South Africa is a big country and has a lot to offer. While 2 weeks may seem like a long time, you'll need to map out your time wisely to make the most of your trip. This itinerary will guide you through how to allocate your time between Cape Town, the Winelands, and safari!
If it's your first time in South Africa, this itinerary was made for you. The musts are Cape Town, the Winelands, and safari. The amount of time allocated to each destination ensures a well-rounded experience versus a quick glimpse. This itinerary for South Africa is for the COUNTRY of South Africa alone. This means you won't have to mess with additional vaccine requirements, visas, and crossing borders.
Here's the breakdown of this 2 weeks in South Africa itinerary:
- Days 1 - 4: Cape Town with a day trip to the Cape Peninsula (take a day off of Cape Town if you're including day 1 as your travel day to South Africa)
- Days 5 - 7: The Winelands
- Days 8 - 13: Safari - 6 nights split between two camps
- Day 14: fly home
2 weeks in South Africa is the minimum amount of time I recommend. The flight time is no joke. Those coming from the United States should expect 20+ hours of air time each way. And that's if you found a good schedule without excessive layovers! Because 2 weeks is a nice round number to ask off of work, this itinerary includes 2 days of travel time. Which means we are left with 12 days in South Africa.
Have less than 2 weeks in South Africa? No worries! There are ways to shorten this itinerary.
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Is Cape Town Safe?
Before we begin, a brief word on safety. A more detailed blog post on this topic is forthcoming, but here's a quick summary: yes and no.
Is this your typical touristy European town that's safe for solo female travelers, where walking around alone is no problem, and solo morning jogs are no big deal? No. It was clear from the drive to Cape Town from the airport that jogging or wandering around alone here would not be wise. Do you need to worry about getting murdered or mugged the moment you walk out your hotel door? No.
It's really just petty theft to be aware of. Petty crime is high. It's not a surprise seeing that the unemployment rate of South Africa is around 35%. There are miles of slums between the airport and downtown Cape Town and homeless camps throughout downtown.
As long as you are street-smart, you will be fine. Because we stuck to popular hikes and tourist areas, we were probably overly cautious. But since a local gave us these tips, we decided it was better to be safe than sorry.
Here are a few precautions that were taken:
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- The only valuables taken while hiking was one phone (to order Ubers and for pictures). To be honest, we felt completely safe on our hikes (Lion's Head and around Table Top Mountain). This precaution is probably more important if you are going on hikes that aren't as popular/always filled with people.
- We did not wear any expensive jewelry or carry around flashy equipment (like a big camera).
- We did not have a rental car since we heard stories of people's cars getting stolen or broken into in Cape Town (we did have a rental car in the Winelands and had zero issues).
- Our hotel recommended sticking with Uber Black. We ordered whatever was available first. I can see why the hotel pushed Uber Black. Some of the regular Ubers were a bit "rough" and very small. But safety-wise, we felt fine in all our Ubers.
- We didn't walk around at night. For dinner, we took Ubers straight to and from the restaurant.
Now that we've got that squared away, let's dive into the 2 weeks in South Africa itinerary, starting with Cape Town.
Cape Town Itinerary - Days 1 - 4
Hiking, City Tours, Incredible Dining, Ocean Views
Cape Town is such an interesting city. On one end, you have miles of slums as you drive in from the airport. On the other end, you have fine dining galore. It seems to be a place of stark contrast. While we were initially hesitant about Cape Town, we ended up thoroughly enjoying the city.
4 days in Cape Town gives you enough time to do a day trip to the Cape Peninsula and hit all the musts in the city without feeling rushed. I recommend booking your day trip to the Cape Peninsula on your first full day. That's what we did in order to "hit the ground running".
The Cape of Good Hope & Penguins Small Group Tour from Cape Town exceeded expectations. It hit all the musts, was well-organized, allowed enough time at each stop, and the small size of 12 travelers was perfect. Jeep Tours Cape Town is another popular option. While I didn't book this company, several close friends have given it rave reviews.
I considered renting a car and doing the Cape Peninsula drive ourselves. I'm glad I didn't. It was a lot of driving. Plus, it would have been no fun for Jake having to focus on the road versus enjoying the views.
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The other 3 days will be dedicated to Cape Town as there is plenty to keep you busy. The dining scene is so superb (and cheap with the current exchange rate), that you'll want as many dinners as possible.
TOP 15 THINGS to do in CAPE TOWN | Part 1
Here is what I would include for 3 days in Cape Town:
- Morning walk along Sea Point promenade
- Victoria and Alfred waterfront
- Tabletop Mountain
- Hike Lion's Head
- Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden
- Camps Bay Beach
- La Colombe
Some of the best restaurants in Cape Town are:
- Fyn - $107 per person, 8+ course tasting menu. The food was spectacular without being overly pretentious.
- Belly and the Beast - $45 per person, 6+ course tasting menu. It's also more casual/intimate than Fyn (there are only 30 seats).
- La Colombe - located in Constantia
- Thali - casual upscale Indian food
Other restaurants that were recommended but we did not visit:
- PIER Restaurant - fine dining, multi-course tasting
- TK Fledgelings - fine dining, multi-course tasting
- High tea at the Mount Nelson hotel
- Ouzeri
- Kloof Street House
- Sunset at Ellerman House
Hotels in Cape Town - where we stayed
POD Camps Bay was a modern, boutique hotel steps from the ocean and walking distance from the main street lined with coffee shops and restaurants. With just 12 rooms and 2 villas, not one detail was missed. The owners' goal was to make this a "home away from home". And let me tell you, they succeeded. We didn't want to leave! The hotel is filled with art. We booked the complimentary art tour and thoroughly enjoyed it. Also included was a wine tasting in the insanely gorgeous tasting room/gallery, the pantry (a room filled with pastries, cakes, coffee, teas, and Insta-worthy desserts), breakfast with ocean views, sauna, cold plunge...the list goes on and on.
Ellerman House - This hotel is filled with art. We booked the complimentary art tour and thoroughly enjoyed it. Also included was a wine tasting in the insanely gorgeous tasting room/gallery, the pantry (a room filled with pastries, cakes, coffee, teas, and Insta-worthy desserts), breakfast with ocean views, sauna, cold plunge...the list goes on and on. I can't recommend Ellerman House enough.
Cape Town from Table Mountain
The Winelands - Days 5 - 7
Wine tasting, Hiking, Spa and Relaxation
Picture Napa Valley, but more stunning and at 1/10 of the price! We stayed 3 nights in Franschhoek and 2 in Stellenbosch. For the average traveler, this is too much time. I knew that going in, but we needed a place to chill and work remotely for a bit. 2 nights and 2 to 3 days is more than plenty to get a taste of the Winelands.
Franschhoek is a bit more remote, secluded, charming, and romantic. Stellenbosch is a University town, so it’s a tad more lively, but the downtown is still charming. I’m glad we stayed at both, but next time, we will either choose Stellenbosch or the area between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.
We were very happy to have a car as there is much to explore in this region: wine tastings, scenic hikes, secluded farm-to-table restaurants, and tucked-away hotels (perfect for spa treatments). Our time wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable if we didn’t have our own transportation.
The Winelands are stunning and the whole experience puts Napa Valley to shame. Charming Cape Dutch architecture, gorgeous hikes, views that are so beautiful they don’t look real, $7 to $15 wine tastings, Michelin Star restaurants, art galleries, and straight-out-of-the-dirt farm-to-table dining. Our expectations were exceeded and we can’t wait to return.
Things to do in the Winelands (besides wine tastings):
- Explore downtown Franschhoek and Stellenbosch. Franschhoek is beyond charming. Both have cute boutiques, art galleries, and coffee shops.
- Hiking Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve - we did the Vista Trail, which took about 2 hours round trip.
- Spa treatments - you'll pay a fraction of what you would pay in the States (or Europe), so carve time out for some pampering. I highly recommend the Spa at Lanzarac. Jake and I booked massages and facials and every single service was above and beyond.
Best wineries in the Winelands:
- Oldenburg - we loved this one so much we visited twice. Postcard views from the tasting room paired with some of the best wine we had during the entire trip.
- Rust en Vrede - our second favorite wine of the trip.
- Babel at Babylonstoren - one of the best cheese boards of my life. Gorgeous setting too.
- Delaire Graff
- Tokara - views were amazing but the wine was just OK.
- Boschendal - we didn't make it here, but this spot was highly recommended.
- Babylonstoren
BEST RESTAURANTS IN the Winelands:
- Yama Asian Eatery - great sushi, small/modern atmosphere and CHEAP!
- Babel at Babylonstoren - our favorite dinner experience in the Winelands. This is a must. Get there early (before sunset) to walk the expansive grounds and gardens beforehand.
- De Etkamer - casual tapas-style spot in downtown Stellenbosch. Food was insanely good and farm-to-table.
- La Petite Colombe - we didn't go here since we had enough fine dining experiences from Cape Town and we visited their main restaurant (La Colombe) in Constania. Based on our experience at La Colombe, I don't hesitate to recommend La Petite Colombe if you're looking for fine dining in Franschhoek.
Hotels in the Winelands - where we stayed
Our hotel in Franschhoek (Leeu House) was ideally situated in the heart of downtown (which is tiny). Even though it was within walking distance of nearby restaurants and art galleries, it felt quiet and private. Breakfast was delightful each morning on the patio by the pool. We visited the sister property (Leeu Estates) to use the gym and pool. That property was gorgeous. It's more secluded/romantic since it's tucked into the vineyards.
I found a brand new hotel in Stellenbosch called Southern Sun de Wagen. It was $123 a night and we LOVED it! It was beyond cute and within walking distance of downtown Stellenbosch.
Babylonstoren in the Winelands
Safari Itinerary - Days 8 - 13
Animals, nature, and more animals
Next up…safari! The highlight of our trip. We decided to keep things simple and stay in South Africa for safari versus traveling to different countries. No visas, no vaccines. Easy.
We spent 3 nights at &Beyond Kirkman’s Camp and 3 nights at &Beyond Ngala.
I'm glad I chose &Beyond and will book them again for several reasons:
- It allowed me to plan my own trip since they book everything safari-related. Your &Beyond travel advisor is not only a great resource to help you choose which lodge is best for your travel style, but they also book all the transportation to/from/between the lodges.
- The rooms (while not over the top) were comfortable and a joy to stay in.
- Dining, service, guides, and trackers were all fantastic.
- We were extremely lucky with our game viewing. Our guide at Kirkman’s Camp said our viewing was a 12 out of 10. We saw the BIG 5 on our first drive within the first 3 hours. Every day was action-packed with sightings.
Here are a few of our sightings:
- hippos
- adult and baby giraffes
- lots of warthogs, impala, kudu, nyala
- white rhino
- leopard eating his impala kill in a tree
- Cape buffalo
- African wild dogs (very rare)
- 2 massive brother lions who killed a baby giraffe and were eating it (night sighting)
- 30+ elephants in the water
- honey badgers
- zebra
- wildebeests
- spotted hyaena with baby cubs
- male cheetah with an impala kill
Out of the two lodges, we preferred Kirkman’s Camp. It’s half the size of Ngala (10 lodges/rooms) and, therefore, felt more intimate. The game drives were also more “action-packed”. The crowd at Kirkman’s was a younger, more adventurous crowd, while Ngala seemed to cater to families and older adults. Don’t get me wrong, both were fantastic…it just depends on your travel style.
The safari portion of your trip will be, by far, the most expensive. Our total for 6 nights safari with &Beyond was $13,600. I booked when they had 15% off if you stayed 6 nights between 2 camps.
This seems like a lot, but you need to remember what this includes:
- transportation to, from, and between the lodges. This included our plane from Cape Town to SKU airport and then SKU airport to the camp via safari vehicle. We then took a hopper plane from our first camp to the second camp. From the last camp, our package included the 1.5 hour drive to the airport and then the plane back to Cape Town.
- all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, canapes before the evening game drive), drinks (including alcohol), 2 game drives a day, and your guides and trackers for your vehicle.
- don't forget these camps are on private land, so you are paying for "private game viewing".
Book a lodge/camp on private land. Camps that are on public land can not leave the main road. This means you can only view wildlife from the road, and if the cheetah walks behind a tree, well, that's all you're going to see. With private land, you are off-roading 90% of the time. There are rules in place on which animals you can off-road for/follow so wildlife is not stressed.
| Lodge Type | Price Range (USD per night) | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Lodges | Under $500 | Raptor Lodge, Rhino Ridge, Aha Thadaku River Lodge |
| Mid-Range Lodges | $500 - $1250 | 57 Waterberg, Mhondoro Safari Lodge, Kapama Buffalo Camp |
| Luxury Lodges | Over $1250 | Marataba Mountain Lodge, Thornybush Lodge, Leopard Hills Private Game Reserve |
Lion on Safari
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