Day Trip Safaris from Cape Town include half day and full day tours to see the Big 5!

Welcome Drinks

Big 5 Game Drive

Meal (half day / full day options)

Transport optional extras

Acclaimed for service excellence, renewable energy, social responsibility efforts and conservation programmes, Aquila is more than just an unforgettable wildlife experience, it is an experience in luxurious African hospitality, traditional culinary delights, service excellence and the restoration of pride to the indigenous people and the land.

Discover the magic of Vredenheim at our Roofdierpark. Our Game drives and Big Cats Park offer thrilling wildlife encounters and breathtaking scenic views. Whether you’re a passionate wildlife enthusiast or simply eager to witness the majesty of our big cats up close, our park invites you to explore.

Top Attractions around Stellenbosch.

There’s no better way to start a day in the Winelands than with a bird’s-eye view over the vineyards and mountains, as the rising sun changes the colours of the landscape. Watch the balloon inflate while you enjoy a cup of coffee, then clamber aboard to drift like a cloud for an hour… Where you land depends on the wind. Afterwards, you’ll celebrate with a glass of bubbly and be transported back for breakfast at Joostenberg Bistro.

Good to know Children need to be at least 1.2m tall (to see over the basket) and not younger than 10 years old. The maximum weight per person is 130kg.

Times Daily, sunrise

Cost R3 400 per person (weekdays)

R3 900 per person (weekends)

Recommended:

1. Delaire Graff Estate

2. Ernie Els Wines

3. Quoin Rock

4. Waterford Estate

5. Rust en Vrede

6. Bartinney Private Cellar

7. Simonsig

8. Tokara Wine & Olive Estate

Recommended:

1. The Blue Crane & The Butterfly

2. Java Cafe

3. Postcard Cafe

4. The Meeting Place

5. Postcard Cafe

Lanzerac Spa: Five-Star Treatments in the Winelands

There’s also a rainbow of freshly pressed raw juices. Of course, should you want to enjoy any of Lanzerac’s world-class wines as you wind down after your treatments, that’s no problem.

For a truly special and cosseting experience, book your journey at the Lanzerac Spa.

Good to know ​​Lanzerac Spa won SA’s Best Day Spa in 2023, and has been nominated in that category and SA’s Best Hotel Spa at the 2024 World Spa Awards (to be announced in October).

Opening times Monday – Sunday, 8am – 6pm

Experience both sides of the culinary coin with a guided 3.5-hour walk that seeks out hidden flavours, all while being immersed in the architecture, history, art and stories of Stellenbosch. Sample home-grown teas with spice-infused sweet treats; visit the oldest restored pioneer home in South Africa; pop in at a family-owned butchery for a taste of biltong; do a wine tasting at a popular restaurant, before ending off at the oldest hotel in the country for a heritage lunch platter. Booking 48 hours in advance is essential.

Good to know Other options include a focus on experimental food artisans and traditional Xhosa food.

Times Monday – Saturday, 10am – 1.30pm

Cost R1 450 (Classic Cape Cuisine walk with lunch)

Muratie (founded in 1685) captures the very essence of the Cape’s history in its every nook and cranny. Wine-tasting takes place in the cobwebbed Tasting Room (complete with old paintings and stained glass) or amid the cellar’s weathered wine tanks. Everything from the buildings to the artefacts and trees are relics of a bygone age, and the winemaking remains old-school, too.

The Knorhoek Valley farm is also well-known for its mountain-bike, hiking and running trails. These connect with the Simonsberg Trail network, giving access to up to 35km of singletrack heaven through forest and mountain slopes. Hikers have their own circular 3.5km hiking route (with steps) taking in the viewpoint at Gillooly’s – look out for the popular sunset/full moon hikes that happen once a month.

Good to know The Farm Kitchen is open Wednesday to Sunday for breakfast and lunch, and the original farmhouse is home to Mok, an art gallery that hosts three rooms of regularly changing exhibits by contemporary local artists

Cost Wine-tasting: R60 (Classic Tasting); R95 (Premium Tasting); R150 (Flagship Tasting); R85 (Chocolate Pairing Experience)

Trail permit: R60

Times Monday – Sunday, 9am – 5pm

Admire modern South African art

The Rupert Museum is a purpose-built, world-class art museum with large galleries presenting a veritable walk-through of modern South African art, collected from 1940 to the early 2000s by the late Dr Anton Rupert and his wife Huberte. See works by Pierneef, Tinus de Jongh, Cecil Skotnes, Irma Stern and many more well-known local artists. The museum also manages corporate collections showcasing magnificent French tapestries, Italian paintings and sculptures (both indoors and out, in the riverside garden). The onsite café offers light meals, treats, coffees, teas and wine (and boasts the original “rock art” fireplace from Tretchikoff’s home).

Good to know Keep an eye out for special events, including monthly “Museum Saturdays” (which can feature live music, food tastings, workshops, etc), yoga on Thursdays and walkabouts on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Times Tuesday – Friday, 10am – 5pm

Saturday + Sunday, 10am – 4pm

Cost Free

Visit paradise

The pine-scented Eden Forest on the slopes of the Helderberg offers a variety of trails, but the best is an entry-level hike to the Paradyskloof Waterfall. There’s no deep pool for swimming – more like splash pools and a cascade shower – but it will still be fantastic on a hot day (tip: it’s best after it has rained). Picture letting the water splash over you as you gaze out over a fantastic view of the winelands, all the way to False Bay and Table Mountain. The 5km hike follows the Eerste River and crosses it twice at shallow points; it also leads through fields of fynbos and beautiful proteas. Best of all, you can bring your dog along for the walk.

Times Daily, 7.30am – 8pm

Cost Free

The Root44 weekend market has evolved into a one-stop showcase of Stellenbosch food and wine, in glorious surroundings. The glass-brick-and-mortar foodhall houses an amazing array of stalls, with live bands, indoor and outdoor tables and lush lawns to picnic on. From tacos, corndogs and loaded mac ’n cheese to hotdogs, mussels, Gatsbys, pulled eisbein and souvlaki – plus a multitude of Asian flavours – all cravings are covered. There’s also a permanent coffee shop, restaurant, oyster and sushi bar, wine emporium offering tastings, an “art route” of mini galleries and a splash fountain that kids will love in summer.

Good to know Also check out the Dorp Street Sunday Market in the centre of town, with around 50 “pop-up” shops.

Times Friday, Saturday + Sunday, 10am – 6pm (5pm in winter); also public holidays

The Stellies Taproom is a collaboration between The Stellenbosch Brewing Company and Joostenberg Bistro serving picnic-style fare in our spacious gardens & airy taproom. We offer a beautiful setting amongst rolling grass lawns where guests can relax with a craft beer or glass of wine, enjoy an espresso and breakfast pastry on our covered stoep or warm their bones next to the fireplace.

Recommended:

1. Reuben’s

2. La Petite Colombe

3. Epice

4. Terra del Capo Antipasti bar at Anthonij Rupert

5. Protégé

6. Miko at Mont Rochelle

7. La Motte Artisan Bakery & Cafe

With three centuries of wine-growing heritage, the Franschhoek Valley is one of the Cape’s top wine areas—and the Franschhoek Wine Tram, a vintage-style tram, is the perfect way to explore. Travel in air-conditioned comfort from downtown Cape Town, then choose between the purple and orange lines. Besides an onboard wine tasting and narration, you have time to visit multiple estates on one of two lines.

Picnic at Mont Rochelle hotel & vineyard

Overlooking the entire valley, this magnificent Richard Branson-owned estate offers wonderful views of meadows and vineyards stretching out towards distant mountains. The perfect spot for a picnic, then… Pick up your basket of gourmet goodies (chicken skewers, lamb koftas, arancini, fishcakes, breads and spreads, cheese and charcuterie, salads and dessert) from The Country Kitchen, the casual lunch restaurant, then take a stroll down to the dam, where a scattering of garden cushions and concrete tables offer comfortable feasting. You can start the blissful day out with a wine-tasting (including pairings with chocolate or gourmet bites), and end it with sundowner cocktails at the MIKO bar.

Good to know Order 24 hours in advance; kids’ baskets also available. Catch the end-of-summer music picnic on 19 April 2024, featuring cellist Carol Thorns.

Times Monday – Sunday, 12pm – 5pm

Cost R390 per person

R340 per person (vegetarian); R325 per person (vegan)

Wine-tastings: R80 – R120; with pairings, R210 or R245

Relax in luxury at the Leeu Spa

Enjoying pride of place at the picture-perfect Leeu Estates, Leeu Spa By Healing Earth is a world-class wellness sanctuary, with four treatment rooms (including three couples’ suites) that look out over the Franschhoek valley. A refreshing drink, personalised guest experiences, elemental modern architecture and next-level spa attire welcome you and set the tone for signature pinotage-based vinotherapy treatments by Healing Earth. Where you spend your time is up to you: there’s a nail salon, separate his-and-hers steam rooms, and a heated plunge pool overlooking a tranquil lily pond. The lavish relaxation area is also the perfect place to linger.

Good to know There is a mini spa menu for children (age 6 – 18 years). Spa clients are welcome to have lunch or dinner at The Dining Room at the hotel, or do a tutored wine-tasting at The Wine Studio.

Times Monday – Sunday, 10am – 7pm

Cost From R1 250 for massages; from R1 095 for facials; from R1 895 for body therapies

Description: Kaapstad

The Mother City heeft zoveel te bieden

Kaapstad is zonder twijfel een van de mooiste steden ter wereld.

Nergens vind je zoveel diversiteit in één stad: natuur, kustdorpjes en leuke wijken. Maar ook veel geschiedenis, shoppen en goed eten.

Daarnaast is Kaapstad de ideale uitvalsbasis voor jouw reis in Zuid-Afrika.

Recommended:

1. PIER

2. Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia

3. FYN

4. Salsify

5. The Pot Luck Club

Recommended:

1. Boulders Beach Penguin Colony

2. Clifton Beach

3. Camp's Bay Beach

4. Muizenberg Beach

5. Sea Point Beach

Welcome to the V&A Waterfront where history meets modernity. Located in the heart of beautiful Cape Town, our neighbourhood offers a unique variety of dinning, shopping and entrainment options. Come experience the best that Cape Town has to offer

If you’ve only got limited time to explore the highlights of Cape Town, then this guided tour is a perfect choice. Rather than being stuck on a sightseeing bus with large tourist crowds, you can benefit from the luxury of a private tour for just your personal group. Check off Bo-Kaap, Table Mountain, the Cape of Good Hope, and plenty more sights, with transport included along the way.

Experience the beauty of Cape Town at sunset from an unobstructed vantage point by setting sail and heading out into the Atlantic Ocean on this catamaran cruise. The route showcases magnificent views of both Robben Island and Table Mountain and best of all—alcoholic drinks are provided so you can toast the sunset in style.

South Africa's coastlines are one of the top three global hotspots for shark and ray diversity, with 204 different species recorded (one third of the global diversity), of which 69 species are endemic to South Africa (including the pyjama catshark and puffadder shyshark).

During the apartheid years Robben Island served as a prison for political activists

Robben Island, the unique symbol of “the triumph of the human spirit over adversity, suffering and injustice” with a rich 500 year old multi-layered history, is visited every year by thousands of people eager to understand and honour the important aspects of South Africa’s history that the Island represents.

The ferries depart from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V & A Waterfront. The tour takes 3.5 hours including the ferry trip to and from the Island.

Established in 1994 – the year of our first democratic election – this museum pays tribute to a once-vibrant community that was forcibly removed and demolished during apartheid (it was declared a whites-only area in February 1966). Using family photos, maps, artefacts and storytelling by former residents, it sheds light on this dark episode and celebrates a community finding their way to healing and restoration. Visit the Museum’s The Little Wonder Store, a wonderful product shop featuring ‘Memory Threads’, a range of homeware products developed through community workshops. The affiliated Homecoming Centre (HCC) nearby hosts temporary exhibitions, events and performances in two theatre spaces. Site walks in District Six itself can also be booked.

Good to know For a different yet similar perspective, visit the Bo-Kaap Museum at 71 Wale Street. This community had close ties to District Six and was the only one to not have full-scale forced removals.

Opening times Monday – Saturday, 9am – 4pm

Guided tours: 9.30am, 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm 1.30pm + 2.30pm

Cost R60 (adult), R25 (children 7–17 years)

Tour with ex-resident/guide: R65 (adult), R30 (children 7–17 years)

Guided site walk: R130 (by prior arrangement, includes museum entry

Stand-Up Paddleboarding in Cape Town

In Cape Town, we provide instructional training paragliding flights from Signal Hill and Lion's Head. The paragliding launch site we use depends on the wind direction at the time. Sometimes we start flying from Signal Hill and then move across to Lion's Head as the wind changes throughout the day.

Introductory, instructional tandem paragliding flights vary in duration and it is not possible for us to guarantee a specific flight time due to the changeable nature of the wind and general weather conditions in Cape Town. Instructional training flights only take place in conditions that allow us to launch and land safely. Our tandem paragliding flight instructors (TFIs) are all highly experienced and love to fly. They will always try to prolong the flight while ensuring that they fly within our risk assessment and provide you with all the necessary instructions to experience paragliding in a safe and relaxed environment.

Celebrating the legacy of its namesake, Cabo Beach Club offers a unique and lavish lifestyle experience for anyone looking to escape the mundane.

Cabo is a space where work and play fuse together seamlessly, while mesmerizing guests in the pristine setting of the surrounding Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

Now open, just in time for the summer season, Cabo Beach Club is completely unique and a first of its kind for the beautiful city of Cape Town – a European-style beach club with two restaurants and multiple features on offer to guests.

The Beach Club, the more casual dining option at Cabo, is perfect for spending the day lounging by the pool on the daybeds, sipping on cocktails or relaxing on the beach for a sumptuous lunch or dinner under the African sky. The Beach Club encourages the social side of enjoying food with friends in a relaxed environment. The inspiration behind the menu is for guests to experience fresh, beautiful and delicious food that is interesting and, at the same time, high-quality and nourishing.

Guests can expect a contemporary take on sushi, wood-fired traditional Neapolitan pizzas, bountiful seafood dishes and mouth-watering burgers to name a few.

For guests wishing to have a more indulgent dining experience, there’s Chef Ryan’s latest venture, in-house restaurant, Violet. In a league of its own, Violet will be the real showcase of Chef Ryan’s signature approach to modern dining.

Violet reflects an up-market eatery, with its menu tailored around small plates designed for sharing. The menu, in alignment with Chef Ryan’s fervent dedication to sustainability and locality will change both seasonally and based on the produce available weekly.

Grand Africa Café & Beach embraces a free-spirited beach café culture, nestled poignantly on the sea-front shoreline and flaunting her majestic views of the mighty Atlantic and Robben Island.

With iconic style and playful luxury, Grand captures the quintessential charm and colloquial effervescence of the bustling city vibe while offering a quaint and relaxing escape, ‘a world away’ in the heart of Cape Town’s social mile.

With a choice of five bars, ocean-view decks, nine private function venue areas, and on-beach dining, you’re sure to find the perfect spot to capture that unforgettable magic, that is simply Grand.

This perennially buzzed-about restaurant, a glass cube suspended above the vine-clad valley, offers a four-course menu of fine-dining-calibre tapas delivered with casual finesse and glorious views. Chef Ivor Jones (who co-owns the eatery with celebrated restaurateur Liam Tomlin) has created an array of imaginative dishes, with an emphasis on the harvest from the farm’s gardens, and added an inspired injection of global flavours. Coupled with the open kitchen, chic interiors and world-class wines, this is an unforgettable dining experience.

Good to know Request a table on the Terrace when the sun is out (call the restaurant on the morning of your reservation to secure a Terrace table).

Description: Take me to The Nines

If you’re gonna take me, take me to The Nines. A new Cape Town icon and the latest addition to Kove Collection, The Nines is a rooftop restaurant and cocktail lounge that refuses to compromise where it counts. Hosted in a ninth-floor penthouse with 270-degree views, The Nines offers a rare perspective of upper Sea Point, magnified by floor-to-ceiling glass with vistas of the blue Atlantic, Lion’s head and unrivalled sunsets. Our menu showcases a repertoire of standouts that speak to provenance and produce-forward cooking. This is a confident, contemporary expression of the dishes and drinks we love. This is restaurant classics done right.

“One of the best rooftop restaurant venues in Cape Town, great food and desserts and a spectacular view of the city, noon or night, tiger prawn pasta, their line fish and desserts, the pineapple crush mocktail is a must.”

Babylonstoren is justifiably world-famous for its magnificent five-hectare garden, inspired by the original Company’s Garden in Cape Town. Its ever-changing seasonal tapestry and botanical diversity informs every aspect of the farm – from the hotel and spa to the farm shops and wines. Divided into multiple sections – edible plants (you’re free to pick and eat as you stroll), indigenous plants, age-old trees, cycads, beehives, even a rice paddy – you can explore it on your own or enjoy a guided tour with one of the gardeners. Also visit the artisanal “factories” making balsamic vinegar, juice, soaps and essential oils using the garden’s produce. Then grab a coffee at The Coffee Roastery, or take a seat for a meal at The Greenhouse or Babel, or try the wines in the glass-enclosed Tasting Room.

Good to know It’s as much of an adventure for children, who will love the Roomyskas (water buffalo-milk gelato) and Lekker Room (daily baked pastries, plus sweet and savoury nibbles), Porky Hefer’s “Nest” chairs, outdoor art, the donkeys and other residents, prickly-pear maze and water features.

Times Summer: Monday – Sunday, 9am – 6pm

Winter: Monday – Sunday, 9am – 5pm

Garden tour: 10am daily

Special Collections tour: 11.30am weekdays

Cost R150 per adult; free for children under 18 years

Ferryman’s, the Original Waterfront Tavern, was one of the first tenants in V&A Waterfront. A popular local spot for traditional pub fare and live bands. This historical old locomotive shed has been carefully converted, preserving the quarried bluestone, the Oregon wooden beams and the solid teak pillars adding to the atmosphere of the downstairs bar with its stone fireplace. In summer, the open beer garden / terrace buzzes with local entertainment every evening, and for the sports fans big-screen TVs. There is also a play area for the kids.

The Bungalow is the Original Clifton Icon

Perfectly situated in the heart of Clifton between the Twelve Apostles, Lion’s Head and the Atlantic Ocean, it’s the best place in Cape Town to experience golden hour with a sundowner in hand and live DJs spinning your sunset soundtrack. The only restaurant located along the world-renowned Clifton reserve, it’s a standalone icon

Flavours of the Med, Camps Bay style

Sophisticated dining with the flavours of the Med, Camps Bay style, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Lion’s Head. Exceptional service with international flair and ocean views make Bilboa a destination restaurant for cosmopolitan guests. Elegant and considered luxury interior design sets it apart – along with its unique position, which overlooks Camps Bay beach and faces Lion’s Head. Our elevated, open-air setting above the Camps Bay strip offers unrivalled sunset views – the perfect spot for sundowners and intimate dining.

All good Camps Bay beach days lead to Surfshack. Walk right off the beach into our laidback, seaside diner specialising in cocktails, shareables and light bites with a wood-fired pizza oven. Our prime location overlooking the iconic Camps Bay beach with the best sunsets in Cape Town, means Surfshack is the perfect spot to enjoy a laidback meal with friends or family while soaking up the sun and taking in the view.

Home to over 8 000 living sea animals, which visitors can view in numerous inspirational exhibits and experiences, this one-stop destination of all things aquatic is, unsurprisingly, one of Cape Town’s premier tourist destinations.

Opening times Monday – Friday, 9.30am – 6pm

Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays, 9am – 6pm

Cost

R220 (adults)

R165 (SA pensioners, SA students, children 14 – 17 years)

R105 (children 4 – 13 years)

Free (under 0 – 4 years)

Lion’s Head Hike

Lion's Head in Cape Town is a peak situated at 669 meters above sea level. The hike up Lions Head takes approximately 90 minutes at a moderate pace. Lions Head trail is steep but do-able, while the 5.5km trail packs a punch (Both ways). The views from Lions head are amazing. Take a look around you and see the beauty. Lions Head hike is the preferred route for mountain enthusiasts, the easiest of the routes in Cape Town.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world. Few gardens can match the sheer grandeur of the setting of Kirstenbosch, against the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain.

Experience an exhilarating ride on a fully automated 4 wheeled Quad Bike (ATV) down the Atlantis Dunes, just outside of Cape Town up the beautiful West Coast of South Africa. The Atlantis sand dunes are situated northwest of Cape Town and is an important conservation area protecting the Atlantis Aquifer which supplies water to the Atlantis area. An awe inspiring setting for an amazing experience which shows off amazing soft white sand that reaches up to 50 meters high. No prior experience is needed as our riding instructor will be there to guide you.

Guided Sea kayaking paddling experience from the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. Our daily trips are suitable for all fitness levels, no experience required. Our qualified kayak guides paddle alongside you. Available from 8 years old and upwards.

A fun activity for team building, birthdays, corporate events and more.

Beginners are Welcome

Visit the lighthouses

Instead of guiding ships to safety, Cape Point’s first lighthouse, built in 1859, was often the cause of mishaps due to its high perch above the ocean that concealed it among the clouds. In 1911 the new lighthouse was built, and remains one of the most powerful sentinels on the South African coast, with a range of 60 kilometres and a luminous intensity of 10 million candelas. A short step-trail leads to the old lighthouse, where you will be rewarded with breathtaking views of the oceans and surrounding coastline. And in winter you might even catch sightings of whales – use the onsite binoculars to squizz them properly!

Good to know To get to the new lighthouse, take the 2km Lighthouse Keeper’s Trail (find it behind the funicular station) along the cliffside, past historical bunkers and down through fynbos.

Where to find it Follow the trail from the main parking area (or catch the funicular).

This is the perfect tour for time-tight travelers interested in scenic nature spots and wildlife encounters. Save time waiting for local buses and go on a shared half-day tour instead. Ride in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle along False Bay’s coastline and stop at St. James Beach, Boulders Beach Penguin Colony, the Cape of Good Hope, and Old Cape Point Lighthouse.

Have a break at Two Oceans Restaurant

Windswept, rosy-cheeked and hungry visitors will find a light and airy space at Cape Point’s long-standing restaurant (it opened its doors in 1995), where large windows paint the picture of a Mediterranean summer. The menu is a crowd-pleasing selection, including seafood platters, pork belly and the like, plus vegetarian options, but it’s the view you’ll relish – a table on the cliff’s edge deck is one of Cape Town’s best spots to drink in the never-ending sea views.

View the menu

Good to know Booking is recommended even outside of peak season. The Food Shop next door offers quick takeaway snacks, light meals, pizza and coffee.

Marvel at Diaz Beach

Diaz Beach is without a doubt one of Cape Town’s most beautiful – it is literally at the tip of Cape Point (on the western side) and encircled by dramatic cliffs and wild waves. You’ll feel exhilarated as you stand and gaze at the crashing surf, towering crags and sheer beauty. Best of all, it remains largely undisturbed thanks to the 20-minute walk down a steep set of wooden stairs to the white sands (it leads off the ‘Cape of Good Hope’ walk). But for the stunning views alone, it’s undoubtedly worth it, as Diaz will render you breathless in the best possible way.

Good to know Swimming is off-limits due to the strong currents – also, keep an eye out for baboons along the path.

Where to find it Follow the gravel footpath from the main car park, which then swings right and becomes a wooden boardwalk.

The 30 Best Things To Do in Hermanus

The de facto capital of the Cape Whale Route, this once-humble fishing village has developed into a world-famous tourist destination. Still, despite its fame, Hermanus has maintained its rustic charm and natural seaside beauty while offering a host of activities that appeal to outdoor enthusiasts and culinary connoisseurs alike. Whale-watching, wine-tasting, beaches, restaurants, art galleries… this resort town has it all. Here’s our guide to the wonders of Walker Bay.

1 hour drive from Cape Town

1.5 hour drive from Stellenbosch