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Best experiences:

Abseil down Table Mountain

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
view of a mountain popularised for abseiling during the daytime

One of the world’s great abseils – a one-hour descent down the iconic Table Mountain. Comes with unforgettable views of the city and Atlantic coastline.

Adult price: £23

Min age 10

Best for ages 13+

Duration: 1 hour

Table Mountain

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
View of the mountain range from an opposing island

The iconic flat-topped mountain – sometimes covered with ‘tablecloths’ of clouds – that towers over the beautiful coastal city of Cape Town. Cable car or hike to the top; cable car or abseil down.

Adult price: £18

Best for ages 10+

Dive with great white sharks in Cape Town

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
Large shark swimming past a cage full of divers in Cape Town

Get up close to man’s most feared predator, the infamous great white shark, diving in steel cages just off the back of the boat.

Adult price: £100

Min age 6

Best for ages 13+

Duration: 5

Stellenbosch Wine Region

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
The wine estate on a summers day

One of the world’s greatest wine regions, home to more than 150 wineries producing numerous world-class wines, gorgeous Cape Dutch architecture, superb restaurants and top-notch art galleries.

Min age 18

Best for ages 6+

Hike up Table Mountain

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
View of the mountain from inside a cave during the daytime

Lace up your boots and tackle one of the myriad hiking trails going up to the summit of the iconic Table Mountain, a challenging but rewarding 2- to 3-hour scenic hike.

Best for ages 13+

Duration: 2-3 hours

Robben Island

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
Aerial view of the island during the daytime

Powerful, moving and fascinating museum where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. See his cell and the quarry where he crushed rocks for decades.

Adult price: £28

Best for ages 13+

Duration: 3.5

Constantia Wine Region

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
A vineyard blossoming in the spring

The picturesque Constantia Valley is a compact wine route that’s home to some of the oldest wine farms in the Cape.

Best for ages 18+

Cape Town Township Tours

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
Cape Town Township Tours

A fascinating insight into the vibrant but disadvantaged township communities, their history and current challenges.

Adult price: £35

Best for ages 13+

Duration: 4 hours

Drive Chapman’s Peak

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
View of the coast from the nearby road on a sunny day

One of the world’s most spectacular drives, twisting and turning along a heart-stoppingly beautiful coastline.

Best for ages 4+

Duration: 3-4 hours

Cape Point

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
Aerial view of the promontory during the daytime

At the southernmost tip of the Cape Peninsula, Cape Point offers a nature lover’s paradise with a lovely scenic drive to get there.

Adult price: £16

Best for ages 4+

African penguins at Boulders Beach

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
African penguins at Boulders Beach

One of the Cape’s most beautiful beaches, hosting a rare 2,500-strong African Penguin breeding colony.

Adult price: £8

Best for ages 4+

Cape Town’s best food & drink

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
Bobotie also spelt bobotjie, is a South African dish consisting of spiced minced meat baked with an egg-based topping

The most exciting foodie destination in Africa, with a diverse range of cultures and cuisines on the menu, plus two world-class wine regions.

Best for ages 13+

Duration: -

A day in Franschhoek

Franschhoek, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
A day in Franschhoek

The gorgeously quaint ‘French Corner’ of the Cape Winelands is also South Africa’s premier gourmet destination.

Best for ages 18+

Helicopter flights over Cape Town

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
Helicopter flights over Cape Town

Take to the skies for unrivalled views of Cape Town’s dramatic coastline, and to fly over the iconic Table Mountain.

Adult price: £80

Best for ages 10+

Duration: 15-30 mins

Snorkel with Cape Fur Seals

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
Snorkel with Cape Fur Seals

Snorkel with playful Cape Fur seals in the kelp forests of the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of Cape Town.

Adult price: £40

Min age 10

Best for ages 10+

Duration: 3-4 hours

Whale-watching at Hermanus [kayaking]

Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
Close up shot of a southern right whale breaching off the cliffs at Hermanus

See southern right whales at this stylish holiday town, offering some of the best land-based whale-watching in the world. Also see them from boats and kayaks.

Best for ages 4+

Duration: Any

Hike up the Lion’s Head

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
Lions Head and Cape Town, South Africa, as seen from the top of Table Mountain.

Heart-stopping 5.5km (3.4m) hike up the iconic Lion’s Head, for spectacular views of the Cape’s dramatic Atlantic coastline.

Best for ages 13+

Duration: 2-4 hours

Swim with mako and blue sharks in Cape Town

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

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Bucket List Experience
blue shark surrounded by divers

Adventure into the deep seas south of Cape Point to free-dive, snorkel and scuba dive with mako and blue sharks. A unique opportunity to get close to these pelagics.

Adult price: £125

Min age 13

Best for ages 13+

Duration: Full day

Oranjezicht City Farm Market

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Woman Selling Fresh Local Vegetable at Farmers Market

A bustling food, wine and design market situated overlooking the ocean. Wonderful fresh produce and dozens of food stalls. Open weekends, 9am-2pm.

Best for ages 13+

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District 6 Museum

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Art work on display in the District Six museum in Cape Town.

Delve into the lived experience of forced removals at this moving small Museum, which chronicles the diversity of District Six and its later destruction by the Apartheid government.

Adult price: £2

Best for ages 18+

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Norval Foundation

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Exterior of the building during the daytime

Set amid the Constantia Winelands, this contemporary gallery celebrates global and African artists in both indoor exhibition spaces and the outdoor sculpture garden. Excellent on-site restaurant.

Adult price: £9

Best for ages 18+

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South African Museum

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Exterior of white, colonial building at dusk

Stop by the South African Museum to see the famous Linton Panel, one of the world’s foremost examples of rock art, extracted from a shelter in the Drakensberg Mountains. Open daily.

Adult price: £2

Best for ages 13+

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Camps Bay Beach

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Street view of the local bay area during the daytime

For an easy-going, relaxing day at the beach, Camps Bay has great sand, a buzzy local vibe, and a strip of decent cafés and restaurants. After the beach, head to Café Caprice – the ever-popular hang-out for models, surf dudes, artists and trendsetters – for sundowners.

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Hermanus Whale-Watching Festival

Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa

Distant view of people whale watching during the daytime

Held in late September/early October each year – the peak season for whale watching – this usually sleepy-town is host to a colourful festival of art, adventure and fine food across a festive long weekend.

Best for ages 4+

Duration: One weekend

When: Late September

Frequency: annually

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Two Oceans Aquarium

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Entrance to an aquarium on a sunny day

In the V&A Waterfront, this world-class aquarium offers three large tanks for pelagic fish alongside dozens of smaller exhibits. The hands-on ‘Touch Pool’ is always a hit with kids.

Adult price: £10

Best for ages 4+

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Neighbourhood Goods Market

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Exterior view of the restaurant during the daytime

This Cape Town institution, set up in an Old Biscuit Factory in 2006, features food stalls from around the world, plus local artisans selling designer clothing, accessories and quality handicrafts. Live music adds to the atmospheric buzz and energy.

Best for ages 8+

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Walk or cycle the Sea Point Promenade

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Mountains, hotels and deep blue water with waves at beach promenade

Join locals on ‘The Prom’ for a leisurely 5km seaside ramble, cycle or skate as you enjoy the city’s best sunset views. There are pavement cafes if you need a break, and play parks for kids.

Best for ages 6+

Duration: 1-2 hours

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Aegir Project Brewery

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Close up of beer vats on the wall in the bar

The craft beer revolution is in full swing in Cape Town, and the Aegir Project in laid-back Noordhoek has long led the charge. Their easy-going taproom and restaurant offer a range of local brews and fine views.

Best for ages 18+

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