Cape Town Attractions and Activities

Cape Town; Table Mountain (Table Mountain), Signal Hill (Signal Peak), Chapman’s Peak, Kirstenbosch, A unique city with numerous hiking and climbing routes such as >Silvermine. If you don’t have the opportunity to complete all the routes in one go like us, if you intend to choose the most special one and if you want to be one of the 200,000 people climbing every year, your first choice can be Lion’s Head.. You have the opportunity to watch the city 360° after looking at Cape Peninsula and Robben Island from afar on this hill, which you climb around the rock.. Ideal for sunset and sunrise, the most popular time of this route is the full moon, a Cape Town ritual.

In the heart of the city, Table Mountain and Located between >Signal Hill, this natural wonder is named “Lion’s Head” because the protrusion on one side resembles a male lion’s head.. (Of course, the British couldn’t help calling this hill “King James His Mount” during the colonial period.) It is said that the last lion was shot down in 1802, on the hill where the lions were once indeed located.. Nowadays, it’s a place where you can see a lot of local wild chickens.

Our Lion’s Head experience was a bit of a disappointment.. Since we went in August in winter, we decided to try our luck and climb on a stormy day.. Although all the blogs I read wrote that a very large crowd was climbing, and that you sometimes had to wait in line in the section with the chain, we encountered only 5 people along the way while we were going, and they had turned.. When we started to approach the hill, the storm increased in intensity and we became unable to stand.. Since there was no one to turn to in case of danger, we didn’t take the risk and came back before we reached the top.

Things to Consider While Going to Lion’s Head

• Wearing non-slip sneakers and comfortable clothes
• Taking enough water and food with you
• Not feeding any living thing you come across
• Not throwing away any waste, even organic (Watch out for fruit scraps in particular!)
• Downloading the “Gateway Guide” before you go

How to Get to Lion’s Head?

– You can reach the city center in about 10 minutes by Uber. We went from our hostel on Loop Street by paying 35 ZAR (9.5 TL).. Remember to have an internet connection on your phone to use Uber again on your way back.

– Cape Town’s city bus, Myciti Bus (numbers 106 and 107), passes by a stop near here: the top of Kloof Nek Street. You have to walk for a while after landing here.. Let me remind you that these buses do not pass very often, so the most comfortable alternative to reach here is the car.. If you want to use the bus, you can check the current information here.

• Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden / Cape Town Attractions

The first in the world botanical garden Kirstenbosch is still one of the largest botanical gardens today. It is possible to see hundreds of plant varieties special to the south of Africa. Besides, the different types of birds, especially owls, roaming among the trees are quite interesting.. “What should I do when I see a flower in a fictional area when there are so many activities to do in Cape Town?” I was thinking, but in a rainy and stormy weather, when all our plans fell into the water, we took our breath away here.. Good thing we got it! There were only a few people in the botanical garden, which is an indispensable area for a picnic on a sunny day.

The most impressive place of the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden is the 130-meter-long Tree Canopy Walkway.. It is also called “Boomslang”, which is a type of snake, because of its similarity to the snake in its shape.. This walking path, where you can look down on the botanical garden, is like a tunnel that enters the greenery.. Kirstenbosch Un a day of summer concerts. There are Sunday concerts every year between November and April in the vast grassy area like Ayder Plateau.. If you go in mid-December, you can attend concerts where Christmas carols are sung accompanied by candles.

Entry Fee: 60 ZAR (16 TL)

Visit Hours: 08.00-18.00 (Apr-Agu) / 08.00-19.00 (Sep-Mar)

How to Get to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

The “Mini Peninsula” route of the Hop on Hop Off buses that I mentioned in the

Cape Town Travel Guide article also covers this place.. If you do not have a car, you can come by using these buses.. There is free guide service at 10:00 and 14:00 every day of the week except Sunday, there is also an additional 11:00 on Tuesdays.. If you arrive during these hours, you can visit the whole park in 90 minutes with the guide and learn more about the plant species.. Finally, I have a little advice: Although it is said that every season is beautiful, we did not have the chance to see the flowers and fruits of most of the trees mentioned by our guide during our trip, as we went in the winter season.. I think you can have a lot more fun in the spring.

• Table Mountain / Cape Town Places to Visit

Every city has a “must have” ” there is, in Cape Town this is definitely climbing Table Mountain. Chosen as one of the 7 New Natural Wonders of the World, this interesting mountain takes its name from its top that looks as flat as a table.. The clouds, which are not missing from the top in all seasons, are called “table cloth”.. The mountain, with hundreds of endemic plant species, is also a protected national park.. There are 2 alternatives to climb to the top of this natural wonder: cable car or climbing.. Climbing here was one of our biggest dreams, but as I have often said, the weather did not smile on us during our trip and the storm was never missing.

Table Mountain where about 10 people lost their lives every year. Since we know that instant weather changes are among the causes of death in death, instead of taking the risk of climbing an unknown mountain with a storm (as we live in Lion’s Head, we do not want to turn halfway) at a time when the clouds disperse for 2-3 hours. We took our breath at the entrance of Table Mountain and took the cable car.. When you come here; It would be a good idea to keep in mind that the hill is always windy and cool, the ground can be wet even in dry weather, and people dies while taking selfies.

Cable Car Fee:One Way 135 ZAR(36 TL) ), Two Way 255 ZAR (69 TL)

Working Hours: 08.30-18.00

How to Get to Table Mountain?

The “City Tour to Table Mountain” route of the Hop on Hop off buses comes here. MyCiti also has bus number 110, but you have to come by transfer as it does not pass through the city center.. If you are coming from the city center, you can also use Uber.

• Hout Bay (Hout Bay) / Cape Town Attractions

Hout Bay, just one of Cape Town‘s dozens of bays with stunning ocean views. Hout means “wood” in Dutch. Since every building in this region is made of wood, the bay also took this name.. If you want to perform one of the Cape Town rituals, you can watch the calm waves coming from the ocean caress the velvet beaches, accompanied by the cries of seagulls while you eat fish&chips from the restaurants around Hout Harbor, the oldest port of the city.. If the weather is suitable, it may be a good idea to join the people swimming in the sea.. If you are not a victim of the storm like us, you can hop on one of the boats going to Duiker Island (also called Seal Island) and have the opportunity to see hundreds of seals in their natural environment.

Hout Bay How to get to ?

The “mini peninsula” route of Hop on Hop off buses passes through this stop. But my advice is to cross Chapman’s Peak Road while you’re here, and you need to arrange a vehicle for it.. Details are in Chapman’s Peak Drive at the end of the article.

• Camps Bay (Camps Bay) / Cape Town Attractions

Cape Town , a city that can make you fall in love with itself without having to do anything, even with just a beach tour. Offering a visual feast with palm trees and giant cliffs, Camps Bay does not change the fact that it is a dangerous area, although it is frequented by wave surfers.. Cliffs and unpredictable sharks are always a threat.. At times the wavelength is said to reach the height of a 10-story building.. It was not in our plan to come here, but as the advantage of the stormy day, we could not resist the huge waves we saw on the beach and threw ourselves off the bus.. Turns out I’ve never seen such a big wave before. “The wave is coming, let’s run! The moon is wet—we’re not.”

How to Get to Camps Bay?

The “Mini Peninsula” and “City Tour to Table Mountain” routes of Hop on Hop off buses passing by the stop. You can also use MyCiti’s buses 106,107,108.

• V&A Waterfront / Cape Town Attractions

The Victoria & Alfred (V&A) Waterfront, a former harbor in one of Cape Town‘s most cosmopolitan areas. The first time I saw it, it somehow reminded me of Port Vell in Barcelona. At this point where the heart of the city beats, there are hundreds of boutique shops, museums that can appeal to both children and adults, and restaurants that offer countless tastes from world cuisine.. There is such a colorful and vibrant crowd that you may be surprised which way to look.. The interesting products in the stores are at a level that will satisfy the shopping sprees.

When you come to the V&A Waterfront, you can participate in various activities or just walk around with an involuntary smile on your face.. Robben Island cruise, canal or harbor boat tour, Cape Wheel ride, Two Oceans Aquarium visit and helicopter tour are among the activities you can do when you come here.. Since it was included in the Hop on Hop off bus ticket we bought, we got on the Cape Wheel and also toured the harbor.. It was a very enjoyable activity as we saw a lot of seals both in the water and on the shore while we were in the harbor.. But frankly, I found Cape Wheel a bit unnecessary.

How to Get to V&A Waterfront?

Hop on Hop off buses “City Tour to Table Mountain” and “Mini Peninsula” ” their route passes through this stop. You can also use MyCiti’s buses T01 and 104.

• Bo-Kaap / Cape Town Attractions

Each one is separate Known for its colorfully painted houses, Bo-Kaap is a Muslim neighborhood in Cape Town. There is a grocery store inside, where you are greeted as “Selam-ün Aleyküm”, which revives my childhood memories.. Before I left, I thought that these colorful houses consisted of 1-2 streets, I was quite surprised when I saw the whole neighborhood.

During the apartheid regime, there were 2. Blacks aren’t the only group treated as class citizens. All ethnic groups other than European whites were condemned to live under strict rules; This includes Muslims living in Bo-Kaap. There are different theories about the colorfulness of an entire neighborhood.. The theory that I find most interesting is that with the abolition of the apartheid regime, everyone painted their house a different color, as they had the freedom to paint their houses which were previously required to be white.. The most realistic theory, in my opinion, is this: After gaining their freedom, each household has to take care of its own house; due to financial inadequacies, whoever finds the cheapest paint paints his house with it; The result is a colorful neighborhood.

How to Get to Bo-Kaap?

Bo-Kaap is already a neighborhood in the center of the city. Walking distance to Long Street. It is also very close to the main stop of the Hop on Hop off buses, which means every route passes through here.. After walking here to the fullest, you can stop by the market at Greenmarket Square right next to it and have a look at handmade local souvenirs.

• Signal Hill / Places to Visit in Cape Town

The first place that comes to mind for a delicious sunset in Cape Town is the place where the ball is fired at exactly 12:00 noon every day except Sunday. >Signal Hill. The hill at the end of Lion’s Head is slightly flatter in shape.. If you take these two hills as a whole and think that you look like a lion’s sphinx, Lion’s Head becomes the lion’s head and Signal Hill becomes its hips.. Let me tell you that you can do paragliding here, too.. If you want to set the sun on this hill one day, it may be useful to arrive a little early because the hill was much more crowded than I expected.

How to Get to Signal Hill?

Hop on Hop off buses also have a special bus for the sunset, but unlike the others, it goes directly to Signal Hill without stopping, it’s called “Sunset Bus”.. If you don’t want to use it, you can take Uber from the city center.

* Activities with Vehicle (Tour)

• Chapman’s Peak Drive (Chapman’s Peak Road) / Places to Visit in Cape Town

I was so impressed with the roads we passed during our trip to Artvin that “I must be passing the most beautiful road in the world right now.” (For those who are curious, click on the article link). ) How could I have known that Chapman’s Peak in Cape Town would rival Artvin? This is located between Noordhoek and Hout Bay; A road like no other, with views of the mountain on one side and Chapman’s Peak plunging into the ocean on the other.. If you intend to arrange a tour in Cape Town, I highly recommend you include it here. The fee information for those who will come here with their own vehicle is as follows:. There are small areas where you can have a picnic while enjoying the magnificent view by the roadside.. Also, if you come on a Sunday morning, you can witness hundreds of cyclists passing by on this road.. I’m definitely thinking of arranging a bike and coming back here on my next Cape Town visit.

Entry Fee: Bike is free, Motor is 29 ZAR (7.8 TL), Car 45 ZAR (12 TL)

• Cape Point & Cape of Good Hope / Places to Visit in Cape Town

Cape of Good Hope (Cape of Good Hope) was named “Cape of Storms” by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias in 1488, but it was later renamed Cape of Good Hope to avoid discouragement of explorers who followed in his footsteps. It is said to have been changed. If the European explorers in search of resources succeeded in passing here, they had the opportunity to reach India and the Far East from there.. Another significance of this nose is that it was thought to be the southernmost tip of the African continent for years because sailors coming from the north saw this protrusion as the last point when they looked.. Although Cape Agulhas is now the southernmost point of the continent, Cape of Good Hope is still the most popular spot.

Cape of Good Hope Conservation is 13 km from the entrance. Cape Point is located at the south-westernmost tip of the continent. Here, there is a lighthouse built in 1859 on the rocks, which became a nightmare for sailors trying to cross from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean, especially due to the nightfall.. At the same time, it is still considered the place where two oceans meet.

Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope have breathtaking nature as well as historical and geographical importance.. Hearing the sound of the waves below from the steep cliffs at meters high, baboons and ostriches that suddenly appear before me, endemic plant species under protection, walking on the edge of the cliffs with the wind blowing on my face, “A whale can appear at any moment.” watching the ocean towards the vicinity of Hermanus in hopes of… It was a fascinating place for me that made me feel indescribable emotions.

If you are going to come here by renting a car, the entrance fee to the national park is 135 ZAR (36 TL).. If you are without a car you need to arrange a tour. Tours coming here include penguin visits at Chapman’s Peak Road and Boulders Beach, as they are on the same road.

• Simon’s Town – Boulders Beach / Cape Town Attractions

If you want to see the endangered sweet African penguins in their natural habitat in

Cape Town, the address is Simon’s Town, a fishing town.. Here, at Boulders Beach, you can see penguins swimming, sunbathing or waddling. There is an issue that I would suggest you to pay attention to: There is an entrance fee to Boulders Beach and your contact with the penguins is completely blocked by wooden railings.. Right next to this beach is Foxy Beach, there is no entrance fee and no railing, you can see penguins here in a secluded time.. But remember that penguins are scared of people, you shouldn’t touch them.. If you intend to come by arranging a tour, make sure that the tour you purchase includes the entry fee to Boulders Beach. Otherwise, they can drop you off at Foxy Beach when there are no penguins.

How to Get to Simon’s Town?

If you don’t have time, you can come to Simon’s Town by train. Here comes the red “Southern Suburbs” line. However, as I mentioned above, the roads you will pass on your way here will perhaps be the most beautiful roads you have ever seen in your life.. That’s why I will suggest you to use the road instead of the train.

• Table View / Cape Town Attractions

Tabel View, the summer resort of Cape Town. It gets its name from the way it sees Table Mountain from afar.. If seeing this iconic mountain from certain points in the city is not enough for you, you can also take a look at the mountain from Table View. I don’t have much to say about the area as we took a short photo break while we were driving on the highway towards the Namibian border, but my personal opinion is that if we were only in Cape Town and had limited time, I would rather spend my time here than come here.

• Bonus: Shark Dive

Why did I write this as a bonus? Because we made all the reservations about the subject, but our dive was canceled on the last day due to weather conditions.. I wanted to at least give information about the preparation stage I did.

The details of the activity called shark diving in Cape Town are as follows: A boat takes you with other group members and sails in the ocean.. When you come to the area where the fish are, they take turns putting them in a cage and throwing bait to attract the shark to the cage, so you have the opportunity to see these magnificent creatures up close.. Although shark dives are available at any time of the year, you can see the peak season between May and October, namely the biggest ones.

Reservation

Boats for shark dives depart from the town of Gansbaai.. If you do not have a car, they will pick you up from the hotel you are staying at and drop you off at your hotel in the evening for an additional fee (approximately 500 ZAR) to the tour price.. For this activity, you have to get up at around 05.00 – 06.00 in the morning and dedicate your whole day to it, and the most important point is that there is no guarantee of seeing! Although the months of July-August are the most intense, it has not been seen for 5 weeks as the Orco (killer whale) population has increased this year.. Also, weather conditions play a big role.. As we experienced, your reservation may be canceled on the last day.

There are many tour companies that offer shark diving.. You need to do a good research and choose.. There should be no security vulnerabilities. We had booked from White Shark Ecoventures for 1900 ZAR (510 TL) per person (including transfer from the hotel).

“Cape Town Attractions and Activities”