Holiday accommodation in Cape Town

Choosing holiday accommodation in Cape Town should not be done solely based on budget. The attractions of Cape Town are not all focused in the city centre in fact many are to be found outside the city limits. As public transport cannot be relied upon it is imperative that you know in advance what you would like to see and then choose your holiday accommodation in Cape Town accordingly. Like all cities that are popular with tourists there are several major attractions that can distract potential visitors from the real beauty to be found not far from the busy centre.

Cape Town is often seen in terms of, Table Mountain, the V&A Waterfront, Cape Point and Camps Bay, and rightly so, they should be high on the list of things to see when visiting Cape Town they are not however the be all and end all of the tourist trail. There are many gems to be found not two hours outside of the city limits and when booking holiday accommodation in Cape Town it is important that you remember that getting to these places can be tricky and expensive, especially if it is just for a day trip. It’s worth considering your options for staying in these places for a couple of nights to give you the opportunity to explore them properly.

The wine routes around Cape Town offer a magical way to spend the day, if not two or three days. Whether it’s sampling the local plonk, exploring the countryside and indulging in some of the many award winning restaurants that litter the region your days will be full. The small towns in the region offer spectacular options for holiday accommodation. Cape Town will soon seem like a secondary thought on your itinerary after a few days spent in Stellenbosch or Franschhoek. The region a couple of hours North of Cape Town also provides you with an opportunity to explore an area and culture that many tourists don’t know exist. During spring the fields around the town of Darling are transformed into an impressionist’s canvas as flowers, many of which are unique to the region bloom, covering the ground in a carpet of colour. This once a year explosion of nature is not to be missed if you’re in Cape Town at the time and by carefully planning your holiday accommodation in Cape Town you can ensure that you are nearby when it happens.

Public transport through most of South Africa is unreliable at best, so reaching the hidden gems outside of Cape Town may require a rental car. One doesn’t however want to waste days of their holiday driving from place to place. Planning your holiday accommodation in Cape Town properly can ensure that you are close to the places you want to see. Even if the attractions seem close to your holiday accommodation, a place like the Cape Point could take the best part of a day to see if you’re staying in the CBD. While the drive is lovely and well worth it, if one has evening plans or small kids it would be worth finding holiday accommodation on the southern end of the peninsula for a few day.

When planning your trip to Cape Town, holiday accommodation is obviously your primary concern with a little foresight and planning you can choose a place that will allow you to see the best of Cape Town.

Garden Route Tours from Cape Town

Garnden route tours from Cape Town:

Depart Cape Town either on the N2 or the N1 (depending on the Season) and drive through the magnificent Klein Karoo. Experience the beauty of this semi-arid area, with its red soils, its unique plant life and of course.....its thousands of ostriches....

Optional Port Wine Tasting in Calitzdorp, the Port Capital of Africa. Then tour one of the Ostrich Farms in area (where you can watch ostrich racing!), or visit the Cango Wildlife Ranch and have your picture taken with a family of Cheetahs!! Cage diving with Crocodiles is also optional!

Overnight at Rozenhof or Hlangana Lodge. Read More...

Source: Take 2 Tours

Cape Town Attractions: Table Mountain

An absolute must for anyone visiting Cape Town is a trip to the top of Table Mountain. Whether you hike up or take the cable car the views from the top are unparalleled.

Here is some interesting info about the history of the Table Mountain cable way courtesy of SA-Venues.com:

The way to the top of Table Mountain has never been easy, and for many centuries only a handful of bold and enterprising people could say that they had climbed it.

By the late 1870's, several of Cape Towns more prominent (and possibly less fit) citizens had suggested the introduction of a railway line to the top. Plans to implement a proposed rack railway got under way but the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer war put a halt to the plans. By 1912, with a strong desire to gain easy access to the top of Table Mountain, the Cape Town City Council commissioned an engineer to investigate the various options of transport to the top. The engineer, a Mr. H.M. Peter, suggested that a funicular railway running up from Oranjezicht through Platteklip gorge would be the most suitable option. A vote was held with the vast majority of Cape Town's residents voting in favour. This in spite of its cost a staggering (in 1913) 100000 Pounds.

The Table Mountain project was delayed yet again by war; this time the outbreak of the First World War (1914-1918). The plan was resuscitated in 1926 after a Norwegian engineer, Trygve Stromsoe, presented plans for a cableway to the top of Table Mountain. The plan caught the collective eye of a group of eminent local businessmen. The idea that an easy route up would finally become a reality drew them together, forming the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) to finance the construction. Work began soon afterwards and the project was finished relatively quickly. On the 4th of October 1929, the Mayor of Cape Town, Rev A J S Lewis, headed the official opening ceremony that was attended by over 200 other guests.

Since it's opening in 1929, over 16 million people have taken the trip to the top of Table Mountain. The Table Mountain cableway has since become something of a landmark in Cape Town, and has carried some of Cape Town's most illustrious visitors including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II, as well as Oprah Winfrey, Sting, Stefi Graf, Arnold Schwarzenneger, Magaret Thatcher, Prince Andrew, Micheal Schumacher, Brooke Shields, Micheal Buble, Tina Turner, Jackie Chan, Dolores O'Riordan, Skunk Anansie and Paul Oakenfold. In 1993, Dennis Hennessy, the son of one of the founders of TMACC sold the company. The new directors immediately set about planning an upgrade to the existing Table Mountain infrastructure.

Table Mountain at night, from the waterfront

Apart from upgrading the restaurants and machinery, new cars were purchased. Unlike their predecessors, the new cars, or Rotairs, have a revolving floor that allows passengers a 360-degree view of the city and Table Mountain as they travel. Work on the upgrade began in January of 1997 and, for several months cranes and large helicopters carrying building materials dominated the mountain skyline. The new cableway was officially opened on the 4th of October 1997, the anniversary of the original launch, almost 70 years previously.


The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company celebrated its 81st anniversary in 2010 and remains the most popular tourist attraction in Cape Town!

If you would like to go on a tour to Table Mountain check out these Cape Town tours.

Cape Town Attractions: Cape Point

One of the great things to do in Cape Town is go to Cape Point and see where the two oceans meet.

here is some info about Cape Point courtesy of capepointroute.

Cape Point is at the end of the Cape Peninsula, with the legendary Cape of Good Hope. Far too many visitors do the speed tour to the old lighthouse that rises 238 metres above the sea, when the journey into the Good Hope Section of the Table Mountain National Park is a day of discovery all on its own.

Cape Point is Africa’s most southwesterly point. You can experience the grandeur of one of the highest sea cliffs and freshest air in South Africa. Lesser known details are the 1 200 species of indigenous plants , various small mammals, antelope, zebras, and even South Africa’s largest bird – the ostrich, that call this park home.

Take some time to explore this fascinating reserve and discover some of the history and shipwrecks that scatter the coastline – from the Lusitania that struck Bellow rock in 1911; the Thomas T Tucker near Olifantsbos, the Phyllisia a Cape town trawler that went down in 1968 and the remains of the dutch trawler The Nolloth. Find out the legend of Antonie’s Gat; a place where even today Muslim worshippers may be seen praying on the cliffs of Cape Point in honour of the holy man that lived there.

The Cape of Good Hope has some of the most brilliant scenery in scenery for those participating in active sports, be it on land or on or in the water from scenic walks to hiking & biking, swimming in the tidal pools, diving & surfing, fishing and angling, and bird, whale and animal watching all over the reserve.

From the Cape Of Good Hope Nature Reserve at Cape Point, the spectacular road takes you past Smitswinkel Bay (treasure seekers and divers know about the 6 shipwrecks in that tiny bay!) and Millers Point to Simon’s Town.

If you are interested in doing a tour of Cape Point contact this Cape Town Tours company.

Self-drive Holidays In Gorgeous Cape Town

Cape Town is known for its sheer variety of things to do and places to see. It is often referred to as ‘the world in one city’ for its array of cultures and landmarks that resemble a number of international destinations.

Cape Town offers so many wonderful places to visit and is certainly best explored by car, making it ideal for a self-drive holiday. Whilst Cape Town is a relatively small city, it is spread out and car hire offers much needed accessibility.

Basic public transport is available and adequate, but you may feel constricted by it. A lot of the public and privatised modes of travel won’t allow you to take the journey at your own pace and spend time in the places that you want to spend time in. It’s no surprise that car rental in Cape Town is so popular.
There is a wide range of car rental service providers in Cape Town, from small specialist businesses to leading international companies, so you are sure to find exactly what you want for your self-drive holiday.

Cape Town Self-drive Holiday Highlights
Because Cape Town is set along a Cape Peninsula, you are likely to find that some of your best experiences happen whilst you are en route to whichever destination you choose to visit that day.
Cape Town is home to some of the finest scenic drives in the world. Its routes allow you to truly get a feel for the magnificent flora that Cape Town has to offer.

Chapman’s Peak Drive is a windy coastal road. Drive along the steep cliffs and stop off at a number of points where you can look out towards the sparse ocean whilst enjoying a picnic.

Cape Point is a nature reserve with a great deal of unique animal and plant life. It’s a dramatic spot, offering panoramic views of the place where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic.

Camps Bay is a popular beach with tourists, locals and celebrities. Camps Bay offers a number of beachfront bars and restaurants for leisurely afternoons. The palm trees that line the beach road give Camps Bay a distinct a California-esque feeling.

Hout Bay is a small isolated valley, only accessible through windy roads. Enjoy the laidback maritime atmosphere and visit the quaint harbour, an ideal spot to buy fresh fish.

Ou Kaapse Weg is mountain pass that runs between Tokai and Noordhoek. Not only does it offer mountain-top views of the surrounding areas, but there are a number of stops where you can take walks on top of the mountain.

Victoria Drive is a route along the Atlantic from Camps Bay to Hout Bay or Llundadno. Thanks to it’s positioning, it’s a lovely road from which you can enjoy the tranquil sunset.

Other Great Places to Visit
If you decide to go ahead with hiring a car, Cape Town is just the beginning of your adventures as the surrounding areas have so much to offer. The local wine estates are of an international standard and offer serene breaks from the urban bustle. Enjoy wine tastings at a number of award-winning wine estates.

There are also a number of rustic towns that you can’t afford to miss.
As most of them are relatively secluded, they offer an old world charm that teems with character. One such place is Franschhoek. Franschhoek is a small picturesque French village set in the mountains. Apart from the lavish countryside, Franschhoek is home to some of the best restaurants that South Africa has to offer.

Cape Town is a treasure trove of sites and cultures that could keep you busy for weeks. By electing to take a self-drive holiday, you are certain to experience so many more aspects to such a great city than you would without your own transport, making your time in Cape Town a truly unique experience.

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Garden Route Tours

Cape Peninsula Virtual Tour

The Western Cape with it's scenic beauty is the ideal place to start an African journey. Described by Francis Drake when he rounded the Cape all those years ago as "A most stately thing and the fairest Cape we saw in the whole circumference of the globe".

The Cape was also named "The Cape of Storms" by other voyagers, this difference in perception illustrates the huge variety of moods which influence this southern tip of Africa dominated by its famous flat topped mountain, rising 1000m out of the ocean.

The Cape Peninsula comprises many parts, the vibrant night life of the V&A Waterfront to lonely windswept rocks of Cape Point, graveyard of many a ship. Gracious homes set amongst vineyards, comical penguins at Africa's only mainland breeding colony at Boulders Beach, Simonstown or lively street markets where bargain priced clothes, jewellery and art may be found.

Kalk Bay is a fishing village which still retains much of its original character and has a vibrant night life as well as interesting shops which are open seven days a week.The town was first inhabited in the seventeenth century by shipwrecked seamen and deserters.

The "Historic Mile" (twenty one of the buildings in St Georges street are over 150 years old), is a popular walk along pavements once trodden by Admiral Nelson. The Simonstown Museum has displays on the early history of the town, and is open to visitors daily except Sunday. The boulders beach penguin colony is one of only two mainland breeding colonies of the jackass penguin and also offers sheltered swimming.

Cape Town Tours-Take 2 Tours

Western Cape Province – Self drive tour of major sites

The Western Cape Province only dates back to 1994, prior to this, since the Union of South Africa in 1910, it was part of the Cape Province. Today the province is home to around 4.5 million people, as well as some of the country's most breathtaking scenery.

It's made up of 6 Tourism Regions – Cape Town, Cape Overberg, Cape Winelands, Cape Garden Route and Klein Karoo, Cape West Coast and Cape Karoo.

The best way to discover the area is to hire a car. It's South Africa's 4th largest province but attracts the most tourists each year. T

he province covers a diverse geographical area from stunning mountain ranges to farmland valleys, beaches lapped by the waters of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, to the semi desert Karoo Landscape.

It's bordered to the north by the Northern Province, to the south by the Indian Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic and the east by the Eastern Province.

What to do and see in the Western Cape Province…

Cape Town Region: The scenic beauty of the Western Cape, its cultural diversity, and landscape make it a great place to visit and get around.

Cape Town, the capital city of the province, and one of the oldest cities in South Africa, is a perfect place to start your self-drive tour of the region.

Cape Town is positioned between the ocean and the majestic Table Mountain. Among the many activities you can enjoy in this vibrant city, apart from shopping and the nightlife, are surfing at the many beaches in the area, climbing, wine tasting and much more!

Roads into Cape Town include the N1, which links to Bloemfontein and Johannesburg, the N2 to Port Elizabeth and Durban, and the N7, which takes you to the Northern Cape Province.

Table Mountain National Park is perhaps the jewel in the crown of the tourism industry in the Western Cape.

Located at the southwestern point of Africa, the park incorporates the Table Mountain Chain from Signal Hill in the North to Cape Point in the south, and looms large over the city of Cape Town, the surrounding seas and coastline.

The truly stunning Table Mountain and the legendary Cape of Good Hope are located within the park. It's a wonderful area of steep cliffs, seascapes, diverse and unique flora and fauna you are ever likely to see, and it's well worth a visit.

Accommodation and tours of the area can be arranged.

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