On arrival in Cape Town collect your rental vehicle and drive to your base for the next few days in Simon's Town. Settle into your hotel room which overlooks the harbour. There are a host of different dining options to choose from at the harbour, with seafood of course being the favourite. Enjoy your first evening sipping a glass of wine, cold beer or cocktail and watch the sunset over the mountains.
Start the day today with a kayak excursion to visit to the African Penguins at Boulders Beach. This is a 2-hour excursion and no kayaking experience is needed. Spend some time strolling around Simon's Town and visiting the interesting little shops and museums before enjoying lunch at the harbour - the fish and chips here comes highly recommended!
In the afternoon enjoy a boat trip - to look for whales during the Southern Right Whale season (May-November), or to Seal Island to see the Cape Fur Seal colony, or to Cape Point for a spectacular and lesser-seen view looking up at the tip of the peninsula from off-shore. Sightings of Brydes whales, Humpback whales, Orcas and Dolphins are also common.
Enjoy the evening at leisure in Simon's Town or perhaps take a drive along the coast and have dinner in neighbouring Kalk Bay or Muizenberg, both of which also offer some lovely dining options.
Today we suggest you do a self-drive trip around the Peninsula, visiting Boulders Beach, Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope (most south-western tip of Africa). Enjoy a picnic lunch and wine tasting at Cape Point Vineyards and then continue over the spectacular Chapman's Peak Drive to Hout Bay, if time permits enjoy a walk through beautiful Kirstenbosch Gardens before making your way back to your hotel.
Choose your adventure for today, with so much to do you will wish you had more time! Here are some of our top suggestions:
- Shark cage diving (February to September) - an awesome bucket list experience, an opportunity to come face-to-face with a Great White! This experience is unique in False Bay as it is common to see the sharks breaching.
- Hire a bike and take a cycle along the False Bay Coastline towards Kalk Bay and Muizenberg, stopping to visit the interesting shops, have an ice-cream or take photos of the colourful beach huts.
- Learn to surf at one of the surf school in Muizenberg - known as the "surfing nursery" as conditions are perfect for those learning to surf - shallow waters, no strong currents and long, well-formed waves.
- Learn to SUP (stand-up paddle) in the flat waters of Simon's Town harbour.
- Learn to kitesurf - or try a tandem kite-surf with a pro kiter in complete safety and feel the thrill.
- Hike some the many hiking route options available in the surrounding mountains - there are even some caves to explore!
- Go diving! Cape Fur Seals, Kelp Forests & Sevengill Cowsharks are among the popular attractions. Not to mention a dive trip in the Cape of Storms would not be complete without adding a wreck .. or three!
Explore the coast of False Bay at your own pace on a shore dive or join the boat for something new and exciting to those dive sites that lie beyond the reach of shore dives.
See the magnificent Mako and Blue Sharks off Cape Point, as well as the massive Yellowfin Tuna that the sharks hunt as well as many pelagic birds and regular visitors of whales and dolphins. Available November - June.
- Go horse riding on the beach. Experience breathtaking views of Chapman's Peak and Noordhoek Beach from horseback. Visit the Kakapo shipwreck and watch indigenous bird life on one of the Cape's most beautiful beaches as you enjoy your beach horseride!
- Play a round of golf at one of the many beautiful 9 and 18-hole courses within easy access of Simon's Town.
- Be a beach bum and relax on the beach... if you choose Boulders Beach you can also go swimming with the penguins!
Why not spend today exploring the country's oldest wine region - the Constantia Valley, which has 9 different wine estates open to visitors for tastings. Constantia also has the highest concentration of award winning restaurants in an area, so book well in advance and treat yourself to a special lunch.
If you ae looking for something to get your blood pumping then why not start your day in the Valley with a zip-lining experience or if you are feeling very energetic you could do a bike wine tour through the valley - either for a half or full day.
You'll want to stay longer once you realise how much there is to see and do on your doorstep, however it is time to depart!
