72 hours in Cape Town, South Africa

**Welcome to part one of our four-part Southern African series. **Let’s call this part “The Cityscape.”

1. Why Cape Town Was Worth the Hype

Not many cities make it to my travel list — but Cape Town had long been on it. After spending 72 hours here, I can confidently say: it was worth every bit of the hype.

Unlike many African cities we’ve explored, Cape Town had a surprisingly cosmopolitan feel. It reminded us of Dubai and parts of Europe — from clean roads and modern eateries to stunning coastal drives.

 Add to that: pristine beaches, thrilling wildlife, and jaw-dropping scenery

• Day 1: Arrival, check-in, explore Bo-Kaap Day 1: Arrival, check-in, explore Bo-Kaap

• Day 2: Hike + cable car at Table Mountain Day 2: Hike + cable car at Table Mountain

• Day 3: Boulder Beach, Cape of Good Hope, Chapman’s Peak Drive Day 3: Boulder Beach, Cape of Good Hope, Chapman’s Peak Drive

• FAQ FAQ

• Renting a Car Renting a Car

• Costs Costs

• Vegetarian Food Vegetarian Food

• Where We Stayed Where We Stayed

• Highlights Highlights

• Final Thoughts Final Thoughts

Flights + Visa

We flew with Emirates. For Indian passport holders: apply for a South African visa (multiple-entry recommended). It took just 72 hours to process.

Cape Town isn’t ideal for solo exploration, especially at night. Stick to group tours and drive only during daylight. Common sense goes a long way.

We visited in winter (June–August) to avoid crowds — and it worked like a charm. No queues at major attractions.

English is widely spoken, making it easy for travelers.

Carry South African Rand (ZAR) for small purchases and tipping.

We booked with Hertz — but Thrifty and Firefly are budget-friendly options.

• Cost: ~$120 for 3 days (with insurance) Cost: ~$120 for 3 days (with insurance)

• Pickup: Right outside Cape Town International Airport Pickup: Right outside Cape Town International Airport

Pro Tip: Always opt for theft protection

• Food + Stay: ~$100/day (2 people) Food + Stay: ~$100/day (2 people)

• Table Mountain Entry: ~$30–$50 Table Mountain Entry: ~$30–$50

• Boulder Beach Entry: R152 (approx. $8) Boulder Beach Entry: R152 (approx. $8)

Affordable Activities: Many nature trails and beaches are free!

We stayed at Cape Heritage Hotel — charming, centrally located, and artsy.

• Breakfast included: grilled cheese, fruit, juice Breakfast included: grilled cheese, fruit, juice

• Near top attractions: Bo-Kaap, Table Mountain, V&A Waterfront Near top attractions: Bo-Kaap, Table Mountain, V&A Waterfront

Bo-Kaap Neighborhood

• 15-minute walk from our hotel 15-minute walk from our hotel

• Neon-painted houses on cobblestone streets Neon-painted houses on cobblestone streets

• Rich history dating back to the 1760s Rich history dating back to the 1760s

• Great spot for street photography Great spot for street photography

Cape Town is very vegetarian-friendly. We found quality food options — even familiar British brands.

Must-Try:

• Malva Pudding – a warm, sticky traditional South African dessert Malva Pudding – a warm, sticky traditional South African dessert

• Falafel Wraps in Muizenberg Falafel Wraps in Muizenberg

• Veg-friendly options at V&A Waterfront Veg-friendly options at V&A Waterfront

Table Mountain: Hike + Cable Car

• Hiked a 3-hour trail with views of Lion’s Head Hiked a 3-hour trail with views of Lion’s Head

• Took the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway down Took the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway down

• Stayed until sunset — the skies were unreal Stayed until sunset — the skies were unreal

Fun fact: Table Mountain is one of the New Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

Did you know that the Table Mountain is actually one of the seven new wonders of the world?

I always knew parts of Cape Town will be picturesque but nothing could have prepared for us how visually striking it would be. The best way to experience the city, is to go here the first chance you get. How much time you want to spend here depends on the experience you want to have. You can keep it simple and take the cable car both ways OR if you are more adventurous, do what we did, and also do a hike.

After a hearty breakfast, we started our day early. There are multiple trails all along the park. You can park and walk to any of them - they are free. Some are longer than the others, plan accordingly. Since the fog started to roll in, we took our time hiking up.

We decided to hike through a tough one while we still had the energy.. it was a good 3 hour hike. Through the trail, we could see the lion’s head peak. The whole scenery with the coast to one side and mountains on the other was arresting.

We packed a mini-picnic of juice and granola bars.. we decided to take the cable car but since it was so cold, we were the only ones on the trail. One of the coolest things to experience when on the cable car is seeing the massive boulders up close. The perspective will make you giddy, but in a good way.

You can take different trails and walk for as long as you need to. By mid-afternoon there was no one anywhere. What could be more ideal?

We stayed until sunset, and were treated to an absolute beaut of a sky;

• Buy cable car tickets online to skip lines Buy cable car tickets online to skip lines

• Check weather conditions before going Check weather conditions before going

Pack snacks and layer up — it gets cold!

Boulder Penguin Beach & Cape of Good Hope

Muizenberg Beach

• Surf culture meets candy-colored beach huts Surf culture meets candy-colored beach huts

• Grab a falafel + hot chocolate combo across the street for $5 Grab a falafel + hot chocolate combo across the street for $5

Boulder Beach Penguins

• Home to African Jackass Penguins Home to African Jackass Penguins

• Two access points: paid boardwalk or free beach nearby Two access points: paid boardwalk or free beach nearby

Respect wildlife: no touching or getting too close

I will be the first to admit that there are only two reasons I went to South Africa. One, it was the connection for Lesotho and two, for these penguins.

It was quite fascinating to watch them all over again but this time it was on sandy beaches instead of massive glaciers. Still an enthralling experience? Oh hell yeah. Animals over everything else any day. There are two ways to visit the beach - paid or free. If you visit the paid boulder beach park, there is a boardwalk where you can still get a very close view and watch them for hours.. this is the safest way for humans and the animals. Cost is R152 per adult.

These penguins are similar in character to the ones we saw in Antarctica BUT these guys are called Jackass penguins and can only be found in this part of Africa all the way until Namibia.

I don’t need to explain very much about what it feels like when you watch penguins in the wild.. you just have to experience it.

Now for the second way while paying will give you access to a whole lot of penguins.. just on the other side there is a FREE beach you can visit.. but you would need to be very patient (and hope to get lucky) to watch the penguins there. We did both, of course. If you happen to visit the beach, DO NOT touch the animals or attempt to get close to them. Visit early morning or mid-afternoon to catch the penguins at their playful best.

Last stop… we continued our road trip and drove further down to the Cape of good hope, yet another iconic location in Cape Town. This place is located on the tip of the Cape Peninsula.

Cape of Good Hope

• Once thought to be Africa’s southern tip Once thought to be Africa’s southern tip

• Wild views, powerful winds, and occasional ostrich sightings Wild views, powerful winds, and occasional ostrich sightings

• Entry fee required — 100% worth it Entry fee required — 100% worth it

Just be prepared for strong winds. You have to add this one to your Cape Town road trip itinerary.

P.S. there is an entrance fee, worth every penny!

Our road trip in Cape Town was filled with breathtaking moments but none more so than this awe-inspiring drive up in Chapman peak drive on our last evening. It is said to be one the most spectacular yet dangerous drives anywhere in the world. Fall or winter is also the best time, which is why we went here.

The sky turned a brilliant ombré with earthy hues as far as the eyes could see. So rent a car and take that road trip along Chapman Peak drive. The 9km road with 114 bends surrounded by the mountains and ocean on either side will leave you spellbound. Don’t miss this one. A fitting finale to an incredible part one.

9. Final Thoughts + Travel Tips

Cape Town is often misunderstood — but we found it stunning, diverse, and safe when you take the right precautions.

It is possibly one of the most breathtaking cities we have ever been to. There are so many amazing things to do here for every kind of traveler. There is a lot to do here so my goal, as always was to prioritize things unique to this place - we did all of that and it was just perfect without being too rushed.

My Top Travel Tips:

• Start your trip with Table Mountain Start your trip with Table Mountain

• Rent a car for freedom and flexibility Rent a car for freedom and flexibility

• Use MTN South Africa for local sim Use MTN South Africa for local sim

• Start your days early and be back by 6 p.m. Start your days early and be back by 6 p.m.

• Pack layers — winter nights are cold Pack layers — winter nights are cold

• Carry less cash and avoid flashy jewelry Carry less cash and avoid flashy jewelry

• Try local foods and always greet with a smile Try local foods and always greet with a smile

Follow these tips when you head there, I guarantee you will fall head over heels in love with this spectacular insanely gorgeous city. I know I did!

Drop your comments below and show some love. Feel free to shoot me an email with your feedback.

Cheers,

Anki

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