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Cape Town is home for us. We're South African, we've lived here on and off for years, and these days it's where we come back to between trips. We could live anywhere, and to be honest, nowhere else has come close. Mountains, two oceans, wine farms an hour away, penguins on the beach and food from every corner of the continent, all in one city.
This is the 10-day trip we'd plan for a good friend visiting for the first time. One base, short drives, a good mix of beaches, hikes, food, wine, wildlife and history, and a few honest notes on what we'd skip.
Free download: our Essential Cape Town Guide covers visas and the new ETA, when to go, Uber and car hire, where to stay, real 2026 costs and the safety tips that matter, in three pages. Grab it before you book anything.
Our 10-day Cape Town route at a glance
Days 1–3: Table Mountain and the Red Bus, Cape Point and the penguins, then a day on the water and the beaches
Days 4–5: a night on safari about two hours away, then back for markets and a big African dinner
Days 6–7: Lion's Head and Bo-Kaap, then paragliding or a road trip up or down the coast
Days 8–10: the Franschhoek wine tram, a history day, and the V&A before you fly home or carry on along the Garden Route
Where to stay in Cape Town
Stay in one base and do day trips from there. You don't need to pack up every two days, and almost every drive is short.
Sea Point and Green Point: where we live. The Promenade, tidal pools, great cafés and Lion's Head on your doorstep. Our pick for most people.
Gardens and the City Bowl: Kloof Street's restaurants and bars under Table Mountain, with plenty of guesthouses and co-living spots.
Camps Bay and Clifton: the famous beaches and sunset strip with the Twelve Apostles behind. Gorgeous, and pricier.
The V&A Waterfront: polished and easy, with the big hotels. Great for families and first-timers.
On a budget, Big Blue Backpackers in Green Point is a great start. Newkings is a comfortable boutique option right in Sea Point, and if you want to splurge, Ellerman House in Bantry Bay is something else. We made a whole video on where to stay in Cape Town if you're torn.
The airport is about 20 minutes from town, or up to two hours at rush hour (5–7 pm). Uber in costs about $14–20. If you hire a car, stick to the highway into the city, whatever Google Maps tells you. Don't let it take you on a shortcut.
Table Mountain and the Red Bus
For your first day, we'd start with the hop-on hop-off Red Bus from the V&A. It's the easiest way to get your bearings, and the commentary covers the city's history in over 20 languages. Go early and do both the red and blue routes.
Hop off for Table Mountain, take the cable car up, walk around the top and grab a bite at the café. Buy your cable car tickets online: R475 return in 2026 (about $28), against R530 at the door. On a clear summer day the queue gets long. Then hop off at Groot Constantia, the oldest vineyard in the Cape, and at Hout Bay for fish and chips with the seals watching you.
Back at the V&A, end the day on a sunset cruise with bubbles, then seafood at Harbour House.
Cape Point, the penguins and Chapman's Peak
This is our favourite road trip in Cape Town. You can hire a car, or book a Cape Point and penguins tour if driving on the left isn't for you. Head down to the Cape Point Nature Reserve for the funicular, the old lighthouse and a few hidden beaches.
On the way back, stop at Boulders Beach, home to Africa's biggest colony of African penguins. There's a viewing deck, but our favourite thing to do is walk down to the beach on the right, pack a picnic and swim with them. Please be respectful: this is their home, and you should never touch them. We did this with our retreat group and it was a highlight.
Then drive home over Chapman's Peak. It has to be one of the most beautiful drives in the world, so stop for the views (and maybe pack some wine for the passenger). Heads up: park fees went up on 1 November 2026, to R592 (about $35) at Cape Point and R282 (about $17) at Boulders for foreign adults, and both gates are cards only.
A day on the water (and the beaches)
Cape Town's sea life is incredible, and one of the best ways to see it is a kayak trip with Atlantic Outlook from the V&A. You never know what you'll see out there. Last time we had seals, dolphins and a whale breaching right in front of us, with Table Mountain and Lion's Head behind. Our retreat guests said it was one of their favourite things all trip.
Afterwards, grab breakfast at tashas at the Waterfront and spend the rest of the day on the beach. They're all free. Our favourites are Clifton 1 to 4, Bakoven, Camps Bay's Glen Beach and Llandudno. Camps Bay itself is beautiful for lounging, but it gets touristy and packed on weekends, so go on a calm weekday. And the Atlantic is cold, even in summer. Swim in the tidal pools, or bring a wetsuit.
Feeling fancy? Book dinner at Fyn, one of the best restaurants in Africa.
A safari, two hours from Cape Town
An African safari is on most people's bucket list, and you don't have to fly to Kruger to see the Big Five. Aquila and Garden Route Game Lodge are the closest reserves, about two hours away. We'd stay one night at Aquila (you get two game drives for each night), or do a safari day trip if you're short on time.
Honest moment: these reserves are busy and a bit touristy, especially Aquila. If you want a wilder safari, fly to Kruger or Pilanesberg. But seeing animals you've only ever seen on TV is still a thrill, and we've shared our favourite safari near Cape Town on the channel.
Back in town the next afternoon, browse a market (Oranjezicht City Farm Market runs on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays), then book dinner at GOLD: 14 courses from across Africa, live drumming, dancing and face painting. It's a proper night out.
Lion's Head, a tidal pool and Bo-Kaap
Cape Town is known for its hikes, and you have to do at least one. The most popular is Lion's Head. Go at sunrise, or an hour or two before sunset: in the middle of a summer's day there's no shade at all. It's about an hour and a half up and the same down. Bring a hat and at least 1.5 litres of water, and never hike alone. If you'd rather go with someone who knows the way, book a guided Lion's Head hike.
Want something easier? Our favourite is the Lion's Head contour path. Fifteen minutes in, you get the Twelve Apostles stretched out in front of you. It's one of the best walks in the world, and that's not an exaggeration.
After the hike, cool off at Saunders' Rocks, a tidal pool we went to two or three times a week. Maiden's Cove and the Camps Bay tidal pool are great too. Then head to Bo-Kaap for the colourful houses and Cape Malay food, which is our favourite cuisine in South Africa. The houses were painted bright colours to celebrate freedom after years of being kept white. Have dinner at Bo-Kaap Kombuis, or lunch at Faeeza's Home Kitchen.
Paragliding, sharks or a road trip
Cape Town is an adrenaline junkie's dream. Have breakfast on Kloof Street, then go tandem paragliding off Signal Hill. You fly right over the Atlantic Seaboard and land on the Promenade. We honestly didn't know what to expect, and it was some of the most incredible scenery we've ever seen. Claire is pretty sure she spotted a dolphin on the way down.
We used to recommend snorkelling with the seals in Hout Bay, but it's on hold since rabies was found in Cape fur seals in 2026. Take an ocean safari from Hout Bay instead to see them from the boat, and never touch or feed them. Or leave early for shark cage diving in Gansbaai, about two hours down the coast.
Not a thrill-seeker? Hire a car for a lunch run instead: Paternoster or Langebaan up the West Coast, Kalk Bay's coffee shops, or Hermanus to spot southern right whales from the cliffs between June and November.
The Franschhoek wine tram
You can't come to Cape Town and skip the Winelands. Stellenbosch, Paarl and Constantia are all great, but our pick is Franschhoek, about an hour's drive away. The name means "French Corner", after the Huguenots who settled the valley in the late 1600s.
The Franschhoek wine tram hops you between wine farms for tastings. Pace yourself: the wine is strong and plentiful. Franschhoek is also the culinary capital of the Cape, so book a good dinner and stay the night. We stayed at Farm Sanctuary, home of Pigcasso, the famous painting pig. On Claire's map, Babylonstoren, Boschendal and Tokara are all worth a stop.
A day for history
South Africa has a rich but painful history, and Cape Town has a lot of inequality that most visitors never see. A township walking tour is a real look at how most Capetonians live, and why. Stop at Siki's Kofee Kafe while you're there.
Then spend the afternoon at Zeitz MOCAA at the V&A, with lunch on the Silo Hotel rooftop next door, and the Heart of Cape Town Museum, where the world's first human heart transplant happened. If you love history, you can also take the ferry to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 of his 27 years. It takes about three and a half hours, so swap it for the museums, and book on the official site.
Your last day, or on to the Garden Route
Stroll the V&A and the Watershed market for gifts from local artists, have a last swim at Bakoven, then watch the sunset with a bottle of wine on Signal Hill. Leave plenty of time for the airport: the N2 is gridlocked from 5 to 7 pm.
Not going home yet? The Garden Route starts about four hours East, and it's one of the best road trips in the world. Read our 7-day Garden Route road trip, or watch our Garden Route video. Only have two weeks? Our Destination Guide has a shorter 7-day Cape Town plan that carries straight on along the Garden Route.
Is Cape Town safe?
It's the question we get asked most. Cape Town's crime statistics are bad, but most of that crime happens in areas you won't end up in as a visitor. The city centre and the Atlantic Seaboard feel safe, busy and well run. Just be wise:
Don't walk around at night. Take an Uber door to door.
Never leave valuables on the back seat of a car. Even a jumper can get a window smashed.
Keep your phone away on the street. If you need it, make it brief.
Don't stumble through the city drunk at 2 am. You're asking for trouble.
We made a whole video on whether Cape Town is safe, with our own experiences and tips for solo female travellers and families.
Before you go
Many passports, including the US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia, get 90 days visa-free. South Africa launched an online Electronic Travel Authorisation in 2026 for visa-required passports, so check dha.gov.za before you book. Load-shedding (the rolling blackouts) is no longer an issue, and we're hoping it stays that way. If it ever comes back, download EskomSePush to see the schedule.
Cards and tap-to-pay work almost everywhere, and you won't need more than R500–1,000 (about $30–60) in cash. A draught beer is about $3 (R50–55), a cocktail $5–9, and around $65–110 a day each is comfortable. Get data the moment you land with a Holafly eSIM (code RHETTANDCLAIRE), and don't skip travel insurance: private hospitals here are excellent, but not cheap. We've used SafetyWing for years.
Final thoughts
We're biased, but we truly believe Cape Town is one of the best cities in the world. Come for ten days and there's a good chance you'll leave planning your next trip back.
Start with our free Essential Cape Town Guide, and if you want the whole trip planned for you, our Cape Town Destination Guide has the 10-day route day by day, Claire's Google Map with 250+ places, 25+ hand-picked stays and a 7-day option that carries on along the Garden Route. Totsiens!
