Active Pursuits

For one-stop adrenaline shopping, head straight for Detour Travellers Shop, 234 Long St. (tel./fax 021/424-1115 or 082/875-9496; www.detourafrica.co.za), where Shaun Petre will organize bookings for almost every adventure activity under the sun (for numbers not available, contact them directly). This is also where bookings to Botswana and Victoria Falls can be made, as well as many specialized overland and safari trips throughout southern Africa.

Abseiling -- Abseil Africa (tel. 021/424-4760) will throw you 100m (328 ft.) off Table Mountain -- attached to a rope, of course (R350/$49/£25). But their best trip is Kamikaze Kanyon, a day's kloofing (scrambling down a river gorge) in a nature reserve, ending with a 65m (213-ft.) waterfall abseil (R595/$83/£43).

Ballooning -- Board a balloon in the early morning and glide over the Paarl Winelands -- the 1-hour flight (R1,950/$271/£139 per person) takes off every morning from November to April, and includes a champagne breakfast at the Grande Roche. Contact Wineland Ballooning (tel. 021/863-3192).

Bird-Watching -- The peninsula attracts nearly 400 species of birds; Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Point, and Rondevlei Nature Reserve are some of the best areas for sightings. For guided tours of the area and farther afield, contact BirdWatch Cape (tel. 021/762-5059; www.birdwatch.co.za). Half a day is about R300 ($42/£21) per person.

Boardsailing & Kite-Surfing -- Big Bay at Blouberg (take R27 Marine Dr. off the N1) provides consistent wind, good waves, and a classic picture-postcard view of Table Mountain. Another popular place is Platboom, off the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, and Milnerton Lagoon. Contact The Kite Factory (tel. 0217622441). Or head north to Langebaan Lagoon.

Boating -- An exhilarating boating experience, ocean rafting reaches speeds of up to 130kmph (81 mph) across Table Bay in a 12-seat inflatable (tel. 021/425-3785; www.atlanticadventures.co.za; R300/$42/£21 per person).

Canoeing/Kayaking -- Felix Unite (tel. 021/670-1300) offers relaxing river trips on the tranquil Breede River -- the closest is the Wine Route Adventure, which includes tasting wines of the area and costs R450/$63/£32 per person. Real Cape Adventures (tel. 021/790-5611; www.seakayak.co.za) covers almost every sea-kayaking route on the western and southern coasts and caters to all levels of ability -- request a trip to the rugged coastline of Cape Point.

Diving -- Wreck diving is popular here, and the coral-covered wrecks at Smitswinkel Bay are particularly worth exploring, as are Maori Bay, Oak Burn, and Bnos 400. Call Dive Action (tel. 021/511-0815; www.diveaction.co.za).

Fishing -- Big Game Fishing Safaris (tel. 021/674-2203) operates out of Simons Town on a 12m (39-ft.) catamaran and offers bottom/reef fishing (as well as crayfish lunches, sundowner cruises, and onboard skeet shooting). Trout fishing is popular in the crystal-clear streams found in the Du Toits Kloof Mountains near Paarl and in Franschhoek, where salmon trout is a specialty on every menu. For guided trips, call Tim (tel. 083/626-0467). For general advice, tuition, and permits in Franschhoek, contact Dewdale Fly Fishery (tel. 021/876-2755).

Golfing -- The Royal Cape (tel. 021/761-6551) has hosted the South African Open many times. Milnerton Golf Club (tel. 021/552-1047; www.milnertongolfclub.co.za) is the only true links course in the Cape, with magnificent views of Table Mountain, but is best avoided when the wind is blowing. Rondebosch (tel. 021/689-4176) and Mowbray (tel. 021/685-3018) -- both off the N2 -- have lovely views of Devil's Peak (the latter course is the more demanding). Clovelly (tel. 021/782-1118), in Fish Hoek, is a tight course requiring some precision. Steenberg (tel. 021/713-2233) is the course to play in Constantia.

In the Winelands the Gary Player-designed Erinvale, Lourensford Road (tel. 021/847-1144) in Somerset West is considered the best, but Stellenbosch (tel. 021/880-0103), on Strand Road, is another worthwhile course, with a particularly challenging tree-lined fairway.

Hiking -- Most hikers start by climbing Table Mountain, for which there are a number of options; call the Mountain Club (tel. 021/465-3412). For hikes farther afield, contact Ross at High Adventure (tel. 021/447-8036) -- as a trained climbing instructor, Ross can spice up your walk with some exhilarating ascents. If you're staying in Stellenbosch, the trails (5.3km-18km/3 1/4-11 miles) in the mountainous Jonkershoek Nature Reserve are recommended. Recommended reading for hikers: Day Walks in and Around Cape Town, by Tim Anderson (Struik), and Mike Lundy's Best Walks in the Peninsula (Struik).

Horseback Riding -- Take an early-morning or sunset ride on spectacular Long Beach, Noordhoek, by contacting Sleepy Hollow (tel. 021/789-2341; R300/$42/£21 for 2 hr.). For beach rides closer to town, contact Horse Riders (tel. 082/409-9699), in Hout Bay (R150/$21/£11 per hour).

Mountain Biking -- There are a number of trails on Table Mountain, Cape Point, and the Winelands, but the Tokai Forest network and Constantiaberg trails are the best; contact Day Trippers (tel. 021/511-4766; R365/$51/£26) for guided rides on the Constantiaberg and Cape Point; or Downhill Adventures (tel. 021/422-0388; www.downhilladventures.com; R400/$56/£29) for guided rides on Table Mountain, Cape Point, and Winelands.

Paragliding -- Soar off Lion's Head for a jaw-dropping view of mountains and sea, and land at Camps Bay Beach or La Med bar for cocktails at sunset; another rated flight is over the Franschhoek valley. This is truly an exhilarating trip; no prior experience necessary (R850/$118/£61). Contact Barry at Birdmen (tel. 082/658-6710; www.birdmen.co.za) or Ian at Paraglide Cape Town (tel. 082/727-6584; www.tandemparagliding.co.za).

Sandboarding -- South Africa's answer to snowboarding takes place on the tallest dunes all around the Cape. Contact Downhill Adventures for trips and tuition (tel. 021/422-0388).

Skydiving -- Free-fall for up to 30 seconds, attached to an experienced instructor. Tandem dives are offered off the West Coast, some 3,600m (11,808 ft.) over Melkbosstrand. Contact Skydive Cape Town (tel. 082/800-6290; www.skydivecapetown.za.net; R1,250/$174/£89).

Surfing -- The beaches off Kalk Bay reef and Noordhoek are considered hot spots, but Muizenberg and Big Bay at Blouberg (take R27 Marine Dr. off the N1) are good for beginners; for the daily surf report, call tel. 082/234-6340. Downhill Adventures (tel. 021/422-0388) has a surf school with all equipment provided. If all you need is equipment or advice, call Matthew Moir (tel. 083/444-9442).

Surf & Sand -- You'll find Cape Town's most beautiful beaches along the Atlantic seaboard, with Clifton, Camps Bay, and Llandudno the most popular. A combination of four beaches semiseparated by large granite boulders, gorgeous Clifton has Blue-Flag status, is often the only place where the wind isn't blowing, and is good for swimming (albeit freezing), but it's a long walk back through the cliff-hugging village to your car. Camps Bay offers easy access and a few rock pools, and has numerous bars and cafes within strolling distance. You can also hire loungers and umbrellas on the beach (in season), even summon a personal masseuse; for the latter, call tel. 082/940-7465. Laid-back Llandudno is one of the city's prettiest beaches, though parking can be a real problem during high season. Sandy Bay, adjacent to Llandudno, is the Cape's only nudist beach. Reached via a narrow footpath, it is secluded and popular with gay men and wankers -- this is not a great spot for women, unless you're in a group. The pristine, empty 8km (5-mile) stretch of Long Beach, featured in a thousand television commercials, is best traversed on horseback. On the False Bay side, where the water is 2° to 3° warmer, the best place to swim is with the penguins at Boulders (although on a bad day you may have to contend with gawking tourists as well).

Whale-Watching -- Hermanus, just over an hour's drive on the N2, is one of the world's best land-based spots. Call the Whale Hot Line (tel. 083/910-1028). For the best whale-watching in the city, drive along the False Bay coast, or contact Evan at Atlantic Adventures (tel. 083/680-2768), which operates trips out of the V&A Waterfront. Contact the Waterfront Boat Club (tel. 021/418-5806/5; www.waterfrontboats.co.za) for trips in Table Bay, departing from the Waterfront.