Finest day journeys from Cape City, South Africa in 2023

There are a lot of nice day journeys from Cape City for any traveler be it an adventurous traveler, a household with kids, or a honeymoon couple. From unimaginable mountaineering routes to breathtaking scenic drives, from famend wine routes to various wildlife, it can by no means disappoint you simply have to decide on the best place for you. Cape City has many unimaginable issues to do a few of the prompt day journeys are positively to incorporate in your bucket record.

There are a lot of improbable espresso outlets in Cape City the place you’ll be able to cease for breakfast and low earlier than beginning your Cape City day journey.

The way to do day journeys from Cape City?

Renting a automobile is the best manner of doing day journeys from Cape City. In the event you’re multiple individual renting a automobile will work out cheaper than doing day excursions. One of the best ways is to lease a automobile at Cape City airport on arrival then you’ll be able to drop it off once you fly out. You don’t want an enormous 4×4 automobile to do day journeys round Cape City a small automobile will probably be high-quality. 

In the event you’re alone becoming a member of a day tour to go to some sights outdoors Cape City is perhaps a greater possibility than renting a automobile. On a tour, there will probably be somebody to speak to and take photographs of you. There are a lot of totally different day excursions to probably the most attention-grabbing sights close to Cape City.

Among the hottest day excursions from Cape City

The 11 greatest day journeys from Cape City

We lived in Cape City for a few years and extensively explored town and its environment. Beneath yow will discover some day journey concepts and distinctive experiences that can enrich your South Africa vacation. 

Stellenbosch

• Distance from Cape City (a technique) – 50 km/31 mi
• Driving time (a technique) – 45min – 1 hour
• When to go to – in the summertime months (December and January) Monday to Friday if you wish to skip weekend crowds. Saturdays and Sundays if you wish to go to native meals markets.
• Common price – ZAR 75/US$5 per tasting (3-5 wines)
• Could be mixed with a day journey to Franschhoek

Go to Stellenbosch with a tour

It’s one in all our favourite day journeys from Cape City. Western Cape and Stellenbosch particularly are generally known as the highest wine areas in South Africa. With greater than 150 farms, it’s troublesome to beat it by the quantity or by the standard of wines. If some wine route like Franschhoek, in my view, is extra of a romantic/special day factor, wine tasting in Stellenbosch is nice for anyone; households, a bunch of buddies, or perhaps a single traveler. You simply have to search out the best wine farms for you. 

In the event you don’t need to drive your self you’ll be able to be part of one of many wine-tasting excursions from Cape City that embrace decide up and drop off at your lodge/home. Another choice is to make use of hop-on-hop-off wine buses that depart from Stellenbosch. You may select one of many three routes: the Northern Route Wine route, the Southern Route Wine route, or the Japanese Route Wine route.

Moreover wine tasting, there are various different actions round Stellenbosch from mountaineering in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve and mountain biking one of many trails to off-road driving, visiting the historic museum, and having fun with a fantastic sculpture backyard. 

Jonkershoek Nature Reserve is a shocking place close to Stellenbosch even the drive there’s lovely. Climbing right here is one in all our favourite issues to do in Stellenbosch. There are a number of mountaineering routes contained in the reserve from brief and simple walks appropriate for the entire household to lengthy and difficult trails for comparatively match folks. 

Franschhoek

• Distance from Cape City (a technique) – 80 km/50 mi
• Driving time (a technique) – 1h10min.
• Finest time to go to – Monday to Saturday, some wine farms and eating places are closed on Sundays. In the event you come on Saturday you’ll be able to go to the native meals market within the city.
• Common price – ZAR 75/US$5 per tasting (3-5 wines).
• Could be mixed with a day journey to Stellenbosch

Go to Franschhoek with a tour

Franschhoek Valley is my favourite place to come back for wine tasting. Because the first time my husband introduced me right here, I fell in love with this charming city and its picturesque environment. Franschhoek is a good place to come back for a romantic weekend getaway from Cape City. Right here yow will discover all you want for an ideal weekend – nice wine, scrumptious meals, and gorgeous surroundings. We all the time rejoice our marriage ceremony anniversary and Valentine’s Day right here. 

You may drive to Franschhoek your self, be part of a wine tour from Cape City, or discover the world driving a hop-on-hop-off wine tram. A giant benefit of the final two choices is that you just don’t have to fret about ingesting and driving you’ll be able to take a look at as many wines as you need. Franschhoek wine tram is a singular manner of doing wine tasting. The tram route begins within the city. There are 8 totally different routes every goes to 5-7 wine farms the place you will get off the tram, style wine, and have lunch. 

You may drive to Franschhoek your self and get on the tram there or take a tour from Cape City that features a return shuttle to your lodge and a tram ticket.

Wine tasting is just not the one exercise there are various different issues to do in Franschhoek that will probably be attention-grabbing for the entire household. You may drive over the Franschhoek Cross, go on a brief hike in Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve, go to the Motor Museum with an excellent assortment of outdated automobiles, learn to make chocolate, and lots of different attention-grabbing issues.

Boulders Seashore, Simon’s City

• Distance from Cape City (a technique) – 40 km/24 mi
• Finest time to come back – between December and February there are various vacationers at Boulders, particularly over the weekends, be sure that to come back right here early.
• Opening hours – winter (April – September) from 8am to 5pm, summer time (October – November and February – March) from 8am to six.30pm, the height season (December and January) from 8am to 7.30pm.
• Admission charge – foreigners ZAR 176/US$9 adults, ZAR 88/US$4 kids, South Africans ZAR 44/US$2 adults, ZAR 22/US$1 kids. 
• Could be mixed with a day journey to Cape Level and Muizenberg

Go to Boulders Seashore with a tour

Boulders Seashore is among the not-to-miss locations in Cape City. It’s an ideal day journey from Cape City. This lovely white sand seaside is surrounded by large boulders with many cute African penguins strolling round. Boulders Seashore is a must-include in your Cape City itinerary in case you journey with kids they’ll get pleasure from it rather a lot. You may go for a swim right here in case you’re not afraid of chilly water. A go to to this seaside could be performed as part of a day street journey from Cape City across the Cape Peninsula. In the event you don’t really feel like driving your self you’ll be able to be part of a half-day tour from Cape City to Boulders Seashore.

Cape Peninsula

• Distance from Cape City (a technique, alongside the coast) – 79 km/49 mi
• Driving time (a technique) – 1h45min.
• Finest time to go to – November to April, it will get very windy in summer time. In December and January on weekends the park could be very busy, you may need to attend on the gate for some time.
• Opening hours (Cape of Good Hope) – April – September from 7am to 5pm, October – March from 6am to 6pm
• Admission charge (Cape of Good Hope) – foreigners ZAR 376/US$20 adults, ZAR 188/US$10 kids, South Africans ZAR 94 adults, ZAR 47 kids. 
• Could be mixed with a day journey to Boulders Seashore and Muizenberg

Go to Cape Peninsula with a tour

The drive across the Cape Peninsula is one in all our favourite drives in South Africa. It’s an excellent day journey from Cape City. The surroundings is wonderful and there are various lovely locations to cease alongside the route. Begin your day journey with the dawn at Camps Bay. This journey could be performed with a tour from Cape City that can take you to the principle highlights of the route.

The well-known Chapman’s Peak Drive is probably the most lovely a part of the scenic drive. It’s a 9 km drive between Hout Bay and Noordhoek. There are a few viewpoints alongside the drive the place you’ll be able to cease for photographs. It’s a toll street, so that you’ll must pay ZAR 61/US$3 per automobile. At Hout Bay harbour you’ll be able to spot cape fur seals within the water seeking leftovers from fishermen’s boats.

Cape Level Nature Reserve is a spectacular place. It provides a few of the greatest surroundings in Cape City, and it’s a bucket record place to incorporate in your Cape City itinerary. One can simply spend the entire day right here exploring the world. There are a number of not-to-miss sights right here corresponding to Dias Seashore, a white-sand seaside surrounded by the cliffs, New Lighthouse, Cape of Good Hope, Flying Dutch funicular, and a number of other tide swimming pools and viewpoints. 

Climbing round Cape Level you could have probabilities to see some wild animals corresponding to mongooses, zebras, ostriches, porcupines, tortoises, chameleons, and so forth. My recommendation is you probably have time after visiting the principle a part of the park drive away to quieter areas your probabilities of seeing wildlife there are a lot increased. 

There are a number of day excursions from Cape City to Cape Level. In the event you’re into pictures you may get pleasure from the Cape Level Instagram tour. For outside lovers, there’s a nice various to sitting within the automobile – discover Cape Level on an electrical bike tour.

Muizenberg

• Distance from Cape City (a technique) – 25 km/15,5 mi
• Driving time (a technique) – 30-40 minutes relying on the site visitors
• Finest time to go to – November to April, it will get very windy within the peak summer time. In December and January on weekends the park could be very busy, you may need to attend on the gate for some time.
• Could be mixed with a day journey to Boulders Seashore, Cape Level, and Constantia

Muizenberg actions

Muizenberg is a well-liked browsing spot in Cape City. Through the season you’ll be able to see a whole bunch of surfers within the water. There are a few surf faculties and board rental locations within the city. It’s an excellent spot for a browsing day journey from town. Muizenberg Seashore is a fantastic white-sand seaside good for tanning. Colourful wood huts on the seaside are some of the in style picture spots in Cape City. 

Constantia

• Distance from Cape City (a technique) – 18 km/11 mi
• Driving time – 20-30 min. relying on the site visitors
• Finest time to go to – Monday to Thursday if you wish to skip the crowds
• Common price – ZAR 75-100/US$5 for tasting as much as 5 wines
• Could be mixed with a day journey to Muizenberg

Go to Constantia with a tour

Constantia wine route is the closest to Cape City place for wine tasting. It’s an excellent possibility to come back and take a look at a few of the greatest wine inside a brief drive from Cape City. The Constantia Valley is a shocking place with lovely surroundings and a few of the oldest wine estates within the nation. There are 9 wine farms in Constantia, that means you’ll be able to simply go to half of them in in the future. You may drive your self or be part of a personal wine tour that features lodge pick-up and drop-off. In the event you’re up for an journey you are able to do a biking wine tour via the valley. 

Groot Constantia is the one to not miss right here. It’s the oldest wine farm in South Africa and one of many oldest within the Southern Hemisphere. Klein Constantia and Constantia Glen are two extra farms I’d advocate together with in your record. Most farms within the valley do wine tasting with out prior association. You may mix tasting with lunch at one of many estates, most of them have nice eating places on their premises.

You may mix wine tasting in Constantia with driving round Cape Peninsula or browsing in Muizenberg. In the event you journey with kids earlier than or after the tasting take them to Boulder’s Seashore to see cute African penguins or do a ship tour from Hout Bay to see playful seals.   

Robben Island

• Distance from Cape City (a technique) – 10 km/5 mi offshore 
• Tour period – 3h30min. together with a return ferry journey
• Departure instances from V&A Waterfront – day by day 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, and three pm (solely between 1st September and thirtieth April)
• Finest time to go to – October to April
• Ferry worth (together with an island tour) – from ZAR 400/US$21 (South Africans), ZAR 600/US$31 (foreigners) per individual

Go to Robben Island with a tour

Robben Island is among the most necessary historic locations in Cape City. The island could be visited solely with a tour that features a return ferry journey and an tour. A ship tour to the island is an ideal day journey from Cape City the place you’ll be able to study concerning the latest historical past of the nation, get pleasure from spectacular views of the Cape Peninsula, and observe the varied marine lifetime of the area. The primary attraction of Robben Island is an ex-prison that was was a museum. Former South African president Nelson Mandela was probably the most well-known prisoner on Robben Island. He spent there 18 years.

The title of the island comes from the Dutch phrase for seals. You continue to can see them within the waters across the island. The historical past of Robben Island dates again to the sixteenth century when it was used as a stopping level for ships. after it grew to become a Dutch after which British penal colony. Within the nineteenth – the start of the twentieth century century it was was a leper colony. From the second half of the twentieth century until 1991 it was used as a most safety jail the place many political prisoners together with Nelson Mandela had been held. 

Hermanus

• Distance from Cape City (a technique) – 120 km/74,5 mi
• Driving time (a technique) – 1h30min. – 2 hours relying on the site visitors
• Finest time to go to – July to October when Southern proper whales come right here for mating and calving.
• Boat tour costs – from ZAR 1000/US$55 per individual (together with switch from Cape City).
• Could be mixed with a day journey to Cape Agulhas

Go to Hermanus with a tour

It’s an ideal day journey from Cape City to see the varied marine lifetime of the area. Hermanus and Gansbaai are the very best locations in South Africa to see Southern Proper whales. Your probabilities of seeing them within the peak season are very excessive. It’s doable to see them from the shore however for an in depth encounter go on a whale-watching boat tour. If you wish to see calf whales, August and September are the very best months for whale watching in Hermanus. On a pleasant day, you’ll be able to see a number of mother-calf pairs. 

Exterior the Southern Proper whale season, you’ll be able to see seals, nice white sharks, dolphins, penguins, and occasional Bridal whales. If you wish to see some of the well-known water predators on the earth, the good white shark you’ll be able to mix a whale-watching tour with shark cage diving in Gansbaai.

There are different issues to do in Hermanus moreover whale watching. It’s a fantastic city well-known for its nice eating places the place you’ll be able to strive contemporary seafood and fish and high-quality wine estates. On a day journey from Cape City to Hermanus, you’ll be able to see marine animals, get pleasure from scrumptious meals, and style native wines. 

On the best way to Hermanus, you’ll be able to cease at Stony Level Nature Reserve in Betty’s Bay. It’s a excellent place to see African penguins. The seaside right here is just not as picturesque as Boulders Seashore in Cape City nevertheless it’s far much less touristy. Picket boardwalks take guests alongside the coast. Rocks and boulders are lined with a whole bunch of penguins. You may see them swimming, strolling throughout boardwalks, and nesting.

Aquila Recreation Reserve, Worcester

• Distance from Cape City (a technique) – 175 km/108 mi
• Driving time (a technique) – 2 hours
• Finest time to go to – early morning or night (after sundown) when it’s not too sizzling. 
• Safari costs – from ZAR 2000/US$110 per individual together with a return switch from Cape City, a 3-hour safari drive and lunch.
• Could be mixed with a day journey to Stellenbosch or Franschhoek

Go to Aquila with a tour

Aquila Personal Recreation Reserve is barely a 2-hour drive from Cape City, it’s an ideal place for a safari day journey. Aquila is the closest to the Mom Metropolis safari park the place you’ll be able to see the well-known African Massive 5 (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, and leopard). Moreover the massive 5, there are various different animals to see right here corresponding to hippos, zebras, giraffes, totally different African antelopes, and extra. The reserve is huge and occupies 10,000 hectares. Safari drives listed here are 100% wild experiences with a contact of luxurious. You may mix a safari drive with stress-free at an area spa. 

There are a number of methods to discover the reserve from self-drive to quad bike/horseback safaris and a helicopter fly-in. Another choice is to hitch a day tour from Cape City that features transportation out of your lodge, entrance tickets, a recreation drive, and lunch.

West Coast

• Distance from Cape City (a technique) – 124 km/77 mi
• Driving time (a technique) – 1h30min.
• Finest time to go to is the flower season between August and September when fields alongside the route are lined in spring flowers.

Go to the West Coast with a tour

It’s some of the lovely Cape City day journeys through the spring. The West Coast (Namaqualand) utterly transforms in spring, often naked and dry after winter rains, the area appears to be like like one huge colourful carpet. 1000’s of flowers cowl the fields alongside the coast. West Coast Nationwide Park close to Langebaan is the very best place to come back for a day journey from Cape City to see the well-known Namaqualand blossom. There are a number of brief mountaineering trails contained in the reserve. You may spend a few hours exploring the park and taking photographs. 

Admiring flowers is just not the one exercise on the West Coast. The world is legendary for its contemporary seafood. The small city of Paternoster, 40 km from Langebaan is the very best place to strive it.

Cape Agulhas

• Distance from Cape City (a technique, alongside the coast) – 266 km/165 mi
• Driving time (a technique) – 3h30min.
• Finest time to go to – the summer time months between November and March 
• Could be mixed with a day journey to Hermanus

Go to Cape Agulhas with a tour

It’s one in all our favourite street journeys in Cape City. Cape Agulhas is the southernmost level of the African continent and the assembly level of the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. Many vacationers assume it’s Cape of Good Hope close to Cape City nevertheless it’s not. A drive from town alongside the coast to Cape Agulhas is among the most scenic drives in Cape City with many lovely locations to cease in between. 

Clearance Drive, a stretch of the coastal street between Gordons Bay and Rooiels is probably the most lovely a part of the journey. From the lookout factors alongside the street, you usually see seals, dolphins, and in the best season even whales. There are some wonderful locations to eat contemporary seafood in Hermanus in addition to a few wine-tasting estates with good eating places e.g. Black Oystercatcher Wines. 

On today journey from Cape City, you’ll be able to go to Harold Porter Botanical Backyard or the penguin colony at Stony Level, do a whale-watching tour in Hermanus, or do shark-cage diving in Gansbaai. In the event you resolve to do a few of the talked about actions you must begin driving early within the morning.

You may drive again the identical manner alongside the coast or flip inland and drive via Caledon and over Sir. Lowry’s Cross, the view from the highest of the move is sort of spectacular.

Locations to remain in Cape City

Cape City has many inns, hostels, and guesthouses for any price range. My principal recommendation right here is to remain at a spot close to town heart (Lengthy Avenue, Bree Avenue), V&A Waterfront, or Inexperienced Level these are the very best areas to remain for exploring town.

Cape City books and guidebooks

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The beautiful half of Stingy Nomads, accountable for all our land adventures (mountaineering, climbing, strolling the Camino) and following them write-ups. Alya loves strolling since she was a toddler, she prefers to stroll 1000 km with a backpack fairly than to do a ten 000 km street journey (truly any street journey). Alya is an enormous fan of Latin America, the Spanish language, and dancing. Each time we go away she desperately misses our canine Chile.