Need Help Planning Cape Town Itinerary - 3 1/2 Days
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South Africa
Need Help Planning Cape Town Itinerary - 3 1/2 Days
Hello! My boyfriend and I (mid-20s) are spending 3 1/2 days and 4 nights in Cape Town at the beginning of August. This is our third stop on a two week trip that includes 2 nights at Victoria Falls, 3
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Cat:Middle East and AfricaForum:0EE6B362
Cat:Middle East and AfricaForum:0EE6B362Discussion:aebb2ce7-5ca7-4a99-91ea-154272850219
Hello! My boyfriend and I (mid-20s) are spending 3 1/2 days and 4 nights in Cape Town at the beginning of August. This is our third stop on a two week trip that includes 2 nights at Victoria Falls, 3 nights in Cape Town Winelands, and a 3 night Safari in Kruger.
There is so much to see and do that we are a bit overwhelmed trying to plan our trip details as this is our first time to South Africa. Currently our itinerary goes as follows but any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Arrival Day (getting in around 11 from Winelands) - Head to V&A Waterfront for lunch and walk around, then take the cable car to the top of table mountain for sunset
Day 1 - Hire a private tour guide to cover all the Cape Town highlights. Does anyone have any guide recommendations our tour operator suggestions? Would it be possible to cover all the highlights and do Robben Island in one day?
Day 2 - Either another private tour or scheduled group tour of the Cape Peninsula - Camps Bay, Chapman’s Peak, Noordhoek, Cape Point, Simons Town, Boulder Beach Penguin Colony, etc.
Day 3 - If it's possible to cover everything in Cape Town in 2 1/2 days, then we are considering going Shark Diving on our final day in Cape Town. However, we are visiting to see the sights of Cape Town and will get plenty of adventure on the safari and at Victorial Falls, so we may want this day to do the Botanical Gardens or go back to any sights we passed by on Day 1, or just do some walking around and shopping in Cape Town. Any advice?
As far as restaurants go, we are planning to have dinner at Aubergine, The Test Kitchen, and Bombay Brasserie (we are staying at the Taj). We are leaving one night open for a more casual local meal hoping to hear of a great restaurant to try once in Cape Town or if any one has any ideas please share!
Lunch will probaby be already picked for us or included with the tours we are considering doing, but if anyone has any recommendations for where to dine on our first day down at V&A Waterfront, please send them my way!
Any suggestions or planning tips would be very much appreciated!
Be flexible with your plan to ascend Table Mountain. If the ‘tablecloth’ (cloud cover) is in place, the mountain/park and cable car will be closed. Below is a photo of the mountain with its ‘cloth’ (taken in late October from the waterfront). The tendency for clouds may be seasonal. On a previous trip in early August, the mountain was obscured by fog one rainy day; on another trip in March, no fog or clouds any of the days we were there. During each of those visits when the mountain was closed, it was closed for only one day.
When you go to Table Mountain, allow some time to walk around on top. There are great views in all directions. You will be there at the end of their winter, equivalent to our February. The days will not be long.
The trip to Robben Island and back will take a little more than half a day. You could add another Cape Town highlight or two on that day, but not all of the highlights. There is nowhere to eat (that I recall) on Robben Island; the boat travels to and from the V&A Waterfront with its many, many dining (and shopping) options.
There are both half-day and full-day tours of the Cape peninsula. Driving to and from the Cape is most of the half-day tour, and that driving includes just a quick pass by some the ‘highlights’ included in the tour advertising; the tight schedule leaves very limited time at the sites. The half-day tour is good for a rush through the Cape's high points leaving more time for independent sightseeing. The full day tour will give you more time at all the high points and maybe a few coastal stops along the route. (I’ve only taken the half-day tour – twice, because of time constraints, and hope to take the full-day tour someday.)
On our last visit to Cape Town, we took the hop-on, hop-off bus and enjoyed its freedom and flexibility – but wished that it ran longer hours. There are two routes, one within the city, and one farther out though not as far as the Cape peninsula. Do a web search for City Sightseeing Cape Town for more information.
The Botanical Gardens are great and worth a half day if you enjoy gardens.
Everyone who visits falls in love with Cape Town – it should have a song! – and hates to leave. Plan to spend that final day enjoying lovely Cape Town. Have a wonderful trip!
Hi Atlanta, My family and i just got back from South Africa 8 weeks ago. We too, did Vic Falls, but also did Chobe, Moremi in Botswana and ended in Cape Town. Our guide rocked and he was very reasonable. His name was Chris Williams and I'd be happy to give you his info if you like. We stayed at the VA waterfront and on Day 1 did Table Mountain, Boulders Beach (penguins) a settlement (forgot name but it was unforgettable) Hoeks bay (seals) ate at an amazing seafood place for lunch. Day 2 was Stellanbosch. We only had 2.5 days. The last half day was used exploring the waterfront. I also write a blog and can send you mine if you like. Feel free to write me. AOMSINC@aol.com Lisa
We used one of the best guides ever in Capetown. Her name and contact point is on my other hard drive but if you eail me back I can send it to you .. Capetown ranks with Sydney and San Fransico as one of top fave cities .. and you are right you will run out of money longbefore you run out of things t do and see Our guide's husband teaches the history of Southern africa at the university in Capetown and he knowledge of the entire area seemed unmatched
don.brown@brownchild.com If you send me an email I won't have to go through this site to send the name and contact point to you
Your itinerary looks good. You could spend lots more time in CPT, but 3.5 days will give you enough time to get a feel for this awesome city. Good advice to be flexibile on when/if you'll get up the mountain. It's a must-see, but mother nature doesn't always agree. You can also hike up (since it's your first time, do it with a guide if this interests you). The hikes from Kirstenbosch (botanic gardens) are hard, but beautiful and rewarding.
There's lots of interesting neighborhoods that you'll likely explore on your city tour. Don't miss Bo Kaap and its Cape Malay culture. Also, be sure to delve a bit in to South Africa's apartheid history if it's at all of interest to you; you'd be missing a large part of what the country is about and how it became what it is today if you don't explore it. This includes things like the District 6 museum and Robben Island. I also think a visit to SA is incomplete without a township tour. Take a guided tour of the townships around Cape Town and have an eye opening experience (and a good one at that). Otherwise, you'll fly by millions of people on the motorway and never get any insight into what it's like.
As for tour guides, check out http://www.capetown.travel/tours/entry/charlos_tours_transfers/ . I've used Charlo before and also used him to give tours (and xfers) to my parents when I sent them for a visit. They have clean, well maintained vehicles and very knowledgeable guides. I would use them again in a heartbeat. Tell them Gretchen from Denver sent you. :-)
Finally - the food - you'll do well almost anywhere you go. If you love gourmet, you might put Constantia Utsig on your list. They have a couple of restaurants, one of which frequently makes the world's 'Top 50' list - and I can vouch for its fabulousness.
The Taj is fantastic and you'll be in a great area with easy access to the shops and restaurants at V&A. Don't be turned off that it's a mall...it's got great eating establishments and great places to kick back with a glass of Chenin Blanc to gaze at the mountain and people watch.
As mentioned you need flexibility for going up Table mountain. I was in Capetown for 2 1/2 days and never got the chance. Be careful of pickpockets on Table mountain.
The Cape trip also needs flexiility because of winds. You don't want to be pelted by sand in 50 mile an hour winds!
My highlights in Cape Town this past March included hiking from Seapoint through Lions Head and continuing up to the top of Table Mountain, which took about 6 hours altogether. I also took the train to Simontown, rented a mountain bike there, and rode to the Cape of Good Hope, the lighthouse and back to Simontown. That took about 5 hours. Its hard to find rental bikes in Simontown, I got mine at a hostel for $10. Watch out for the baboons; they had stopped a line of cars by sitting in the road but I rode right through them with no problems!
You don't need a guide. Everything is in English. Rent a car. Driving in the Western Cape is easy, as is parking in most of Cape Town. A car is not only convenient, but a useful escape from the possible winter rain and chilly weather. It might be low 70s, or down in the 60s. At any rate, not beach time.
