Packed with sights, sounds, culture and activities, Cape Town keeps her visitors coming back time and time again. For first time visitors the huge variety of options can be overwhelming. Below is a day trip itinerary to get to know some of the Cape Town City Bowl area. Cape Town car hire makes day trips in and around the city easy and flexible.
Start your exploration of Cape Town by rental car as early as possible, making the short drive up to Tafelberg road to the Table Mountain cable car station. The first car goes up the mountain at 8am, if you feel like tackling the mountain by foot there are several routes to choose from, and you can make an earlier start. Platteklip is the most popular and relatively easy going. The walk up takes between 90 minutes and 2 hours. You can catch a cable car down or walk back down, retracing your steps or try a different route. The breathtaking views from the top of Table Mountain give you an inspirational perspective of the city, its suburbs, coasts and outlying areas of the Overberg, the West Coast and Robben Island.
Once you get down from the mountain head in to the city in your hire car. Cape Town has a compact city centre, tall buildings interspersed with markets, sidewalk shops, coffee shops, restaurants, bars and boutiques. Spend some time along Kloof Street, its coffee shops and boutiques. Wander Long Street and have a gander at the wares of Green Market Square. The Company Gardens make a beautiful green break in the middle of the city.
Next it’s back in your Cape Town hire car and off to the V&A Waterfront where you can grab lunch at one of the many restaurants and eateries located on the foreshore. There’s ample secure parking so your Cape Town car hire insurance shouldn’t be tested. If you enjoy shopping, you’ll love the V&A Waterfront from fashion boutiques to chain stores, markets and curio stores, the water caters to all tastes.
The Waterfront is the embarkation point for numerous tours in and around Cape Town, including Robben Island, sunset boat cruises and helicopter rides, all of which can be booked at the Waterfront. Make sure you leave enough time for the Two Oceans Aquarium, a fascinating display of sea life and if you’re interested in predators, their feeding time is at 15h00. Scuba divers can arrange dives in the aquarium’s tanks, with guaranteed shark sightings, excellent visibility and fish feeding in the kelp forests.
Camps Bay is your next destination, the idyllic palm lined strip of beach bars and restaurants is the perfect location to relax and watch the sunset after a busy day exploring Cape Town. Rental cars can be parked along the strip or up one of the side streets.
Unwind from the bustle of the waterfront on Camps Bay or Clifton Beach, enjoy the sunset from here or recline on one of Camps Bay’s many bars populating the palm-lined strip.
For an exceptional dining experience try the Roundhouse, Cape Town’s oldest hunting lodge, now refurbished and serving mouthwatering cuisine. For those with energy left, venture into the bustling activity on Long Street and party the night away.
Author Bio:
This article was written for Drive South Africa, talking about Car Hire in Cape Town .