m going to tell you about the one I most want to visit, which is Boulder Beach.

The photos looks stunning and as well as (you guessed it) huge boulders, you’ll find a lot of penguins! There is a protected area of the beach where the penguins are, which is kind of restricted, but you have a great view from the walkway of all the penguins. And around the corner is a great spot for swimming (if all the marine life doesn’t freak you out!).

There are a lot of excursions offering tours of Boulder Beach but honestly… you could do this one yourself and save the cash. That way you’re not restricted on timings and with a big group. You can enjoy the day as you please.

I’m all for supporting small businesses and doing all the activities – but this seems an unnecessary excursion to pay for. 

Tidal Pools

If you are looking for a little more protection whilst swimming you could always visit one of Cape Town’s tidal pools. It should be noted that there is still marine life in there including sea urchins, so you need to be alert. But ultimately, you’re less likely to be swimming with a shark in one of the pools, unless you’re really unlucky.

Here is a great article I found on Cape Town’s tidal pools. 

Table Mountain

We talked a little about Table Mountain above in terms of the extreme abseiling down, however, you can also hike up and down or bike up and down. 

There is one route up and down Table Mountain called the Platteklip Gorge. It is safe to do so without a guide (during the day) so there is no need to pay.

That being said, if you’re not an experienced hiker, or you’d feel safer with a guide, there are loads of options available for you.

The guided tours range from AU$100-$200 and you can choose: sunrise hike, day, sunset – whichever you would prefer. The hike itself takes around 4-5 hours so not a full day, but no doubt you’ll be pretty tired by the end of it. 

You could also take the cable car up and down which at the time of writing is around AU$18 one way or AU$32 for a return trip. 

Robben Island

One of the most famous museums near Cape Town is the former prison, Robben Island. Named after the dutch word for “seals”, this notorious prison is where the former South African President, Nelson Mandela, spent a huge part of his imprisonment. 

The prison was known for its incredibly harsh conditions, isolation of political prisoners as well as forced hard labor. The prison now, is seen as a symbol of hope and the “triumph of the human spirit”.

A tour of the island will be around half a day. You’ll see the prison, including Nelson Mandela’s cell and other cells in the prison. You’ll also get a tour around the island and view the exhibition on Mandela’s life and time in the prison. 

You will absolutely need to book this in advance if you’re wanting to go on a certain day. 

You can book tickets directly on their website, or you can choose an alternative tour company.

Safari – on land

The good news is that you absolutely can see the Big 5 in South Africa and you can do it from a day tour from Cape Town. Will it be a tight squeeze? Absolutely. And you will have to be extremely lucky to see all of the Big 5 on one day. The Big 5 being: African Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Rhinoceros and Buffalo. 

There are overnight options which will give you more chance to see some of the wildlife, especially early in the morning when some of the animals are at their most active. 

So there are definitely day trip options but it might be worth considering a two day excursion – to get out of the city for the night. 

And yes… I appreciate that I said how I wanted to stay in one place, but being ferried to and from your hotel makes it super easy and it is a bucket list item which will definitely be worth the travel.

From Cape Town you’ll be heading to the Aquila Game Reserve, which is 2 hours from the city. 

The website has different options for day trips and overnight stays. But you can always go through another tour operator as well.

Safari – on sea

OK, I’m not sure that this is technically a safari – but you get the point. We’re heading out on a boat to look at some of the amazing wildlife off of Cape Town’s coast. But the marine Big 5 in South Africa are the African penguin, the Cape fur seal, the great white shark, dolphin, and whales. If you could see all 5 on one day it would be a small miracle. At least in Cape Town there is ample opportunity to see penguins along the beaches.

In recent years, Great White Sharks have been elusive in Cape Town waters. There are a few theories as to why this might be. One theory is just that their food source has reduced, so they’ve moved onto better feeding grounds. However there is another theory it’s because of the Orca activity in the area, and their particular taste for Great White Sharks – they are one of their few predators. So now the Great White Sharks – after so many killed, have started to avoid the area.

So whilst it might be unlikely that you’ll see Great White Sharks, there are still 4 others to see out of the Marine Big 5. However, there are recent reviews for this full day trip that say they saw all 5 of the Big 5. You might get lucky!

Vineyards

I’m gonna be honest and tell you that I am not a big wine drinker.  I like wine with bubbles – but white or red, I’m not overly fussed. However, it is not a trip to South Africa without visiting at least one vineyard.

To make this easier for myself (and because I have no idea what kind of wine I would enjoy) I have found a hop-on hop-off wine tour tram which takes you from Cape Town through to Franschhoek. This is a full day excursion where you will likely be able to visit 4-5 vineyards. 

The cost of the tram does include a complimentary glass of wine however, it does not include lunch or any of the vineyards fees. It’s just your mode of transport. They will pick you up from your hotel – so everyone can have a drink without worrying about being over the limit. Huzzah!

To book the tram and see the route of vineyards – click here. 

There is so much to do when you visit Cape Town, this post would be waaay too long if I wrote about it all. These are just a few of the things I definitely won’t be able to miss when we visit.

Let me know what your favorite activity is and what you wouldn’t miss when you visit Cape Town.