It is impossible to detail everything which visitors to Cape Town can enjoy, but the following may give some idea of why we have chosen to live here.
*Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve/Cape Point. The reserve covers almost 8,000 hectares of the southern tip of the Peninsula and provides spectacular views of the coastline, more than a thousand different floral species and a wealth of wildlife. It contains a number of beautiful walking routes.
*Penguin Colony, Boulders Beach. Boulders Beach, close to the historic town of Simonstown, is home to about 3,000 African Penguins and some of our lovliest beaches, especially suitable for small children. Where else can you swim with penguins?
*Wine Routes. We are only 15 minutes from the estates which make up the Constantia Wine Route and about 40 minutes from Stellenbosch, which is considered the heart of South Africa's winelands. Its wine route comprises some 30 estates, many of which first planted vines in the 18th century and contain original homes and cellars. Sample fine wines in beautiful gardens surrounded by majestic mountains. There is also a private lion park just outside Stellenbosch and a vast range of wonderful restaurants to choose from.
*Walking/Hiking. This area is ideal for people who enjoy walking, whether this might be strenuous hikes up, over and across our many mountain routes, or more casual strolls along the gentle hills and walking routes through the city of Cape Town. There are routes for everyones' tastes and we are always happy to provide details on these.
*Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. These wonderful gardens are located on the slopes of Table Mountain and are known throughout the world for their fantastic beauty and diversity of plants and prolific birdlife: almost 7,000 species of indigenous plants are found here, many of which are unique to the slopes of Table Mountain.There are several routes from the gardens to the top of the mountain and if you are in Cape Town during the summer DO NOT MISS the marvellous concerts which take place every Sunday afternoon: locals get to these early and enjoy their picnics with friends on the grass of the natural ampitheatre as the sun sets behind the mountain.
*Cape Town. Cape Town is known as "The Mother City" and offers visitors a vast range of sightseeing highlights and urban attractions what cover all tastes and interests, all within quite a small area. We have details of all of these activities and can make visiting them as easy as possible for the unfamiliar visitor.
*Robben Island. It is only quite recently that it has become possible to visit Robben Island. This is not only the site of the most famous prison for political prisoners during the apartheid years (where Nelson Mandela was held for many years) but has a fascinating history as a leper colony and whaling station. The island is now a World Heritage Site where a delicate natural ecosystem and unique flora are being preserved. The tours last half a day and include not only visits to all the historic sites on the island, but a detailed tour of the prison, led by one of the former political prisoners, including a visit to Nelson Mandela's cell.
*Sports/ Adventure Activities. There is an almost endless range of sporting and adventure activities which can be enjoyed locally:
golf
tennis
fishing (river and deep-sea)
surfing
horseriding
walking/hiking
bird watching
scuba-diving (including shark diving)
whale watching
sailing
kayaking
abseiling
bungy jumping
mountain climbing
4x4 vehicle trailing
We can arrange any of these for you. Do let us know if there are any other activities which you would like to tackle: we will then do our best to find out where you can do these and will send you further details
Further Afield. If you should be interested in touring away from the Cape Town area, whether for day trips or for up to several weeks, we are always happy to suggest routes and provide as much detail as you might need for your planning. Many visitors like to travel east along the south coast, known as the Garden Route, for its stretch of sparkling beaches, rugged mountains, wild flowers and sleepy inland waterways. They often take in the Outeniqua mountains and visit the town of Oudtshoorn which is the centre of the ostrich industry, has crocodile ranches and is home to the magnificent, breathtaking Cango Caves. Further east is the Tsitsikamma National Park and if you want to experience wildlife at first hand it is possible to visit private (malaria free!) game reserves or the marvellous Addo Elephant National Park, just north of Port Elizabeth.
If you head up the west coast from Cape Town you can experience the magnificent Wildflower Reserves and the West Coast National Park with its brilliant wetlands, seabird and penguin breeding colonies, or the centre of the citrus industry around the small town of Citrusdal. This is also an ideal location for exploring the Cederburg Wilderness Area, with its rugged mountains and marvellous (though very tough) hiking routes. If you have time to head further north it might even be possible to enter Namibia and travel to the Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon in the USA, which is only a day's drive from Cape Town.
These are intended only as a few ideas of what you might plan to do while visiting us. If you have any other ideas and want further details just let us know and we will try and provide as much advice and assistance as we can.
