Cape Town Travel Guide

One of South Africa’s three capital cities, Cape Town is a cultural melting pot with a diverse population and a rich history. Travelers to the coastal city can make the most of its stunning natural setting—the omnipresent peak of Table Mountain is the biggest draw, while Cape Peninsula to the south offers miles of white sand beaches, ocean views, and surf-worthy waves. Cape Town’s many attractions are spread out over a large area, and guided tours with seamless transportation help visitors see multiple sights in one day. For those with more time to spend in the area, day trips take in the nearby Cape Winelands or Robben Island, and multi-day tours set out along the famous Garden Route. You’ll find a mix of options in our Cape Town travel guides below.

Table Mountain

The view from the 3,563-foot (1,086-meter) peak of Table Mountain—looking out over Cape Town, Table Bay, and the Cape Peninsula below—is as iconic as the mountain itself. Adventurous travelers can climb the peak on foot, but most opt to take the cable car, a scenic 5-minute ride. Wait times at one of Cape Town’s must-see sights can be over an hour at peak times, so skip-the-line tickets are a big plus, and many tours include hotel pickup and round-trip transfers too.

Table Mountain Skip-the-Line Ticket and Half-Day Private Chauffeur

Table Mountain and Cape Town Half-Day Trip

Table Mountain Hike in Cape Town

Table Mountain Bike Tour from Cape Town

Cape Winelands

The idyllic vineyards and historic wine estates of the Cape Winelands are less than an hour’s drive from Cape Town, and they produce some of South Africa’s most prestigious wines. Visiting as part of a guided tour means that guests can enjoy wine tasting without worrying about driving—South Africa’s strict drunk-driving rules are widely enforced—and visit multiple destinations in one day. Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl are the most popular wine-growing areas, and many tours on this Cape Town travel guide include lunch at a winery restaurant.

Robben Island

Marooned off the coast of Cape Town in Table Bay, Robben Island is notorious for its maximum security prison, where Nelson Mandela served the majority of his 27-year sentence during the apartheid era. The prison and grounds were turned into a living history museum in 1997. Tours typically include ferry rides to and from the island, as well as a guided bus tour of the island, which stops at the prison buildings, lime and bluestone quarries, military bunkers, and Nelson Mandela’s cell.

Robben Island and Cape Town full Day Tour from Cape Town

Robben Island, Table Mountain and Cape Town City Private Day Tour

Path to Freedom: Robben Island, District Six and Gugulethu Private Tour

Cape Peninsula

The southwestern tip of Africa, Cape Peninsula stretches south of Cape Town all the way to Cape Point. It’s a natural playground of sandy beaches, wildlife reserves, and dramatic coastal roads. Day tours from Cape Town typically include major points of interest such as Hout Bay, where boats set sail for Robben Island; Boulders Beach, famous for its colony of African penguins; the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve; and Chapman’s Peak Drive.

Cape Town Safaris

Any Cape Town travel guide would be incomplete without including a few safari adventures. Although Cape Town has unique urban flair, South Africa is home to natural beauty that should not be missed! Many safari adventures leave directly from Cape Town, and usually come in full-day or multi-day tour variety. Even those spending just a day or two in Cape Town should consider a safari option. 

6-Day Garden Route & Addo South African Adventure from Cape Town

For those who want a longer experience, consider this safari where travelers visit rugged Cape Agulhas, drink local beer and wine, hike in the beautiful Tsitsikamma National Park, canoe through Wilderness National Park and soak in the sun on the beaches of the southern coast before finishing with a safari at Addo Elephant National Park.