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South Africa
Best Things to Do in Cape Town
Looking for the best things to do in Cape Town? We've gathered 3 experiences covering the best attractions Cape Town is known for — tours in Cape Town, food walks, cultural highlights and Cape Town day trips — every one bookable directly with GetYourGuide, our trusted partner for skip-the-line tickets and local guides.
Mountains
Table Mountain, Lion’s Head and the city’s skyline
Table Mountain, the flat-topped sandstone massif at the heart of the UNESCO-listed Cape Floral Region, is the sight that defines Cape Town. The rotating cable car climbs through the clouds to a summit plateau of walking trails with panoramic views over the city, the harbour and the curve of Table Bay. Go early to beat the queues, and check the cableway status before you travel — it closes when the wind picks up.
For a different angle, hike Lion’s Head at sunrise for a 360-degree view of the city, the ocean and the mountain. For the full planning walkthrough, see our Cape Town travel guide.
Wildlife
Penguins, seals and the great whites of the Cape
Cape Town’s wildlife is one of its great surprises. Boulders Beach, about 45 minutes south of the city, is home to a colony of African penguins that waddle freely among the granite boulders — one of the few places in the world you can share a beach with them. A boat tour from the V&A Waterfront offers dolphins, Cape fur seals and seasonal whales.
For the ultimate wildlife thrill, shark cage diving trips run from Gansbaai, one of the best places on earth to see great whites. Browse our Cape Town adventure tours and the wider adventure-tours hub, or read our in-depth Cape Town adventure tours guide for mountains, wildlife and ocean experiences.
Beaches
Camps Bay, Clifton and the Atlantic seaboard
Cape Town’s Atlantic seaboard is a string of beaches backed by the Twelve Apostles mountains. Camps Bay is the glamorous stretch — palm-lined sand, sunset cocktails and a lively promenade. Clifton, just around the headland, offers four sheltered coves of white sand and turquoise water, reached by a short stairway down from the road.
Further south, Boulders Beach pairs soft sand with its penguin colony. The Atlantic water is cold year-round, so swim in the middle of a warm day. Many of our Cape Town tours bundle a beach stop with a Cape Point drive.
Adventure tours
Shark cage dives, sea kayaks and Cape Point
For the adventurous, Cape Town delivers like few cities can. Shark cage diving off Gansbaai is the bucket-list adventure tour travellers talk about for years — one of the best places in the world to see great whites, with no diving experience needed. Closer to the city, sea kayaking past the Sea Point cliffs and abseiling off Table Mountain offer shorter adrenaline hits.
A full-day Cape Point tour that bundles the penguin colony, the Cape of Good Hope and the Chapman’s Peak Drive is the most efficient single adventure for first-time visitors. Browse our adventure tours hub to compare outdoor experiences worldwide, or open the full Cape Town travel guide for planning tips.
Frequently asked questions
Cape Town travel FAQ
What are the top things to do in Cape Town?
Table Mountain by cable car, the penguin colony at Boulders Beach, the cliffs and lighthouse at Cape Point, the beaches of Camps Bay and Clifton, and a Cape Peninsula drive along Chapman’s Peak headline most first visits. Pair them with a wildlife boat tour or a shark cage dive for a well-rounded trip.
What are the best Cape Town tours?
A Table Mountain cable car and city sightseeing tour covers the headline view, while a full-day Cape Point and penguins tour bundles Boulders Beach, the Cape of Good Hope and Chapman’s Peak Drive into a single well-paced day. Many Cape Town tours add a township or wine country visit, which is the most efficient way to see more without the logistics stress.
How do I get up Table Mountain?
The rotating Aerial Cableway climbs to the flat summit in about five minutes, dropping you on a plateau of walking trails with panoramic views over the city, the harbour and the curve of Table Bay. The cableway is weather-dependent and closes when the wind picks up, so check the status before you travel and go early to beat the queues. Fit travellers can hike up via Platteklip Gorge instead.
Where can I see wildlife near Cape Town?
Boulders Beach, about 45 minutes south of the city, is home to a colony of African penguins that waddle freely among the granite boulders. A boat tour from the V&A Waterfront offers dolphins, seals and seasonal whales, while the Cape Point reserve shelters baboons, ostrich and eland. For the ultimate wildlife thrill, shark cage diving trips run from Gansbaai about two hours away.
What are the best beaches in Cape Town?
Camps Bay, backed by the Twelve Apostles mountains, is the glamorous stretch with palm-lined sand and sunset cocktails. Clifton, just around the headland, offers four sheltered coves of white sand and turquoise Atlantic water. Further south, Boulders Beach pairs soft sand with its penguin colony. The Atlantic water is cold year-round, so swim in the middle of a warm day.
What adventure tours can I take in Cape Town?
Cape Town adventure tours range from a shark cage dive off Gansbaai — one of the best places in the world to see great whites — to sea kayaking past the Sea Point cliffs, hiking up Lion’s Head at sunrise, and abseiling off Table Mountain. A Cape Point full-day tour that bundles the penguin colony and Chapman’s Peak is the most efficient single adventure for first-time visitors.
How many days do I need in Cape Town?
Four full days is a comfortable minimum — enough to ride the Table Mountain cable car, take a full-day Cape Point and penguins tour, spend a day on the beaches, and fit in one adventure such as a shark cage dive or a sea kayak. Add a fifth day for the Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch and Franschhoek if you want to see more of the region.
What is the best time to visit Cape Town?
Summer (December to February) is warm, dry and beach-perfect, with long sunny days and the clearest views from Table Mountain — but it is also the busiest season. Spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May) are milder, quieter and ideal for hiking and wildlife. Winter (June to August) is cool, green and wet, with fewer crowds and the best whale-watching along the coast.
Explore Cape Town tours
Every Cape Town tour above is bookable directly with GetYourGuide — skip-the-line tickets, local guides and free cancellation on most experiences. Ready to dive deeper? Open the full Cape Town travel guide.
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