When planning a trip to S. Africa you need to keep in mind the weather is the opposite of what you would find in Europa and North America. In December it will be summer with a median temperature of 16-26 degrees Celsius and in July it will be winter with 8-18 degrees Celsius. The weather is generally a little gusty and variable and so it's a clever idea to keep a raincoat with you at all times.
At some point nearly all South Africa holidays end up at Cape Town. This is largely because of Table Mountain, which is an impressive mount made of sedimentary stone. It has the singularity of being totally flat on top. Capetonian's have a very special relationship with this mountain, which allows them to orientate themselves and also to understand what the weather will be like next day. In reality when the weather is preparing to change, clouds will form a thin layer, just on top of the mountain that the neighbors call "the tablecloth". The Mountain top is accessible through cableway or from many stunning hiking routes like Skeleton Gorge.
When visiting Cape Town be certain to drive up to Signal Hill to get a fantastic view of the city from "up top". You could also go for a beautiful hike up Lion's Head which is not very challenging physically ( it is okay for children aged six and up ) and is really monumental. The climate is temperate, though it's best to wear sunblock, and a pic-nic lunch may be ideal.
You will enjoy the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront with its many curios shops and cafes. There is the 2 Oceans Aquarium which is especially amusing for children and a fantastic craft market where you can buy actually original souvenirs. Make sure to pop into the Scratch Patch where you can sit in a room full of semi-precious stones and handpick the ones you like to take with you. This is a convenient way of picking up little presents for your chums as you purchase a packet full at a time.
Saturday mornings Cape Town awakens to the sound of African drums as dance troupes fill the streets around Greenmarket Square. They are present during the week as well but Sat. is usually the liveliest day. These dance troupes are sometimes made up of children and some are truly impressive to watch as they're really happy with their heritage. Greenmarket Square itself is a good spot for purchasing keepsakes.
You will certainly want to go for a walk in Camps Bay which is one of the most exclusive sea-side areas in town. With its exclusive hotels and posh homes, it's sandy beach and Palm Trees, it is a small Miami, only better! It is Cape convention to go for "sundowners" on the beach. This may be informally opening a bottle of wine while sitting on the sand or sitting in a luxury beachfront cafe. Either way Camps Bay is a good spot for sundowners!
Kirstenbosch, the Floral Gardens in Cape City, are a site you cannot miss. It features agreeable walks and pic-nic areas with marvellously kept rolling green lawns, against the backdrop of rugged bluish mountains, surrounded by all sorts of rare native and exotic plants. In summer they often have music concerts which are truly a must-do.
No vacation to Cape Town is actually complete without a trip to Stellenbosch and the encompassing Winelands. Stellebosch is a quaint School City which has examples of wonderfully kept Cape Dutch architecture. There is a grouping of 4 houses that have been turned into a museum and which allow you to see the way the design evolved over four centuries. The curios shops in Stellenbosch are less expensive than in town, and one in particular Oom Samie se Winkel is basically a museum in itself! On your way back you can pop into Spiers to stroke tame cheetahs and do some top wine tasting!
At some point nearly all South Africa holidays end up at Cape Town. This is largely because of Table Mountain, which is an impressive mount made of sedimentary stone. It has the singularity of being totally flat on top. Capetonian's have a very special relationship with this mountain, which allows them to orientate themselves and also to understand what the weather will be like next day. In reality when the weather is preparing to change, clouds will form a thin layer, just on top of the mountain that the neighbors call "the tablecloth". The Mountain top is accessible through cableway or from many stunning hiking routes like Skeleton Gorge.
When visiting Cape Town be certain to drive up to Signal Hill to get a fantastic view of the city from "up top". You could also go for a beautiful hike up Lion's Head which is not very challenging physically ( it is okay for children aged six and up ) and is really monumental. The climate is temperate, though it's best to wear sunblock, and a pic-nic lunch may be ideal.
You will enjoy the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront with its many curios shops and cafes. There is the 2 Oceans Aquarium which is especially amusing for children and a fantastic craft market where you can buy actually original souvenirs. Make sure to pop into the Scratch Patch where you can sit in a room full of semi-precious stones and handpick the ones you like to take with you. This is a convenient way of picking up little presents for your chums as you purchase a packet full at a time.
Saturday mornings Cape Town awakens to the sound of African drums as dance troupes fill the streets around Greenmarket Square. They are present during the week as well but Sat. is usually the liveliest day. These dance troupes are sometimes made up of children and some are truly impressive to watch as they're really happy with their heritage. Greenmarket Square itself is a good spot for purchasing keepsakes.
You will certainly want to go for a walk in Camps Bay which is one of the most exclusive sea-side areas in town. With its exclusive hotels and posh homes, it's sandy beach and Palm Trees, it is a small Miami, only better! It is Cape convention to go for "sundowners" on the beach. This may be informally opening a bottle of wine while sitting on the sand or sitting in a luxury beachfront cafe. Either way Camps Bay is a good spot for sundowners!
Kirstenbosch, the Floral Gardens in Cape City, are a site you cannot miss. It features agreeable walks and pic-nic areas with marvellously kept rolling green lawns, against the backdrop of rugged bluish mountains, surrounded by all sorts of rare native and exotic plants. In summer they often have music concerts which are truly a must-do.
No vacation to Cape Town is actually complete without a trip to Stellenbosch and the encompassing Winelands. Stellebosch is a quaint School City which has examples of wonderfully kept Cape Dutch architecture. There is a grouping of 4 houses that have been turned into a museum and which allow you to see the way the design evolved over four centuries. The curios shops in Stellenbosch are less expensive than in town, and one in particular Oom Samie se Winkel is basically a museum in itself! On your way back you can pop into Spiers to stroke tame cheetahs and do some top wine tasting!
About the Author:
Cape Tours is a little, family run company with 25 years experience in the tourism trade. They are actually less expensive than if you book direct and can tailor any tour to fulfill your specific wishes. For promotions and special offers see holidays to South Africa.
