Travel to Cape Town and see why this city tops travel lists ranging from TripAdvisor and Conde Nast to the Telegraph and the New York Times. Lazing in sunshine at the foot of Table Mountain, Cape Town offers a beguiling blend of big city comforts and beautiful natural environments. Where else in the world can you start the day with cappuccinos and croissants before going shark-cage diving, whale watching or hiking a wild mountain trail?
Cape Town is an easy city to fall in love with. The atmosphere is friendly and unhurried and it is a city you stroll around, shop at local markets, sit down with a coffee and watch a cosmopolitan world go by. A generally warm and sunny climate means much happens outdoors – hiking, surfing, horse-riding and mountain biking – but rainy days are covered by Cape Town’s eclectic range of indoor destinations – a superb aquarium, interesting museums and of course the got-it-all V&A Waterfront.
Many travellers to Cape Town prefer the convenience of a V&A Waterfront hotel but accommodation in the city also includes intimate boutique hideaways, private ocean villas and self-catering apartments as well as up-market backpackers. Car hire is easy and highly recommended for independent-minded travellers who want a flexible itinerary, especially if they intend to take in the Winelands and Whale Coast.
It’s a city that will appeal to all types of traveller. Honeymooners and romantics will love the dreamy views and private accommodation of Cape Town’s more exclusive accommodation; families with children will appreciate the range of self-catering family apartments and long list of fun activities. You can laze on beaches, learn to surf, paraglide off mountains and meet the locals on cultural tours. Food and wine enthusiasts will find plenty to taste and take home – several of the country’s top restaurants are set in and around Cape Town and it’s only a short drive to the welcoming Winelands.
Cape Town is easy to travel to and makes a great starting point for a larger tour, taking in a safari in Kruger, Botswana or even Victoria Falls. Choose when you travel to Cape Town carefully however: although many of its famous attractions are year-round, such as Robben Island and the penguins of Boulders Beach, other highlights such as whale-watching and shark-cage diving are seasonal – ask us for more information. We can also help you book your Cape Town activities to make sure you won’t be disappointed.
Cape Town has a very different climate to the rest of South Africa. With 70% of its rain falling in winter (May – August) the city and its surroundings otherwise enjoy a largely sunny and warm climate all year round. The winters are mild by northern hemisphere standards (rarely falling below freezing), and summer temperatures are tempered by ocean winds to remain in the late 20s and early 30s degrees centigrade.
Most activities and experiences are naturally year-round such as hiking, biking, sight-seeing, wine-tasting and Winelands touring. Some are seasonal however: whale watching is best from August through November, and False Bay shark-watching in July and August. If you want the beach life, visit during the peak summer months of December to February but be prepared for queues and crowds at the most popular places such as Camps Bay, the Table Mountain cable car and Cape Point.
As might be expected from one of the world’s favourite cities, there is a wide range of Cape Town accommodation. Choose from five star hotels, boutique lodges and beach villas as well as upmarket backpackers and self-catering apartments. Choosing your Cape Town accommodation is a matter of location as well as budget. The biggest and most luxurious hotels are set at or near the ever-popular V&A Waterfront. The top boutique lodges however are usually located in upmarket city suburbs, usually within strolling distance of local restaurants. And if it’s an ocean sunset you’d like, then choose accommodation on Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard and Camps Bay.
Browse our recommended Cape Town accommodation below and feel free to ask us for more information on suitability and availability. If you’re planning a summer holiday in Cape Town (December and January), bear in mind that you will need to book your accommodation well in advance.
You can’t get more centrally located at the V&A Waterfront! Stroll to shops, bars & restaurants, visit the aquarium & hop on the Robben Island Ferry. At the hotel, you sit back to views of the bustling marina & Table Mountain.
Historic 1920s Cape Dutch-style hotel, offering stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and Table Mountain. The hotel features 76 rooms and suites, many featuring sea or mountain vistas. Guests can enjoy the bougainvillea-draped courtyard, a heated pool, the Spa, and dining options. The hotel’s prime location provides easy access to the V&A Waterfront, Clifton beaches, and Cape Town’s city center.
Breathtaking 5‑star boutique lodge perched on a pebbled beach at the foot of Chapman’s Peak in Hout Bay, Cape Town. It’s renowned for blending seamless oceanfront luxury with the serenity of Table Mountain National Park
It’s easy to make your Cape Town holiday part of a longer itinerary. Hire a car and tour the next-door Winelands and Whale Coast or head a little further afield for a Garden Route holiday on the Cape’s stunning south coast. Add a Garden Route safari or a Madikwe Safari to your tour and you’ll enjoy malaria-free Big 5 game viewing. Add the Kruger Park and Sabi Sands and you’ll experience Africa’s best Big 5 game viewing and safari accommodation.
Browse our most popular Cape Town holiday and safari itineraries below; they are tried and tested tours with a great diversity of experiences. Book them as they are or ask us to tailor them to your requirements – time, interests and budget.
Our team of destination experts will design a holiday to meet your budget and interests. Let’s start planning your tailor-made African safari today!
A popular gateway to the rest of Africa, Cape Town is the perfect place to wind down after a long flight or at the end of a dusty safari. The Cape Winelands and the Whale Coast lie within easy driving distance from the city and it’s easy to combine a Cape Town holiday with the attractions of the Garden Route and the malaria-free Big 5 reserves in the Eastern Cape. And if it’s big game you want, a short flight takes you from Cape Town to the Kruger National Park and its adjoining private reserves such as the Sabi Sands, Thornybush and Timbabvati where you’ll find Big 5 viewing at its best.
