SOUTH AFRICA – YOTRIPP TRAVEL

BEST HALF-DAY HIKES NEAR JOHANNESBURG

Sayali — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 15:16:05 +0000

BEST HALF-DAY HIKES NEAR JOHANNESBURG

So, I must tell you. I discovered the joys of hiking during this lockdown. 2020 may have brought with it several lows, insecurities and hassles, but it gave me a few good gifts as well. The biggest one being the gift of the beautiful outdoors. One I never really had the time nor a real inclination for. One, if I care to admit, I never really appreciated quite as I do now after spending weeks on end cooped up indoors.

And now that I have discovered the true joys of hiking in South Africa, or should I say, hiking near Johannesburg to be OCD specific, I am ready to widen my horizons and take up hiking and exploring even outside these local, regional or country boundaries. It has truly aroused the gypsy-spirit in me.

So, if I were to recommend the exact three hiking trails in and around Johannesburg that completely blew my mind with their challenge and their beauty, it would be the three listed below. Though these three hiking trails offer several long and short hiking options, I took the longer trails that truly are some of the best half-day hikes near Johannesburg both with and without social distancing, for when COVID ends (and it will end eventually, right?!)

Psst.. two of these three trails is a pet-friendly hiking trail. So go on, invite your dog over for a fun half-day of hiking too.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

Milorho Hiking Trail

Milorho hiking trail in Rustenburg tops my list of favourite hikes near Johannesburg and it tops the list by a long shot. The trail offers stunning views, incredible landscapes, challenging terrain and captivating locations for photo-ops. That’s especially important for Instagram-lovers like me, and if you’re not, which rock have you been living under, really? Go hiking in the Magaliesberg mountains and you’ll soon have your Instagram profile, I almost guarantee it!

Jokes apart though, the Milorho hiking trail is a veritable treasure when it comes to experiencing local flora and fauna at its finest, no matter the season. The trail is so incredibly beautiful even during the dry winters that I just cannot wait to try it out during the gloriously green summers.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil

The geology is unique too. Exciting rock formations that invite you to climb them, yawning gorges that you wish you had the heart to look down into (I didn’t, gosh some were scary), cascading waterfalls and refreshing rock pools hit you (stun you would be more appropriate here) with intermittent awe as you walk up and down and down and up in a series of semi-challenging manoeuvrers.

I wouldn’t call this a beginner’s hiking trail exactly for it is long and tiring, and some tiny bits require climbing over. But then, I wouldn’t exactly call it difficult either. Especially not when a currently-overweight fat cow like myself managed to do them with good time too. Of course, I wouldn’t exactly drag along my 5-year old either you know. But you know what I mean. These hikes are doable by almost everyone that is reasonably fit.

Now to give you some actually useful information about the Milorho Hiking trail near information. I mean I could go on and on singing praises, for I really did love the longer, green trail, but then again, I was told by my blogging guru, that my blog needs to offer some value to my readers. So, with a slightly less elated heart, here goes:

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil

01.

Milorho Hiking Trails begin at Milorho Lodge and need to be pre-booked. The trails are open for hikers from Monday through to Sunday between 7:30AM and 4:30PM.

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02.

There are two hiking trails to choose from. The shorter, brown trail is of 5kms and takes about 2 to 3 hours to complete. Charges are R100 per adult and R50 per child under 12. The green hiking trail on the other hand is 12.5kms if you stick to the pathways. (Yeah, well, we wandered off and made it about 15). This path is slightly challenging and requires about 6 hours to complete, more if you intend to spend time by the rock pools or if you take a sudden fancy to an occasional tempting and climb-worthy rock! The charges for the green trail are the same as those for the brown one.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

03.

There are blue and green signboards along the path. But to be honest, they are not always there where you want them to be. I did get lost a slight bit and that contributed to my 12.5km walk going up to almost 15 too!

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

04.

Since the entrance to the trails is through the Milhoro Lodge property, you will need to call in from the main gate for someone from the lodge to open the gates for you. There is ample parking and maps are given out at the lodge reception. A quaint little coffee shop and a woodworking studio are the surprises that await you at the reception.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

05.

The long walk is tiring, make no mistake, no matter how fit you consider yourself to be. There are some tricky bits where you are walking along a narrow cliff part with a small stream on one side and the rockface on the other (right near the end). There are also bits where the walk is boring where you feel like you are just walking round and round to make up for the kilometres. But keep your eyes and ears open and there is no much to enjoy. Lizards and salamanders darting out here and there, traditional (and endangered) aloe peglarae in full glory, and caves and crevices that are ideal for the most novel photos.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

06.

Slather on the sunscreen. No matter how many times you slather it on, if you are not well dressed, prepare to be sunburnt. Despite the sunscreen, I had a sunburn, I had the itching and peeling that followed and I had the pain, so be forewarned. Of course, hiking shoes and water are a must too.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

07.

Start early. The trail gets more tedious as the sun shines brighter and the day progresses. Start early and aim to finish by 2PM or so to get the best joy out of your trail hike.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

08.

The rockpools are by far the best part of this hike. You’ll be tempted to spend a lot of time enjoying one that comes on top of the hill less than halfway into the hike. But you can take it easy. Just before the last leg of the trail are a series of lovely (and slightly shallow) pools that you can take a break (or enjoy a picnic) at. Don’t cool down for too long though, otherwise, the very last uphill climb from the rock pools to the parking lot feels like it is never going to end! Just take my word for it, will you?

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

09.

Pets are not allowed on these trails. The trails are open for day visitors but you can also book a stay at the lodge is you wish to convert a day hike into a short staycation instead.

Milorho Hiking Trail map available here. https://milorholodge.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Milorho-Lodge-Hiking-Map.pdf

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

De Wildt Hiking Trail

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

Another super hike near Johannesburg is the De Wildt hiking, walking and jogging trail. This pet-friendly adventure trail has several things going for it:

It is pet-friendly of course. And there is nothing quite like the fun of hiking and exploring with your dog.

It has multiple hiking trails and thus offers options to choose from. The 10km Peglarae trail that I went on is about 7kms and challengingly steep on the incline for the first few kilometers. There is also a maze hike, a picnic hike, a pensioners hike and a jungle hike too, to name a few.

They have an excellent picnic and braai area, and also a play area for kids. You can thus make a beautiful day out of your hike, with your family and pets too.

Picnic baskets are available on pre-booking and they are absolutely delicious.

The hikes end with stunning views from the top of the hill and that is definitely an added bonus, but there is also a lovely farm dam and some farm animals to keep kids occupied.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

Overall, De Wildt offers something for the whole family, for the adults, kids and pets alike.

To tell you the truth, I went on a father daughters’ hike to De Wildt. It was with my dad, of course, and my sister. So it could be that I had one added dimension to enjoy this hike more. That said, we combined the 4.6kms Kiepersol trail and the 7km Peglarae trail to make a day of it.

The Kiepersol is super easy, and I intend to take my 5-year old with me the next time I go. Yeah, that easy! The Peglarae is tougher and the first 2 odd kilometers are steep enough incline to get you huffing and puffing.

I am compelled to tell you just how glorious the rock features and streams on this trail are. There is one patch that walks you right through an entire rock mountainside, right through a trickling waterfall. Mind you, I went in peak winter. After the summer rains, the trickle could easily be a gushing mountain stream.

Ensure that you wear good shoes because there are several tricky bits on this trail that will have you thanking the gods that your shoes have a good grip. Though the trail is marked at most points, it is still easy to miss a market and get lost. My sister did just fine but I had to trudge through the nettles and an unexpected forest when I got lost halfway up the climb.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

Enough of the experiential bit, let’s get down to some real information now.

De Wildt adventure trails are about 30 minutes away from Johannesburg and approximately 45 minutes from Pretoria. Start early so you get up to the top without bearing the brunt of the hot sun. Yeah, those of you who have been to South Africa, you know how bad the sun is here.

Not all trails allow pets. So before you book a hike for yourself and your dog, be sure to ensure that your dog is actually allowed on the trail you have chosen. On some trails, there are also restrictions on the size of the dog. Since some trails have precarious footing, large dogs are not allowed. Be sure to check in advance.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

De Wildt trails are open from Wednesday to Sunday from 7AM to 3PM, Mondays and Tuesdays are off.

Different trails have different entry fees. For example, it is R60 for adults, R30 for kids between 2 and 10 years of age and R15 for infants on the Kiepersol trail. They have recently even launched a wonderful campaign where kids who complete the Kiepersol trail are given a trekker medal.

I went on the unguided Peglarae 7km trail and the price was R100 per adult with the Kiepersol trail added in for no extra cost. The 12.5km Groenklip trail costs R120 per adult and requires prebooking since it is a guided tour.

The Nek to Nek Historic Hike is for groups of minimum 20 people only. Pre-booking is a must for this guided tour and the cost is R150 per person.

Once you reach the top of the hill and get the views of one side of the mountain, don’t forget to walk to the other side and take in the views there. You get great visuals of Hartbeespoort dam and the other slopes of the Magaliesberg mountains.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

Shelter Rock

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

Shelter Rock is a beautiful and challenging hiking trail, also in the Magaliesberg. It is named after a huge boulder that dislodged itself from the mountain approximately 10,000 years ago. The huge yellow rock now sits on one of the cliffs and is quite the landmark when viewed from several kilometers away. It is great fun to climb the rock (and it is scary on the way down), but it is most definitely not the end of the Shelter Rock hiking trail. The trail goes on and on, further, highers till you reach the actual top of the mountain.

The start of the hike is through a forest-y area and this lulls you into thinking that the trail is easy. It is most definitely not, at least not one the inclines start. I would rate it to be moderately difficult. As you near the end, you really struggle if the sun’s beating down on you. I had several moments where I thought I’d reached the top, only for the trail markers to continue further and further ahead.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

The visuals from the top of the mountain are unreal on a clear day. You have several photo opportunities throughout the trail thanks to glorious, natural rock formations and clear open skies. Though I really didn’t see it, many say that on clear days you can even catch glimpses of the mountains of Sun City from here.

Shelter rock, just by the way, is not only for hikers. It caters to school outings, picnics and even adventure activities such as abseiling and team building. There is also a golf course in the vicinity if you are a golfing enthusiast. In addition, there is a camp, mountain lodge, restaurant and coffee shop if you’d like to convert your day hike into a vacation.Did I forget to mention the most important point before? Shelter Rock is a pet-friendly hike near Johannesburg. For hikers and day visitors, the rates per person are R80 for adults, R40 for children between 6 and 16, and R40 for dogs on a leash. Kids under 5 are free. Shelter Rock is open to hikers on Saturdays, Sundays and all public holidays. On weekdays, bookings must be made and paid for in advance.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

So, while this time is here, while this time is now, try substituting the cinemas and malls with hikes. You need no specialized gear other than a good pair of shoes and walking sticks (if you are particular and must have those). Just that and a healthy desire to get started should do the trick and get you hooked on walks and hikes in Johannesburg and beyond.

P.S This blog has been written as a part of Blogchatter’s My Friend Alexa Campaign.

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Author: Sayali Bedekar

Travel blogger and entrepreneur. Travelling since the age of 6. Experienced the expat life in Malta, Belgium, South Africa, USA, Malaysia, Bangladesh and several other countries. Travelled to countries like Sweden, France, Hungary, Netherlands, Austria, Spain, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, Italy, and others. More to come, fingers crossed.
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20 BEST CAPE TOWN TOURS

Sayali — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 14:37:51 +0000

20 BEST CAPE TOWN TOURS

Cape Town, or South Africa’s Mother City, offers a plethora of things to see and do. From some of the best beaches in the world to glorious vineyards, from the majestic Table Mountain to several protected nature reserves, the city has a lot on offer to visitors. You could, of course, choose to go sightseeing on your own or pick your places and Uber yourselves to them.

But as most Capetonians will tell you, it is much safer, much cheaper and that much more efficient to just pick one of the hundreds of pre-packaged tours on offer here. Here are 20 of the best Cape Town Tours that you could pick from.

01.

Segway Tours of Cape Town’s Glorious Vineyards

A tour of Cape Town’s glorious vineyards is an absolute must if you are ever in town. There is no better way to experience the green splendour of the wine county than to take a physical tour of the wine lands, even better if you do it riding a Segway! Segway Tours runs fantastic tours that allow you to glide through the vineyards enjoying the fresh air and the anticipation of great wine tastings. Add to this the opportunity to enjoy the scenic beauty of wine lands with the majestic Stellenbosch mountains in the backdrop.

You need to be over 10 years of age to take these Segway tours, so if you have older kids, this is a fun way to explore Cape Town with them. While no Segway experience is necessary, making a prior booking is a must.

If bike tours interest you more than segway tours though, check out this 3-hour bicycle tour in Cape Town instead.

Picture Courtesy:Sayali Bedekar Patil, YOTRIPP

02.

Culinary Tours of Cape Town

Cape Town Culinary Tours let you explore Cape Town in a slightly different way. These culinary tours let you explore the city’s culture, history and lifestyle through its food! Take their guided walking tour through Cape Town’s thriving food scene at the base of the majestic Table Mountain. Enjoy the city’s striking culinary offerings, perfectly paired with Cape Town’s world-renowned wines!

Stroll about at a leisurely pace, sample local foods made by local chefs and enjoy a one of a kind culinary safari. Pick a tour according to your preference or tailor-make a private tour just for you.

Three of our highly recommended Cape Tour food tours are:

Essentials Food Tour of Cape Town
Cape Town Vespa Food Tour (Something excitingly different!)
The Great Gatsby Food Tour

Picture Courtesy:Cape Town Culinary Tours Official Facebook Account

03.

Cape Point Ostrich Farm

Cape Point Ostrich Farm, an ostrich facility about 50km from Cape Town, runs guided tours of their ostrich breeding station. For people who have never encountered ostriches, other in picture books, this is an excellent opportunity to learn about them. For others who have, this is still a wonderful opportunity to get up close and personal.

You can easily spend a wonderful day here. The farm has an excellent restaurant if you wish to have lunch here. There is also a shop where you can buy trinkets and ostrich egg souvenirs. As a bonus, the farm is wheelchair friendly.

You can save some time and money by choosing this full-day, private Cape Penninsula Tour that covers Table Mountain, ostrich farms and penguin colonies in one package!

Picture Courtesy:YOTRIPP via Canva Pro

04.

Afrogem Mineral Heritage Tours

One of the best free Cape Town tours is Afrogem’s fabrication factory tour that showcases South Africa’s rich mineral heritage. Get first-hand insight into the process of crafting smelted gold into beautiful elegant jewellery. It is a different kind of thrill watching craftsmen intricately set gemstones in yet unfinished jewellery. The factory is right in the heart of Cape Town’s CBD and you can walk in anytime during work hours. There is no entrance fee.

After the tour, don’t forget to collect your complimentary tour gift. It serves as a memorable memento.

If you do not mind something slightly more expensive, you can test out your love of diamonds with this extraordinary (and well-named) Penninsula Wine, Whiskey, Gin & Diamonds tour instead.

Picture Courtesy:Afrogem Jewellers Official Facebook Account

05.

Wine & Art Tours

Art and Beyond runs regular art and wine tours in the wine counties of Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. Specialized tour guides make the experience worthwhile as you gain a lot of insight on both, local art and local wines. Visiting vineyards and their landscaped visitor gardens are an entire standalone experience of their own, but when teamed up with wine tastings, they are simply phenomenal.

Though they have pre-made tour itineraries, you can also choose to build personalised tours with Art and Beyond. In addition to the wine and art tours, they also run tours up Table Mountain. If you are interested in exploring a bit further away, try their Cape Point tours or their tours to Boulders Bay’s penguin colony.

And if you love graffiti, the Cape Town Photograffity tour comes highly, highly recommended. Get all your Instagram-worthy Cape Town photos in just one 5-hour tour!

Picture Courtesy:Art & Beyond CT Official Facebook Page

06.

Whale Tour to Hermanus

If you want a different kind of touring experience, try any one of the several tours run by Afta Africa Tours. Their whale tours to Hermanus are especially popular, followed by their ‘explore the Cape Peninsula’ tours. Hermanus, one of the world’s 12 best sites for whale watching, is home to colonies of these gentle sea giants. You can watch these magnificent creatures from land, but taking their 3-hour boat ride to get a bit up close is something truly adventurous.

The whale tour also includes wine tastings, a visit to the local botanical gardens, a look at Stoney Point’s penguin colony and visits to other hidden gems. Hence, these tours are every bit worth their price.

You can choose a full-day guided and private whale-watching tour for the best experience or try our highly recommended Marine Big-5 Adventure Tour that takes you on a delightful tour to see whales, Cape seals, great white sharks, penguins and more (in their natural habitats and nesting grounds) in one neatly combined package.

Picture Courtesy:Afta Africa Tours Official Facebook Account

07.

Cape Town Free Walking Tours

If you want to explore Cape Town on a tight budget,Cape Town Free Walking Tour gives you the best, free of cost options. Qualified and knowledgeable local guides take you all around the city on 60-minute, 90-minute or longer walks. From Cape Town’s coastal beauty, its historic locations and museums, Apartheid-era relics and even the colourful Bo Kaap; these tours cover everything.

Though these tours are free for everyone, they are run on a ‘tips’ based model. It is a good practice to tip your tour guides for the time and effort they spend on your sightseeing and comfort.

If you don’t mind spending some money for an elevated tour experience, try the Bo Kaap walking tour with tea offered by Viator.

Picture Courtesy:Free Walking Tours Cape Town Official Website

08.

Cape Town Outside Rock Painting Tours

Cape Town Outside runs fantastic day trips to San rock paintings, high in the Cedarberg mountains. Their expert-guided day trips start from Cape Town and take you through the phenomenal experience of going up the mountains to view ancient Bushman paintings. Their trips take you off the beaten path and include a heavy dose of local history and culture.

You can also book private tours with them. But even their readymade trip itineraries are experiences that shouldn’t be missed while you’re in Cape Town. If you prefer private tours to these Bushmen paintings, this day-trip from Cape Town is totally worth the money you spend.

Picture Courtesy:Cape Town Outside Official Facebook Page

09.

Quenti Alpaca & Mill Tours

If you’ve never met an alpaca, you have no idea what you’ve been missing! After all, they are gentle, cute and immensely cuddly. Quenti Alpaca & Mill lets you tour around their customised industrial fleece mill after you finish learning about these beautiful creatures and get your memorable close encounters with them. The mill is just an hour’s drive from Cape Town and is an interesting way to spend a morning if you want to do something different for the day.

The mill tour is wheelchair friendly. People of all ages can enjoy this tour and get insight on how an alpaca’s luxurious fleece gets spun into wool.

Picture Courtesy:YOTRIPP via Canva Pro

10.

City Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off Tours

City Sightseeing Cape Town runs open-top bus tours all across the Cape Peninsula. They have over 30 stops and take you to over 50 of the city’s top attractions. You can hop on or off these bright red buses as you please throughout the day. Their tours are colour coded and they provide maps and timetables with your tickets, so you know where and when you can catch the next bus on your line from.

These bus tours are wheelchair friendly. They are a great way to roam around the city without putting too much effort in researching where to go and what to see. The purple line (wine tour) and the blue line (Cape peninsula tour) come highly recommended. While the purple line takes you through breath-taking vineyards, the blue line gives your unforgettable azure views of the ocean on one side and Cape Town’s famous mountain peaks on the other.

City Sightseeing also offers harbour and canal cruises that are a fun way to explore the city from a different perspective. You can almost always spot a Cape Fur Seal or two, frolicking in the water during the harbour cruise while getting outside-in views of the V&A Waterfront as well as Table Mountain. The canal cruise takes you through the city’s internal waterways, showing you interesting spots and city landmarks as you move along.

If you want to take back unforgettable memories of your trip to Cape Town, the Franschhoek Wine Hop on Hop off Tram tour is the one tour you must not miss.

Picture Courtesy:City Sightseeing South Africa Official Facebook Page

11.

The Diamond Jewellery Tour

Another free Cape Town tour experience is the jewellery tour run by The Diamond Works Institute. Learn about the highly skilled craft of diamond cutting and careful jewellery-making craftsmanship through a tour of the institute. Meet industry professionals, ask questions and admire their creations.

The tour also takes you through the only Tanzanite polishing studio in the Southern Hemisphere. And if that weren’t enough already, you can enjoy a complimentary glass of wine with your already free tour! Alternatively, take this private tour.

Picture Courtesy:The Diamond Works Official Facebook Account

12.

Apex Shark Expeditions

Apex Predators runs the most adrenaline-packed shark expeditions to False Bay. They also offer cage diving among other things and are totally committed to giving you the best over and under water experience in Cape Town. You cannot leave Cape Town without witnessing False Bay’s rich marine wildlife and sharks. False Bay’s resident sharks have featured in over 60 documentaries filmed by Discovery Channel, Nat Geo and BBC.

Take these tours if you’d like it to be a bit more private than others as this operator only caters to smaller groups of 12 people or less.

If you are an adrenaline traveller who would like something that gives a more up close and personal experience, the 4D 3N Divers Experience is enough to give you goosebumps for a long time to come. And if you’re ballsy but not that ballsy, there’s the shark cage diving experience option too, you know.

Picture Courtesy:YOTRIPP via Canva Pro

13.

Yacoob Yachts Coastline Sails

A great, alternative way to experience Cape Town is via sailing cruises. Yacoob Yachts offers daily sailing cruises alongside the Cape coastline. Not only do you experience a real sailing experience aboard one of their catamarans but you get stunning views of Cape Town all along the way.

For added excitement, they also offer faster speedboats. And if you still want more, get aboard Jolly Roger’s pirate ship and get a-boasting on social media.

If you’re travelling as a large group, the 4-hour Atlantic seaboard private yacht experience is by far the most fulfilling yacht experience in Cape Town.

Picture Courtesy:Yacoob Yacht Official Facebook Account

14.

Cape Town Helicopter Tours

The ultimate experience in Cape Town’s air tourism is taking a helicopter tour run by Cape Town Helicopters. They have several scenic flights to choose from so you can pick a tour that suits your taste. Also, they offer romantic wine land lunches and other adventure experiences too.

These Cape Town helicopter tours are wheelchair friendly, a fun experience for all. These tours present you with the opportunity to take stunning aerial photographs of the majestic table mountains, the bustling city and its incredible cliffs and coasts.

Picture Courtesy:Cape Town Helicopters Official Facebook Page

15.

Noordhoek Horseback Beach Rides

About 30 km from Cape Town, the Imhoff Equestrian Centre offers guided horse rides on the beach, a beautiful, one-of-a-kind experience. These rides take you through the seaside suburb of Kommetjie, through lush meadows and tree-lined paths complimenting the seaside ride. This is arguably the best place for horseriding in Cape Town and hence it comes highly recommended for those who crave a different kind of experience.

Visit Imhoff Farm while you’re here. It has lots to offer to everyone; from camel rides and animal encounters for kids to wildflower-covered beaches, a restaurant and a café for others.

Alternatively, you can combine two joys and try wine tasting on horseback.

Picture Courtesy:Imhoff Equesterian Centre Official Facebook Page

16.

Cape Town Graffiti Tours

They say that the best way to understand a culture is to look at its art, and that is especially so with street art! Baz Art runs several street art walking tours that take you around the buzzing suburbs of Cape Town, showing you interesting street art and explaining the artist’s vision and backstories. The tour covers all the hot street art locations in town, including Salt River, Woodstock and Bo Kaap.

Tours need to be booked at least 48 hours in advance and require groups of at least 2 people. The tour runs for 2 hours and is conducted by guides knowledgeable in street art, who are often street artists themselves.

And if you prefer combination tours, we have one that combines wine and beer tasting tours with graffiti hunting. How’s that for a great combo?

Picture Courtesy:Baz-Art Official Facebook Page

17.

Hout Bay Seal Island Tours

Drumbeat Charters runs several different tours and private charters to seal island. Their 40-minute seal colony cruise takes you to Duiker Island seal colony. There, you get right up close with gorgeous Cape Fur Seals right in their natural habitats. Their 60-minute cruise takes you a little further to the Moari Bay shipwreck as well.

All along the cruise, you get to see stunning views of Chapmans Peak Drive and Sentinel Mountain. Drumbeat cruises are wheelchair accessible. Tickets cost R100 per adult, R50 for children who are 14 and under, while kids under 2 years are free. Their boats comply with all safety and security measures and they only employ qualified and competent skippers. This is a huge relief considering the temperamental weather of Cape Town.

Check out this supersaver deal!

Picture Courtesy:Drumbeat Charters Official Facebook Page

18.

Heritage Tours of V&A Waterfront

There are 22 historical landmarks at the V&A Waterfront and even without this official figure, there is plenty to explore here. Guided walking tours run for about 90-minutes from the Chavonnes Battery Museum, the oldest heritage site in the harbour. The winding walking tour then takes you to all famous and historic landmarks such as the Clock Tower, Robinson Dry Dock, Breakwater Prison and the Pump House, which is now home to the Cape Town Comedy Club.

Post the tour, head over to Shimansky Cape Town Diamond Museum in Clock Tower District to learn about South Africa’s glittering diamond history. If you are on the other side, check out the Two Oceans Aquarium instead. The aquarium is a treasure trove of local sea life in and around South Africa. If you are particularly adventurous, you can feed the penguins or scuba dive in the I&J Ocean Exhibit.

You can take combination tours here as well, such as this Freedom Heritage Tour.

Picture Courtesy:Chavonnes Battery Museum Official Facebook Page

19.

Wine Valley Safari Tours

The best way to explore Robertsons Wine Valley is to take a wine valley safari tour. These fun tours, which follow a different route each day, bring on the super excitement of being in an open-air safari vehicle. As you travel through the endless vineyards, you get 360-degree views of the landscape as far as the mountains go.

You can choose between different tours, they have everything from freestyle hop-on hop-off tours, wine tasting tours, cellar tours and even lavender farming tours. The cultural tour of McGregor Village also comes highly recommended, as do their vine and wine sunset safaris and their Nkqubela township tours.

Picture Courtesy:Wine Valley Safari Official Facebook Page

20.

Robben Island Tours

Weather permitting, Robben Island Museum conducts general tours from Monday to Saturday, running to Robben Island from mainland Cape Town. These tours take about 4 hours with two half-hour ferry trips on a Sikhi.The ferries depart from Nelson Mandela Gateway at V&A Waterfront and disembark at Murray’s Bay Harbour. Thereafter, buses take you all the historical sites on the island, including the maximum-security prison that held South Africa’s most prominent freedom fighters including Nelson Mandela. Inside the prison, knowledgeable tour guides (sometimes even actual prisoners who were held there) give you a guided tour of the prison and the island, and tell you stories from the personal experiences of the prisoners there.

There is just so much to see and do in Cape Town that this list of 20 is just the tip of the iceberg. So watch this space for add-on articles that bring you more, super exciting tours of Cape Town. In the meantime, in case you have experienced any of these tours first hand, share your experience with us via FB Messenger.

Better still, if you have any photos that you’re proud of, share them on your Instagram with the hashtag #yotrippcapetown The best photos will win you a feature on our website so you can tell all about your first-hand experiences in Cape Town. We look forward to hosting you. Cheers.

Check out some of our favourite Cape Town tours as listed on Urban Adventures.

Picture Courtesy:Robben Island Museum Official Facebook Page

SOUTH AFRICA – YOTRIPP TRAVEL

BEST HALF-DAY HIKES NEAR JOHANNESBURG

BEST HALF-DAY HIKES NEAR JOHANNESBURG

Milorho Hiking Trail

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02.

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De Wildt Hiking Trail

Shelter Rock

Author: Sayali Bedekar

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20 BEST CAPE TOWN TOURS

20 BEST CAPE TOWN TOURS

01.

Segway Tours of Cape Town’s Glorious Vineyards

02.

Culinary Tours of Cape Town

03.

Cape Point Ostrich Farm

04.

Afrogem Mineral Heritage Tours

05.

Wine & Art Tours

06.

Whale Tour to Hermanus

07.

Cape Town Free Walking Tours

08.

Cape Town Outside Rock Painting Tours

09.

Quenti Alpaca & Mill Tours

10.

City Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off Tours

11.

The Diamond Jewellery Tour

12.

Apex Shark Expeditions

13.

Yacoob Yachts Coastline Sails

14.

Cape Town Helicopter Tours

15.

Noordhoek Horseback Beach Rides

16.

Cape Town Graffiti Tours

17.

Hout Bay Seal Island Tours

18.

Heritage Tours of V&A Waterfront

19.

Wine Valley Safari Tours

20.

Robben Island Tours

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