Adventure South Africa

Mountains, Wineries, and Penguins: Exploring Cape Town

Dec 08

bouldersbeachCape Town is a unique and beautifully situated city. The stunning scenery is really hard to describe; from the mountains to the beaches and the beautiful coastline.

There truly is something for everyone, whether you are craving adventure or just looking to chill out.

During my week stay, I tried to squeeze in as much sightseeing and as many activities as I possibly could. However, I still feel as though I only scratched the surface of all this city has to offer.

Hiking Lion’s Head

Lion’s Head is a mountain located between Table Mountain and Signal Hill. There are stunning views from the top, and the hike takes roughly an hour.

To be honest, the hike to the top was slightly more challenging than I had expected. I had read that it was “an unstrenuous hour long walk to the top”, so I was expecting a fairly level path that would require little exertion. However, it did get quite steep at times, and I had to use my legs and both hands to navigate up uneven rocks.

Regardless, it was absolutely worth the effort because the views from the top were amazing. And we were lucky enough to see a full rainbow as we were walking back down.capetown capetown2 IMG_2124 IMG_2125capetown3

Cape Peninsula Tour

Unfortunately, the weather was less than cooperative during my stay in Cape Town. Despite the heavy rainfall and flooding, we set out for a full day tour from the city to Cape Point and tried to make the best of the unpleasant weather.

The first stop was Hout Bay– a fishing village best known for the colony of Cape Fur Seals that congregate on nearby Duiker Island.
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SA8 SA9Afterwards, we made a quick stop at a look-out point near Muizenberg Beach and chatted with the Shark Spotters. They warn the people below with sirens and flags- each of which have a different threat level associated with the colour.

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SA10 SA11Our next stop was Boulder’s Beach to see the African Penguin Colony which inhabits the area. There are around 3,000 African Penguins that call Boulders Beach home, and you can get up close and personal with them here.bouldersbeach2 bouldersbeach bouldersbeach3Our last stop was the Cape of Good Hope. This nature reserve is a section of Table Mountain National Park and home to various species of plants and wildlife including, antelope, zebras, and ostrich.

There is a 1 kilometre uphill trail that leads to a lighthouse and look-out point with spectacular views. We braved the wind, rain, and fog and made it to the top to snap a few photos.

As we were leaving, we spotted some baboons- which are notoriously mischievous. We stopped to observe them at close range while safely inside the car with the windows shut.capeofgoodhope

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Camps Bay Beach

Located at the base of Table Mountain between Lion’s Head and the Twelve Apostles, Camps Bay is one of the most picturesque beaches that I’ve ever seen. The long stretch of white sand is lined with palm trees and the water is a lovely shade of blue. The area is bustling with activity, and across the street you will find various cafes, restaurants, and a shopping centre.

When we visited, it was extremely windy, so we weren’t able to relax and sunbathe on the beach like I had hoped. The sand was hitting our bare legs hard from the wind, so we just took a quick walk along the water and snapped some photos of the beautiful surroundings. It soon started to rain, so we ducked into a cafe across the street and had a hot beverage. We were hoping the weather would change for the better- but it didn’t- so we reluctantly left.

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Touring Wineries in Constantia

South African wine is world renowned and most people choose to tour Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, as these are the most well-known wineland regions in the country. However, we ultimately decided to tour the wineries of Constantia, which is only a 20 minute drive from the Cape Town city center. We hired a taxi driver to take us around for the day for only $30 each.

I didn’t know much about this region, but the wineries of Constantia took me by surprise and seriously impressed me. The entire day, every other word that came out of my mouth was “wow.” Each winery was more beautiful than the last- boasting gorgeous tasting rooms and stunning views of the surrounding mountains and vineyards. The wine was also excellent and very affordable, especially considering the quality.steenberg2

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The V&A Waterfront

SA6This is one of Cape Towns most popular spots with a mall, boutique shops, restaurants, museums, and a market- all set along Table Bay Harbour and the Atlantic Ocean. There are fabulous outdoor patios with great views of the harbour, lively pubs and nightlife, live music, and many other activities and events in the waterfront area. It’s the perfect spot for dinner or a drink, or to just walk around and soak up the atmosphere.

We ate out almost every night for dinner at the Waterfront and I was never once disappointed. In fact, the restaurants in Cape Town served some of the best meals I’ve ever had. Not only was the quality of food excellent, but the prices were remarkably affordable.

My favourite restaurant was Sevruga, where we had an amazing sushi feast and a ridiculously delicious blood orange coconut mojito. photoOther great restaurants in the area are Willoughby and Co., which has delicious Asian food, and Melissa’s Food Shop for fresh juices, smoothies, and other tasty and healthy options.

You might notice that a very famous Cape Town attraction is missing from list- Table Mountain. As I previously mentioned, I was pretty unlucky weather-wise during my visit to Cape Town. It rained nonstop the first day I arrived, there was heavy fog and rain on and off during my tour of the Cape Peninsula, it was too windy to enjoy Camps Bay Beach, and everytime I looked at the weather forecast for the top of Table Mountain it said closed- due to wind, rain, fog, or poor visibility. As luck would have it, the day I traveled from Cape Town to Gansbaai was a perfectly calm, sunny, and clear day, and it was one of the only days I didn’t have time for Table Mountain- of course. I’m still so disappointed that I wasn’t able to see the (supposedly) spectacular views from the top of Table Mountain, but I see it as just another excuse to return to Cape Town someday.

Have you been to Cape Town?

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