South Africa Cape Town Itinerary
When I first arrived at the field around night in Cape Town, I passed advising signs “ Don't stop on the trace. Danger zone! ” As you can imagine, this wasn’t the most reassuring experience to have on our first trip to Cape Town. I mean, we were formerly driving on the left side of the road, how much further peril could there be?! I allowed
to myself What have I gotten myself into?
With that a resort s my first experience in the megacity, I wasn’t sure what to anticipate from Cape Town. On the one hand, so numerous people rave about Cape Town and how beautiful the girding nature is, how excellent the food tastes, and how friendly the people are. On the other hand, Cape Town is also a place where socio- profitable inequality is maybe the most visible of any country I’ve ever been to.
Cape Town is amazing. And also complicated. Five days is just enough to scratch the face and realize how much further there's to this place.
In this Cape city diary, you’re going to see it all stunning geographies, unique wildlife, rich multicultral heritage, fantastic and varied food, as well as its complex history and the ramifications that it has moment.
Read on for an in- depth companion of how to spend 5 days in Cape Town including must- do day passages from Cape Town, where to eat, tenures and conditioning to try, and stupendous photography locales each around the Cape region. I ’ll also give you tips for choosing a township stint, to help balance your experience in the megacity.
Camp's Bay in Cape TownCape Town, South Africa
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Can you visit South Africa now?
As of March 22, 2022, transnational trippers
can visit South Africa anyhow of vaccination status.
still, you need to help a valid vaccination instrument at the harborage of entry, If you arevaccinated.However, you will need a negative COVID- 19 test from a WHO- honored association attained not further than 72 hours beofre the date of trip, If you are not vaccinated.
For the rearmost information, keep an eye on the sanctioned government website for updates on restrictions.
Recommended accommodation
hothouse Exchange hostel for its safe neighborhood, off- road parking, and position close to V&A shorefront.
Recommended guidebook
This South Africa guidebook has a great section on Cape Town and also covers the rest of South Africa.
Recommended caffs
Kloof Street House has a great selection of original wines, original foods( Ostrich anyone?), and a really cool innards. We also enjoyed getting drinks at Up yours, a rooftop bar right on Kloof Street.
Cape Town diary An indelible 5 days in Cape Town!
This diary is broken down into 5 days, including two days worth of day passages. either all the effects that I did tête-à-tête, I ’ll also mention some of the popular lodestones , indeed if we did n’t make time for those ourselves – it’s all about prioritization! If you ’re renting a auto, you can reach all of these places by driving yourself.
else, you can use a combination of Uber for the in- city locales and joining small group tenures for the eschewal- of- city locales. Then’s where we ’re going in the coming 5 days!
Day 1 V&A Shorefront, Bo Kaap, Camp’s Bay
Day 2 Cape Peninsula
Day 3 Township stint and Table Mountain
Day 4 Cape Winelands
Day 5 Kirstenbosch Botanical auditoriums and Urban Cape Town
This diary is just a slice of a full two weeks in South Africa, be sure to check out that post if you ’re planning a longer trip and will be leaving Cape Town on a roadtrip!
Day 1 V&A Shorefront, Bo- Kaap, Camp’s Bay
Our first day in Cape Town is about getting familiar with the megacity and seeing some of the highlights – exactly what you came to Cape Town for! If you decided to stay in the same hostel as I did, you can walk to the V&A shorefront for your first day along the ocean. latterly we ’re going to visit one of the most mugged neighborhoods in Cape Town, Bo- Kaap. We ’ll wrap up the autumn at the megacity’s best known stretch of beach, Camp's Bay.
V&A Shorefront, Cape TownV & A Waterfront with Table Mountain in the distance
V&A Waterfront
Short for the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, the V&A Waterfront is South Africa’s oldest harbor, and attracts further than 23 million callers every time. From the harbor you ’ll get your first look at Cape Town’s most notorious corner, Table Mountain. You can go shopping, take a boat voyage, stop in a gallery, or just snare a drink or lunch on the shorefront.
Then are some of the stylish effects to do at the V&A Waterfront to really take advantage of littoral Cape Town
Two abysses Aquarium – “ Two abysses ” refers to the fact that the Cape area is where the Atlantic and Indian abysses meet. Fences are a great place to go with kiddies, and you can indeed get skip- the- line tickets and avoid staying in line during the high season.
Sunset Champagne Cruise & three- course regale – Believe me when I tell you that evenings in South Africa are out of this world, and there's no better place to witness this than by boat. This voyage lasts 90 twinkles and includes 2 spectacles of original foamy wine, followed by an onshore regale at a eatery of your choice.
Marine Wildlife Boat Tour – Another boat stint that departs from the V&A Waterfront, but with the thing of seeing jumbos, dolphins, seals, and penguins! This type of stint is frequently called an “ Ocean Safari ”. Your stylish chance at seeing jumbos is generally in the Winter months( May to November), but there are jumbos that live near Cape Town time round.
Visit Robben Island – This is where Nelson Mandela was locked during Intolerance. You can visit the cell that he was jugged in before he went on to come the first Black chairman of South Africa. To save plutocrat, avoid reserving a guided stint that drives you to the wharf and just hitch an Uber rather.
V&A Shorefront, Cape TownV & A Waterfront, Cape Town
Bo- Kaap
Bo- Kaap is historically a Malay neighborhood, and the origin story of the various houses is one of oppression and also emancipation. Before the people living in this quarter were empancipated, they weren't allowed to paint their houses. Every house had to be painted white. Once they were freed, the residers painted their houses in all kinds of colors to express this freedom. Besides people’s homes, you ’ll find various corner stores and kirks
When it comes to seeing the most scenic thoroughfares, you ’ll want to visit Wale Street and Chiappini Street. You ’ll know you ’re getting close when you start to see further excursionists with cameras ? That said, no matter where you're in Cape Town it’s not judicious to walk with a big camera so do be sure to put it down whenever you ’re not using it.
Cape TownBo- Kaap, Cape Town
Camp’s Bay
Eventually, you ’ll want to head over to Camp’s Bay. The easiest way to get around city is by Uber, and you can snare a sim card at multitudinous locales around Cape Town( just be sure to bring your passport!). Camp’s Bay is maybe the best known sand in the megacity, and for a good reason It’s like a stunning natural outlook in the middle of the megacity.
To one side you have Lion's Head, a popular place to go hiking for a view over Cape Town. To the other side, you have the Twelve Apostles, a range of mountains that stretch to the edge of your field of view. There are also a number of tidal pools in the area, with Maiden's Cove Tidal Pools being one of the most popular( located between Camp’s Bay and Clifton Beach).
Camp's Bay, Cape TownLion's Head at Camp's Bay
You can either go for regale around Camp’s Bay( known for being a bit precious), or head to one of my other recommended places to eat in Cape Town! Going to bed beforehand is a good idea because we ’re going to start beforehand in the morning as we head out to the Cape Peninsula.
Day 2 Cape Peninsula
The Cape Peninsula is fluently the number one must- do day trip from Cape Town. The main reason is that it’s just so infernal scenic you ’ll drive on Chapman's Peak Drive, perhap’s the country’s most scenic trace. That ’ll bring you to Boulder's Beach where you can get up near and particular with the largest penguin colony in Africa. And eventually, you can explore Cape Point National Park, where you ’ll see the most south- westerly point in Africa and exactly where Vasco da Gamma rounded the Cape and came the first European to reach India by ocean.
Then are some further details for how to get the most out of your day trip around the Cape Peninsula, how to reach each position, costs, and operating hours!
Boulder’s Beach
Penguins in Africa?! You heard me right, in fact the penguins at Boulder’s Beach look like complete naturals probing in the swells and sunbathing in South Africa’s scorching hot sun. Boulders Beach is the largest penguin colony in all of Africa, and one of only three in South Africa( including one in Hermanus and one in Betty’s Bay).
The important tip I can give you about Boulder’s Beach is to be sure you ’re exploring both sides of the sand! There are two entrances one larger side of the sand where you ’ll see the massive colony of penguins lurching around. This is what it looks like from that side of the sand
There are a lot of penguins – and also a lot of excursionists! While it was n’t too overcrowded at the morning of December, the other side of the sand is much more relaxed and is your stylish chance to get up near and particular( but NOT touching!!) the penguins. There are plenitude of signs that will remind you that penguins are wild creatures, and as similar they suck
Cape Point National Park
Cape Point National Park is nearly you could really spend the better part of the day. It’s home to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope, along with legions of babboons ? My main tip then's to make sure you bring cash, because occasionally SANParks do n’t accept foreign cards! Depending on the length of your trip, you should also check whether the Wild Card is a good deal for the number of public premises you want to visit!
When you arrive at Cape Point, you ’ll have the option of either taking the funicular to the top where the “ New Lighthouse ” is position, or you can take the stairs for about 15 twinkles. We decided for the stairs and saved a many bucks. From then, you can look in every direction and enjoy the inconceivable views.
New Lighthouse at Cape PointNew Lighthouse at Cape Point
Cape of Good Hope
Now then’s the test do you flash back your high academy class on World History? The Cape of Good Hope is where Bartholomeu Dias famously established a trading route between Europe and the Near East. Dias called the Cape “ The Cape of Storms ”, for its turbulent waters.
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