1. Cape of Good Hope-Cape Point & Penguins Private Tour from Cape Town
Overview
Price From ZAR 1,847.00
Take a leisurely exploration of the amazing scenery and fascinating wildlife of the Cape Peninsula on this flexible-length private tour. Travel by private vehicle, complete with on-board refreshments and Wi-Fi, as you call the shots on what to see and do. Among the potential sights, you might pick are a wine tasting at Cape Point Vineyards, a visit to the penguins of Boulders Beach, or a visit to the beautiful Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. A private guide, private vehicle, and round-trip hotel transport are covered.
- Relax during the road trip aboard your private vehicle, compete with on-board refreshments and Wi-Fi
- Pick from among sights like the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and the penguin colony at Boulders Beach
- A flexible itinerary means you get to choose the day’s activities and sights
- Private, South African flag-badge tourist guide ensures personalized service and expert knowledge
What's Included
- Toll Fees at Chapmans Peak
- Private Tour Guide/Driver, Vehicle and Fuel
- Pick up and drop off at accommodation in Cape Town
What's Not Included
- Entrance fees to Boulders penguins colony @ R170.00 per adult; R80.00 per child under 14 years
- Entrance fees to Seal island boat trip @ R110.00 per adult; R60.00 per child
- Entrance fees to Cape of Good Hope main gate @ R340.00 per adult; R170.00 per child under 12 years
Cape of Good Hope History
Named after optimism that grew out of a maritime route from Europe to India, with destinations farther east, Cape of Good Hope is a peninsula off Cape Town, South Africa. The Cape of Good Hope is also used to refer to an early colony at the Cape, which was contracted by the Dutch East India Company, established by trader Jan van Riebeeck as a station to supply a new frontier around Cape in 1652. Cape Town itself was founded by Jan van Riebeeck for the Dutch East India Company, and became the core of the Dutch South African Colony.
The first European to see the Cape of Good Hope was Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias, on a 1488 voyage back to Portugal, having established the southern limits of the African continent. Arrived at was 1486, when Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias and his crew were the first Europeans to navigate the Cape of Good Hope on a continental African ship. The first modern-day circumnavigation of the Cape of Good Hope, by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias in 1487, was a milestone in Portugal’s attempts to open up direct commercial relations with the Far East (although Herodotus mentioned the claim the Phoenicians had done this much before). The discovery eventually came because of Prince John, the son of King Afonso V. Prince John was supervising Portuguese trade with Guinea, and also exploring along the west coast of Africa.
2. Robben Island Half Day Tour with Pre-Booked Tickets.
Overview
Price From ZAR 1,550.00
As one of South Africa’s most visited museums, Robben Island tours are best booked well in advance. This half-day package includes museum admission and round-trip transfer from your Cape Town accommodation, ensuring a hassle-free trip. Learn about the island’s long history from your guide and see the cell that housed Nelson Mandela, then take time to reflect on your voyage back to the mainland.
- Book in advance to avoid disappointment on the day
- Round-trip transfer from your hotel ensures a hassle-free trip
- Benefit from the historical insights of your small-group guide
- See the cell that confined Nelson Mandela for 18 years
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- WiFi on board
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Gratuities
Robben Island History
Robben Island, South Africa Off Cape Town South Africas most famous prison is Robben Island, which was used to internee political prisoners during the Apartheid period of South Africa. Robben Island, on mainland Cape Town, was simultaneously a whale station and leper colony, best known for its time as a political prison.
From 1961, Robben Island was used as a prison for political prisoners and sentenced criminals by the British Colonial Government. Robben Island was first used as a political prison in the mid-1600s; Dutch settlers sent in slaves, convicts, and Khoikhoi natives who refused to submit to colonial rule. The island is a Unesco world heritage site, having served as a whaling station, a leper colony, and, especially, the late Nelson Mandelas political prison.
The most poignant time on Robben Island was in the late 20th century, when Robben Island was used as a maximum security prison for political prisoners from South Africas Apartheid regime. Robben Island earned a place in history by serving from 1961 until 1996 as the maximum security prison for anti-apartheid political leaders.
It has attracted international attention because Nelson Mandela, the first Black President of South Africa after apartheid, was held there for 18 of the 28 years that Nelson Mandela served in jail. Nelson Mandela, the political activist and lawyer, was held on this island for 18 of his 27 years in prison prior to the end of apartheid and implementation of a fully multiracial democracy. Amongst the most recent prominent prisoners from formal apartheid in the island are, to cite just a few, Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe, Dikgang Moseneke, Jacob Zuma, Nelson Mandela, and Raymond Mhlaba.
Its grim history came to an end in the 1990s, when the inhuman Apartheid regime was rejected by the South African people, and the political prisoners imprisoned on the Island were granted freedom after long years. The prison was internationally known for its brutal conditions, and as the Dutch governments political prisoners were released, Robben Island became a symbol of the power of the human spirit. From the mid-1960s, Robben Island held many leaders of the African National Congress (ANC), including Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, and Ahmed Kathrada, and Robert Sobukwe, founder of the Pan Africanist Congress. What remains of Robben Islands chequered history are the 17th-century quarries, the grave of Hadijeh Klamat, who died in 1755, the 19th-century villagers administration buildings including the chapel and the parish house, the tiny lighthouse, a leper chapel, the sole remnant of a leper colony, derelict WWII war structures surrounding the harbor, and a bare, functioning prison from the apartheid-era maximum security prison, which began in the 1960s.
3. Table Mountain, Penguins & Cape Point Small Group Tour from Cape Town
Overview
Price From ZAR 865.00
Save time, avoid crowds, and see the highlights of the Cape Town area in a single day on this small-group tour. Admire the colorful houses of Bo Kaap, ride a cable car ride up and down Table Mountain, embark on a scenic drive along Chapman’s Peak, and visit the penguin colony of Boulder’s Beach.
- Explore a diversity of top attractions on a single tour
- Small-group tour ensures a personal experience
- Hassle-free pickup and drop-off from your Cape Town hotel
- Includes toll fees to Chapman’s Peak included
What's Included
- Pick up and drop off at accommodation (Cape Town & surrounds)
- Shared Tour guide/driver, vehicle and fuel
- Bottled water
What's Not Included
- Meals; Drinks and Gratuities (optional)
- Table Mountain ticket: R390.00/adult; R190.00/child
- Boulders Penguins: (International) R170.00/adult, R85.00/child; (Local) R40.00/adult, R20.00/child
Table Mountain History
Table Mountain, Afrikaans Tafelberg, flat-topped mountain range in southwest South Africa, which towers over Cape Town and Table Bay, dominating the northern tip of Cape Peninsula, the tall, rugged peninsula. s longest way to the summit is by way of the back Table, the lower section of the mountain range of South Africa south of the main table (which makes up the Table Mountain seen from the Cape Town city centre and Constantia Nek-Hout Bay). The upper section, about 600 metres (2,000 ft) high, or the koppie, in South Africa is composed of rocks of between 450 million and 510 million years (Ordovician) age, belonging to two of the lowest strata in the Cape Fold mountains.
The Cape Peninsulas jagged, narrow range is composed of three main rock formations, namely; a dark gray mudstone, the oldest of the three, followed by the Cape Granite, and finally, Table Mountain Sandstone, comprising most of the three main rock formations in the peninsula. Covering 30, 000 hectares of the thin jagged Cape Peninsula, the lands comprising Table Mountain National Park comprise the lands owned by South African National Parks, along with sections of privately owned lands managed by the SANP, and 975 km2 of marine protected areas. The world-famous Table Mountain is influential in shaping the microclimate of the city and surrounding environment, and has been for years the main source of potable water to the city.
Since the opening of the Table Mountain Project in 1929, more than 16 million people have made the journey up to Cape Towns Table Mountain summit. The Table Mountain Cableway has since become a bit of a Cape Town landmark, and has carried some of Cape Towns most famous visitors, including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, and also Oprah Winfrey, Sting, Stefi Graf, Arnold Schwarzenneger, Maggie Thatcher, Prince Andrew, Micheal Schumacher, Brooke Shields, Micheal Buble, Tina Turner, Jackie Chan, Dolores ORiordan, Skunk Anansie, and Paul Oakenfold. Since then, the cableway has carried more than 29 million visitors, making for half as long as it takes, with the 360-degree swivel views of Table Mountain, and the spectacular views over Cape Town.
According to Wahida Parker, managing director of The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC), the history of the cableway dates to the 1870s, when proposals were made for the construction of a railway on the sides of the mountain, making it easier for the general public to get to the summit of Table Mountain. Cape Town, South Africa (May 24, 2020) — For more than 90 years, the Cableway has been one of the biggest attractions in Africa. It was the Portuguese navigators who gave the mountain its name, calling it Taboa da Caba, meaning Table of the Cape.
4. Shark Cage Diving and Viewing from Cape Town
Overview
Price From ZAR 3200.00
Spend time watching one of the world’s most feared fish on this 4-to-6-hour cage diving experience in Cape Town. Travel to the ocean off the coast of Gansbaai for a full-day tour. Learn about great white sharks from your marine-biologist guide, and then dive into the water in a cage to observe sharks in their natural habitat. Breakfast, snacks and hotel-pick up and drop-off are included.
- Full-day shark-diving tour from Cape Town
- Journey into the open ocean from Gansbaai, a fishing village known for its dense population of great white sharks
- Enjoy breakfast at the Great White House
- Learn about the sharks in their natural habitat from an onboard marine biologist
- Jump into a cage as you are lowered into the water, which is the natural habitat of great white sharks Bring home a video of your experience (own expense)
What's Included
- Breakfast
- Light refreshments
- Professional guide
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
Shark Cage Diving Cape Town
Cape Town also offers shark cage diving tours from the nearby Simonstown Harbour. Most shark cage dive operators provide shuttle services from any location within Cape Towns greater region. Great White Shark Tours is a well-respected operator located right outside Gansbaai, and the city pass gets you free shark cage diving. Enjoy breakfast, and included transfers from your Cape Town hotel, to watch great white sharks at Gansbaai, South Africa.
Get a up-close look at the majestic Great White Sharks while cage diving, or look in awe as these powerful creatures leap through the air on their quest to catch seals. Once the first shark makes its first appearance, you will be dressed up and taken to a cage, where you will be able to experience these magnificent creatures up close.
If you are looking to go cage diving with some of the best sharks in the southern hemisphere, the white shark projects, located in the sleepy little town called Gansbaai, are a must-visit. A visit to Gansbaai is worth the drive, not only for the chance of getting into the water with sharks, but for many of the other fun and exciting activities that Gansbaai has to offer. You can sometimes do 2-3 dives in one trip, provided that the weather, sea conditions, and shark activity are good.
If you only have limited time in Cape Town, then this is a great destination as it is right on the edge of the Cape Town city center. Nothing quite compares with shark diving in Cape Town….it will keep you high for days.
5. Full-Day Franschhoek Hop On Hop Off Wine Tram Tour from Cape Town
Overview
Price From ZAR 645.00
Explore the Franschhoek wine region on a hop-on hop-off tram tour, which allows you to explore the wineries that interest you at your leisure. Sit back and enjoy the scenery while you ride through vineyards dotting rolling hills; you’re able to taste as much wine as you like without worrying about driving. Convenient pickup and drop-off at Cape Town hotels make this an easy door-to-door option.
- Round-trip transportation from Cape Town to Franschhoek
- Access to the hop-on hop-off wine tram with the option of two routes
- Visit as many vineyards as you like, hopping off at ones that interest you
- One wine tasting included on the tram
What's Included
- Return transport by luxury coach from Cape Town to the Franschhoek valley to connect with the tram
- Taste some wine on the tram
- Choice of Orange or Purple Tram routes (Tram reserves the right to change routes)
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Wine tasting fees at the chosen wine estates
- Cost of lunch
Franschhoek Hop On Hop Off Wine Tram Tour From Cape Town
The Hop-on-Hop-off Wine Tram, which runs from Cape Town to Franschhoek, gives you two routes to choose from. The Franschhoek wine tram offers two hop-on-hop-off routes, each visiting different wineries in the Franschhoek valley. The only hop-on-hop-off tram-bus route, the Purple Line, visits seven wine estates in the Franschhoek Valley, approximately a half-hour drive outside of Franschhoek. Passengers taking a tram-bus-only hop-on-hop-off tour will enjoy a unique, relaxed introduction to the Franschhoek valley, traveling along rolling vineyards on open-sided streetcars and tram-buses that pull up at some of the oldest and most distinguished wine farms in South Africa.
The Franschhoek Wine Tram Hop-on Hop-off Tour is one of the best ways to experience the real essence of this scenic valley, with its rolling vineyards, breathtaking landscapes, warm hospitality, world-class food, exquisite wines, and 300-year-old history. Choose from 8 different wine estate routes and make the most of it by booking a Franschhoek Wine Tram Hop-on Hop-off ticket, included with the price of this tour. How it works Once you book a start time on one of the tours, you are free to hop-on-hop-off at various wine farms along the chosen routes (although you do need to begin your tour at the ticket counter in the Franschhoek square). The tours cost $55-$60 (R885,00) and they include private tastings at a winery, but no tastings at visiting properties.
The description says that you get access to about 4-5 estates, however, I found this to be challenging if you are someone who wants to have the full tasting, and truly get the feel for an estate through the extra tours (cellar tours, which must be booked beforehand) or experience a culinary experience (such as chocolate-and-wine pairings, also needing to be booked ahead). Then, you should really book the Franschhoek Winelands Wine Tram Tour: it is a combination bus/tram ride allowing you to, well, hop on and hop off at wine farms along a chosen itinerary. This Franschhoek wine tram has become one of the most popular activities among wine lovers around the world. A combination tram and tram bus takes passengers on a circuit of stops, allowing them to hop off at every stop to enjoy an activity offered, whether that is a wine tasting, cellar tour, dinner, or just wandering through the vineyards.
For an experience that can be shared with up to 25 close friends, The exclusive Wine & Culinary Experience is a luxurious ride exploring the best that the Franschhoek valleys have to offer. Along the way, you will get to hop in and out of a car to tour some of the oldest and most highly-rated vineyards in South Africa, indulge in world-class cuisine, and participate in an array of activities, all whilst taking in incredible views of the Cape Winelands. It takes around an hour and a half to drive to Franschhoek from Cape Town, and the Franschhoek Wine Tram offers transfers from Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Paarl, and The Strand, starting from around R600 per person.
6. Cape Town Helicopter Tour: Atlantic Coast
Overview
Price From ZAR 2756.00
Climb aboard a private helicopter for an unforgettable flight over Cape Town! During this 18-minute helicopter tour, see the majestic Table Mountain from all sides and the natural amphitheater of Cape Town’s City Bowl. Soar over the beautiful Atlantic coastline. Enjoy a bird’s eye view of area attractions like the Twelve Apostles, Lion’s Head, and maybe even Robben Island. It’s a thrilling tour of Cape Town.
- Leave from the V&A Waterfront and fly above its bustling working harbor
- Enjoy views of the City Bowl and circle Table Mountain — a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- See several famous Cape Town mountains: Signal Hill, Lion’s Head, Twelve Apostles
- Soar above the Atlantic Seaboard’s undeniably gorgeous beaches
What's Included
- Flight
- Live commentary on board
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
Helicopter Tour
Cape Town Heli Tours offers amazing flying tours over Capes’s stunning wine country. Cape Town Helicopters offers a diverse range of tours, showing highlights of the city bowl, Cape Peninsula, Cape Winelands, Cape Safari Attractions, and the glorious Atlantic coast.
Book your seat today for this amazing helicopter ride and enjoy awe-inspiring views over the Cape Peninsula, Cape Town, South Africa. The Cape Point helicopter tour is yet another ideal way to experience the Cape Peninsula from the comfort of a helicopter seat.
As it hugging the Atlantic Ocean, you can also take in the views of the townships, white beaches on the peninsula, and the majestic Twelve Apostles. As you drive off the V & A Waterfront route, enjoy views over the city bowl and Atlantic ocean. On your equally impressive flight home, over the southern seaboard, you will be treated to the high-flying views over the city bowl of Cape Town, before landing again on V & A Waterfront Route.
From here, passengers will be flying along Cape Towns Atlantic Seaboard. Within 20 minutes, you will take flight and be treated to the world’s most dramatic mountains, coastlines, beaches, and Cape Towns’ skyline. You will depart from the Mother City, and take a flight above Hout Bay and around Robben Island, then fly back into town after the 20-minute tour.
If you are looking for the cheapest helicopter ride to the Mother City, complete with a short trip around town, this is your choice. If you are looking to get a little bit of something different, then go on a ride in a Mother City helicopter tour that is Instagram-worthy, pick one of the impressive helicopter rides below, priced to suit any traveler.
All tours vary from a quick hop-on-a-hopper ride that takes you around the city to an extended trip around the peninsula, ending in experiences that only can be had from the sky. This incredible helicopter ride takes you over Cape Towns famous Victoria and Alfred waterfront, passing by the famous Atlantic seaboard. Starting from V&A Waterfront, Flight Three Bays tour takes you across the unspoiled outer Cape Peninsula, and then up to Table Mountain and the majestic Twelve Apostles.
You will circle over Table Mountain, seeing the Atlantic Ocean on one side of Cape Peninsula, and then checking out the Indian Ocean on the other. Soak up unmatched views of iconic Table Mountain, and then contrast the earthy colors of the neighboring Signal Hill mountain with the stunning blues of the Atlantic Ocean below.