Beyond the Safari · story 2 of 4 in this collection
Next: The Vine Room, Franschhoek
DestinationCape Town, Western Cape, South Africa9 min read

Cape Town and the Winelands

A mountain in the middle of the city and vineyards an hour away

Average rating 3.3 out of 5
3.33 reviews
Thabo Nkosi
forPublisher Wildside Expeditions
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Table Mountain and Lion's Head across Table Bay from the beach at Blouberg, with people in the surf
Table Mountain and Lion's Head across Table Bay from the beach at Blouberg, with people in the surf
Table Mountain from Blouberg beach. Photo: South African Tourism from South Africa

Cape Town is our favourite way to begin or end a southern African safari. Four days for the mountain, the peninsula and the winelands of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.

Four days, three landscapes

Day one: the mountain. Take the first cable car up Table Mountain if the "tablecloth" of cloud is off, or hike Platteklip Gorge in about two hours. Afterwards walk the Company's Garden and the colourful streets of the Bo-Kaap.
Day two: the peninsula. Drive Chapman's Peak, stop at Boulders Beach for the African penguins and walk out to Cape Point. Back via Kalk Bay for fish and chips by the harbour.
Day three: Stellenbosch. Oak-lined streets, Cape Dutch gables and some of South Africa's best Cabernet and Chenin Blanc. Choose three estates at most.
Day four: Franschhoek. The valley settled by French Huguenots in the 1680s, now home to some of the country's best restaurants. The hop-on hop-off wine tram means nobody has to drive.

Mountain, vines and penguins

Table Mountain and Lion's Head across Table Bay from the beach at Blouberg, with people in the surf
Rows of vines in a Franschhoek vineyard with mountains behind
African penguins among granite boulders at Boulders Beach, Simon's Town
Table Mountain and Lion's Head across Table Bay from the beach at Blouberg, with people in the surf
1 / 3

Good to know

  • The cable car closes in strong wind; check the status the night before.
  • The southeaster, the 'Cape Doctor', blows hardest from November to February.
  • Uber and Bolt are reliable in the city; hire a car for the peninsula.

Table Mountain

Open Table Mountain cableway in Maps(opens in new tab)

About this story

Thabo NkosiAuthor
Wildside ExpeditionsPublisher
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south-africabeyond-safari#cape-town#table-mountain#winelands#franschhoek

Reviews

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Average rating 3.3 out of 5
3 reviews
  • Priya Raman
    3 out of 5 stars
    6 Oct

    Good background, but the green-season section undersells how muddy the roads get.

  • Tara Traveler
    5 out of 5 stars
    2 Oct

    Superbly practical about seasons, park fees and road conditions. Our first safari went without a hitch.

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Rows of vines in a Franschhoek vineyard with mountains behind
Next in Beyond the Safari · 3 of 4

The Vine Room, Franschhoek

Restaurant

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