Affectionately known as the "Mother City" by South Africans, Cape Town is far and away one of the most beautiful cities in the world. A cosmopolitan metropolis blessed with sublime mountainous topography overlooking beautiful sandy beaches already places Cape Town in rarefied air. Combining that with innumerable microclimates; a rich immigrant diaspora with great in-town neighborhoods; quests that range from active and daring to those that are haute and historical; scenic coastal drives; and stunning vineyards and beachtowns in its suburbs and exurbs, there are few cities that can absolutely dazzle and delight its first-time visitor or habitues like Cape Town. Given the diversity and variety of its pursuits, there is truly "something for everyone". Most people will anchor their South African sojourn with a safari (and rightfully so) with just a few days in Cape Town. Given the demands of the modern schedule, we know how hard it is to extend your trip. But we would encourage you to spend at least 3 days in Cape Town as getting here for most visitors is an arduous flight so why not squeeze as much as possible out of that trip. We were very fortunate to be able to have an extended stay in Cape Town and spent essentially 7 full days in the Western Cape / Greater Cape Town Area. Whether you are here for just a handful of days or a full week, we will outline our highlights to help you fill-in/complete your very own Cape Town Itinerary!
One of our favorite highlights in the Western Cape was a day road trip around the Cape of Good Hope, the southwestern tip of the African continent (the true southern tip is Cape Agulhas further east). For those who believe the journey is the destination itself, this is the day-trip for you. The Cape of Good Hope Drive is a tour-de-force excursion for visitors to South Africa who will be rewarded with one of the most picturesque drives in the world. Along the way, you will round the very same peninsula navigated by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias; this permanently established the first all naval route between Western Europe and South Asia/Far East. Situated just south of Cape Town, the Cape of Good Hope peninsula is filled with a treasure trove of unique flora and fauna from penguins to ostriches, gorgeous beaches, stunning seaside towns overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and False Bay populated with beach bums and millionaire mansions, and the engineering marvel that is Chapman's Peak Drive. In the post below, we will discuss some of our favorite stops (St. James Beach, Boulder's Beach, Cape of Good Hope, Hout Bay, Chapman's Peak Drive, and sunset back in Cape Town at Camp's Bay) to help create your own Cape of Good Hope Itinerary.
Along the southern flank of the African continent is one of the true iconic destinations in the world: South Africa. Don't let those world maps fool you, South Africa is a big country and is approximately 3x bigger than California. You will be spoiled for choice and time will be your most precious commodity. For the safari dreamers, wine lovers, beach bums, hikers, thrill-seekers, and road-trippers, South Africa has something for everyone to relish and savor. While you may not be able to do it all on one trip, in this introduction we will spotlight what really stood out to us during our painstaking research. By underscoring these items, we know you can then create a rough sketch of what you may want to do so you can make your own outline of when to go, where to explore, and how many days you may want to take. We hope this introduction whets your appetite and inspires your own search for your unique South African holiday. In upcoming posts, we will go into greater detail over many of these items including Safaris, Cape Winelands, Cape of Good Hope Drive, and Greater Cape Town Hiking/Dining/Excursions.
