Tourist Information

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Tourism Information

WELCOME TO CAPE TOWN!

Cape Town, the mother city, situated at the gateway of South Africa, is currently one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Warmed by the African sun, bustling and beautiful, the cosmopolitan nature of Cape Town means that one never tires of the multitude of tourist attractions, entertainment, restaurants and adventures.
Hop on the new revolving cable car to the top of Table Mountain, visit the V&A Waterfront – situated in the heart of a working harbour, take a ferry to Robben Island – most famous for having been the isolated prison of former South African president Nelson Mandela, tour the Cape Winelands or stroll through Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Cape Town has a rich cultural history as is represented by its Rainbow Nation.

General Information:
Adventure Sports:

– If the rush of conquering the mountains by foot is not enough, try abseiling off the top of Table Mountain to a ledge more than 100m below. Visit www.abseilafrica.co.za

– White water rafting in the region is reliant on the weather, and good rains or melting snow can result in thrilling white water activity. www.felixunite.com

– If kloofing (leaping anything up to 25m off gorges into water below) is your thing. Thunderfalls on the Steenbras River Gorge near Gordon’s Bay is one of the places you should head towards. Visit www.active-africa.com

– Sandboarding, a combination of surfing and snow skiing, is gaining popularity and can be experienced on the dunes up the coast just north of Cape Town near Atlantis. www.downhilladventures.com

– Paragliding or hang-gliding – the Cape Town environs offer a number of sites ranging from Lion’s Head, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Gordon’s Bay and Noordhoek to name a few. Visit www.parapax.com

– When the weather’s fine, it’s perfect for scuba diving. The ocean floor is littered with shipwrecks testament to the coast’s fierce storms. Visit

www.two-ocean.co.za For the wildly adventurous, dive with sharks. Visit www.sharkcagediving.co.za or www.whitesharkprojects.co.za

– The waters south-west of Cape Point offer some of the finest and most exciting game fishing in the world for yellowfin and longfin tuna, Atlantic bigeye, dorado, yellowtail and broadbill swordfish, the gladiator of the deep.

– Mountain and rock climbing, hiking, caving and mountain biking, and numerous other adventurous activities – are just a phone call and a bit of courage away. Visit www.adventure-village.co.za or www.active-africa.com

– Big wave surfing is cool at Big Bay, Blaauwberg, which hosts several national and international surfing competitions. For the ultimate in big wave, ride Dungeons off Hout Bay, which can produce a ’25-footer’ in the right conditions. For surfing spots check out www.wavescape.co.za

Airport Transfers:

For more information on our airport transfer rates e-mail [email protected]

Banking:

Banks are open from 09:00 to 15:30 on weekdays and 08:30 to 11:00 on Saturdays. Automated Teller Machines (ATM’s) are readily available in cities and towns.

Beaches:

What do you want to get out of your trip to the beach?

° If you want a long invigorating walk, try Noordhoek or Bloubergstrand.

° If you want children in a safe environment where you can watch over them easily, try St James, Fish Hoek, Boulders, Hout Bay, Camps Bay or Gordons Bay.

° If you are looking to meet attractive people of the opposite (or same) sex, try your luck at Clifton, particularly first or second beach.

° And if you are looking to taking off all your gear, then Sandy Bay is the traditional spot.

° Big Bay, Bloubergstrand, Kogelbay at Gordons Bay, as well as Outer Kom (Kommetjie) and Long Beach at Noordhoek are draw cards for serious surfers. Surfer’s corner at Muizenberg is the ideal place if you want to try surfing, lessons are available for beginners. Log in to www.wavescape.co.za

Boat trips and Charters:

The Cape Peninsula provides a wide range of yachting and boating choices.

– Unsurpassed scenery with Table Mountain, Robben Island and Blaauwberg’s white beaches make yachting here a truly unique experience. Regattas are held every Wednesday in summer, starting from the historic Royal Cape Yacht Club, tel: 021 421 1354.

– Rivalling Table Bay in the scenic stakes is False Bay where two yacht clubs operate – Gordon’s Bay Yacht Club, tel: 021 856 3263 and False Bay Yacht Club, tel: 021 786 1703 in Simon’s Town.

– Charter a boat for an adventurous and thrilling game fishing safari. www.capecharters.co.za or www.sportfishing.co.za

– Choose between sedate harbour trips, cruises into Table Bay of False Bay, or lengthier outings in vessels ranging from luxury cruising boats to speedy state-of-the art catamarans or traditional turn of the century sailing vessels. Sunset Cruises are extremely popular particularly in summer, with many including dinner and drinks. www.waterfrontboats.co.za or for Hout Bay – www.tigertoo.co.za

– Embark on a fully guided tour across to Robben Island. Once you have arrived at this famous World Heritage Site, you’ll be taken around the prison where Nelson Mandela was held captive. www.robben-island.org.za

– For sailors and non-sailors join Sailactive for a memorable sailing experience. Visit www.sailactive.com

Cape Town International Airport :

Situated conveniently only 20km’s from Cape Town center, Cape Town International Airport is the main gateway to the Western Cape. Tel: 021 934 0407.

Car Rental:

All major car hire companies operate from the airport and have city depots. Several small car hire companies offer competitive rates. For car rental rates please e-mail [email protected] .

Communications:

Public phones are either coin or card operated. Only green public telephones use telephone cards. The cards can be bought at post offices, airports, bookshops and supermarkets.

Mobile phones, known as cell phones, are widely used. Cellular phones can be hired from the airport and various other outlets e.g. Cellucity, situated in the V&A Waterfront. Contact them at [email protected] or tel. 021 419 0429 or visit their website at www.hire4lower.co.za

Internet Cafés are springing up like mushrooms in the city. Charges are reasonable.

Conversions – distances and temperatures:

Distances are given in kilometers (1 mile = 1.62 kilometres)

Temperatures are given in degrees Celsius (Centigrade) (20°C = 68°F)

Credit Cards:

Major international credit cards such as American Express, Bank of America, Diners, MasterCard, Standard Bank Card, Visa and their affiliates are accepted.

Currency:

One Rand (R) = 100 cents (c). Notes issued R200, R100, R50, R20, R10; coins R5, R2, R1, 50c 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c, & 1c. Currency exchange rates are available at banks and published daily in the press.

De-stress:

Travellers who want to unwind between tours or simply get away from the effects of stress can have aromatherapy, reflexology, wraps, massages, hydro-therapy and expert beauty treatments. What better way to de-stress than a week at a retreat or spa? Visit www.healthgallery.com or www.camelothealth.co.za

Driving:

Drive on the left and give way to traffic approaching from the right. The general speed limit is 120km/h on open roads and 60km/h in urban areas. An international driver’s license is required in SA as the license must include a photograph as well as the signature of the holder.

Duty Free Shops:

Duty-free shops are situated at Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban International Airports.

Electricity:

Current is 220/230 volts at 50 cycles per second. A three-point round-pin adaptor is required, so take an adapter. Most hotel rooms have 110-volt outlets for electric shavers and small appliances.

Events:

Visit www.capetownevents.co.za for a calendar and guide to events in Cape Town, from sport and cultural to fun and extreme.

Golf:

Golf deserves a special mention as the Cape has some of the world’s most striking and challenging courses. Many of them have been designed by leading players like South African champion Gary Player. The Arabella Country Estate near Hermanus features one of the world’s top courses, a luxury hotel and a sybaritic spar. At last count there were 55 golf clubs in the greater Cape Town area! Your choice starts practically in the city centre with the 9 hole Metropolitan Golf Course adjacent to the V&A Waterfront. Contact Western Province Golf Union, tel. 021 686 1668 or e-mail: [email protected] or visit www.southafricangolf.com

Gym:

Cape Town has excellent gyms. For more information visit: www.virginactive.co.za or www.planetfitness.co.za

Health/Medical:

Vaccinations for cholera and small pox are not required, but travellers from a yellow fever zone must have a valid certificate. Visitors to game parks must take anti malarial tablets, available at pharmacies (drugstores).

There are first-rate medical and dental facilities in Cape Town. As a result, many foreign visitors combine tourism with dental procedures, laser eye surgery, or cosmetic surgery that cost much less here because of the favourable exchange rate.

Languages:

There are 11 official languages in SA. English is the language of administration and is widely spoken. Other languages are: Afrikaans, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.

Passports/Visas:

Passports must be valid fro six months after date of departure from SA. Visitors must have a return ticket.

Public Holidays:

Fixed: 1 January, 21 March, 27 April, 1 May, 16 June, 9 August, 24 September, 16 December, 25 & 26 December. Variable: Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Restaurants:

The nicest surprise about Cape Town’s Restaurants is how affordable they are in world terms. Enjoy an award-winning South African wine. In Cape Town you can eat and drink exceptionally well for R150 per head. Even on a tight budget there are delicious affordable alternatives. Please visit www.eatingout.co.za the restaurant guide of South Africa

Safety Tips:

Cape Town ‘s Business District and major malls have been made considerable efforts to safeguard tourists and residents against crime. Surveillance cameras monitor activities in the central business district and security guards watch over major shopping centers. Nonetheless, tourists should take the sensible precautions they would in any major city. Avoid carrying large sums of cash, displays of jewellery, cameras or video cameras, leaving belongings unattended, and in general take advise from locals on where to park after dark. Take special precautions at lonely lookout points, especially at dust or after dark. Keep the car doors locked at all times and wind the windows up, lock valuable items in the trunk.

Street children and beggars may approach you for a handout. Many social workers counsel against giving money to the children as it is usually gets handed over to an older figure or is used for sniffing glue. If you wish to do good, rather give food.

Shopping:

Cape Town has several world-class shopping malls. They are well designed, beautifully merchandised, atmospherically controlled retail outlets selling brands as familiar to shoppers in Milan, Paris, London and New York as they are to shoppers in Cape Town. The major centers include The V&A Waterfront (www.waterfront.co.za), Cavendish Square in Claremont, Tyger Valley (www.tygervalley.co.za) in the Northern Suburbs and Canal Walk (www.canalwalk.co.za) at Century City (the largest in the Southern hemisphere, rivalling any in the world for its variety of merchandise).

Cape Town is a treasure house for some of the best craft markets in the country. On weekends, open air markets such as the ones in Green Point, Hout Bay, Kommetjie, Rondebosch and Constantia offer hours of browsing and are the source of the best original hand-made crafts.

Standard Time:

Two hours in advance of Greenwich Mean Time.

Tipping:

It is customary to tip waiters, waitresses, wine stewards, taxi drivers, porters and caddies. Depending on service, the amount should be around 10%. Porters expect R2 per bag. Petrol station attendants often anticipate a tip if they have gone beyond just filling your tank.

Theatre:

Watch out for excellent home-grown productions.

Visit Artscape at www.artscape.co.za or contact Theatre on the Bay tel: 021 438 3301 or e-mail: [email protected]

Top Tourist Attractions:

° Table Mountain

Via the cableway, for stunning views of the city, its seaboard and nearby Lion’s Head. If you have the time, a walk up the mountain from Kirstenbosch or Constantia is recommended. But keep an eye on the weather. www.tablemountain.net

° Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

This working harbour, shopping and entertainment complex is South Africa’s top tourist attraction. While there, visit the Two Oceans Aquarium, with more than 300 species, including sharks, turtles, penguins and seals. www.waterfront.co.za

° The Atlantic Seaboard

Take a drive to Cape Point (www.capepoint.co.za) via Clifton, Llandudno, Hout Bay and Chapman’s Peak (if it’s open) and Kommetjie for breathtaking views. Return via Simon’s Town (famed for it’s penguins), Fish Hoek and the Constantia vineyards to complete a circuit of the spectacular peninsula.

° The National Botanical Gardens at Kirstenbosch

One of the world’s finest, offers over 5000 plant species in its gardens and hothouses (tel: 021 799 8783). Call Picnic Company (tel: 021 706 8470) and they will pack you a picnic hamper. www.nbi.ac.za

° Robben Island

Formerly the prison of Nelson Mandela and the other black political dissidents. A trip to the island is a sombre, sobering but unforgettable experience. www.robben-island.org.za

° The Company Gardens

Take a walk through the first garden in South Africa (1652) and see the Houses of Parliament, the Tuynhuis, Cape office of South Africa’s President, and other splendid Dutch buildings.

° The Castle of Good Hope

This five-pointed fortress, still a military headquarters but also housing a museum, gallery and restaurant, is the oldest occupied building in South Africa.

° The Winelands www.capewinelands.org

– Groot Constantia, one of the oldest and most beautiful wine estates, where winemaking in South Africa began.

– Stellenbosch, second oldest and best preserved town in South Africa, known as the ‘Eikestad’ – town of oaks. Call in at the tourist office for information on the Stellenbosch Wine Route.

– Paarl, the pearl of the Cape, at the foot of the Du Toit’s Kloof Pass. Also at the heart of an extensive wine route.

– Franschoek, a beautiful valley studded with fruit farms, wine estates and some excellent restaurants. www.franschhoek.org.za or www.franschhoekwines.co.za

Junior Cool – Cape Town for kids:

° Thrills.

Bumpy Rides: Try a camel ride in Kommetjie or a mountain bike ride in Tokai Forest or surfing at Surfers Corner, Muizenberg.

Vroom to move: If they’re more than 1.2m tall, they can go indoor ‘grand prix’ racing on go-karts. There are circuits at Canal Walk and in the Kenilworth Centre.

Wild at heart: Africa’s largest theme park, Ratanga Junction (closed in winter), advertises itself as the ‘wildest place in Africa’. The children will probably be braver about the exciting rides than you are.

° Ex-sighting.

Roaring Success: Tygerberg Zoo off the N1 is a walk-about on the wild side. Admire 300 species of mammals, birds and reptiles.

Black and white and spread all over: Enjoy the penguins at Boulders Beach.

Get Seal Legs: Boat-trips in Table Bay or see the sights and seals of Hout Bay or at the seal platform at the V&A Waterfront.

Mad Scientists: The MTN Science Centre at Canal Walk is a great educational and interactive experience for the young and the young at heart.

Simon Says…. Take a trip to Simon’s Town where the navy frigates dock. Navel exercises are a great attraction. The Simon’s Town Toy Museum (Tel. 021 786 1395) may be as nostalgic for you as engrossing them.

Fish, fowl and far out: The Two Oceans Aquarium, South African Museum, and Planetarium (tel: 021 481 3900) combine entertainment and instruction.

° Energy-spending.

Scratch ‘n Dive or ‘dig’ for gems at the Scratch Patch in Simon’s Town and the V&A Waterfront.

Play Secret Garden : Kirstenbosch lawns are great for safe running and playing hide and seek.

Ride into the sunset: Go horse riding in Hout Bay, Constantia or Noordhoek.

Slicing Ice: Try ice-skating at the Grand West casino complex.

Tours :

-Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope tour

Join us on Africa’s premier tour route to the majestic meeting place of the Indian & Atlantic Oceans. Sir Francis Drake the explorer called it “the fairest Cape that we saw in the circumference of the Globe” This tour offers a full and exciting day out.

Includes:

Hout Bay , optional 30-minute cruise to the seal colony in a glass bottom boat.

Cape Point nature reserve

Cape Point

Cape of Good Hope

Optional stop for lunch at Fish Hoek Galley – swimming in Indian ocean possible.

Optional stop at the penguin colony in Simonstown.

Kirstenbosch botanical gardens.

– Paarl, Franschoek & Stellenbosch

Our tour is one of the few that visits all the areas that make the Cape Winelands unique. We start off with a visit to the Afrikaans language monument situated high on the slopes of Paarl Mountain to get an overview of the day’s itinerary. After a city tour of Paarl we join the team at the Nelson’s Creek wine estate for a cellar tour and wine tasting. This estate made history by being the first to assist it’s workers to produce their own wines – bottled under the New Beginnings label. We then make our way to Franschhoek for our optional lunch stop at the Ballon Rouge restaurant.

Includes:

View over the Winelands from the Language Monument

Paarl

Cellar tour and tasting at Nelsons Creek*

Franschoek

Boschendal

Stellenbosch city tour

– ½ Day Cape Town townships tour

The day tour offers an insight and interaction with cultures, communities and individuals living in our colourful society. Witness every day life in a demanding environment and share in their hopes & achievements. The tour continues to the townships of Langa, Guguletu, Crossroads and Khyelitsha. This is the real Africa. Here traditional healers, traders, markets, shebeens and the church play an important role in the community. Buy arts and crafts and take back a souvenir of this amazing african experience.

Transport:

° Airport transfers. For rates please e-mail [email protected]

° Minibus taxis have to a large extent taken the place of buses and trains. Most Cape Townians take minibus taxis every day and they offer convenient but sometimes hair-raising fast transport along major routes. Boarding points are whenever and wherever you can get the driver to stop – usually with no warning.

° If you’re not feeling that adventurous, call for a conventional private taxi (ask for fares beforehand). Or ask Rikki’s to send one of their distinctive open taxis to pick you up in and around the city.

° There are a lot of companies running guided tours of the city and surrounds.

° All major car hire companies operate from the airport and have city depots. Several small car hire companies offer competitive rates. E-mail [email protected] for car rental rates.

Traveller’s Cheques:

Most international traveller’s checks are accepted provided they are in an acceptable currency and may be cashed at most banks. Many hotels and shops also provide this service.

VAT Refunds:

Foreign tourists visiting South Africa can have their value-added tax (VAT) refunded provided the value of each invoice for goods purchased exceeds R50 the value of the total items purchased exceeds R250. VAT is refunded on departure at the point of departure.

VAT of 14% is levied on nearly all goods and services.

Water:

Tap water throughout the Cape Metropolitan Area is safe for human consumption.

Weather:

The Four Seasons:

Whatever season you have chosen to visit Cape Town, be warned of the old joke: Cape Town has four seasons – sometimes in the same day. This is especially true if you plan to go hiking or be outdoors.

Summertime

Most tourists visit Cape Town during our long summer from October to March. A Mediterranean climate with little rain and 11 hours or more of sunshine a day. The wind does blow and if you’re after a tan or the beach, remember that mornings are usually much less windy, and that certain beaches ( Clifton, Boulders and Bikini Beach) are more protected than others. And if you’re tanning, remember to take sensible precautions, where a hat or cap and lather in sun block.

Between Seasons

Conventional local wisdom informs that spring (September) and autumn (April/May) are the smart times to visit Cape Town. They are usually balmy in-between seasons, when nature is at its showiest. If you’re into flowers (August – September) or whale watching (June – November), or seeing the vineyards at their best, these are great seasons to be in the Cape.

Winter – the Secret Season

Although Cape Town winters have days of rain and wind, they often produce perfect temperate days or even weeks. When it’s not raining, winter becomes the perfect ‘secret season’. Accommodation rates are usually lower at this time.

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