Cape Town - What to do
Cable cars, game reserves, and stunning gardens are amoungst the many things to take in while in Cape Town. Ensure you plan your time well to get the most out of this fantastic city.
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Rhodes Drive,
Newlands
Covering a large area of Cape Town’s Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens are amongst the most beautiful gardens in the world, and a definite must for those with a penchant for the ‘beautiful’.
The landscaped section merges with the fine bush vegetation cloaking the mountain and overlooking both False Bay and the Cape Flats. Apart from a few exceptions such as the almond hedge and the Moreton Bay fig, the gardens are devoted almost exclusively to plants which are indigenous to the area. You'll find a fragrance garden that has been elevated so you can more easily sample the scents of the plants; a sculpture garden; and a section for plants used for medicine by traditional African healers.
Rondevlei Nature Reserve
Fisherman's Walk Rd,
Zeekoevlei
Hippos hadn't lived in the marshes here for 300 years until they were re-introduced in 1981 to this small, picturesque nature reserve west of Muizenberg. There are now eight hippos, but they're shy creatures and it's unlikely that you'll spot them unless you stay overnight - which can be arranged. Guided walks are available and you can spot some 231 species of birds from the waterside trail, as well as from two viewing towers and hides.
Table Mountain Cable Car
Tafelberg Road,
Table Mountain National Park
Despite the crowds, this is definitely worth doing. The views on the way up and from the top of Table Mountain are phenomenal, and there are some good easy walks on the summit, plus a small restaurant and shop. You can walk up (or down) the mountain from both Botanical Gardens and city sides.
Two Oceans Aquarium
Docks Road,
V&A Waterfront
This excellent aquarium features denizens of the deep from both the cold and the warm oceans that border the Cape, including great white sharks, penguins, stingrays and turtles, along with an astounding kelp forest and pools in which kids can touch sea creatures. Qualified divers can swim with the sharks, for a fee.
For more ideas on what to do, visit the England Rugby Travel British & Irish Lions Tour interactive map, which is available in step 2 of the booking process for all packages.
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