Cape Town

My trip in South Africa started out in Cape Town, where I spent some time before heading east to meet up with my friend, Lauren. Within hours, Cape Town quickly felt like home, and over the course of the next few weeks, became one of my favourite cities in the world.

By the time I left South Africa, I had spent 12 days in Cape Town. More than any other city on this trip so far, and it was for good reason. There are so many things to do in and around the area that it was hard to do everything in only a few days, so I decided to extend — by a lot. During my time in Cape Town, I went to Robben Island to learn about the history of the island & prison, and its connection to Nelson Mandela. I went on a wine tasting tour through the winelands in the Western Cape, where I tasted over 20 different delicious wines (with cheese and chocolate pairing) and got to see my first taste of the countryside. I hiked up Lions Head, and took a cable car to the top of Table Mountain to overlook the city. If you want to go out to party, head to Long Street, and if you happen to be in Cape Town on the first Thursday of the month in the summer — even better! This is their ‘thirsty Thursday’ so you’re almost guaranteed to have a great time. Check out the beaches in Camps Bay, go for cocktails on Clifton 4th beach, and go for a stroll down Long Street, its markets, and wander past the colourful homes of the Bo Kaap area. I did a bunch of yoga, and tried all of the South African food — biltong, droewors, koeksisters, you name it! I went on a day trip down to the Cape Peninsula to see African penguins, Cape Point, and the Cape of Good Hope. 

My trip in South Africa started out in Cape Town, where I spent some time before heading east to meet up with my friend, Lauren. Within hours, Cape Town quickly felt like home, and over the course of the next few weeks, became one of my favourite cities in the world. The very first night I was there, I went to my first hot yoga class in months, where I met another South African (and coincidentally my yoga instructor), Mark, who showed me around his amazing city and gave me tips on the top things to see and do in South Africa. 

There is no shortage of things to occupy your time in Cape Town, or South Africa in general, so be sure to plan enough time here so you don’t feel too rushed or miss out on some amazing places!

For a great afternoon, head to the V & A (Victoria & Alfred) Waterfront in Green Point. There is a big shopping mall, an aquarium, the Cape Wheel (a Ferris wheel of sorts), many restaurants along the harbour with great drinks and seafood bites, beautiful views of Table Mountain, ferries & speedboat tours to show you around the area by water, and is the access point to get to Robben Island. Grab a coffee or glass of wine, listen to the Cape locals playing their music, or read a book along the waterfront and before you know it, days will pass you by.

For the avid surfers, there are a few places near to Cape Town that you are able to do some surfing. Though most would head further east past Cape town, along the east coast, you can definitely take a day or weekend trip down to Muizenberg to visit Surfers Corner, a good place to surf for beginners. For the more advanced, you’ll be able to find spots in and around Cape Town, like Glen Beach, or at Off the Wall.

Whilst spending time in Cape Town, there is something that you will be hard pressed to ignore — water usage. Cape Town, and the surrounding Western Cape, was hit by a severe drought starting in 2015, and only got worse over the next few ‘La-Niña’ years. The crisis hit its peak at the end of 2017/early 2018, when water levels were between 15-30% of the dam capacity. The city was literally counting down to ‘Day Zero’, when there would then be level 7 water restrictions put in place — municipal water would largely be shut off, and people would have to line up for their daily allotment of water. Cape Town was counting down the days to when they would potentially become the first major city in the world to run out of water. To prevent this, the city put significant restrictions for water usage in place, nearly halving its daily water usage by March of 2018. This, coupled with more significant rainfall that finally came in June, allowed the dam levels to once again start to rise. Even though water levels are now back to a controllable state, people haven’t forgotten, and are encouraged to lower their water consumption — taking only a few minute showers for example — and there are still significant water restrictions in place for agriculture and land use. So, when in Cape Town (or anywhere around the world for that matter), please try and respect your water usage and their restrictions. So many around the world live with very little (or zero) fresh water, so we need to be aware of the vital resource that we have, and realize that it is not infinite.

For more info on some of my highlights of the city and surrounding areas, keep reading below!

Robben Island & Nelson Mandela

Robben Island, an island located off the coast in Table Bay, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and museum. The island was fortified and used as a prison from the late 1600’s through to 1996, when apartheid was ended. Starting in 1961, the island was mainly used by the government as a prison for political prisoners and convicted offenders. The end of Apartheid has since converted the island from what was once a prison, to what is now a popular tourist site.

One of the most well known political prisoners that spent time incarcerated here was Nelson Mandela. Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionist, leader, and humanitarian. Prior to being imprisoned, Mandela was repeatedly arrested for rebellious activities. Influenced by Marxism ideologies, he joined the South African Communist Party (which was banned), and led a sabotage campaign against the government in 1961. In 1962, he was sentenced to life in jail for conspiring to overthrow the state. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island for 18 of the 27 years (1964 to 1982) that he spent behind bars. In 1990, with growing pressure and fears over a racial civil war, Mandela was finally released. Mandela and the president at the time, F.W. de Kierk, negotiated an end to apartheid, and in 1994 a multiracial election was held in which Mandela became President. He was later awarded the Nobel Peace prize for all of his humanitarian and political contributions. He is held in very deep regard in South Africa, and often described as the ‘Father of the Nation’. Mandela passed away at the age of 95 in 2013.

Not only can you learn more about Mandela at Robben Island, but you can also visit his capture site (where he was arrested in 1962, in Howick). Here, you can visit the information centre, and walk a path which details the timeline of events in his life, ending at a sculpture showing Mandela himself.

The tour of Robben island leaves from the Nelson Mandela Gateway in the V & A Waterfront Harbour, and the price for a tourist for the tour is 550 Rand for adults (~$44 CAD). The cost of the ticket is quite high, but it is well worth the time spent here, and getting the opportunity to learn about this vital part of South African history is invaluable. The tour includes a ferry to/from the mainland to Robben Island, and a bus/walking tour of the prison and island guided by an old inmate with firsthand knowledge of living at the prison. As this is quite a popular attraction, it is advised to pre-book your tickets in advance!

Bo Kaap

Located at the foot of Signal Hill, and a short walk from Long Street, is the Bo Kaap area. Also known as the Malay Quarter, the history of this neighbourhood dates back to the 1760’s when rental houses were built and leased to the slaves. These slaves were known as the Cape Malays, and brought from the rest of Africa, Malaysia, and Indonesia to work in the Cape. 

The houses here are most well known for their bright colours, on steep cobbled roads. While the original houses were all required to be white, the expression of independence when the slaves were finally allowed to purchase the houses attributes to the colours that we see today. 

The first Muslim mosque in South Africa can be found in this area, the Aural Mosque, and there is also a museum here in Bo Kaap that you can visit that highlights this areas vast history.

Spend some time walking around the neighbourhoods, taking pictures of the bright homes, or visiting the museum, and you will get a great taste of the history and vibrancy that this area has.

Table Mountain

The iconic, flat mountain that presides over Cape Town is Table Mountain. Table Mountain is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, is home to the smallest, yet richest floral kingdom in the world, and is one of the oldest mountains on Earth. 

Table Mountain is part of the Northern end of the Cape Fold Mountain range. During an ice age approximately 300 million years ago, Table Mountain was still at sea level and ice sheets flattened the sandstone layers creating the flat top that we see today. When the continents split apart, stress & pressure built up in the crust, and the granite below the sandstone layers gave the mountains strength, forcing the pressure down. Over time, this process caused the rock layers to rise, becoming the 1000+ m high plateau that we see today. The mountain has been eroded by wind, fire, ice, and seawater, and the waves as the sea crashes against the rocks surrounding created the cliff edges that we see today.

The 57 km2 area that makes up the Table Mountain area is home to nearly 1500 floral species, many of them prevalent to this area. The sheer amount of species over this small space is unheard of!

To get to the top of the mountain there are 2 ways to do so – either by hiking to the top, or taking the cable car. Both ways are outlined below!

Once you’re at the top of the mountain, either by hiking, or via cable car, you have plenty to see and do. Be sure to bring your camera, as there are many impressive viewpoints up here, especially on a clear day! From the top of Table Mountain you are able to see Lions Head, Signal Hill, the Atlantic Ocean, Robben Island, the Twelve Apostles, and the surrounding city of Cape Town below. There are 3 easy walks that you can do on the Plateau – the Agama, Dassie, and the Klipspringer walks. There are also free, guided tours that depart every hour from the Twelve Apostles terrace viewpoint. You will also find a souvenir shop, restaurant and snack stop at the top if you want to grab a meal or enjoy a drink with a view. For the more adventurous, you also have the option to Abseil down a cliff of the mountain (with Abseil Africa). Here, you will repel down an 112 m sheer cliff with some incredible views on your way down. The activity is weather permitting of course, and will cost you 1195 Rand ($95) to do.

Hiking to the Top:

If you’re looking to spend some time in nature with outstanding views, and get a great workout in, you may want to think about hiking to the top of the mountain. There are a few different routes that you can take depending on your hiking experience.

The Platteklip Gorge runs up the center of the main table, and is one of the more popular routes up. Though it is quite steep, with switchbacks encompassing much of the climb, the route is relatively straightforward and takes between 1-3 hours to climb. You will start this hike on Tafelberg Road, past the cable car station.

The easiest route, Kasteelspoort, is on the Atlantic side of the island and offers amazing view of Camps Bay. On this hike, you will have the opportunity (if weather cooperates) to see the Twelve Apostles, Lions Head, the Atlantic Ocean, and Robben Island. At the summit, you will see the ‘diving board’, where you can get your IG shot. This route takes ~2-4 hours to reach the summit, with some incredible views along the way!

For the more experienced hikers, you may opt to take the India Venster route. It requires a decent bit of scrambling, and takes anywhere from 2-4 hours to hike. The route isn’t as straightforward as some of the others, so be sure to do your research before venturing too far up this one.

If you want to take a longer route from the Southern suburbs of the city, there are a few options as well. Skeleton Gorge and Nursery Ravine both start in the Kirstenboch Botanical Garden (you will need to pay to enter here). Skeleton Gorge, with a forest-like starting point, and a beachy finish, is about a ~3 km hike along Smuts Track to Maclean’s Beacon. At 1086m ASL, this is the highest point on Table Mountain, so you will get some amazing views from this point!

Whichever path you choose to take, be sure to take lots of water, some snacks, a windbreaker or jacket (the weather at the top can vary significantly from the area below) and a hiking buddy! If you don’t want to hike back down after visiting the top, you are able to get a one-way ticket down via the cable car station at the top.

Cable Car to the Top:

If you’re looking for an easier way to get to the top of Table Mountain, or don’t have the time to hike, there is an easy solution. A cable car was built here in 1929, and was revamped in 1997. There are 2 cable cars in place, both which can carry up to 65 people. The cars heads up from 8 AM – 7 PM daily, and the last car down is at 8 PM, making this a great spot in Cape Town to catch the sunset. The trip up to the top of the mountain lasts ~5 minutes, and the car rotates, so you get 360 degree views the whole way up. The line for the cars get crazy busy during peak season and times, so be sure to plan accordingly. Tickets cost 360 Rand return ($29), or 200 Rand ($16) one way for adults in the morning, and 300/200 Rand for the afternoon. You can easily pre-purchase tickets online here to save yourself time in the lineup! The easiest way to get to the lower cable car entrance area is either via the MyCiti bus, the Hop on Hop off City Sightseeing bus, or via Uber! If you have a vehicle, parking is available, though the lot can get very busy during peak hours.

Lions Head & Signal Hill

Lions Head

Lions Head is a mountain in Cape Town situated between Table Mountain and Signal Hill. The peak of the mountain is at 669m ASL, and became known in the 1600’s by the Dutch as the Leeuwen Kop (Lions Head). This head emerges above the city and Atlantic Ocean, is part of Table Mountain National Park, and a hike up to the top offers 360° views of the city, Table Mountain & Bay, Robben Island, Camps Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

The Lions Head hiking trail is a relatively short hike at 5 km (2-3 hours round trip), climbs ~500m with a winding path around the mountain, and some incredible views all along the way. The route is fairly well marked, and is easily accessed by foot. At one point there is a branch in the path that gives you the option of going the ‘easy’ route, or the trickier (quicker) one, which involves some metal ladders and chains to climb. Either route, you will end up at the same place! There is a bit of bigger rocks to climb near the top to reach the summit, but its still an easy enough walk up, and running shoes will easily do the trick. This hike is especially popular on a full moon night, where you will get to see the glistening of the moonlight off of the ocean below. Be sure to bring a torch up with you!

The hike begins at the Lions Head parking lot accessed off of Kloof Nek Road, and you will come back down the same path that you went up.

It’s no surprise that the Lions Head hiking trail is the most popular in the area as it’s fairly easy, relatively quick, offers a great workout, and its views are outstanding. Bring up a bottle of local wine and some snacks and enjoy the amazing views that the top of this mountain offers you. Enjoy the sunset or sunrise and the pastel colours that glean over the ocean and twelve apostles before heading back down! 

Signal Hill

Another great place for sunset (or sunrise) is Signal Hill, also known as Leeuwen Staart (Lions Tail or Rump). This hill has a relatively flat top, stands at 350m high and marks the boundary of Table Mountain National Park (for the most part). The hill connects Kloof Nek to Lions Head, and is a very popular spot for sundowners. Together with Lions Head, this hill looks like the sphinx, or rump of a lion, which is where it got its nickname.

Signal Hill separates the Sea Point area from the City Bowl, and its name was given to it from its function as the site of the noon gun. The noon gun is fired everyday, a bit lower than the Signal Hill viewpoint, at the Lion Battery. The gun is operated by the S.A. Navy and Astronomical Observatory and is used to relay the moment of 1 PM Cape Mean Time to ships in the harbour. In the past, flags were also hoisted on the hill to let Capetonians known that a ship was approaching the harbour and to communicate weather warnings and anchoring instructions to ships to ensure adequate preparation for weather within the bay.

Signal Hill is extremely easy to access – not only can you hike up, but there is also a road that will take you right to the top. Driving up Kloof Nek and taking a right at the top of the hill will get you there. Since it’s so easily accessed, this is a very popular place to come to bring a picnic, watch the sunset (or sunrise if you’re an early bird) and enjoy the beauty of the lit up Table Mountain that is visible from here in the summer months. There are a few sacred shrines on the hill to check out, and for a fun activity, you are also able to paraglide off of the hill! If you’re up for a bit more of a hike, you can continue on to hike Lions Head from here as well.

Wine Country

Located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, is one of my favourite areas — wine country! This region is stunning with incredible views of the winelands, mountains, and sea, depending on where you are within it. With over 300 different vineyards, South African winelands are one of the top 10 wine producers in the world. Not only that, but South Africa is also home to some of the oldest wine areas outside of Europe.

Wine history in South Africa began over 350 years ago when Dutch settlers & French Huguenots brought vines from their established vineyards in Europe to South Africa, in order to offer wine to the Dutch East India Companies merchant ships. The first vineyard was planted here in 1655, with the first vintage of wine released 4 years later. With very rich soil, it didn’t take long for South Africa’s wine industry to boom and for the country to become a key player in today’s market.

For the red wine lovers, unique to South Africa is now one of my favourite types of wine – Pinotage. Pinotage is a red wine, and a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault (both dry, French grapes). It was developed in 1925 by the 1st viticulture professor at the University of Stellenbosch. Pinotage is also commonly blended with other varieties, and this is referred to as Cape Blend wine. Pinotage wine is very common and only made in South Africa, so on a wine tour or while in the Western Cape area, it will be hard for you not to try a glass — and I urge you to!

If white wine is more enticing for you, South Africa is also well known for its Chenin Blanc. Though Chenin Blanc’s origin is the Loire Valley in France, 18% of South Africa’s acreage that is under vine is Chenin Blanc grapes, making it the most widely planted of all grapes here. It originated as a ‘workhorse’ as it has high yielding vines, the grapes add acidity to blends, and is a great base for distilling brandy. Today, Chenin Blanc is showcasing itself as a grape capable of yielding world-class wines. Given its range of notes and high acidity (varieties fall into 4 main categories: fresh & fruity, oaked, sweet, and blended), it is extremely easy to find a great pairing for any meal or dish, making this an extremely versatile and likeable white wine!

Not only is wine popular in South Africa, but brandy has also played an important role in the market. Over time on long sea journeys, the transported wine turned to vinegar; so distilling the wine would preserve it by converting it into brandy. It is still common for some wine estates to make brandy, opening themselves up to an entirely different market. If you’re a fan of brandy, be sure to try the offerings that some wine estates have!

There are many different wine routes that you can take in the Western Cape, and you could spend weeks sipping your way through this area. I didn’t have the opportunity to see all of the areas, so I’ll tell you a bit about the 3 areas and the wineries within them that I did have the chance to visit.

If you are based in Cape Town and only have a day (or 2) to spend wine tasting, you can easily drive out to one or more of the areas for a day. Alternatively, you can plan a wine tour from Cape Town as I did. I went with a company called African Story Tours, and it was an incredible day driving through 3 different areas, and visiting 4 different wineries. 

On the tour you will visit some of South Africa’s premier wine estates, in one of the most outstanding wine regions in the world. You will have the opportunity to taste many different varieties of wine — white, red, blends, Cape ports, brandy, dessert wines, sparkling wine, etc. You will also have the chance to visit a farm with a wine cellar where you will get to experience the wine making process and the different steps taken to get it from the vines, to the bottles that you will have the chance to taste afterwards.

At one of the wine farms on this tour (ours was at Fairview), you will also have the opportunity to do a wine and cheese pairing! I mean, who doesn’t love a good, fresh cheese? This will give you the chance to learn more about wine & food pairing, and what flavours compliment different varieties of wines.

African Story Tours is a company that supports local farms that not only produce amazing, award winning wines, but are also environmentally & animal friendly, pesticide free, and are carbon neutral. To book your tour or learn more, visit their website here. A day trip (~9 hours) costs 1100 Rand pp (~$88 CAD), and includes all of your wine tastings, a cheese tasting, a cellar tour, lunch, your guide and transportation. You can also book custom, private tours with them if you have a group or have your heart set on visiting specific wineries.

Stellenbosch

If there’s one wine route that everyone has heard of, its Stellenbosch. Founded in 1679, Stellenbosch (meaning the ‘town of oaks’) is the second oldest town in South Africa, and is considered one of the ‘can’t miss’ wine routes of the world. It is extremely well established, with over 200 wineries in the area. With the sustainable rainfall, well-drained soils, and mountainous terrain, this area has a great ‘terroir’ (as wine experts put it), making this a very sought after area for growing grapes and producing wine. Pinotage grapes were born here, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz are also popular and award winning wines that are now grown here.

The Stellenbosch wine route, as the oldest in the country and one of the most popular tourist routes in the Western Cape, is nearly impossible to see in only one trip, or one day. Instead, I would advise you to focus on 1 of 5 sub-routes within the area at a time – Stellenbosch Valley, Stellenbosch Berg, Bottelary Hills, Helderberg, and Greater Simonsberg. This way, you will be able to truly experience the area and not spend the majority of your day in your vehicle going between the different areas.

The Stellenbosch area is an ~45 minute drive from Cape Town’s City centre so is easy to do a day trip, or spend a few days out in the area to see more than one route and try out different wineries!

Paarl

The second most popular of the wine routes in the Western Cape, is Paarl. Located north of Stellenbosch, Paarl is the third oldest town (the 1st settlements here were in 1687), and it was named after a granite rock that was seen shimmering in the sun after a rain. The mountain was then called ‘Diamond and Pearl’ eventually deriving into the name Paarl as it is known today. The area has a very mediterranean-like climate, and very fertile soil, making it a perfect area to grow vines which produce some of the best red wines in the world. Paarl is particularly known for its varieties of Shiraz, though a large variety of grapes are grown in the area, including some varieties of white wine, like Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay.

There are over 28 farms that make up the Paarl wine district and are spread out around the central pearl-shaped rock. It is one of the most innovative wine regions in the Western Cape, creating the first bottle of SA’s Bordeaux style blend, as well as the worlds first white Pinotage.

The Paarl area is an ~40 minute drive from Cape Town’s City centre.

Franschhoek

Known as the culinary capital of the Cape, and originally known as Oshoek by the Dutch, is Franschhoek. In 1688, French Huguenots were fleeing religious persecution, and settled in this area. At one time, herds of elephants used to roam in this valley, and though they are no longer there, they add to the story of the sad and rich history of apartheid and slavery in Franschhoek. Located to the southeast of Paarl and enclosed by towering mountains on 3 sides, the tour of this wine region is absolutely stunning with all of its natural beauty and European charm. 

The wine region is home to many Cape Dutch-style wine farms, known for producing many incredible blends of almost any type of wine. There is also a route here dedicated to sparkling wines!

Unique to this area, and to help prevent any drinking and driving temptation is the Franschhoek wine tram! This tour/tram takes you between different wineries in the region so that you can simply enjoy your day (and the wines!).

Muratie Wine Estate

Hidden along a long, winding road in the beautiful Knorhoek Valley in the north of Stellenbosch, is the quaint and rustic Muratie Wine Estate. This wine farm dates back to 1685, and oozes with its rich, historical significance. The farm building, which is now home to the tasting room and dining area, is lined with old, uneven and cracked cement, and layered with grapes and wine from decades ago. Muratie will make you feel as if you were stepping back in time and preserving what once was — the smell is earthy; the look is rustic, but charming and inviting. The floors are worn smooth, and cobwebs hang from the fireplace, ceilings, wine bottles, and everything in between. 

As homage to its heritage, a plaque is displayed outside as a reminder of previous owners over time. The farm has had owners from every walk of life – from its beginnings, a German solider and his slave wife, evolving to the first Pinot Noir grape plantings in South Africa in 1927. The spectrum of owners has given life and legacy to the farm that we visit today.

Muratie’s heritage plays a significant role in not only how they run their business and farm, but also how they produce their fine wines. Muratie still hand-picks all of their grapes from the vine in order to better understand their quality, and selects only the finest of those to go forward into the wine making process. They use a balance of time-honoured methods, intuition, and best practices to yield the delicious wines that are created here today.

Muratie is best known for being the first producer of Pinor Noir in South Africa, but they also make tasty Port-style desert wines, as well as a wide range of other delicious wines! A standard tasting will cost you 60 Rand pp (~$5 CAD), or 95 Rand ($8 CAD) for a premium. They are able to accommodate groups, but by appointment only, so be sure to book ahead!

To learn more, or to visit Muratie to try their wines, check out their website here.

Remhoogte Wine Estate

In the heart of the Cape Winelands and a few km’s from Stellenbosch lies the impeccable Remhoogte wine estate.

The estate is family owned and operated, and they have adapted a minimalist approach in not only the cellar, but the vineyards as well. Their goal is to try to minimize the human impact on the final product, and allow the grapes to speak for themselves. Everything in the vineyards is done by hand, and in the cellars only a small amount of SO2 is added prior to bottling. The rest is all the natural, and the wines are matured in French oak barrels before being bottled.

Their motto is ‘wine should be experienced and not merely drunk, and we endeavour to make every bottle of our wine a memorable experience. We believe wine is made in the vineyards, and our goal is to allow the vineyards to express themselves by interfering as little as possible’.

This wine estate is very unique, in that its acreage is home to some wildlife, including zebras, wildebeest, and springbok! They offer tastings as well as wine & cheese pairings, and in the summer these are offered outside with beautiful views of the mountains, vineyards, and the wildlife. In the winter, you can stay cozy, cuddled up to the fireplace inside. A premium tasting of 6 wines will cost you 60 Rand ($5), or 90 Rand ($7) for a tasting of 5 of their reserve wines. These fees are waived if (and when) you decided to buy a bottle.

To learn more, or to visit Remhoogte to try their wines, check out their website here.

Backsberg Wine Estate & Cellars

Located on the hills of the Simonsberg Mountains, sandwiched between Paarl, Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, is a farm that occupies ~300 acres of vineyard – Backsberg Wine estate.

Dating back to 1916, and with 3 generations of hard work, the now father & son owned winery has created many firsts in the wine industry for South Africa. Not only was it the first winery to open a public tasting room, but it is also the first to be carbon neutral. Backsberg’s philosophy is simple; create easy to drink, sustainable, world-class wine, with the structure and finesse to please any wine drinker. They strive to create seamless wines — where the tannins, acidity, sweetness, and maturation all come together as one.

Many of the wines created here are named after people or places that were significant to the farm’s history. At Backsberg, you are able to do a full progression tour — visiting everything from the vineyards, to the cellars, and everything in between! 

A tasting at Backsberg, where you will have the opportunity to sample 5 wines, will cost you 50 Rand ($4) for their premium range, and 60 Rand ($5) for their exclusive (black label or family reserve). If you would like to try their Brandy, they have 2 to sample; the Cape Ruby, and Pinneau, and will cost you 60 Rand ($5). Backsberg also gives you the option to do chocolate or cheese pairings with your wine tastings, if you’re looking for that little bit extra! They also have a full restaurant, making this a great stop for lunch during your day of tastings.

To learn more, or to visit Backsberg to try their wines and visit the cellars, check out their website here.

Fairview Wine Estate               

Sat on the southwest slopes of the Paarl Mountain range, ~60 km from Cape Town, you will find the Fairview wine estate. First designated as a farm in 1693, this estate has had a wide range of agriculture on the property over the years. Originally named Bloemkoolfontein (meaning cauliflower fountain in Afrikaans), in the late 1800’s the farm was renamed to be Fairview. 

In 1937, the farm was purchased by the Back family for 6500 pounds, and has remained in the family ever since. Wine production began on the farm in 1699, but it wasn’t serious business until the Back’s bought in. Consult wines were planted, and in the 40’s and 50’s, this was the vast majority of wine that was produced. In 1955, most of the vineyards were replanted with a wide range of varieties – everything from Cabernet Sauvignon, to Shiraz, and Pinotage. Fairview was one of the first wine producers to break away from the regulatory body that controlled South African wine and its market. Cyril Back established the farm as an independent state, and in 1974, the first wines under the Fairview name were bottled. A year later, he held South Africa’s first public wine auction, selling off his entire 1975 collection in less than 3 hours. 

Fairview began to diversify their range of wines in 1978, adding white wines like Chenin Blanc, and trying new innovative winemaking practices to produce even higher qualities of the existing wines. To this day, 70% of the wine production at Fairview is different varietals of red wine.

These early years of the Fairview estate have built up to the business that has formed today. Fairview now produces ~50 thousand cases of wine a year (that’s 600 thousand bottles!), and 70% of this production is exported all over the world. Fairview wine estate strives to offer excellent value, while maintaining its easy drinkability and high quality standards.

Not only does Fairview create quality wines, they also create a whole smorgasbord of cheeses! They started creating cheese in 1980, and have since become South Africa’s prominent producer of high quality specialty and artisanal cheese. Their Cheesery produces over 50 different kinds of artisanal cheeses, both from cow, and goat milk. They offer everything from low fat and salty, to creamy and rich - their white and blue rock cheeses are award winning, while their more traditional cheeses, like Brie or Camembert, offer something for any palate. My personal favourites are some of their herb goat cheeses, and their brie!

To try out their wines or cheeses, pay a visit to their world-renowned tasting room. Your tasting will give you the option between two different sets of wine, each with 6 different varieties (both white and red), as well as a drool worthy cheese pairing to sample with each! If you’re like me, you’ll want to buy all of the cheese and wine to take home with you. Their wine & cheese tasting will only cost you 40 Rand pp ($3, so cheap!). If you would simply like to do a cheese tasting (or want another spread of the cheese), it’s only 20 Rand ($1.50). For the charcuterie lovers, 70 Rand (~$6) will get you 6 wines, paired with 4 cheeses and 2 cured meats! How can you say no to deals like this?

To learn more, or to visit Fairview and try their wines & cheese, check out their website here.

Cape Peninsula

For a day trip from Cape Town, ~50 km south, is Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. This area is a rocky headland on the Atlantic side of the Cape Peninsula that was once believed to be the southern most tip of Africa. The belief at the time was that this was the dividing point between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Over time, we have learned that this intersection point is actually Cape Agulhas, about 150 km to the E/SE along the Garden Route.

The Cape of Good Hope is the point at which a ship begins to travel more eastern than southern, and in 1488, a Portuguese explorer was the 1st to round the Cape, marking a huge milestone in establishing trade relations with Europe, the Far East and Australia via the Cape Route (& Clipper route). The area is known for its stormy weather and ships encountering tumultuous seas, as the Cape is situated at the convergence of the cold Benguela current, and the warm Agulhas current. Dangerous waves from these currents have caused many shipwrecks, and according to folklore, these wrecks have created the legend of the Flying Dutchmen. The Flying Dutchmen was a ship that was supposedly crewed by damned ghostly sailors who were doomed to sail the oceans forever after being lost in a severe storm near here. With the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, this route has become inefficient to make the way around the African continent, so is now rarely used.

The Cape Peninsula is what forms the western boundary of False Bay. The rocks at the 2 Capes are part of the Cape Supergroup and are made of the same type of sandstones that make up Table Mountain. Both Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope offer stunning views - the entire southern portion of the Peninsula is composed of rugged rocks and cliffs with wild waves crashing against them, and it is a relatively untouched national park. The Cape Peninsula is also home to 1100 species of indigenous plants that grow here, and nowhere else in the world. The Cape Peninsula is actually 1 of 8 protected areas in the region and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With only 0.5% of the land area of Africa, nearly 20% of the continents plants are found here. It is a beautiful area, but be cautious as the area is known for very unpredictable weather, and some bold baboons that will raid your backpack (and car) if they see food! If you come between June and November, you also may get lucky and spot some whales!

Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope are 2 different places on the headland, though only separated by about 2 km’s and joined by a hiking path, so its very easy to walk or drive between each point. As they are in the National Park, there is a fee to get in — for tourists, the cost is 320 Rand (~$26 CAD) for adults, so be sure to spend some time here to get the value out of the ticket. There is a restaurant/cafe in the parking lot by Cape Point, so you can stop here to have lunch or a drink and enjoy the views for a while longer.

Additionally, Cape Point has a lighthouse that you can visit, and has many spectacular viewpoints on the walk up, but be careful with your camera over the edges as the wind gusts can sweep it away very quickly! There are a couple different ways to get to the top where the lighthouse is. The first, is to take the path and walk from the Cape of Good Hope to Cape Point (or visa-versa), and the second is to take the Flying Dutchmen Funicular, a transit system that will take you up and down from the parking lot in 3 minutes for a small fee. 

Take a couple of hours admiring the natural, wild beauty of the Cape Peninsula, then head back north to visit the penguins, head to some surf spots in the bay, or head back to Cape Town.

To get down here, you can either drive, get a ticket on the City Sightseeing ‘Hop On Hop Off’ bus, or do a day tour through BazBus. One of the routes will take you on a day trip down south towards Cape Point, also stopping at Simon’s Town/Boulders Beach to see the penguins and give you time to check out the naval town and harbour.

Boulders Beach & African Penguins

A day trip from Cape Town, or a short drive from Simon’s Town, is Boulders Beach - known for its penguins! Boulders Beach in False Bay is one of Cape Towns most visited beaches, and the only place in the world where you are able to get close to a colony of African Penguins (also known as Jackass Penguins from their braying) in their natural habitat. 

A few of these African Penguins first settled here in 1982, and with great conservation efforts, the population is now estimated between 2-3 thousands birds. The beach here is protected from the wind and stormy waves with the large granite boulders (that give the beach its name), which makes it the perfect place for the penguins to settle down. The African Penguin is an endangered species, but thankfully Boulders Beach and neighbouring ones now form part of the Table Mountain National Park Protected area. This helps ensure that beaches are kept clean, and the penguins remain protected. Colonies of these penguins can be found from southern Namibia all the way down the South African Coast, but few places offer the viewing points that you will find here.

3 wheelchair friendly boardwalks were constructed a few years back to accommodate the many tourists that pay a visit to these fluffy birds every year. This is mainly constructed on Foxy Beach (just next to Boulder beach), and here you can learn more about the penguins and walk around different viewing points near the colony. You aren’t able to swim within this area, so if you’re hoping to do that with the Penguins, be sure to take extra time to visit an adjacent beach!

Though you have to pay to access the boardwalk where the main colony lives, you are able to swim on a beach nearby, where some penguins like to frequent. This gives you the opportunity to get up close and personal with them, right in the water or on the beach.

You are able to visit the penguins year round, though summer is when you will get the most activity. The penguins feed out as sea in September and October, so fewer penguins will be on the beach during these months. If you visit in the summer months (November-February), you will have the opportunity to see the juvenile birds molting on the beach (the babies lose their baby feathers and gain adult ones, much like children losing teeth). The birds are typically most active early in the morning or late afternoon, so try to get here for these times.

To get to Boulders Beach, there are a few ways to get there from Cape Town, and it is on the way to Cape Point if you’re headed down that way anyways! A day trip to see the Penguins and Cape of Good Hope is very easily done. To get to Boulders you can go around the mountain via the Southern suburbs towards Kalk Bay, or from Camps Bay via Hout Bay and along Chapman’s Peak drive. The latter is an incredible scenic drive, so you will probably find yourself stopping along the way to check out some amazing views!

If you’re using public transport you can catch a train from Cape Town Station to Simon’s Town (buy a 1st class ticket!). From Simon’s Town you can either walk 30-minutes through the town, or catch a taxi to get to the beach! Alternatively, you can also get a ticket down south on the City Sightseeing ‘Hop On Hop Off’ bus or through BazBus. One of the routes will take you on a day trip down south towards Cape Point, stopping at Simon’s Town/Boulders Beach. A trip to Boulders is well worth a few hour stop if you’re heading down south to visit the Cape of Good Hope. These cute, fluffy birds are incredible to watch!