Cape Town Travel Blog & Experiences

“How much time should we plan for Cape Town on our trip to South Africa?” is a question I’m asked very often. If it’s your first time in Cape Town, I recommend spending 3 to 5 days in Cape Town including the Cape Peninsula.

We like to stay a week or longer and keep going back to the Winelands (Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl), the Cape of Good Hope, Boulders Beach and Table Mountain.

11 years ago I fell for South Africa as a destination. Since then, I’ve gone back at least once a year. Why? There are countless reasons.

First of all, South Africa is just one overnight flight from Germany. In the European winter there’s no time difference. No jet lag.

Then it’s summer in South Africa when it’s winter at home. Perfect for escaping the grey everyday routine.

And what else fascinates me: the wildlife. I love spending hours in the car or on foot in the savannah, whatever the region. Of course, there are countless other reasons for a South Africa road trip:

Inspiration

23 Gründe, warum Südafrika eine Reise wert ist

Places to visit

Südafrika Top 23 Sehenswürdigkeiten in Südafrika: Highlights & sehenswerte Orte mit Geheimtipps

Inspiration

Geheimtipps Südafrika: 11 besondere Orte abseits der Touristenpfade

As a European, you can stay in South Africa for up to 90 days. On arrival you get a visitor’s permit as a stamp in your passport. Make sure the date is correct.

Travelling from the US or the UK? You don’t need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days either. Your passport must be valid for at least 30 days after you leave South Africa and needs at least 2 blank pages. Check the current rules before you go:

• UK: GOV.UK travel advice for South Africa
• US: travel.state.gov country information for South Africa

Here you’ll find detailed entry requirements, including for travelling with children:

Trip planning

Einreisebestimmungen für Südafrika: Visum, Impfungen und Zoll

To find flights, I use Google Flights and Kayak. I use these flight search engines to get an overview. Check carefully whether luggage is included in the price.

You can find domestic flights on the same flight search engines. Check the airlines CemAir, Airlink, FlySafair and FlySAA South African Airways.

A rental car makes sense in South Africa, as many sights are hard to reach by public transport. However, think about whether you really need a rental car in Cape Town. UBER is so cheap, parking is scarce (and expensive or unsafe), and you can get everywhere so easily.

I only recommend booking a rental car for 1 or 2 days to explore the highlights of the Cape Peninsula. Ideally, do that in the days before you start your road trip anyway. You can also pick up rental cars in the city centre, so you don’t have to go back to the airport. Still, compare the prices.

Costs vary depending on the type of vehicle and the rental period.

To rent a car, you need a valid driving licence (often also an international one), a credit card in the driver’s name, and you usually have to be at least 21 years old.

Remember that they drive on the left, and always keep valuables in the boot.

Travel tips

Autofahren in Südafrika: Tipps, Maut, Mietwagen & Erfahrungen

Trip planning

Mietwagen Südafrika: 11 Tipps zum Mietwagen in Südafrika (Kosten, Maut, Tanken)

From boutique hotels to cosy apartments, there are lots of options. I usually book my accommodation in advance, especially in Cape Town’s summer months. Many self-employed people (like me) like to spend the European winter months in this beautiful city. Apartments are often booked up long in advance.

Trip planning

Wo übernachten in Kapstadt? Sichere Viertel mit Karte und Unterkunft Tipps

Where to stay

Garden Route Unterkünfte: Empfehlungen für Hotels & Wohnungen

You’re probably wondering how dangerous a trip to Cape Town, and to South Africa in general, is?

As everywhere in South Africa, don’t leave valuables visible in the car, don’t walk through unfamiliar areas at night, and ask at your accommodation for the latest advice. In general, you shouldn’t visit townships on your own without a guide.

I’ve always felt safe on my trips, but I’ve always stayed alert. As I keep getting emails and comments on articles about safety in South Africa, I wrote these articles:

Safety

Ist Kapstadt gefährlich? Meine Erfahrung & Tipps für sichere Viertel

Safety

Sicherheit in Südafrika: Wie gefährlich Südafrika wirklich ist

Safety

Alleine nach Südafrika reisen: Erfahrungen beim Roadtrip als alleinreisende Frau

The South African currency keeps losing value against the euro. That’s why trips to South Africa are fairly cheap for us. Cape Town is one of the most expensive places in South Africa. But you can still enjoy a tasting menu at a top restaurant (The Pot Luck Club) for €50 per person.

Travel costs

Südafrika Urlaub: Wie teuer ist eine Reise wirklich? Alle Kosten im Überblick

It rains far too rarely in South Africa. But especially in the European summer (July and August), torrential downpours can happen. We’ve experienced it ourselves.

If it really does rain, you have to visit the Zeitz MOCAA museum, the Two Oceans Aquarium and the District Six Museum. Otherwise, there are few alternatives in Cape Town. The Mojo Market is indoors. At the V&A Waterfront, you can head to the Watershed or the Time Out Market for food and shopping.

The best guidebook at the moment is the DuMont guide to Cape Town (in German). I can pass on and back up every single tip in it. Please make sure you buy from an established publisher and not an AI-generated guidebook full of wrong information.

Travel costs

Reiseführer Südafrika: Das sind meine Empfehlungen!