Millions of tourists holiday in Cape Town every year. I became a huge fan of Cape Town after living there for 5 years as a student at University of Cape Town. I have since been back numerous times and am always looking forward to the next visit. It’s a naturally stunning, hip, South African destination that I urge you to visit at least once. This guide will help you plan your first trip to Cape Town. Keep reading!
Join the gophari community
If it’s your first time on Gophari.com, welcome!
I would love to have you join the growing Gophari travel community. Once you subscribe, you will receive a monthly travel newsletter. Stay connected by subscribing.
How to plan a trip to Cape Town
Getting to Cape Town
Road trip to Cape Town
Depending on where you are driving from and how much time you have, you could simply drive to Cape Town. Consider making stops along the way to make the most of this journey.
Fly to Cape Town
Fly to Cape Town International Airport. Mango airlines, Kulula, Flysafair, South African Airways and British Airways all offer domestic flights to Cape Town. Use Travelstart to compare flight prices and get the best priced ticket.
Take the bus to Cape Town
To quickly and easily find cheap bus tickets to Cape Town, use Travelstart Buses.
Cape Town accommodation
If you haven’t heard of Airbnb before, it can simply be described as a short term rental site. I use Airbnb to find accommodation when I am looking for self-catering accommodation to suit my budget.
When it comes to choosing which area to stay in while in Cape Town, my top picks are:
- Sea Point
- Green Point
- Camps Bay
- Cape Town city centre
- Rondebosch
- Claremont
I recommend a stay at Curiocity hotel
CURIOCITY Cape Town is an apartment-hotel located in Green Point. It’s Cape Town’s most social hotel which makes it a fun place to stay especially for solo travellers.
Get 10% off your stay at CURIOCITY Cape Town by using the code “Gophari.” Once you have booked, send me an email (Contact@gophari.com) and I will send you my Solo Travel Guide to Cape Town for free!
How to get around in Cape Town
When you plan a trip to Cape Town, you need to think about how you will get around while you are there if you did not road trip.
- Uber is operational in Cape Town
- Traveling by minibus taxi is the cheapest way to get around.
- Hire a car for the ultimate flexibility. A 4×4 vehicle is not required for Cape Town roads.
5 Things to do in Cape Town
Once you have your accommodation and transport, start putting together an itinerary for your trip. When you plan a trip to Cape Town, there are things that one must include especially if you are going there for the first time.
This is a breakdown of the must-do activities. For each activity, I have included booking tips and prices to make your planning easier.
1. Go up Table Mountain
Going up Table Mountain is on every South Africa bucket list. It’s a must do. At the top of Table Mountain, follow the pathways to see the different views of Cape Town. There are toilets, benches and a restaurant at the top too.
There are two ways to go up Table Mountain:
- Hike up
- Ride the cable car
Hiking up is free. there are various routes but the easiest and most popular is Platteklip Gorge route. It starts near the queue for the cableway. The path is clear and you definitely do not need to pay a guide to take you up. Remember to dress comfortably, apply sunscreen and bring lots of water.
Riding the aerial cableway is weather dependent. Fortunately, the official Table Mountain website is always kept updated. Check their website before you go to see if the cable car is operating.
Tip: Pre-book your tickets online to avoid the long queue
Price: R300/R360 per adult for a return trip on the aerial cableway. (Price depends on what time of day you go). It’s free on your birthday!
2. Visit Robben Island
A visit to Robben Island is a half day excursion. Freedom fighters including Nelson Mandela were imprisoned at Robben Island during Apartheid. The ferry to Robben Island departs from V&A Waterfront four times per day (9am/11am/1pm/3pm). At the island you are given a tour of the prison and learn about South Africa’s painful past. These tours are given by former prisoners.
It is crucial that you purchase tickets to Robben Island in advance online to avoid disappointment.
Tip: If you are prone to sea sickness, take nausea medication before going on the ferry
Price:R380 per adult & R200 per child for South Africans; R550 per adult & R300 per child for non South Africans.
3. See the colourful huts at Muizenberg
When Cape Town is advertised, often a snap of the colourful huts at Muizenberg are included. These huts are so photogenic! If you are wondering what is inside them, the answer is nothing. The Muizenberg huts are empty and free for you to enter and pose with. Besides the colourful beach huts, Muizenberg beach is popular because the ocean there is warmer than others so you can actually swim. This is also a great beach for surfing.
Tip: Get a photo with the highly instagrammable huts
Price: Free
4. Visit the African penguins at Boulders Beach
Visit Boulders Beach in Simons Town to see the African penguins. Boulders Beach is the only place in the world where you can get close to African penguins. Though you can get close, you must not touch the penguins.
Have lunch across the road at a restaurant called Boulders Beach restaurant for seafood, burgers and light meals. Be prepared for your visit to Boulders Beach by taking note of the things to know before visiting Boulders Beach. This is a must read because your chances of seeing penguins is affected by different factors explained in that article.
Price: R152 per adult, R76 per child
5. Enjoy sundowners at Camps Bay
Camps Bay is one of the best places to watch the sunset in Cape Town. There are many restaurants and bars along Camps Bay promenade with views of the ocean and sunset.
Camps Bay beach is a very popular beach in Cape Town. Though the ocean is freezing cold here, it is still enjoyable to relax on the sand and watch the waves crashing. You may opt for a picnic on the beach instead of sitting at one of the restaurants. It’s your holiday – do what makes you happy!
Tip: Make a reservation at your restaurant of choice to avoid disappointment
Price: Dependant on restaurant choice
Your trip to Cape Town planned for you!
The Gophari Cape Town guide is all you will need for a fun trip to Cape Town
It’s free when you subscribe to gophari.com!
What you get:
A 5-day Cape Town itinerary (day-to-day plan)
Priceless local travel advice!
Restaurant & bar recommendations
& more information about the best areas to stay in, the best time to visit and the best ways to navigate the city.
There’s so much to this city and I want you to experience the best of it using this guide.
Amazing
Great post love it however I feel like Camps Bay is overrated I legit feel like there are lots of awesome restaurants to see beside in camps bay and I also fell in love with De Waterkant there’s something beautiful about the place the buildings and all♥️
I Came across ur Ig page today and im glad i found it i really want to go to Cape town for my 28th birthday on the 28th of December but im bit scared travelling solo so this info helped alot as i loved the wine tasting information so i hope i pull this off and make it
Interesting. Love this. I’m new to solo travel and still a bit scare to go to Cape Town. But would really like to go.
Go for it! It’s one of the more easier places to navigate solo 🙂
Pingback: How to Choose a Destination That is Solo-Travel Friendly - Gophari