7 Top Day Trips From Cape Town

Should you’re planning a trip to South Africa, you then’ll virtually actually be spending time in Cape City. Named for the Cape of Good Hope, and the southernmost metropolis in Africa, Cape City is an unimaginable vacation spot. Surrounded by epic landscapes, seashores, cliffs and wineries, Cape City is filled with outside points of interest and surroundings. Nonetheless, the cultural mecca can be dwelling to colourful neighborhoods like Bo-Kaap, the historic Robben Island and world-class museums. Whereas there may be a lot which you could get pleasure from whereas in Cape City, it is usually price escaping town for a day and seeing the encircling area. From wineries to penguin colonies, listed here are just some of the perfect day journeys from Cape City to get pleasure from.

Map of day journeys from Cape City

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A 90-minute drive exterior of Cape City brings you to Langebaan, a coastal city positioned on the shores of Saldanha Bay. The principle purpose to go to Langebaan is to expertise a relaxed seashore that feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of Cape City. There are nonetheless conventional heritage fishing villages alongside the coast, and small wood fishing boats dot the blue horizon. Eating places positioned proper on the seashore allow you to dig your toes into the sand as you dine on contemporary seafood that was caught earlier that day. Kitesurfing can be a well-liked pastime, and you’ll take kitesurfing classes on the seashore at Langebaan.

Attending to Langebaan

• Whereas it’s nearly potential to get to Langebaan from Cape City by public transport, buses run fairly occasionally, so it a good suggestion to verify prematurely when they’re working. The journey takes two and a half hours, and buses depart from Cape City station.
• Driving is far simpler, and means you may discover the treasures of the Western Cape at your leisure. The R27 runs immediately between Cape City and Langebaan and may take about an hour and a half to 2 hours to drive from one to the opposite. Whereas within the space, you must undoubtedly discover the gorgeous surroundings of the West Coast Nationwide Park when you’ve got the time; the pure wonders on present are breathtaking.
• Certainly, many individuals decide to take a guided tour, as this allows them to see as a lot of the Western Cape as is feasible in simply in the future. In addition to visiting the beautiful villages of Langebaan and Yzerfontein, visitors additionally cease off to style scrumptious native produce alongside the best way and think about the gorgeous birds and flowers discovered within the West Coast Nationwide Park. See journey critiques & costs.

Should you’re a critical adrenaline junkie in the hunt for the subsequent massive thrill, then nice white shark cage diving would be the answer. There are a number of locations round Cape City the place you may do that unimaginable expertise. Because the identify suggests, you’re scuba diving inside a cage, and nice white sharks come proper as much as your protected area. Gaansbaai, about two hours south of Cape City, provides shark cage diving all year long. Within the South African winters, or between June and October, it’s potential to attempt nice white shark cage diving in False Bay, which is underneath an hour’s drive from Cape City.

Taking a Cage Diving Tour

• The one solution to expertise the fun of Nice White Sharks circling you is to take a cage diving tour; this actually will supply unforgettable reminiscences. After having been pushed to Gansbaai, it’s time to swimsuit up and be taught all in regards to the big predators from a marine biologist earlier than coming into the underwater world in your protecting cage. The waters round Gansbaai are famend for the big variety of Nice White Sharks that reside right here, so you’ve got wonderful probabilities of seeing the awe-inspiring creatures up shut. See journey critiques & costs.

Yearly in the course of the spring months of August and September, sure elements of South Africa burst right into a kaleidoscope of colours with their spectacular show of assorted wild flowers. The West Coast Nationwide Park is the proper space for a day journey from Cape City to see the wild flowers, as it’s positioned proper subsequent to the city of Langebaan. Exterior the wildflower season, the white sand seashores and small islands within the Saldanha Bay are the highest points of interest within the park, and the entire space is a well-liked birdwatching vacation spot. Loads of mountain climbing trails lead you alongside the coast, and there are numerous vantage factors beloved by photographers. It’s possible you’ll even spot some native wildlife, which may embrace springbok, Cape mountain zebras, ostriches and wildebeest.

Attending to West Coast Nationwide Park

• Mendacity round 90 kilometers to the northwest of Cape City, the nationwide park could be very easy to drive to, because the R27 will take you all the best way there. The journey takes an hour and a half. When you arrive, you may both park and discover a few of its beautiful little paths on foot, or drive from one website of curiosity to the opposite. Each the villages of Yzerfontein and Langebaan are properly price visiting whilst you’re within the space.
• A enjoyable and pleasant solution to discover this glorious a part of the Western Cape is to take a full-day guided tour. This not solely takes you to benefit from the spectacular surroundings of the nationwide park, nevertheless it additionally permits you to pattern a number of the area’s unbelievable native produce as you go. With stops at Langebaan, Yzerfontein, and Khwa ttu village additionally included, it’s an action-packed day with masses so that you can see and do.

See journey critiques & costs.

Boulders Seaside is a surprising vacation spot simply exterior of Cape City that gives lovely surroundings, however the primary attraction is certainly the penguins. Simply 20 years in the past, African penguins settled on this space, and now the colony is giant and makes use of Boulder Seaside as its breeding floor. You’ll be able to typically spot penguins all through the coastal space, however a small payment can take you proper to the guts of all of it. There are solely a restricted variety of folks allowed on the seashore with the penguins in a given day, so getting there early ensures you’ll get the possibility to see them up shut.

Attending to Boulders Seaside

• Because the full of life penguin colony is positioned simply exterior of Simon’s City, one of the simplest ways to get there by public transport is to take a direct practice from Cape City; these take roughly an hour and ten minutes. When you arrive, Boulders Seaside is round a 40-minute stroll away, so you may both take a taxi there or wander by way of Simon’s City sightseeing as you go.
• An alternative choice is to drive from Cape City. Whereas the journey does take roughly the identical size of time, it does imply which you could cease off at locations alongside the best way or proceed to Cape Level after seeing the penguins. The M6 takes you all the best way there from Cape City. On the best way, you’ll cross beneath Desk Mountain, alongside a scenic coastal highway, and previous the gorgeous Chapman’s Peak.
• Should you don’t really feel like driving or taking the practice there your self, chances are you’ll wish to think about taking a guided tour. In addition to taking you to see the lovely African penguins, you’ll additionally cross alongside the gorgeous Chapman’s Peak highway and go to the Cape of Good Hope for some unbelievable views over the ocean. As you go, your educated information will inform you every thing there may be to know in regards to the penguins and pleasant surroundings you cross. See journey critiques & costs.

South of Cape City is Hermanus, a seaside city recognized for its spectacular whale watching alternatives. If you wish to spot whales of their pure habitats, then Hermanus is the best place to take action. Southern Proper Whales migrate alongside the coast yearly, they usually are likely to make a cease at Hermanus to calve and to care for his or her younger. One of the best time of yr to identify whales is from June during to December. A ship journey can get you up shut and private with Southern Proper Whales, Bryde Whales and Humpback Whales. Nonetheless, it is usually fully potential to identify whales proper from the shoreline, which is a less expensive possibility for vacationers on a finances.

Attending to Hermanus

• To drive to Hermanus from Cape City could be very easy; alongside the best way, you’ll cross by way of some beautiful surroundings. It’s properly price taking the coastal route a minimum of a technique for the gorgeous views on supply, though this does add a little bit of time to the two-hour journey. The quickest approach there may be to easily take the N2 heading southeast many of the approach. At exit 90, flip off onto the R43, and this may take you straight there.
• To see whales up shut of their pure habitat, many guests to Cape City take a whale watching tour to Hermanus, as whales breed simply off of the coast. In your boat journey, you’ll have the possibility to see whales, dolphins, and seals; catching a glimpse of the majestic creatures is exhilarating. After that, the tour culminates in a go to to Hermanus and a cease at an area vineyard to pattern a few of its scrumptious produce. See journey critiques & costs.

Inland from Cape City is Stellenbosch, which is positioned smack dab within the coronary heart of Cape Winelands. Whereas the area is dwelling to numerous wineries and vineyards, critical oenophiles know that Stellenbosch is the middle of all of it. Wine excursions are the primary attraction in Stellenbosch, or you may map out your individual tour for tastings at every cease. As a serious wine vacation spot, the meals in Stellenbosch is unbelievable. On Church Avenue, particularly, you’ll discover properly over a dozen great eateries, lots of which have menu objects paired particularly with native wines. The town itself can be dwelling to a big college, an abundance of Cape Dutch structure and spectacular nightlife.

Attending to Stellenbosch

• From the primary station in Cape City, trains run fairly incessantly to Stellenbosch and the journey time is round one hour. When you arrive in Stellenbosch, you’ll discover that every thing is inside strolling distance, though you have to to take a taxi or two if you wish to go to any of the encircling vineyards and wineries.
• As such, it’s most likely a greater concept to go to Stellenbosch by automobile, as this allows you to cease at varied wineries as you go. It is extremely straightforward to drive there; all you have to do is head east on the N1 and switch off at exit 39 onto the R304. This can take you on to Stellenbosch. It’s a good suggestion to plan your journey prematurely, so you understand which wineries you wish to head to.
• As most individuals go to Stellenbosch for its vineyards and wineries, one of the simplest ways to see plenty of them in in the future is to take a guided tour. Along with stopping off and sampling scrumptious wines at varied estates, you’ll additionally get taken across the city itself and to Franschhoek – a beautiful little village. As you journey by way of the gorgeous surroundings, your information will inform you all in regards to the locations you cross, in addition to the historical past of wine within the Cape. See journey critiques & costs.

On the southernmost tip of the Cape Peninsula is the Cape of Good Hope, a must-see vacation spot in your Cape City journey. As you get shut, you’ll enter the Desk Mountain Nationwide Park. From the Cape of Good Hope, you may look out over False Bay and maybe even spot just a few migrating whales. On the cape itself is Cape Level, a spectacular vacation spot with respiration views over stone cliffs, lush inexperienced valleys and exquisite seashores. Cape Level boasts miles of mountain climbing paths, making it the proper place to work up a sweat or snap some pictures.

Attending to Cape of Good Level

• As there isn’t any direct public transport hyperlink that takes you straight to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Level from Cape City, you’ll first need to take a practice to Simon’s City; these depart repeatedly from the central station and take about an hour and ten minutes in complete. When you arrive, you may both take a taxi the remaining 25 kilometers and even hire a motorcycle and cycle there if you wish to actually immerse your self within the great nature.
• By automobile, it’s less complicated to get there; this additionally means you may cease off to see the penguins at Boulders Seaside or drive previous the spectacular surroundings of Chapman’s Peak and Nordhoek. From the middle of Cape City, head south out of town on the M3 and comply with it when it turns into the M64. Proceed on this route for a short time earlier than taking the M4 alongside the southeastern coast of the peninsula all the best way to Cape Level. All in all, it ought to take you about an hour and a half to get there.
• One other beautiful solution to go to Cape Level is to take a guided tour of the Cape Peninsula. That is notably worthwhile for those who’re pressed for time. In addition to seeing the Cape of Good Hope, you’ll additionally see penguins in Simon’s City, seals at Hout Bay, and discover the pleasant botanical gardens of Kirstenbosch. With an knowledgeable information available, you’ll be taught so much in regards to the Cape Peninsula in addition to see all of its principal sights. See journey critiques & costs.