Why Cape Town?
Cape Town brings mountain, ocean, culture, food and history unusually close together. Begin the day on a mountain trail, swim in the ocean, taste wine in the Winelands and end the day overlooking the Atlantic.
A city built around a national park.
Within easy reach of the city are distinct mountain ranges, beaches, nature reserves, Cape Point, historic Robben Island, the Winelands and opportunities for wildlife, ocean and cultural experiences.
For active travellers it is close to ideal: the Table Mountain chain runs the length of the Peninsula, the Winelands mountains are forty minutes away, and the Overberg, Cederberg and Garden Route each open a different landscape within a day.
It is also a place that rewards slowing down. Long lunches on wine farms, ocean swims, markets and neighbourhoods with real stories are all part of the picture.
Seven reasons to make it your base.
- 01
Mountain and ocean in the same frame
Summit a mountain before breakfast and swim in the Atlantic before lunch. Nowhere else brings the two so close.
- 02
An extraordinary variety of trails
Sandstone ridgelines, coastal paths, indigenous forest and Winelands contours, most within an hour of the city.
- 03
Adventure throughout the year
A mild Mediterranean climate means good hiking and running in every season: dry summers, green winters, glorious shoulder months.
- 04
Food, wine and culture
World-class restaurants, historic neighbourhoods, Robben Island and the Winelands all sit beside the trails.
- 05
For first-timers and returning travellers
Icons for a first visit; quieter valleys, arches and peaks for those who have been before.
- 06
Strong tourism and medical infrastructure
Established mountain rescue, excellent private healthcare and a mature, professional tourism industry.
- 07
Easy access from the airport
Cape Town International is 20 minutes from the city centre and most trailheads are under an hour away.
Places we return to.
A short selection of the destinations that appear in our journeys.
Table Mountain National Park
A national park inside a city, from the City Bowl to Cape Point.
Cape Point
Cliffs, shipwreck beaches and the meeting of two oceans.
Stellenbosch & Franschhoek
Historic wine estates beneath serious hiking mountains.
Hermanus & Walker Bay
Land-based whale watching and the Cliff Path (June to November).
Boulders Beach
A colony of African penguins on a sheltered False Bay beach.
Private game reserves
Big Five safari within a few hours' drive of the city.
West Coast
Paternoster, spring flowers and long, empty beaches.
Garden Route
Forest, lagoon and coastline from Knysna to Plettenberg Bay.
See it the way locals do.
Tell us whether you are imagining a mountain-focused holiday, a supported trail-running challenge, a Cape Peninsula journey, time in the Winelands or a combination made entirely your own.