The History of Cape Town
The Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Dias, first rounded the Cape in 1488, and named it the Cape of Storms due the stormy weather that was constantly experienced off the tip of Africa.

It was quickly renamed Cape of Good Hope by King John II of Portugal.
Africans in the region simply call it "Ikapa Lodumo" (Cape of Fame) due to the attractions as a destination for tourists worldwide.

Sir Francis Drake named it "The Fairest Cape". It was also named the "Cape of
Storms" by Portuguese mariners who frequently visited the peninsula. "The Cape of Good Hope", "The Tavern of the Seas" or simply "The Cape".

When Jan Van Riebeeck First landed in the Cape in 1652, one of his first establishments was a refreshment station for passing ships. A settlement that grew and became a colony in it's own right. The exploration and settlement of the interior of the country started from here and the Western Cape played an important role in the history of South and Southern Africa.

Jan van Riebeecks statue, which stands on the Heerengracht, is approximately where the commander and his party landed. Previously known as Roggebaai (Rocky Bay), it later boasted an esplanade and a pier.

In the 1940's these were demolished, the land
was reclaimed and became known as "The Foreshore".


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  Home > Daytrips > Cape Town

Things to do in and around Cape Town
Winelands

We pick you up from your backpacker around 9:00, before heading out to the Winelands of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek area. In a fun way your guide will learn you about making and enjoying wine and sparkling wine. Enjoy lunch at on a wine farm.

R400 per person

Winelands with bicycles

A totally mellow day – we cycle between selected wine estates, tasting as we go, with a visit to the charming old town of Stellenbosch and a bread for a leisurely lunch in-between. Of course the van is available to carry your purchases (and you if you want to swap 2 weels for 4)

R385 per person
Includes picnic lunch and tastings

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Township Tour (half day)

Township Tour - Langa, Nyanga, Gugulethu, Khayelitsha and Crossroads

We begin in the Bo- Kaap with visits to the Malay Quarter and District Six Museum, then on to the Cape Flats where we go to Langa, Nyanga, Gugulethu, Khayelitsha and Crossroads, including a visit to a local shebeen for a taste of sorghum beer, the meat market, the men’s hostels, a herbalist and the Philani women’s centre.

This is an interactive tour and you and you will have the opportunity to speak to the local residents and possibly even be invited into their homes.

Monday – Saturday
R275 per person

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Cape Point with hiking and biking

Cape Point
This is a full Cape Peninsula tour. We follow the Atlantic coast past Clifton, Camps Bay and Llandudno, to the fishing village at Hout Bay. Here you have the option of doing a ½ hour scenic boat ride to visit an impressive seal colony (R30).

Then it’s on over the Constantia Mountains to the Cape to Good Hope Nature Reserve. We take mountain bikes along for those who wish to get out of the bus and smell the sea air and the many flowers. You can cycle as much or as little you like as the support van is always nearby. For real fresh air there is also a ½ hour cliff top hike from Cape Point to the Cape of Good Hope.

We have a picnic lunch somewhere in the reserve (on a sunny day take along a bathing suite) and return home via a rare colony of Jackass penquins at Boulders Beach on the Indian Ocean.

Daily
R385 per person
Includes picnic lunch and entrance fees.

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Whale tour with biking

We drive 130km to the popular breeding ground in Hermanus, where it is not unusual to se whales from 20m off the rocks. Enjoy a picnic while you observe mating, the antics of newborn calves and the sheer size of these magnificent mammals.

For wider viewing and a little exercise you can choose to cycle along the coastal road and smell the fresh sea air. Sea Kayaking is also an option for those who are keen (R70).


Wednesday and Sundays (July – November)
R385 per person


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Kamikaze Kanyon

Kloofing; Steenbras Gorge

Join us for an unforgettable show of action and adventure, starring the magnificent Steenbras Gorge!

The stage is set surrounded by awesome mountain views following the plot of a river. Also featured is Cliff Jumping (alias Kloofing) performing from exciting heights of 3 to 22 metres into fresh and inviting rock pools.

The star of the day is our gorgeous and provocative Thunder Falls. Abseiling down her 65-metre cascade will guarantee thrilling entertainment you will never forget!


Trips run usually on Wednesdays and Saturdays but can run on any other day with a minimum of 4 people.

R595 per person
(Includes breakfast, lunch, light supper and all transfers from our offices.)

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“THE LONG DROP” – Table Mountain Abseil

Abseil; Table Mountain

Another insane experience of
adrenaline and achievement


A 112-metre controlled descent off
Cape Town’s Magnificent Table Mountain.

Step off the top of 1000 metres into pure oblivion and indulge in the world’s highest commercial abseil surrounded with the privilege of awesome views and the deep blue Atlantic at your feet. Walk or take the cableway to meet us at the top for this mind-blowing experience.

Trips run daily weather permitting.
R395 per person (Cable car ticket NOT included in the cost.)

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Hermanus Shark Cage Diving

Shark Cage Diving; Gansbaai; South Africa
Shark Alley, near Gansbaai, South Africa is one of a mere handful of places in the world where this magnificent predator can be found on a daily basis. These sharks are surface feeders and are happy to come and perform just inches from the boat. You don't need to be a diver to get close - though cage diving is also provided!

So whether you choose to stay dry or get wet, amazing close-up photographs of the great white in action are assured. Sightings occur on over 90% of trips and if you are unlucky on your first trip, your second trip is free! What You Get:

A full day at sea on a modern catamaran
run by a professional crew.

Spectacular surface viewing of great white sharks feeding.
Cage diving for those who dare - all diving gear is supplied.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Two night's accommodation at Moby's (Value: R50pp / night)

The day begins between 07:00 and 09:00 (dependent on tides) with free breakfast at Moby's. After transfer to Gansbaai and a short briefing, you will board the luxury 30-ft catamaran for the 20-minute voyage to Shark Alley. Here you relax with drinks and snacks while the crew begins to attract sharks.

The bait will bring sharks right to the boat - just inches away - providing excellent opportunities for surface viewing and photography. Once sharks are present, and at the crew's discretion, the cage may be lowered for underwater viewing. Lunch is served on-board.

Shark viewing will finish in mid-afternoon, or earlier by mutual agreement. The day ends with a short trip to the nearby seal colony on Geyser Rock. The boat will return you to Gansbaai harbour between 16:00 and 17:00 for transfer back to Moby's.

Please note that same-day transport to and/or from Cape Town is available for R75 each way.

Transport required
      R1300 per person
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  Featured Daytrips
Winelands
Winelands & bicycles
Township Tour
Cape Point
Whale tour & biking
Kamikaze Kanyon
Abseiling
Shark Cage Diving

  Book Online
Request a booking online by simply clicking on the price of your desired daytrip.

  The Fairest Cape
Cape winelands

Enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Cape winelands.

Winelands with biking

  Stellenbosch
Close to Cape Town, South Africa, and surrounded by the magnificent mountain scenery of the Jonkershoek valley lies the historic town of Stellenbosch.

Stellenbosch, the country's second oldest town, after Cape Town, was founded in 1679, during the period of control of the Dutch East India Company.

Situated 111 metres above sea level on the banks of the upper reaches of the Eerste River. Here the river flows out of the mountains and into a shallow, alluvial and fertile valley


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  Did You Know?
Cape Peninsula

The 470 km2 of the Cape Peninsula, including Table Mountain, is home to
2 256 different plant species - more than the whole of Great Britain, an area 5 000 times bigger! The 60 km2 of Table Mountain alone supports 1 470 species.

Whales

Each year Southern Right whales migrate into the coastal waters of the Western Cape to calve and nurse their young.

The animals, often mere metres from the shore, provide unsurpassed whale watching opportunities between June and November.

Humpbacks migrate through the region between May and December each year, while Bryde's whales are found slightly further offshore all year round.

At least 37 species of whales and dolphins can be found in the waters off South Africa