We began to enjoy this trip as soon as we got off the plane. There was color everywhere, such as the South African clothes, and especially their kind smiles. The trip was full of contrasts, life on the Savannah and visits to the cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town. In the Savannah there was a beautiful reserve named Kwa-Maritane, first-class facilities, Cabañas didn't lack anything, and of course it was a service that just to please. Cape Town were at the Sheraton, a marvel. The trip is unforgettable, breathes tranquility and pasonia (especially for the stress of Madrid), besides enjoying the views. We did a photo safari and here are the results. I hope you have a chance to visit there.
It's lovely to be where the two oceans meet with an amazing view. The truth is that we had excellent, clear weather that day. So I can now say that I've been as far south as possible on the African continent.
Table Mountain is such an imposing feature you could not visit Cape Town without including it in your itinerary. However choosing the right day can be difficult we waited for three days to get a clear summit. There are two ways up by cable car, my Mum choose this option. On a clear day the queues can be quite long, booking your tickets online is recommended. Or by foot.
My hotel arranged for me to join a guided group. I took the Patterklip gorge route via Maclear's Beacon. This route is the most direct and is not strenuous. The trip to the beacon gives an idea ecology of mountain, you can hear frogs singing and the vegetation is very diverse. The Table Mountain range creates rainfall and the rainwater percolates down to the freshwater springs in Cape Town. It was the availability of fresh water that made this area important strategically for ships rounding the cape.
We met up at the cable car station and the views were fabulous.
All visitors most probably end up at the V&A waterfront at some point during their stay in Cape Town. It is the departure point for trips to Robben Island. It offers an extensive range of shops and restaurants. In the evening it is safe but lively with buskers and street artists. Close to the aquarium is a great food market where you can sample a wide range of local specialties.
About 30km from Cape Town, you'll find this little beach that's home to a colony of over 3,000 African Penguins. There are a series of walkways which go around and above their nests that takes you to the part of the beach where you can see them in the wild. There's also a visitor's center. Once you're at the beach, you can get right up close to the penguins.
Bo-Kaap is a seventeenth century Muslim district in the oldest area of Cape Town. It means "above Cape" in Afrikaans, referring to the location, high on the slopes of Signal Hill. The low houses are painted in bright pastel colours, quite different from the colonial architecture that is more prominent in other suburbs. There's a spectacular cultural diversity on display here; the Malays were the first occupants, but not the only ones. A charming, safe neighbourhood that's well worth visiting.
Hout Bay, a small fishing village in the Cape Peninsula, was nothing more to me than a name on a road sign on our way to the city. However, I don't know if it was the time that I was passing through at sunset, but you caught my attention so we stopped the car to take some pictures, trying to quietly capture the atmosphere with our camera. A postcard worthy bay.
I loved this street. During the day it´s busy and there are plenty of local shops and restaurants and at night there are many venues where you can enjoy a drink and listen to music. The nightlife of the city definitely happens here. There are also many hostels and cheap hotels. The houses are beautiful and since they´re colonial houses they´re very colorful. They make the street even more cheerful.
This is frequently cited as one of the best botanical gardens in the world and if you visit you will see why. The setting on the edge of Table Mountain National Park is unbeatable even when the table cloth is rising and falling.
The easiest way to arrive is to take the "hop on hop off" city tour bus. This allows you to enjoy some wine tasting on the way back to Cape Town. Don't miss the coral trees, the protea garden and the recently-installed treetops walkway. Plus if you are peckish the cafe at the bus stop entrance serves English cream tea.
If you visit Cape Town, then you can't miss out on a trip to the Cape of Good Hope. The best views can be found along the coast, particularly the stunning, panoramic Chapman's Peak Drive, along cliffs and surrounded by beautiful views.
Camps Bay is one of the most beautiful and popular beaches of Cape Town just a 15 minute drive from downtown. It's easily accessible by minibus. The white sand beach is spectacular with clear water at the foot of Table Mountain and the 12 Apostles. Also, on the promenade that runs along it, there are plenty of restaurants where you can enjoy a cocktail or a good South African wine while watching the sunset. It's perfect, even in winter.
65km from Cape Town, within the Table Mountain National Park, is the Cape of Good Hope, formerly called the Cape of Storms, the southernmost point of Africa. From Cape Point, you can enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the area. Personally, I really wanted to visit this place for its fascinating history, and I wasn't disappointed. You can imagine the fifteenth century explorers coming here in their caravels...
For people who like hiking this is the thing to do. The ascent to Lion's head is easy to get on and off and doesn't take more than 3 hours. To begin the journey you must go by Signal Hill Road to the start of the forest road and once there start walking. Along the route you will find benches where you can relax and enjoy the scenery. When you get almost to the top the road splits and you have two options, which are indicated on small signs. Go the way of the chains, which is more complicated and requires some climbing, or go straight, the path is easier and does not reach the top of everything, but there's a plateau just below the summit, but also has amazing views. It is not recommended to do it after dark, because the decline may be more difficult in the dark. In short, the rise to Lion's head may be one of the most beautiful experiences of your trip to Cape Town, you can enjoy the beauty of the city from above. I recommend watching the sunset halfway.
This island is about 15 km from Cape Town in Hout Bay. It covers an area of 7315 squared metres. Visited by tourists, there is a large colony of birds and seals. On the same dock there are different companies that organize one hour boating trips, costing about € 6. The visit is done entirely from the boat, you are not allowed to disembark. In the spring, there are restaurants, and also a flea market, where we bought two precious masks for a good price.
Simonstown is a small town on the Cape Peninsula, half an hour or so from Cape Town. There's a tourist park with two areas: the inner area, with free admission, where you can see penguins in the field, or the coastal zone, where you have to pay, but the views are more impressive. On clear days, you can take a dip in the sea if you're willing to brave the temperatures!
Stunning sunset from Signal Hill in Cape Town near the high-income area of Camps Baai in Kaapstaad. It´s essential that you have a stroll through this the barrio.
The story of Nelson Mandela's years on Robben Island makes it well worth visiting this African Alcatraz. It's a pity that the tourist circus leaves you little room for reflection. Ferries leave from the Waterfront a few times a day, and it costs about 20 euros for a fully-guided four-hour visit.