When visiting an unfamiliar city, it can be overwhelming, there is so much to see and do and whilst you should, of course, see the iconic tourist sights the city is known for, there is no better way to explore a city than like a local. Cape Town offers ample opportunity for a truly immersive experience and with the guidance of a local.
As the Mother City gears up for a bumper Summer Season, we asked the Timeless Africa Safaris Team what some of their favourite Cape Town Experiences are.
Fabulous food in Cape Town
Foodies all go mad for Cape Town and we certainly have our fair share of international award-winning chefs. But the locals will tell you spending a day out on the beach foraging and then making your own lunch, a good old-fashioned social braai, tasting award-winning wines, craft beer or gin, olives, rooibos tea, artisanal chocolates, biltong and more, makes the Cape a foodie heaven. And don’t forget those local foodie tours and learn how to cook Malay or African workshops.
Our favourite restaurants in Cape Town:
- Maria’s Greek Cafe
- Fynkos Restaurant
- Chef’s Warehouse Tintswalo Atlantic
- Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia
- The Bungalow
- GiGi Rooftop at Gorgeous George
- Chefs Warehouse
- Hemelhuijs
- FYN Restaurant
- Foxcroft
- Grub & Vine
- Greenhouse
- La Colombe
- Tryn at Steenberg Estate
- Salsify at the Roundhouse
- Himitsu
- Scarpetta
- Harbour House
Our favourite spots in the Winelands:
- Jewells Restaurant
- Cavalli Estate
- Grand Africa Cafe & Beach
- The Restaurant, Grande Provence
- The Kraal, Jostenberg Wine Estate
- Haute Cabrière
- Greenhouse at Babylonstoren
- Delaire Graff Restaurant
- Kleine Zalze Restaurant
- Longtable Restaurant
- Gåte, Quoin Rock
- Longridge Restaurant
- Viande Restaurant
- Groote Post
- Haskell Estate
- Klein Roosboom
- Morgenster Wine & Olive Estate
- Paul Cluver Wines
- Vilafonte Wines
Epic outdoor experiences in Cape Town
Sea Point Promenade, Lions Head, Table Mountain and Camps Bay. These are just a few of the places where will find locals out and about enjoying the fresh air. Whether you are into hiking, bicycling, riding on a Harley Davidson, or a vintage sidecar, these are all great ways to not only see the beauty of the city but meet the people and their pets.
Our favourite hikes:
- Lions Head
- Kalk Bay Mountains
- Maclear’s Beacon
- Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve
- Platteklip Gorge
- Rhodes Memorial
- Skeleton Gorge
- The Pipe Track
- Tygerberg Nature Reserve
Our favourite walks:
Spectacular swimming spots in Cape Town
Sure the water is a bit cold, but our beaches are phenomenal. From Camps Bay, Clifton and the Atlantic’s secret bays to False Bays’ Fish Hoek, Muizenberg and Long Beach and on to Blouberg and Melkbos – there is a beach that is perfect for walking, swimming, horse-riding, surfing, kite-surfing, suntanning or a perfect Insta pose.
Our favourite swimming spots:
- Big Bay Beach
- Camps Bay Tidal Pool
- Crystal Pools
- Glen Beach
- Jonkershoek Nature Reserve
- Long Beach
- Melkbosstrand Beach
- St James Tidal Pool
- Saunders’ Rock Beach
- Silvermine Reservoir
- Wooley’s Tidal Pool
So much Adventure to be had in Cape Town
Our favourite adventures:
- Abseiling
- Cycle in the Winelands
- Kite Surfing
- Kloofing
- Kayaking
- Paragliding
- Snorkel in the Kelp forest
- Surfing
- Waterbiking
- Ziplining
Meaningful wellness experiences in Cape Town
Being on holiday is already good for you, but why not enhance that with taking some time out from the busy sightseeing schedule to just chill. Sunrise yoga, hiking Lion’s Head at full moon and kayaking with dolphins are some of the more active good-for-you experiences, but there are spas and wellness retreats for all tastes in the city and winelands. A massage on the terrace overlooking the vines? Don’t mind if I do.
Wellness activities we love:
- Spa rejuvenation at Santé Wellness Retreat and Spa
- Secret Sunset/Sunrise session
- Walk the labyrinth in the Urban Park
- Join Bodhi Breathwork for a breathwork sessions
- Regular acupuncture
- Spending time in nature
- Going on a wellness retreat
- Doing something fun like rollerskating
- Singing & dancing
- Immersing myself in Sound Healing
- Swimming in the ocean
- As much yoga as I can
- Mindful meditation
World-class Art & Culture in Cape Town
Urban, cool and artsy Cape Town has history, but it also has fashion, music, architecture and art, an amazing melting-pot of rich cultures like nowhere else on earth. Visit Afro-chic designers, make your own beaded jewellery, visit iconic Museums and breath-taking sculpture gardens by day and enjoy the urban beats of the city at night.
Arts we love:
A walk in the Dylan Lewis Sculpture Garden
Sunset canapes and a cocktail dinner in the Ellerman House Wine Gallery.
Experience the art institutions of Cape Town:
Visit the dynamic Cape Town galleries guided by the curators themselves:
Tourism has a positive impact in Cape Town
Most visitors are conscious of the impact they make when traveling and want to leave something good behind after their visit. Cape Town offers a variety of ways to do good, whether using Fair Trade products, eating at restaurants that feature only sustainable fish and local produce or visiting upliftment projects in our townships, such as Ikamva La Bantu, where you can witness first-hand the incredible work being done in communities to make life in Cape Town viable, sustainable, and worth celebrating.
Organisations we love supporting:
• Afrika Tikkun
• Coats for Cape Town
• Ikamva Labantu
• Ladles of Love
• Lalela
• SA Harvest
• TEARS Animal Rescue
• Philisa Abfazi Bethu
• Uthando
Picnics spots for the entire family
Picnic spots we love:
- Buitenverwachting
- The Lawns at the Roundhouse
- Cape Point Vineyards
- Boschendal
- Chapmans Peak
- Green Point Park
- Holden Manz Wine Estate
- Jordan Wine Estate
- Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden
- La Residence
- Warwick Wine Estate
- Vergelegen Wine Estate
- Spier Wine Farm
Scenic Cape Town
Take the scenic route and Cape Town is blessed with many, Chapman’s Peak Drive arguably the most famous. But we are truly blessed that we have so many incredible passes and routes to travel. A mere 45 minutes from the city, and you are in farmlands and vineyard country. Take the roads less travelled like Boyes Drive to Kalk Bay, where you can see False Bay from above and watch the surfers down below at Surfer’s Corner…. Better yet, go join then riding the waves!
OUR TEAM’S FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO IN CAPE TOWN:
Belinda’s favourites: Food markets, Fish & Chips fresh off the boat in Kalk Bay, lazy lunches and ending up lying on the grass at La Petite Ferme with that view of Franschhoek, visiting art galleries with my son, catching a classic movie at an open-air cinema and summer concerts set in the incomparable Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
Kim’s favourites: learning how to surf, walking my dogs on the Promenade, and getting ice cream at The Creamery, zooming around on my scooter exploring our stunning city, visiting Pigasso the pig that paints and other farm visits where it’s natural, organic and care is taken of the land.
Kay’s favourites: Horse riding, especially where I am able to assist children with disabilities to find joy, family outings to nature reserves.
Holly’s favourites: “Cape Town is perfect for a healthy- lifestyle. Our weather is great, so you can walk or cycle just about anywhere. Yoga on the mountain or the beach is a great way to start the day.”
Louise’s favourites: As a family with a toddler, we love summer days visiting the beach pools towards the end of Bloubergstrand, fishnet in hand, searching for ocean treasures or building sandcastles. My husband is into fishing along the False Bay coast – nothing beats a fresh fish on the braai! Summer is also perfect Kite Surfing weather! And mom, loves quiet time jogging along the beachfront stopping for a coffee stop along the way. Another favourite (as is many others’) is a day outing to the winelands, with Babylonstoren, Boschendal and Spier farms providing ample running free space for little legs and treats for parents.
Amina’s favourites: “easy, beach visit, picnics all over Cape Town and exploring the art scene”
Casey’s favourites: exploring the city’s funky and family-friendly places; secret tidal pool parties, delving into the heart of Cape Town’s urban spirit to uncover the best for Timeless Africa Safaris guests.
Robin’s favourites: Hiking the mountain from Sandy Bay to the Shipwreck, food & wine pairing experiences in Franschhoek, cheese tasting in Paarl, trail run the Pipe Track starting at Table Mountain, early morning swim in Camps Bay Tidal pool, sunrise hike up Lion’s Head, Salt River Art and antique trail, visiting Babylonstoren Farm with a leisurely lunch and last, but not least, high teas on offer at a variety of stunning spots.
Abi’s favourites: Day out to Hermanus for lunch at Fick’s Pinchos & Wine Restaurant, followed by whale watching. Lunch at Fish on the Rocks and an afternoon chill at Hout Bay Market. Exploring our wonderful wine estates in and around Cape Town, then of course Sunday morning koeksisters and walks along the Sea Point promenade.
These awesome organisations have been doing amazing work during hard lockdowns and continue to help the needy