Cape Town and its peninsula
A flat mountain set between two oceans, penguin beaches and the world's most beautiful urban coastal road: Africa's most spectacular city stop.
Suggested stay — 3 to 4 nights
Cape Town deserves to open or close the trip: three to four nights for Table Mountain (cableway or the Platteklip Gorge hike, in clear weather only), the V&A Waterfront, the coloured streets of Bo-Kaap and the Constantia vineyards.
The peninsula loop is THE emblematic driving day: Chapman's Peak Drive carved into the cliff, the Cape of Good Hope and its thieving baboons, the Boulders Beach penguins near Simon's Town, returning via Muizenberg and its beach huts.
Don't miss
- Table Mountain at first light, before the clouds and the cableway queue
- The peninsula loop via Chapman's Peak (toll, closed in high wind)
- The African penguins of Boulders Beach at Simon's Town
- Kirstenbosch, one of the world's great botanical gardens, backed against the mountain
Our tips on the ground
- Base yourself in Green Point, Sea Point or Gardens: safe, walkable and well placed.
- Plan Table Mountain around the weather, not your schedule: go at the first clear window.
- In town, apply the standard South African urban rules: nothing visible in the car, guarded parking, ride-hailing at night.
On our publishing schedule
Coming soon“South Africa on your own”, the complete edition, is in preparation
Same method as our Namibia guide: day-by-day itineraries, driving, a costed budget and checklists. Leave us your address and you'll hear about the launch — at the launch price.
In the meantime, our reference
The “Namibia on your own” guide — €29
- The same method, already applied to Africa's easiest self-drive country
- 3 day-by-day itineraries, 4x4 insurance decoded, costed budget
- Instant download, 14-day guarantee — currently in French, English edition coming
Before you go
Readers' questions about Cape Town and its peninsula
Do you need a car in Cape Town itself?
For the city alone, no — ride-hailing is efficient and cheap. Take the car on the day the peninsula loop begins and the road trip continues: you'll avoid parking fees and the stress of your first left-hand-drive days in traffic.
Is Cape Town safe for a traveller?
The tourist quarters (Waterfront, Sea Point, Gardens, Camps Bay) are comfortable by day. As everywhere in South Africa: no visible valuables, no isolated ATM withdrawals at night, ride-hailing after dark, and avoid the areas your hosts advise against.