In December 2025, I made an 18 hour trip to Cape Town, South Africa from Geneva, Switzerland. I flew with Qatar Airways and had a layover in Doha for 2 hours and 20 minutes. Visiting more African countries is my top travel goal for this decade of life, Seychelles was the first country to spark this idea. South Africa has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember, so I was excited as I made my way there.
With a colourful mix of cultures, a complex history and deep cultural heritage, South Africa, also known as “The Rainbow Nation” is a land of natural beauties. It is truly a country where adventures can found both inland and on the coast. Whether that is through the rush of spotting the Big Five during a safari, or a slow walk through the lush winelands of Stellenbosch and Paarl, you will be captivated by the sights.
From its amazing biodiversity, natural beauty ranging from its forests, beaches and deserts, rich tapestry woven through architecture, art and culture, vibrant music scene, unique blend of cuisines, diversity of language, colourful cities, friendly people and scenic landscapes, there is something from everyone.
For anyone planning a trip to Cape Town or considering it as a possible destination, here is a travel guide to help you plan your trip there and make the most of it.
Check Out Instagram Highlights on Cape Town
Disclaimer: This post does include some affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and tours that I have personally vetted.
About Cape Town
Cape Town “The Mother City” is the legislative capital of South Africa and is nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and breathtaking mountains. A lot of people associate Cape Town by its iconic landmark, Table Mountain, which has been titled as one of the seven New Wonders of the World. While that does play into its popularity, this destination offers so much more than that. It is known to be a stunning cosmopolitan and outdoor city wrapped by white sandy bays and a pulsating beat that continuously travels through the air.
Best Time To Go To Cape Town
South Africa is an all-year round destination. However, Cape Town has four distinct seasons – summer, autumn, winter and spring. Summer runs from December to February, which is also peak season, it will be hot, windy and dry. However, this is the best time to visit the beaches, the wine estates and festive events such as First Thursdays. Autumn runs from March to May, which is a shoulder season with fewer tourists yet warm and sunny days. This is the best time to do cycling, mountain biking and this is when the Cape Town International Jazz Festival takes place. Winter runs from June to August, which is their low season, it will be mild, wet and windy. Spring runs from September to November, which is another shoulder season with fewer tourists yet warm and sunny weather. This season is marked by their flower festivals.
I went during their peak season in December 2025 and the average temperatures were between 25 to 28 °C. While it never rained, the temperature dropped at night and it was windy. I do recommend packing a light jacket or shawl for those windy nights.
Getting to Cape Town, South Africa
I flew from Geneva to Cape Town via Qatar Airways – there are quite a few options to choose from here. As I enjoy the experience with this airline, this was my go-to choice for this trip. The airport that you want to get to is Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town. It is the primary international airport that serves that city and has direct flights to other destinations in Africa. If you are planning a trip to other Southern African destinations, Cape Town is the gateway to those countries.
My flight from Doha to Cape Town and vice versa were completely full. I had a middle seat on the way which wasn’t that comfortable. However, I got to Cape Town late morning and was able to stretch my body. Make sure to search for your flights early to catch good deals. This is really important if you are going early December when it is peak season because the prices can increase quickly.
Some of my favourite flight tracker sites are: Sky Scanner, Hopper and Google Flights.
Regarding visa requirements, most countries in the EU including Switzerland are visa-exempt for a stay up to 90 days. If you do require a visa to enter South Africa, you can apply for a standard visitors visa or a digital South African ETA through the official website. Regardless of visa requirements, always make sure that your passport is valid. Some countries, at least 30 days after the intended departure date is fine. For me, that is cutting it a little too close. For that reason, I always recommend renewing your passport three months before it expires.
E-Sims To Use In South Africa
Since I went to St. Kitts in 2023, I have always used an E-Sim whenever and wherever I travel. I no longer have to play Russian roulette with my data to avoid the exorbitant rates for roaming plans. Once I discovered the beauty of an E-Sim, I never looked back. I use Airalo to stay connected when I travel. This app is convenient and practical. It is easy to set up on your phone before landing at your next destination. Moreover, it has E-Sims for individual countries, regional E-Sims and global ones, depending on how you are going to travel. Furthermore, they offer both a data plan and data/calls & text plan. Whenever I use Airalo, I always opt for the data plan as I text and call via WhatsApp.You can use my referral code FOLAKE6280 to get $3.00 off your first E-SIM.
Where To Stay In Cape Town
There are a lot of good accommodation options in Cape Town. There are villas, apartments, hotels, guesthouses, large resorts – there is accommodation for every budget.
The Location
During my trip, I stayed in an apartment rental in Camps Bay, Cape Town. Camps Bay has a lot of attractions, breathtaking coastal-mountain-and-ocean views. The fact that I got to go to sleep and wake up with that view every morning; made me appreciate the beauty of nature even more! Unfortunately, I didn’t get to explore as much as I wanted around that area. If you get the opportunity to go, I guarantee that you will enjoy it. Uber is widely used in Cape Town and from this strip of luxury apartment rentals, it can take around 20 minutes to get to Cape Town City Centre.
The Accommodation
While I was in Cape Town, I stayed at the Bali Bay Luxury Apartments with a group of women solo travellers. I had a wonderful stay there. Usually boutique hotels are my preference whenever I travel. My room had its own balcony and bathroom with a his and hers setup. The layout of the rental was absolutely gorgeous! With a rooftop pool on third level and a smaller version of the first level. It had a dining room setup on each floor both inside and outside on the balcony. During the mornings, I could watch the sunrise while eating breakfast. As part of the package, there was a private chef that came in to cook breakfast every morning and some other meals. I only had to plan a few meals for this trip. If you are travelling with a group of friends, this is the place to stay.
For my trip, I went with TinTrips, a Black travel group for women solo travellers. I prefer to travel solo and am capable of planning my solo trips. Choosing this type of travel took the guesswork out of planning the itinerary and the logistics within Cape Town and allowed me to take a step back for a change. I also got to meet some of other solo travellers and do some activities that I wouldn’t have necessarily planned myself. A review about this group travel experience will come shortly and the itinerary is below.
Boutique Hotel Recommendations in Cape Town
If you are a boutique hotel lover like me because you enjoy intimate experiences, here are my top recommendations. I have not personally vetted these, but these are places that I would stay at:
What To Do In Cape Town
Cape Town has so much to offer depending on the season that you choose to travel there. Luckily, I was there during peak season and was able to experience festive events such as First Thursdays. Everyone was outside enjoying life and the atmosphere was lively and contagious. Here are my top activity recommendations to do:
Historical Activities
1) Visit Robben Island for the Mandela Freedom Tour
Whenever I travel somewhere new, I always do a historical tour to learn more about the destination. Going on the Mandela Freedom Tour on Robben Island was eye-opening as I got to hear first hand accounts from people that had been political prisoners on the Island. In addition, the coordinator on my bus shared her account about her grandfather being an on-and-off political prisoner on the Island and how it affected the next two generations of her family. I highly recommend doing this tour as the apartheid still has last effects on the country. You can book the tour here.
2) Stroll Around Bo Kaap
Bo Kaap is famous for its brightly coloured homes, cobblestones streets and Cape Malay heritage. It dates back to 18th Century and the coloured homes represent the freedom of the Cape Malay people after they were able to purchase property. It is lovely neighbourhood to stroll around and take pictures.
Nature and Adventure Activities in Cape Town
3) Take a cable car and/or hike up the UNESCO Table Mountain
Table Mountain is the prominent landmark in Cape Town and is known to be one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Unfortunately, I was not able to take neither a cable car nor hike up the mountain as they close the attraction when it is very windy. It was closed the whole time I was there. That is something to bear in mind when travelling there during peak season. Luckily, I was able to experience the views from afar.
4) Go quad biking at the Atlantis Dunes
As you know I love adventure travel and going quad biking was an interesting experience for me as a non-driver. I’ve been once before as a teenager but I vaguely remember it. By the time it was over, I had got into the rhythm of keeping foot steady on the accelerator. The scenery of the Atlantis Dunes is absolutely stunning. Rolling dunes, white sand landscapes and blue skies, just gorgeous. If you want to do something exhilarating and adventurous, I recommend adding this to your itinerary.
5) Visit Boulder’s Beach to see some African Penguins
Boulder’s Beach is one of the only places where you can have an up, close and personal viewing of the African penguins. It is an extremely popular tourist attraction so you need practice a little patience to take pictures. They are a protected colony of penguins, the beach is clean and the views are beautiful. Simon Town, where it is located, is a great place to be an accidental tourist and stroll around.
Luxury Activities
6) Savour some wine in the Cape Dutch Winelands
Wine tasting is a very luxurious experience and something that I have indulged in quite a few times living in Switzerland. If you had told me that Cape Town was a wine country, I wouldn’t have believed you. Groot Constantia and Beau Constantia were the two wineries that we visited and latter was my favourite simply because it was boutique wine farm. I felt the intimacy, the curated and individualised service which matters to me. I believe that anything boutique enhances the overall experience.
7) Spot the Big Five in Safari Game Drive at Aquila
Going on a game drive was the highlight of my trip as it introduced me to a safari and what to look forward to for future safari based holidays. I was able to spot the Big Five in two to three hours and see other animals. It made me appreciate nature and God’s creations a bit more. As we drove away from city and into the lush landscapes, baboons were lined the pathway into Aquila’s safari reserve. Honestly, two to three hours wasn’t enough but it was a great taster and introduction into a safari trip.
8) Go on a sunset cruise by the V & A pier
Take a sunset cruise as way to relax, surround yourself with locals and listen to the pulsating beat that is Cape Town. You do need to book these in advance as it they sell out very quickly.
Cultural Activities
9) Take a cooking class on traditional Cape Malay Food
Joining a cooking class is another way to immerse yourself into South African culture and learn about cooking methods, ingredients and more that you don’t have at home. The private chef that we had at the villa made a traditional Cape Malay dish, which you can find in Bo Kaap, and I enjoyed the cuisine. I tried to book a cooking class for my leisure day but unfortunately, it clashed with other activities that were moved to that day. This is the class that I attempted to book.
Where To Eat
South African cuisine is a blend between Afrikaans and Cape Malay traditions, home-styled hearty dishes such as goulash, slow-braised meats, spiced stews, braai, pap and more. Due to having a private chef and our location, I rarely ate South African cuisine and had mainly international dishes which is very unlike me when I travel. However, we did go to a restaurant that served African dishes from all over the continent, paired with an immersive traditional performance.
Here is a list of restaurants that I went to:
- Gold African Restaurant
- Simon’s Town Quayside Hotel and Restaurant
- Groot Constantia Restaurant
- Mozambik Camps Bay
- Tiger’s Milk
What To Wear
South Africa is an all-year round destination. However, the weather does vary depending on when you are visiting. For December time, I recommend bringing a light shawl for when it gets windy in the evenings especially if you are by the coast or waterfront. It was humid and hot when I went to Cape Town so you can pack light. I’m not a light packer so I can’t give you any recommendations on that.
For the safari, there are certain colours that you can and can’t wear as it can attract bugs and startle the animals. You want to choose colours that will help you blend in with the landscapes. Think olive green, khaki, soft beige, dusty brown and tan. Also, I recommend bringing a neck scarf for the game drive and the quad biking to protect your face from dust. Lastly SPF for your body, face and lips is going to be your best friend so don’t skim out on this. These are some of my Black girl friendly SPFs.
African vs European Experience
This is something that I wish I had looked into before choosing the first city I wanted to visit in South Africa. From my observations, Cape Town felt like a European city, in terms of the laidback lifestyle, the architecture and some of the cultural experiences that I encountered. That could be due to the history of country and city. If you are seeking a more traditional, authentic and African experience that is energetic, I’ve read that Johannesburg can offer that. Overall, I enjoyed my trip to Cape Town as it has breathtaking sceneries, views and outdoor adventures which I love. Johannesburg will definitely be the next city that I visit in South Africa as I want to feel that energetic, urban experience.
Final Thoughts
Cape Town was a historical, immersive and gateway destination into Southern Africa. For my second international trip to the African continent, it was incredible! It is an amazing city to visit and going with a group of solo travellers enhanced the experience for me. I’ll definitely be revisiting in the future as there is so much more that I want to explore in the city. I hope that this travel guide and video content has convinced you to add Cape Town and South Africa as a whole to your travel bucket list.
Thank you for reading and share this with a friend that might be interested in visiting. Check out my Instagram to see what I got up to in Cape Town. Drop any comments or questions that you have below. If you enjoy travel content, make sure to subscribe to the blog, so you don’t miss any future posts.
Until next time,
Folakemi
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