Cape Town has always been the most cosmopolitan city in South Africa because of its rich history, modern culture, and incredible tourist attractions. Backpacking in Cape Town should be high on your bucket list. It offers wonderful beaches, breathtaking sceneries from high up in the mountains, world-class entertainment, wine estates, rich wildlife safari parks, good-tasting food, luxurious accommodation, a bustling nightlife and even interesting museums and art galleries. Backpackers visit Cape Town to see these countless tourist attractions and experience a diverse culture. Here are some of the places to visit while backpacking in Cape Town:
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is a great destination for nature-lovers and adventurous backpackers. It is arguably South Africa’s most famous landmark. It is a flat-topped mountain overlooking the city of Cape Town. In Table Mountain, you can get to enjoy the activities like hiking, rock climbing, caving and mountain biking. It is also a home to large variety of unique flora and fauna and forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. Going to and from the mountain is difficult because the Table Mountain is elevated 1,085 meters above sea level. But thanks to the cable car transportation system, visitors can experience a five-minute ride to the summit with the chance to see the spectacular panoramic view of the Cape Peninsula including the Table Bay, the nearby peaks of the surrounding mountains and the rest of the Table Mountain National Park for only R255.
V&A Waterfront
The V&A waterfront is an excellent selection of both cultural and historical attractions of the city. While it is still technically a working harbor, it is more frequently thought of as a shopping destination and attracts more than 23 million visitors a year. There are more than 450 stores in the V&A Waterfront so you will find everything from local designers to big international brands. Backpackers will get to experience the exciting shopping and entertainment venues which are intermingled with imaginative office locations, world-class hotels and luxury apartments in the residential marina. There are also a number of charter boat services are available, you can have the chance to see dolphins and seals and enjoy the views of the ocean for around R100.
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Nestled at the eastern foot of Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world. It shows off plenty of the local flora including an impressive group of aloes and other semi-arid plants. Kirstenbosch includes a fragrance garden, a medicinal garden, a garden that features 2500 species of plants found on the Cape Peninsula, a Protea garden, a braille trail, and a cycad amphitheater. There is also a glasshouse which houses plants from the continent’s more arid regions. Your backpacking in Cape Town will not be complete without an afternoon spent in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
Constantia Wine Route
You go backpacking in Cape Town and not go wine tasting. The Constantia Valley‘s nine wine farms located just 20 minutes from the city center are in fact Cape Town’s Vineyard. Not only is Constantia a top wine growing region, but it’s also one of the nicest places to visit in Cape Town. The route is an easy morning or day trip and the farms provide quality restaurants for lunches and tea. Constantia Wine Route is rich in heritage and beauty making it one of the best places to visit in Cape Town.
Boulders Beach
Cape Town definitely has no shortage of amazing beaches, but Boulders Beach offers something extra special – it is home to a colony of thousands of African penguins. Boulders Beach is a tourist attraction, for the beach, swimming and the African penguins. The beautiful Boulders Beach is one of Cape Town’s most visited beaches and the only place in the world where you get close to African Penguins. There are over 60 000 visitors that flock to Simon’s Town to photograph and watch the famous Boulders Beach Penguins. These African penguins are formerly known as jackass penguins because of their distinctive donkey-like braying sounds to communicate. The penguins are seen in Boulders Beach throughout the year. Backpacking in Cape Town will not be complete without seeing the African penguins at Boulders Beach.