See South Africa's Most Traveled City in 6 days
Cape Town is where dreams are made – total pinch me moments from sun up to sun down! From the coast to the mountainous inlands, we loved every moment in this beautiful place. The incredible people, lively culture, delicious food, and hikes with breathtaking views left us wanting more. South Africa stole a piece of our hearts and will forever be a place we yearn to return! This is a must do in your lifetime!
Cape Town Itinerary Cliff Notes
- Hike Table Mountain via Platteklip Gorge Trail
- Sunrise hike up Lion’s Head
- Get a selfie with an african penguin at Boulder’s Beach
- Paraglide off of Lion’s Head
- Experience incredible sunsets in Camps Bay & on Signal Hill
- Drive Chapman’s Peak Coastal Highway
Itinerary At-A-Glance
Flight/Check In
Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront
Dinner @ Quay 4
Hike Lion’s Head at Sunrise
Breakfast at Onyx
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Muizenberg Beach
Lunch at Tiger’s Milk
Sunset at Camp’s Bay
Boulder’s Beach Penguin Colony
Cape of Good Hope
Sunset on Signal Hill/Lion’s Head
Dinner at V&A Waterfront
Checkout Downtown / Check In Camps Bay
Paraglide off Lion’s Head
Camps Bay Beach
Clifton Beach
Bo Kaap
Sunrise Table Mountain Hike via Platteklip Gorge Trail
Chapman’s Peak Drive
Lunch at Hussar Grill
Sunset on Signal Hill
Dinner at Codfather’s
Check out + Add Franschhoek or an African Safari to your itinerary!
Day 1: Explore Cape Town & Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront
After a long flight, plan to spend your first day in Cape Town getting acclimated to the city. For the late afternoon and dinner, drive or Uber (more about how to stay safe in Cape Town later) to the Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront. You will find shops, restaurants, live music, and a beautiful waterway you can walk around. This is a great place to get “the feel” of Cape Town as it is well-lit, has lots of tourists, and you can enjoy your first night in Cape Town under the stars.
There are a dozen restaurants to choose from at the V&A Waterfront, but beware that several require reservations. We ate at Quay 4 which is a more casual option on the water and does not require reservations. Even with a spectacular view and setting like Quay 4 and all restaurants in the V&A Waterfront, you will be shocked/surprised at how affordable all food it. After you have enjoyed the area, get a taxi, Uber or drive back to your hotel and rest up!
Day 2 (am): Lion's Head Hike, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Side note: You will want to keep your eye on Table Mountain. If you wake up and there are not clouds rolling over it, prioritize the Table Mountain hike via Platteklip Gorge or the gondola ride. For purposes of this itinerary, we recommend the ideal day to hike it is later in your trip, but make sure you take advantage when it is cloudless.
On your first day in Cape Town, plan to complete the Lion’s Head hike at sunrise. This 8 mile round trip, intermediate hike will take you about 3-4 hours to complete. The first 75% of the hike is doable for almost any level of hiker, but the last 25% is a lot of rock scrambling and requires being on all fours! (For perspective, the weekend we hiked Lions Head was the weekend of Tim Tebow’s wedding. Believe it or not his college football coach, Urban Meyer, was in Cape Town and hiked it the same time we did. He wasn’t able to complete the last fourth of the hike and had to wait on his wife and friends to finish and come back).
Arrive at the trailhead parking lot at daybreak (coordinates) and park in the small lot across the street or up the side of the road if the lot is full and walk to the trailhead. This trail is highly trafficked and the parking lot is small, so don’t fret if it is full when you get there. You will see a lot of hikers arriving around this time as it is a popular hike, so follow their lead on parking up Signal Hill.
When you begin the hike, you will immediately catch incredible 360-degree views of Cape Town & Camps Bay. The trail will wind round and round to the top of the mountain. The last ¼ mile of the hike is strenuous and involves rock scrambling and ladder climbing, so take your time and conserve your energy while enjoying the beautiful views.
Once at the top, you will be absolutely amazed with the incredible views all around Cape Town. You will have the perfect vantage point of Table Mountain, downtown Cape Town, Signal Hill, Camps Bay, and the surrounding Cape Town area. Go ahead and get hydrated while at the top, you will be craving that water and enjoy all the spots for incredible pictures before beginning your decent back down.
What a way to start a day! When you get back down from hiking Lion’s Head, head back to your hotel for breakfast and enjoy reliving and reminiscing on all the adventure of the morning’s hike. You will find yourself talking about it for weeks to come!
Hop in the shower, freshen up and head to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens located 13 kilometers outside Cape Town. For the next hour or two, enjoy the beautiful gardens and walkways. The gardens have a $5 per person entrance fee that is more than worth it for an afternoon surrounded by the beauty of the Cape Town mountainous landscape and beautifully bloomed flowers.
Day 2 (pm): Muzienberg Beach, Camps Bay Sunset
From the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, get in your rental car and drive 20 minutes to Muzienberg Beach. This beach brings thousands of tourists every year to take pictures of the colorful beach huts and to watch surfers catching big waves. Do not expect the same beautiful turquoise water you will find in Camps Bay, but do enjoy a different vibe and famous attraction while in Cape Town. There is ample parking at the beach area along with shops and restaurants to enjoy.
After you enjoy beach entertainment, walk across the street from Muizenberg Beach to Tiger’s Milk for a late lunch. This trendy bar/restaurant has great food and a great atmosphere and also has a franchise in Camps Bay.
After lunch, it will be mid afternoon, so drive back toward Cape Town to Camps Bay for the rest of the afternoon and to catch what will be your favorite sunset view in the world.
The same beautiful beach area you gazed from the birds eye view of your Lion’s Head hike is where you will enjoy this magnificent sunset. The Camps Bay area is a 15 drive from downtown Cape Town and a location that you will love the most while visiting this South African area. Drive the coastline through Camps Bay toward the Twelve Apostle mountains where you will find many pull off areas to park your rental car and enjoy the sunset. Enjoy the most incredible view of the sun setting over the ocean on one side and a beautiful skyline of the Twelve Apostle mountains behind you.
Day 3 (am): Boulder's Beach Penguin Colony
Today is penguin day, one of our very favorite Cape Town adventures! Make sure you get an early start this morning on your 40 minute drive to the Boulder’s Beach Penguin Colony. This attraction opens at either 7am or 8am depending on the time of year.
After purchasing your ticket at the counter, you will first walk through the museum and out to a walkway that leads you to the beach. The walkway has rails and will prevent you from getting down on the beach with the penguins, however, this will be a great spot to take pictures of hundreds of penguins playing on the beach and swimming in the ocean.
When you finish in the museum and gift shop, walk out of the front door (where the ticket counter is) and take a left turn down the wooden walkway. Follow this path down to Boulder’s Beach where you will be able to show your entry ticket from the museum and access the beach where you will be able to play alongside these tuxedo donning birds.
You can hang out for hours here swimming in the ocean, climbing on the boulders that sit in the crystal clear water, and snap photos of penguins within feet of you!
(Pro tip: the more crowded the beach gets, the less active and accessible the penguins are, so arrive early and go straight to the beach area that you can interact with the penguins directly (the wooden path to the right before you enter the gate – but make sure to buy your ticket first, you will need it to get on the actual beach). Then come back to the museum and the main penguin viewing area (you are not able to get on the actual beach in this part, so the penguins stay there, safe, regardless of how many people are watching them from the walkway).
Day 3 (pm): Cape of Good Hope, Signal Hill Sunset
When you finish playing with the penguins at Boulder’s Beach, drive to the Cape of Good Hope. This famous attraction will be an additional 30min drive from Boulder’s Beach, but is a great day to visit since you have already driven so far south in the same direction. If you do not combine Boulder’s Beach & Cape of Good Hope, the Cape will be about 1hr and 20min drive from Cape Town.
The Cape of Good Hope has so many attractions. You could easily spend an entire day here seeing all that the park has to offer. We recommend hitting the high points first and then using whatever time you have left to roam the park as you see fit.
Our favorite stops in the park was:
- The Most Southwestern Point of Africa: Complete with a sign perfectly positioned for a photograph
- The Lighthouse: You will find parking, a small restaurant, trails, and beach access here as well. You can also walk up to the lighthouse (0.25mi steep hike) or take a funicular for a small fee.
I will warn you, the baboons are not nice here or really anywhere in South Africa, so beware! Be cautious and do not carry food or drink in your hand or they will come for you – take this as your warning! I had to be saved by a park ranger (see photo above of the gracious park ranger that saved my life).
Once you have explored all that you care to explore at the Cape of Good Hope, begin the drive back to Cape Town (1 hour and 20 minutes) and relax before sunset and dinner. Drive to Signal Hill for another incredible Cape Town sunset (where you climbed Lion’s Head). You will find a large parking lot making it easy to get the view in the sunset picture above- absolutely stunning!
After the sunset, enjoy dinner at the V&A Waterfront.
Day 4 (am): Lion's Head Paragliding
On day four, switch it up and move to a hotel in Camps Bay if you started in downtown like we did. We highly recommend Houghton View 13 (more details below!).
Start the morning with a paragliding flight off of Lion’s Head / Signal Hill. The late morning flights will offer the best sunlight that hit Lion’s Head just right. The paragliding flight is amazing and exhilarating as you fly tandem with your guide. You land on the beach area below and the paragliding company will drive you back to your car on Signal Hill.
Day 4 (pm): Clifton Beach, Camps Bay Beach, Bo Kaap
Once your paragliding flight is complete, drive towards Camp’s Bay to enjoy some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Start with Clifton Beach which has beautiful white sand and large boulders out in the water. This beach requires you to take a long staircase down to the beach area but is well worth the steps back up. There is roadside parking along the beach area, so grab a spot anywhere you can find it.
After Clifton Beach, drive to Camps Bay Beach (less than a 5 minute drive) right down the street. This beach is easily accessible and right across from a strip of restaurants and shops. The beach has white sand, crystal blue waters, large boulders to climb on the beach and an incredible view of the Twelve Apostles in the distance. This beach was our favorite!
For lunch, walk across the street where you will find many great beachside restaurants ranging from burgers, to Italian, to seafood!
During the late afternoon, drive to Bo Kaap (15 minutes outside Cape Town) to see the famous colorful houses. In the middle the city, this residential area is well known for the many streets filled with bright, colorful houses. The main street of Bo Kaap gets busy and has a lot of beggars, so avoid it to get better views with less congestion on one of the side streets. Read here to find the best picture spot in Bo Kaap!
Day 5 (am): Table Mountain Hike via Platteklip Gorge Trail
On your last full day in Cape Town, brave the Table Mountain hike via Platteklip Gorge Trail at sunrise. Wake up and drive to the base of Table Mountain and the parking lot at the start of the Platteklip Gorge Trailhead. The parking lot will be shortly after you pass the gondola ride ticket booth / entrance.
This hike is challenging, but I promise that hiking Table Mountain will be one of the most fulfilling hikes of your lifetime and WORTH THE CLIMB. Make as many stops as you need on the way up and back down.
The trail is a 3.5mi roundtrip hike with 2800 feet elevation gain to the top. You should plan for the full hike to take 2-3 hours to complete including spending time at the top. See my apple watch photo at the bottom, I burned 1200 active calories on this hike!
Once you make it to the top, you will find a large, flat mountain to walk around and enjoy the views from all sides of Table Mountain. On clear days, there is a small snack bar that also has drinks at the top so you can enjoy some coffee while taking in the views at the most iconic landmark in South Africa.
Side Note: If you are not up for the hike, there is a gondola ride that will take you up and back. Keep your eye on weather conditions as the gondola can shut down for high winds or periods of wind gusts. Here is the website if you want to purchase gondola tickets ahead of time (which we recommend).
Day 5 (pm): Chapman's Peak Drive
After your hike, it will be mid-morning and you will be ready for a big breakfast! Drive back to Camps Bay beach to have breakfast looking out over the beautiful blue waters.
After refueling, shower at your accommodations, and plan to enjoy the Chapman’s Peak Drive in the afternoon. This 9 kilometer drive is one of the world’s most beautiful coastal drives full of beautiful views with plenty of parking areas to pull off and snap photos of the beautiful scenery. There is a small fee at the start of the drive that fluctuates in price throughout the year (<$20). Check here for any road closings or pertinent information about Chapman’s Peak Drive ahead of time!
On the drive back, stop at Hussar Grill for one of the most delicious steaks you will ever eat. There are two locations pending what way you drive back to Cape Town, so choose the one that makes the most sense for your route.
Spend the rest of your afternoon in Camps Bay before watching the sunset on Signal Hill or in Camps Bay. For dinner, make a reservation for some of the most fresh and delicious seafood at Codfather’s. Their unique eating experience includes the opportunity to enjoy fine dining while also picking out your fresh seafood and sushi with the chefs before it being cooked practically in front of you. We highly recommend this restaurant and the dining experience!
Day 6: Check out & go to Franschhoek or African Safari!
Sadly, it is time to close this chapter of your epic vacation in Cape Town. If you are like us, you will already be trying to rationalize how quickly you can return in the future!
If you want to make the most of your time in South Africa, add on an African Safari in Kruger National Park (Itinerary Here!) and/or time in Franschhoek, South Africa’s beautiful wine country (Itinerary here!).
Where to stay in Cape Town...
We recommend staying in Camps Bay your entire time in Cape Town. We chose to split our time downtown and in Camps Bay so that we could review both for you!
- Houghton View 13 Apartments BLEW US AWAY. We stayed in the Penthouse Suite. The outdoor terrace, hot tub, and views of Camp’s Bay and Lion’s Head were out of this world. Click here to see all of their accommodation options. The location was great; remote enough to avoid the city & crowds, but close enough to get to town in 3-5 minute drive. We cannot rate this place high enough!
- The Onyx Hotel was also great and so was their breakfast & customer service! The views of Table Mountain were beautiful and it was a nice and safe location downtown Cape Town if you choose to stay in the city.
Tips/Need to Knows
- Weather: Cape Town is surrounded by water, and with that comes unpredictable weather. Bring layers with you wherever you go and expect wind and changes in climate quickly.
- Table Mountain Hike / Gondola Ride: Keep your eye on the weather and adjust your schedule to go to Table Mountain on a pretty day. If you wake up and there is not a cloud blanket covering the mountain, go hike it! You are not guaranteed to see Table Mountain without the cloud blanket, so take advantage if available.
- Paragliding: This is a weather dependent activity, so if this is important to you, then book this early in the trip so you have a lot of opportunities to reschedule if the weather causes your flight to be cancelled.
- Safety: Be smart and always be aware of your surroundings. Do not walk or go anywhere alone, especially at night. Plan to take uber’s anytime you are concerned about parking or how late you will be somewhere. When traveling on the outskirts of Cape Town, notice “Smash & Grab” hotspot signs and be aware. This means this is a spot where locals have been known to knock a backseat window out, grab what is inside and run. Overall, we never felt threatened while here, however, we did stay conscious of our surroundings always and kept ourselves out of dangerous situations.
