WE COMPILED A LIST OF OUR FAVOURITE DESTINATIONS IN AND AROUND CAPE TOWN. WE ALSO ADDED DISTANCE AND TRAVEL TIME FOR EACH DESTINATION TO SAVE YOU TIME.
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Easily the city's most recognizable landmark, Table Mountain towers over Cape Town just south of the city center. Having earned its name from its unique, flat-topped shape, the mountain is the most popular attraction found within Table Mountain National Park (which encompasses other top attractions like Boulders Beach and the Cape of Good Hope).
There are numerous ways to experience Table Mountain. Adventurous travelers can hike to the summit along one of the mountains numerous trails, although the region's fickle weather can turn an on-foot excursion into an unpleasant, muddy walk. Recent travelers strongly recommend using the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway instead. These suspended cable cars rotate 360 degrees, offering passengers spectacular views of the city and the ocean. According to one TripAdvisor user, "We had to queue for over an hour to get our tickets so recommend booking on-line. The cable car floor rotates so everyone get a chance to see the views."
Website: Table Mountain
Source: US News - Travel
Distance: 30 Km from Excellent Guest House
Home to over 8 000 living sea animals, this one-stop destination of all things aquatic is, unsurprisingly, one of Cape Town’s premier tourist destinations. The Penguin Experience is a highlight, as is the 10-metre-long transparent tunnel through the I&J Ocean Exhibit: a massive tank holding around 1.6 million litres of sea water where sea turtles, stingrays and other creatures dwell. Don’t miss the large ragged-tooth sharks and the mesmerising large-scale Kelp Forest Exhibit.
Good to know The denizens of the Aquarium’s many exhibits are fascinating at any time of day, but to see them at their most visceral, you’ll want to visit during feeding times.
Website: Two Oceans Aquarium
Source: Inside Guide
Distance: 30.7 Km form Excellent Guest House
The beautiful Helderberg Nature Reserve is located in Somerset West and stretches as far as the cliff faces of the Helderberg Mountain. There is so much to do and enjoy here. There s a plant herbarium, Guinea Gift Shop, an environmental education centre, a picnic area, children’s play area and jungle gym, as well as bird watching, hiking trails and walking trails. Keep your eye on their Facebook page for information on amazing guided hikes.
Website: Helderberg Nature Reserve
Source: Travel Cape Town
Distance: 40 Km from Excellent Guest House
Looming above Cape Town and the surrounding ocean like a sentinel, Lion’s Head is an iconic piece of the city’s wondrous topography. At 669 metres above sea level, its peak offers panoramic views of the city, Table Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, making it a wildly popular destination for hiking enthusiasts (and a top spot for Instagrammers).
Even though it’s a relatively short hike (a two- to three-hour round trip), it’s not to be underestimated. There is a fair amount of exposure, parts that involve rock-scrambling, and around halfway up the trail you have to scale some metal ladders and climbing chains (this section can be skipped by taking a slightly longer, roundabout route).
Hiking in a group is always encouraged and, with an expert guide, it’s the most safe and enjoyable option.
Website: Hike Lion's Head
Source: Inside Guide
Distance: 30.5 Km from Excellent Guest House
Skirting the western edge of Table Mountain is Camps Bay, a vast stretch of soft sand flanked by cute cafés and bustling bars. Like Clifton Beach, the Atlantic waves lapping this stretch of shoreline are too cold for swimming, but Camps Bay's non-windy climate and family-friendly atmosphere make this a great spot to soak up the sun and enjoy the outdoors. Also, the beach-side restaurants provide a great atmosphere for evening cocktails and people-watching. According to one TripAdvisor user, "The beach is truly beautiful and very close to many superb restaurants. Sipping cocktails while watching the sun set is amazing on this beach."
Camps Bay sits just south of Clifton Beach and is accessible by car from central Cape Town via Victoria Road (the M6 highway) or Camps Bay Drive (the M62 highway). You can visit the beach at any time, day or night, for no fee. For more information on Camps Bay, check out the Cape Town Tourism website.
Website: Camps Bay Beach
Source: US News - Travel
Distance: 30.3 Km from Excellent Guest House
On False Bay, this stunning beach earned its name from the massive boulders that lay scattered across the sands and separate the shoreline into peaceful, private coves. Swimming here is more inviting than it is at Clifton or Camps Bay: The waters of False Bay are enviably warmer than the Atlantic's waves. But as great as the scenery and swimming may be, the main reason to visit Boulders Beach is to get to know the locals: This beach is home to an ever-expanding colony of African Penguins. You'll see these tuxedoed sunbathers teetering around the sand. Although they have grown accustomed to human company, please do your best not to disturb them.
Recent visitors love getting up-close and personal with the penguins. According to one TripAdvisor user, "The penguins were everywhere! They didn't seem to mind if you got pretty close to them to take a picture."
Website: Penguins Boulders Beach
Source: US News - Travel
Distance: 55 Km or about 1 hour drive from Excellent Guest House
If you like good coffee served in a gritty and industrialised environment, then Truth Coffee is the ideal Cape Town coffee shop for you. Walking into Truth Coffee feels like you’re walking into a Victorian futuristic fantasy: steam punk lovers will be in awe of the well thought of décor. More important than the interior though is the incredible coffee: strong, hot and full of flavour.
Website: Thruth Coffee Shop
Source: Travel Cape Town
Distance: 25 Km about 23 min drive drive from Excellent Guest House
Sitting near the heart of the city at the foot of Signal Hill (one of Cape Town's most easily recognizable mountains), this vibrant neighbourhood houses Cape Town's Muslim community. Bo-Kaap is truly a treat for the eyes, characterized by its brightly coloured houses and fascinating community. The residents of Bo-Kaap are the descendants of "Cape Malays," slaves brought by Dutch settlers from Malaysia, Indonesia, and numerous African countries. To learn more about the origins of this neighbourhood’s residents, visit the Bo-Kaap Museum, which occupies the area's oldest building. For 10 ZAR (a little over $1 USD), visitors can explore this small yet fascinating museum between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Recent visitors say that a visit to Bo-Kaap is worth it for the photo ops. But according to one TripAdvisor user, "Bo-Kaap is good to see because of the colourful houses and the diverse feeling of the place. However, there isn't much to do here."
Website: The Culture Trip
Source: US News - Travel
Distance: 25 Km about 25 min drive drive from Excellent Guest House
Sitting several miles off the coast of Cape Town's V&A Waterfront, Robben Island stands as a reminder of South Africa's troubled history. Since the city was founded back in the 17th century, this UNESCO World Heritage Site has acted as a military base, a home for a leper colony, a mental institution, and, most famously, a prison. It was on this fairly desolate land mass that Nelson Mandela, militant anti-apartheid activist and former president of South Africa, was held captive. Today, Robben Island houses a fascinating museum detailing the history of the island and offering tours led by former inmates of the former prison, including Mandela's cell. The guides convey first-hand accounts of what the island used to be like.
To get to Robben Island, you will have to take a ferry from the Nelson Mandela Gateway, located at the V&A Waterfront. To learn more, visit the Robben Island website.
Website: Robben Island
Source: US News - Travel
Distance: 26 Km about 25 min drive drive from Excellent Guest House
This star-shaped fortress at the heart of Cape Town is the oldest surviving building in South Africa. Constructed in the late 17th century by the Dutch East India Company, the Castle of Good Hope acted as the center of colonial Cape Town's administration and armed forces. While it's still the region's military stronghold, the Castle of Good Hope also houses a several museums. Guided tours are offered both on foot and by horse-drawn carriage. If you can, try to plan your visit around the Key Ceremony, which is marked by the firing of the Signal Cannon.
One TripAdvisor user says that the Castle of Good Hope is a great activity if you're traveling as a family. "Bring the kids to see the changing of the guards. Not Buckingham Palace […] but it has a charm of its own."
Website: Castle of Good Hope
Source: US News - Travel
Distance: 24 Km about 25 min drive drive from Excellent Guest House
The beautiful Polkadraai strawberry farm is located in Stellenbosch. Strawberry-picking is between September and January. Take a stroll through rows and rows of fruit beds with family or friends, and pick strawberries to your heart’s content! There are other kiddies’ activities to do and enjoy here. There’s face painting, pony rides, and a playground.
Website: Polkadraai Farm
Source: Travel Cape Town
Distance: 14 Km about 20 min drive drive from Excellent Guest House
The vessel is custom-built with a capacity for 22 passengers and comes with a 100% safety record. The cage holds five people at a time, ensuring you get a good view of life beneath the waters surrounding Dyer Island. The great white sharks are seen throughout the year due to the large population of Cape fur seals, numbering around 30 000.
Because the sharks are surface feeders, everything takes place just below the waves, ensuring you won’t miss a thing. The company is also heavily involved in conservation efforts such as the Gansbaai Pilot Project.
Website: Shark Cage Diving
Source: Travel Cape Town
Distance: 158 Km about 2 hours 15 min drive drive from Excellent Guest House
With a variety of set scenic flights for you to choose from, each of which will reveal magical and hidden vistas only visible from a helicopter. The bird’s eye-view of Robben Island and Table Mountain, will remain forever vivid and clear in your memory. Alternatively, we can transfer you to your dream destination – be it to your safari camp, the champion golf course of your choice, shark cage diving in Gansbaai or wine tasting in the Cape Winelands.
Website: NAC Helicopters Cape Town
Source: Travel Cape Town
Distance: 26 Km about 25 min drive drive from Excellent Guest House
The Ceres Zip Slide Tour offers 8 slides, totalling a length of 1.4km and is one of the best zipline tours in Africa. The amazing rock formations and river form a perfect backdrop to a fun-, adrenaline-filled adventure! The surrounding Skurweberg Mountains form a picturesque backdrop to your journey.
You will be kitted up in a full body harness with state of the art equipment and then two fully trained guides will take you on the zipline tour into the mountain. Price includes a drink during and after the tour.
A short walk takes you to the departure point at the first slide, from where the breath-taking view reaches over the town of Ceres and across the Ceres Valley. This is where the fun starts.
The slides vary in lengths from 100 meters to 291 meters! The highest point above the ground is 40 meters. The duration of the tour is group size dependant.
The Ceres Zip Slide Tour operates in all weather, there are no group size limits and children ages 3+ can take part in this amazing adventure.
Website: Ceres Adventures
Source: Travel Cape Town
Distance: 119 Km about 1 hour and 20 min drive drive from Excellent Guest House
Experience a unique and leisurely way to see the Franschhoek Valley as you journey through rolling vineyards in a double-decker tram and open-air tram-bus stopping at some of South Africa’s oldest and most distinguished wine estates.
This combination of tram and bus transports passengers around a loop of stops allowing you to hop off and experience activities like wine tastings, cellar tours, lunch or simply a stroll through the vineyards. Franschhoek Wine Tram offers eight hop-on hop-off tours giving passengers a variety of wines, views and experiences to enjoy. Each tour is colour coded to make it easy to choose and follow. The tour takes passengers right into the heart of the Franschhoek Valley, with a narration focusing on the history of Franschhoek and wine cultivation in the valley and unparalleled views of the valley and vineyards.
In addition to the hop-on hop-off tour, a curated wine experience is also available to passengers who wish to spend more time to learn more about local grape varieties, cultivars and aspects of viticulture. The curated tour includes a lunch, wine tastings and a wine pairing.
Website: Franschhoek Wine Bus
Source: Franschhoek Wine Tram
Distance: 55 Km about 44 min drive drive from Excellent Guest House
The Best Things To Do in Cape Town: Sandboarding and Quadbiking
Ride like the wind, and experience the silence and solitude of the West Coast sand dunes. Just 45 minutes to an hour outside of Cape Town, Atlantis Dunes Field is an endless beach, best enjoyed on a sandboard or quad-bike. Your instructor will pick you up from the City Bowl, transport you to the sand dunes, where you’ll be given a basic overview about balance and safety. With just a little instruction, you’ll be sandboarding in no time.
Then, if you’re up for it, hop aboard a high-powered quad-bike and snake your way around the dunes. Rookies and pros are all welcome.
Website: Cape Xtreme
Source: Inside Guide
Distance: 25 Km about 25 min drive (to pick up point) from Excellent Guest House
A unique, amazing and beautiful way to experience the cape coastline - with our guided Kayak Tour - let us take you on a scenic excursion that you won't forget!
This is one of the most unique places in the world – a penguin colony in suburban Cape Town! And the best way to see it is from the water safe in our kayaks. We leave from Simon’s Town Waterfront and paddle past the civilian and Naval Harbor and out to Boulder’s Beach. After visiting the penguins we stop on a lovely semi-private beach for refreshments, swimming and snorkeling (we provide the snorkels and bottled drinking water). Our double kayaks are very stable and perfect for sea kayaking and for those with no paddling experience. By far our most popular trip. An ideal travel adventure.
Website: Cape Xtreme
Source: Cape Xtreme
Distance: 25 Km about 25 min drive (to pick up point) from Excellent Guest House
When Visiting Our Modern Brewery Or Tasting One Of Our Fine Craft Beers, Even The Most Casual Observer Will Recognise That We Not Only Live, But Celebrate Beer.
Website: Cape Brewing
Distance: 37 Km about 30 min drive from Excellent Guest House
Inspired by Victorian-era railway stations (think: elaborate metal archways with overhanging bridges and lanterns), the steampunk-themed market in Elgin makes for a wonderful day outing, made all the more exciting on a steam train!
Visitors can experience the grandeur of a bygone era, by hopping aboard a locomotive as it chugs through rolling hills and apple orchards before pulling up alongside the bustling station platform in Elgin.
Passengers may then disembark, and enjoy a cornucopia of food, drink and craft stalls to the sound of live music.
Website: Ceres Rail
Source: Travel Cape Town
Distance: 24 Km about 21 min drive from Excellent Guest House
This is a 40 minute cruise from Hout Bay harbour to Duiker Island, the Seal Colony beneath the well known Sentinel Mountain where you can view thousands of Cape Fur Seals in their natural enviroment.
Website: Drum Beat Charters
Source: Cape Point Route
Distance: 24 Km about 21 min drive from Excellent Guest House