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Hair-raising holidays in the Mother City
Adventures in Cape Town
Table Mountain aerial cableway.
© South African Tourism
Did you know?
The annual Red Bull Big Wave surfing contest takes place at Dungeons in Hout Bay during the winter months.
Adventures in Cape Town mean a wide variety of options and there are soft adventures and ‘oh-my-hat' extreme adventures.
In Cape Town, adventures are readily available all year around, and if you need some physical activity after hours of spectating in football stadiums, then the Mother City's rugged landscape definitely lends itself to some great options.
For starters, the world's highest commercial abseil operates from Table Mountain - suspended in mid-air, the views are well worthwhile. Next in the daring stakes is shark cage-diving, where the courageous are taken out to sea and lowered in a steel cage into the deep for an eye-to-eye encounters with sharks. A number of diving companies operate out of Gansbaai - a 2-hour drive from Cape Town - and also a hangout for Southern Right whales.
Beyond the cityscape, Cape Town has awesome spots to go kloofing (also known as canyoning). Involving a mix of abseiling, hiking, swimming and leaping off cliffs that are 3 to 20 m high into rivers and rock pools, it's sheer insane fun. Then there's sand boarding, much the same as snowboarding - just ditch the snow in favour of sand dunes.
For something different there's kite surfing (wave surfing powered by large controllable kites). You'll come across it at Bloubergstrand, one of the world's best locations for this growing sport.
Among the more regular pursuits suited to the cooler months are horse riding, with the beach at Noordhoek a popular venue; kayaking (Hout Bay, Simonstown, False Bay and Cape Point are some recommended paddling locations); rock climbing; and mountain-biking, an activity for which Cape Town is very well-suited. For some aerial adventure, and another perspective of the city, helicopter flips over the city skydiving, paragliding and microlighting are on offer.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
Cape Town Tourism Information
Gateway Information Centre
Shop 107, Clock Tower Centre
South Arm Road
V&A Waterfront
Cape Town
Tel: +27 (0) 21 405 4500
Fax: +27 (0) 21 405 4524
Email: info@tourismcapetown.co.za
Shark Safaris
Tel: +27 (0)72 426 4096
Email: contact@sharksafaris.co.za
Web: www.sharksafaris.co.za
Abseil Africa
Tel: +27 (0)21 424 4760
Email: info@abseilafrica.co.za
How to get here
Cape Town is easily accessible from destinations around the world via Cape Town International Airport. Excellent roads will also lead you to this host city, if you’re travelling by bus or car.
Around the area
Explore the beaches of the Atlantic seaboard, the Table Mountain National Park and further down the coast to the Overberg, with places like Hermanus and Gansbaai.
Tours to do
Go on an educational shark safari with an experienced marine biologist off the coast of Kommetjie. These tours are organised by a company called Shark Safaris.
Get around
Organised adventure tours are available. Having your own vehicle will also be an added advantage.
What will it cost
You can abseil Table Mountain for approx R595, or have a full day of hiking, kloofing and abseiling around Gordon's Bay for approx R795 with Abseil Africa.
Length of stay
You’ll book a week and wish you were staying a month.
What to pack
Comfortable adventure gear, rain-resistant wear and a good pair of walking shoes.
Where to stay
There’s a range of accommodation available, although adventure travellers tend to enjoy the many backpacker lodges around the city.
Best buys
A trip on a fighter jet from Thunder City, based at Cape Town International Airport.