Africa Travel Information

Cape Town South Africa

If there is one African city that is the envy of all other cities in the continent, it is Cape Town in South Africa. Situated in one of the most beautiful locations in the world, Cape Town is bestowed with such natural splendor that almost seduces travelers to stay even when all they had planned was just a short visit.

Among the many gifts of nature surrounding the city, the iconic table mountain is without doubt Cape Town’s most impressive and most definitive symbol. Capetonians consider this 1086m high flat-topped mountain as the spirit of the city, without which Cape Town would not be Cape Town.

Apart from being the gorgeous and imposing natural backdrop of the city, Table Mountain is the center of scenic and adventure travel in Cape Town. It has a number of world-class hiking trails, and mountain climbing and abseiling crags. And if you are not the adventurous type, you can still get to the top of the mountain by table car. From the top of the mountain, you get to enjoy the amazing scenery of Cape Town and the surrounding regions below.

Two Oceans, the warm Indian Ocean and the cooler Atlantic Ocean, meet at the cape peninsula, giving Cape Town two different but stunning beach styles. If you are looking for a relaxing beach holiday, you have a choice between the colder beaches on the western side of the peninsula, and the warmer and more laid-back ones on the Eastern side. One of the most popular beaches in the cape is the Atlantic seaboard, stretching on the western side from the V&A Waterfront all the way to Hout Bay. Others include the Table Bay beaches, and the False Bay beaches.

The magnificent Cape Winelands are one other big pull for visitors to Cape Town. The winelands are not really in this great city per se, but are within a 40 minutes to 1 hour drive from Cape Town. The green fertile valleys surrounded by beautiful mountains host large vine fields from which some of the best South African wines and brandies are produced. Several villages and small towns dot the wineland landscape, among which Stellenbosch is the most popular.

The Robben Island is yet another great reason for traveling to Cape Town. The Island is home to the prison where Nelson Mandela spent a large part of his prison term during the apartheid era in South Africa. Today, Robben Island is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites in South Africa and also an important symbol of the South African culture, history, and the fight against apartheid. The Island is just about 12 kilometers from the coast of Cape Town, a journey of about 40 minutes by boat. The V&A Waterfront in Cape Town is the usual starting point for most tours to Robben Island.

Apart from the natural attractions I have mentioned above, and many others that I have not mentioned, Cape Town is in itself a very beautiful city. It has many world class resorts and golf courses. Whats more, from Cape Town, you can enjoy incredibly wonderful wildlife safaris in the nearby Solole Game Reserve. At Boulders you get the chance to see African penguins. Lovers of water sports and adventure too will find lots of fun activities in the city, including shark-cage diving.

Capetonians take pride in being very friendly and fun-loving. In fact, many people consider Cape Town as the safest city in Africa. Within the city, you will find several art galleries displaying great works of African art and crafts. The music and entertainment scene is Cape Town is abuzz with activity and the night life in the city is equally great. If you have not been to Cape Town before, perhaps it is time you considered taking that trip of your lifetime.

Upcoming events in Cape Town in the year 2010
Cape Town will be one of the host cities of the FIFA 2010 soccer world cup, and this may be a good reason for you to visit the city. But you do not have to wait till June to make that trip. If you really need a reason now, you may consider attending two upcoming events:

• The Cape Town Carnival : to be held from March 18, 2010
• The Cape Town Jazz Festival: to be held first week of April

Online Booking for South Africa Holidays
If you are planning to travel to South Africa, you can click here for holidays in South Africa offered through the Africaguide website