Cape Town, South Africa’s iconic Mother City, is a harmonious blend of architectural heritage, vibrant cultures and breathtaking natural beauty.
The flat-topped Table Mountain forms a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town and it is a destination you simply cannot miss. This natural wonder, named a New7Wonders of Nature, is more than just a place for stunning photography. It’s a hiker’s paradise, with numerous trails weaving up its ideas, each offering a unique perspective of the city below and the vast ocean beyond. If hiking isn’t your preference, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway provides a smooth and scenic ride to the summit. The rotating cable car offers 360-degree views as you ascend, making the journey upwards as awe-inspiring as the summit itself. Once atop, 1,085 metres above the city, the panoramic views of Cape Town, Robben Island and the Peninsula are nothing short of spectacular.
A cruise to Cape Town is incomplete without a visit to Robben Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This small landmass in Table Bay was once a place of banishment and isolation, most notably housing Nelson Mandela for 18 of his 27 years of imprisonment. Today, it stands as a poignant reminder of the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. Ferries depart from the V&A Waterfront, and the standard tour lasts about 3.5 hours, including the return ferry trip. Tours are often led by former political prisoners who provide authentic, firsthand accounts of the prisons’ conditions and pivotal moments during the anti-apartheid struggle.
Just around the corner from the seaside village of Simon’s Town, Boulders Beach is home to one of the few land-based penguin colonies in the world. The African penguins are a unique delight and seeing them up close is an unforgettable experience. The beach, part of the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area, is set in picturesque surroundings with soft white sand and massive granite boulders. Wooden walkways have been constructed to allow for easy viewing of the penguins in their natural habitat without disturbing them. The penguins are accustomed to human presence, but it’s important to remember they are wild animals and should be respected. It’s not uncommon to see them waddling about and hear their distinctive braying calls.
Which cruise lines sail to Cape Town?
