3 Days in Cape Town: Mini Guide Cape Town
Cape Town is either the start or end point of your trip through South Africa. There is plenty to do in this city, even for the outdoor traveler. In our mini guide 3 days Cape Town you will find everything for 3 active days in Cape Town!
Where to Stay in Cape Town for 3 Days?
If you would like to do some active stuff, like us, you don’t necessarily have to stay right in the center. We stayed in the studios of 16 on Bree and could reach the main attractions in short time with our rental car. This accommodation was fully equipped, including parking.
Tip: a lot of flights arrive later in the day, so you may have to travel to the city in the dark. This is not really recommended, so we booked a great hotel (Hotel Verde Capetown) 300 meters from the airport, including shuttle service. The next morning we were dropped off again at the airport to pick up our rental car and start the tour.
Rental Car in Cape Town
It may sound a bit crazy, a rental car for a city, however, we think this is really helpful. Driving in Cape Town is, in contrast to Johannesburg for instance, quite doable. It was our first left-driving experience and even in the center this was not really an issue. The best walks and sights are not within walking distance of the center, making a car very useful. Think of the Cape of Good Hope, the Table Mountain, Chapmans Peak among others. Below, you’ll find some of our own routes.
Tip: We always rent our car through Sunnycars. They always have an all-in price with full insurance, without any hidden fees.
1. Chapman’s Peak Drive
A really nice route along the coastline. Winding along steep rock walls on one side and the sea on the other: the Chapman’s Peak Drive offers beautiful views. You have to pay a toll to drive this road, ZAR61 (July, 2023).
2. Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope National Park is located a little further south of Cape Town. Definitely worth the drive, because you can enjoy hiking here as well. Please note: you have to pay an entrance fee because you are entering a national park. This is pricey with a cost of ZAR375 pp. for international visitors (July, 2023).
Mini Guide Hiking in Cape Town
There are plenty of beautiful walks to take in Cape Town. Below you will find 3 famous walks for your visit to Cape Town.
1. Table Mountain
One simply cannot miss the Table Mountain in Cape Town. You can reach the top of this iconic hill in different ways: by cable car or on foot. We chose the latter and would recommend it to everyone! It saves money and you can enjoy the most beautiful views. We walked one of the more famous routes: Platteklip Gorge. However, there are more routes to the top of Table Mountain.
2. Lion’s Head
We skipped Lion’s Head because we didn’t have enough time in Cape Town. However, this seems to be a really nice hike. During the walk to Table Mountain you can also enjoy a beautiful view ver Lion’s Head.
3. Signal Hill
This is the most easy way to get a nice view over Cape Town. Signal Hill is a short drive from the center and is accessible by car all the way to the top. There are several short walking routes from the parking lot, where you can quickly enjoy a beautiful view of Cape Town.
4. Cape of Good Hope
All the way south of Cape Town lies the Cape of Good Hope, where a short hike runs from the west to the east side. There is parking on both sides. This is, by the way, not the southernmost point of Africa. All hikes above can also be found on our Google Maps travel guide South Africa!
