Almost everything is possible in Cape Town, from a nice guided city tour through an adrenaline kick in an old fighter jet. The easiest way to get an overview on things to do, nice restaurants, clubs, tours etc. is to walk into one of the visitors centres which are in several areas. (V&A Waterfront, City Bowl, Green Point etc.).

• Cable Car to the top of Table Mountain, Lower Cable Station, Tafelberg Road, ☎ +27 21 424-8181. Open between 8AM-10PM (usually 8:30), last car down is at 9PM. Both the cable car and the pathways on top of the mountain are wheelchair accessible. Always take something warm to wear when going up the mountain, even if it is a nice toasty 30C at the bottom of the mountain. Weather conditions at the top of the mountain are not the same as at the bottom. There is a cafe with a limited range of snacks, coffee, beer and wine at the top. Table Mountain is the home of a small animal, the rock rabbit (known locally as the 'Dassie') whose closest relative, DNA-wise, is the elephant, and you can see them running around on the rocks at the top of the mountain. 
• Climbing Table Mountain - Platteklip Gorge is the most accessible and therefore the most popular route for climbing up Table Mountain. You start from Tafelberg Road and proceed up a steep gully to the top of Table Mountain. It's a steep 2 hours but well worth the effort and you can jump in the cable car back down to spare your knees. Be cautioned that the cable car does not operate in strong winds so you need to check before departing. Take water, sun block, hat and jacket. The cloud comes down unannounced and the temperature could plummet. Poorly equipped hikers often have to be rescued. Although it is very steep this route is extremely popular and you are guaranteed to meet many people on the way up and down. The gorge is shaded in the afternoon but earlier in the day it can be extremely hot with very little shade. Most of the route involves rock steps which can be challenging and many people find coming down even harder than going up. Don't underestimate the time and energy required for the downward section of this hike. Remember to take lots of water - this climb can be hot! Wear appropriate hiking shoes. Leave plenty of time to get down before dark. As this is a well known route and easy accessible, many inexperienced hikers attempt the climb. Take care, or consider a guide. Meridian Hiking Club welcomes visitors on its organized hikes led by experienced climbers. There's a R20 daily charge per person.
• Cape Peninsula— Go to the Cape of Good Hope via Simon's Town and the African penguin colony at Boulders. Visit Cape Point in the Table Mountain National Park, maybe have lunch there before taking a hike in a quieter part of the reserve to immerse yourself in the essence of the landscape. Then take Chapman's Peak Drive (if it is open) through Hout Bay and along the Atlantic seaboard via Llandudno and Camps Bay, stopping off at one of Clifton's famous four beaches.
• Ratanga Junction, ☎ +27 21 550-8504, e-mail: info@ratanga.co.za. Open 10AM-5PM, but not open all year round. Usually open during summer, Easter and winter holiday periods. Enjoy a day with your kids at this theme park.
• Swimming. Beaches on the False Bay side of the peninsula are the most popular with swimmers as the water is warmer. St James has the most picturesque tidal pool on the stretch between Muizenberg and Kalk Bay, while Clovelly and Fish Hoek beaches wrap around a sheltered bay with soft, white sands. Fishing boats, hobie cats and kayaks launch from here too. Brave hearts can sun-worship and swim naked in the freezing water of the isolated and breathtaking nudist beach Sandy Bay near Llandudno. Major spot for gay tourists as well. There's a 1.5 km walk down from the parking lot. Camps Bay and Clifton also have great beaches to visit if you want to try the chillier waters of the west coast.
• Surfing— Cape Town is one of the best places to surf. Muizenberg is a good place for beginners to learn to surf, Gary offers reasonably priced lessons from a shop facing the beach. Don't forget that the False Bay area (where Muizenberg is located in addition to Kalk Bay and Fish Hoek) is known for its sharks! If you're an experienced surfer, try the reef break at Kalk Bay, Outer Kom near Kommetjie or Misty Cliffs on the coast road near Scarborough. You could head up the west coast and sample Milnerton, Table View or Big Bay, although Big Bay is often crowded with people kitesurfing due to the windy conditions. When the swell is really cranking, the big wave surfers gather at Dungeons, near Hout Bay, for some of the biggest surfable waves in the world.
• Kite Surfing— Cape Town is one of the most favourite Kite Surfing destinations in the world. The two oceans combined with the windy conditions make for a great Kite Surfing experience. Some of the most popular Kite surfing hot spots are Dolphin Beach in Blouberg Strand, Muizenberg and Langebaan Lagoon.
• Winelands— Tour the beautiful Constantia Valley wine estates Groot Constantia, Buitenverwagting, Klein Constantia and Constantia Uitsig before checking out the Cape Winelands around Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek. Stellenbosch has the added attraction of being an historical university town and Franschhoek, well established as the food capital of the Cape, is home to three of the country's top ten restaurants. The views are extraordinary. Have a drink and a snack at Dieu Donne estate for an unsurpassable vista of the entire valley, or take your own picnic to the top of a little hill they have by the parking area. Most wineries charge for a tasting session, but usually refund it on a purchase. It's right next to the botanical garden.
• Sunset cruise. On visiting Cape Town take the opportunity for a sunset cruise from one of the services lined up along the V&A dockside. Well worth seeing the sunset but also the view back towards the town and Table Mountain from the sea. Some tours include free wine and drinks, so you can get your sun-downer in as well. If you're lucky you may also see dolphins.

Wine Tasting

Cape Town has some of the worlds best wine producing vineyards and arguably the worlds most scenically stunning on its doorstep. The wine regions of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl are all with in an easy hours drive, these historic and lush regions offer stunning views and world class wine tastings. You can self-drive but this come with limitations, often the best farms are closed to the public and then there is the drinking and driving issue. The best value and safest way to see the winelands is to trust your day to a dedicated wine tour company.

Deep Sea Fishing

• Ama Feesh Charters, ☎ +27 21 788-9689, e-mail: info@amafeesh.co.za. At the time of writing, the telephone number and web site were not available. 
• Cape Charters, 31 Antigua, The Water Club, Granger Bay, ☎ +27 21 418-0782, e-mail: info@capecharters.co.za.
• Hooked on Africa, ☎ +27 21 790-5332, e-mail: sean@hookedonafrica.co.za.
• Millers Point & Simonstown - on the way to Cape Point, ☎ +27 83 235 9550, e-mail: rob@sportfishing.co.za. contact Rob Naysmith.

Shark cage diving

• SABP Tours, ☎ +27 21 426-2838, fax: +27 21 426-0201, e-mail: info@sabptours.com. SABP Tours offers a diving opportunity to witness the great white shark.
• UnrealDive Expeditions, ☎ +27 71 684-7136, fax: +27 86 617-8334, e-mail: bookings@unrealdive.com. Get up close and personal with the Great White Shark.

Diving

Cape Town is located near two oceans, the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. Because of the Benguela Current the Atlantic Ocean is relatively cold (about 8°C to 14°C). The Indian Ocean is warmer (12°C to 17°C), and here you can see the more colourful fish. The official border between the two oceans is at Cape Agulhas, but currents and eddies take the warmer water further west and these waters can reach the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula in False Bay, so from a diving point of view, the Cape Peninsula may be considered the interface between the two marine biological regions, and there is a notable difference in character between the waters of the two coasts of the peninsula. This manifests itself in the different range of marine life found on the two coasts. These regions are the South Western Cape inshore bioregion and the Agulhas inshore bioregion.

Permits:

The waters around the Cape Peninsula have been declared a Marine Protected Area (MPA). Permits are required to Scuba dive in any Marine Protected Area. This is a politically controversial issue due to disputes on whether due process was followed and whether the government department exceeded its authority, but the consequence is that a tax is imposed on all Scuba divers who dive in an MPA. The permit (valid for 1 year) may be purchased for R75 (2009) at a some branches of the Post Office, or a temporary permit valid for 1 month may be purchased at most dive shops. Failure to present this permit when requested by an official of MCM may lead to harassment and possible arrest.

Dive Sites:

Detailed information and suggestions on local conditions, service providers and more than 100 local dive sites is provided in the guide to Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay.

If the open ocean does not appeal to you, the Two Oceans Aquarium also offer diving opportunities in their 2.2 million liter tank.

• Diving at Two Oceans Aquarium, ☎ +27 21 418-3823, e-mail: info@aquarium.co.za. 9AM, 11AM and 1PM daily. You need to be in possession of a valid diving license (PADI, CMAS, NAUI, BSAC etc.). Swim along with the Ragged tooth sharks, Yellow tail, Kob, Musselcracker, Bull rays and a lonely turtle. The dive master Iain, a barrel shaped bearded little man with a distinct Scottish accent, is both nice and knowledgeable and accompanies you into the aquarium ready to fend off the sharks with his broomstick should they become cuddly. Dive time is around 30 minutes. For advanced divers, the Kelp forest tank puts you into the water with more and bigger local reef fish than you will see in the sea. 

Events

There are many organized events in Cape Town throughout the year. An official calendar of events is available from Cape Town Tourism.

• Cape Argus Cycle Tour, ☎ +27 21 685-6551, e-mail: info@cycletour.co.za. March every year. Total distance is 109 km. Start in downtown, cycle down the eastern side of the peninsula, past Simon's Town and back up the western side of the peninsula. Entrance fee is R250 for entrants on the African continent or the equivalent of 50 Euro's everyone else. If you are not involved in or interested in cycling, avoid Cape Town on this weekend, as it is almost impossible to go anywhere as so many roads are closed.
• Two Oceans Marathon, ☎ +27 21 671-9407, e-mail: entries@twooceansmarathon.org.za. On Easter Saturday each year. An Ultra marathon (56 km), a half marathon (21 km) and a number of fun runs ranging from a 56m Nappy Dash to a 8 km walk or run. Maximum 10 000 entrance accepted per year per race distance (fun runs excluded). There is a pricing scale for each of the runs. If you are not involved in or interested in the runs, avoid Cape Town on this weekend, as it is almost impossible to go anywhere as so many roads are closed.
• Cape Town Jazz Festival, Cape Town International Convention Centre, ☎ +27 21 422-5651. Normally held during late March.
• Cape Town Minstrel Carnival, Marches throughout the city ending at Green Point Stadium. Usually New Years day and a couple of days later during January. Also known as the Kaapse Klopse, these brightly dressed singers and dancers spend months preparing for this annual event.
• Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, ☎ +27 21 799-8783. 5:30PM-6:30PM every Sun, late Nov to early April. R50.
• Mother City Queer Project, e-mail: info@mcqp.co.za. Sometime during December each year. Biggest gay and lesbian party of the year. R100 to R350. The sooner you buy a ticket the cheaper it is.
• Spiers Summer Arts Festival, ☎ +27 21 809-1111, e-mail: boxoffice@spierarts.org.za. From October to March. At the time of writing, the web site was not available.
• City Harvest Festival, ☎ +27 21 422-1418, e-mail: angela@phoenixpartnership.co.za. April 20th 12PM-10PM and 21st 9AM-6PM. The City Harvest Festival exhibits the Cape’s finest wines, food, with live entertainment including bands. Talks by Cape winemakers on the winemaking process. Chocolate feature planned. Host venues include Signal Hill Winery, Café Mao, Riboville, WineSense and Sundance Café.

Safari

Big Five Cape Town safaris are becoming increasingly popular. There are numerous safari game reserves with in 2 hours drive from Cape Town which is a great option if you don’t want to venture too far from the city.

Hiking

There are many hiking trails in and around the city, from short walks to multi day hikes.

• The Cape of Good Hope Trail, Cape Town, ☎ +27 21 780-9204, e-mail: reservations@sanparks.org. Cape of Good Hope in the Table Mountain National Park, 34 km, 2 Days. 
• Hoerikwaggo Table Mountain Trail, Cape Town, ☎ +27 21 465-8515, e-mail: reservations@sanparks.org. 3 Day, non-strenuous, luxury trail through the city, botanical gardens and Table Mountain National Park. 
• The Orangekloof Hiking Trail, Cape Town, ☎ +27 21 465-8515, e-mail: reservations@sanparks.org. 6 Days, Cape Point to Table Mountain. 
• Table Mountain (Starting point is 1.5 km past the Lower Cable Station on Tafelberg Road). Always open, but you might want to start early enough to catch the last cable car down. 3 km (all uphill), 1 to 3 hours, Platteklip Gorge to the Upper Cable Station. No fees are charged.
• Chapman's Peak. 2–3 hours, non-strenuous with breathtaking views of Hout Bay and Noordhoek and rich flora, especially proteas. The trail begins on the Hout Bay side of the peak about 750 m from the main view-point on scenic Chapman's Peak Drive. Park by the trail head and follow the path out of the picnic area. It soon forks but both routes take you to the same place. Turn right at the next junction, from where the path is clear. Return same route. No permit required.
• The Amphitheatre in the Kalk Bay mountains. 3 hours. Start at the sign on scenic Boyes Drive and climb up towards the rocks above which are peppered with scores of caves, many of which are not recommended for novice cavers so be careful. Take a torch. Follow the right forks in the trail and you'll be rewarded with increasingly spectacular views of False Bay. Head straight up through Echo Valley and through an ancient milkwood grove. Come back the same way if you don't have detailed directions. No permit required.
• Cape Town has a very good network of trails to suit every level of fitness. Many of these trace the contours of the mountain and wander through the protea bushes and fynbos, often with breathtaking views. Many require no permit, although most of Cape Town's reserves have entrance fees. Hiking in a group is strongly recommended. The outdoor store Cape Union Mart has a hiking club with organized group hikes most weekends. Pick up a programme at one of their stores. You must phone the hike-leader first and pay 
• Paradise Touring, ☎ +27 21 713-1020, e-mail: info@paratour.co.za. For guided walks up the mountain with a botanical guide.
• Cape Eco-Tours, ☎ +27 82 460-4847, e-mail: info@cape-ecotours.co.za. A good one for twitchers to use and is a member of Bird Life South Africa.
• Trax Tours, ☎ +27 73 495-6115, e-mail: taynetrax@gmail.com. Guided hiking and cycle tours in Franschoek and Stellenbosch, including wine tasting.
• Meridian Hiking Club, ☎ +27 82 498-0361, e-mail: meridian@meridian.org.za. This club organizes hikes ranging from easy day walks to strenuous rock scrambles on the mountain and multi-day hikes. Look up the calendar on the web site for details of current hikes. It is very popular with tourists. 

In the air

• Heli, Cape Town International Airport and V&A Waterfront, ☎ +27 21 935-1619, e-mail: info@heli.co.za. Go on an exciting charter, or fly with an instructor and take control on an intro flight. Heli offers the premium helicopter experience in Cape Town. Scenic flights, airport transfers, wine tours, flight training
• Cape Town Helicopter Tours, V&A Waterfront, ☎ +27 72 327-2840, e-mail: info@cape-town-helicopter-tours.com. Helicopter Wine Tours Western Cape, visit, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and or Paarl from Cape Town.
• See the cape from above with a scenic helicopter flight, East Pier Road, V&A Waterfront, ☎ +27 21 425-3868, e-mail: info@nacmakana.com. 
• Sport Helicopters, ☎ +27 21 434-4444, e-mail: info@sport-helicopters.co.za. For scenic flights or the quick way to get to Robben Island.
• ThunderCity, Cape Town international Airport, ☎ +27 21 934-8007, e-mail: info@thundercity.com. Go supersonic in a fighter jet. You need endless pockets.
• Skydive Cape Town, Cape Town, ☎ +27 82 800-6290, e-mail: bookings@skydivecapetown.za.net. One of the most scenic dropzones in the world.
• Para Taxi (Tandem Paraglide), 16 Pebbles Crescent, Coral Grove, Royal Ascott, Milnerton, ☎ +27 82 966-2047, e-mail: info@para-taxi.com. 

Kayaking

• Gravity Adventure Group, ☎ +27 21 683-3698, e-mail: adventure@gravity.co.za. Provides training (African Paddling Association approved) as well sea kayaking in the West Coast National Park.

Sunset cruises

• Waterfront Boat Company, Quay 4, V&A Waterfront, ☎ +27 21 418-5806, e-mail: glynis@waterfrontboats.co.za. Take a relaxing sunset cruise on the Condor to Greenpoint and back or do the champagne cruise. One to one and a half hours.
• Tigger 2 Charters, ☎ +27 21 418-0241, e-mail: tigger@netactive.co.za.

Townships tours

The townships are the places where people were forced to live (based on race) under the apartheid regime. To some extent townships continue to retain their apartheid-era racial make-up, for a variety of reasons. Townships have also grown to cover far larger areas of land than in the apartheid days. This is a result of urbanization, especially over the past 10–15 years. Touring a township may seem strange, even inappropriate, but it is a good way to learn about South Africa's history, and the poverty that many people continue to live in. People in the townships are friendly and the children love visitors. Some townships however can be dangerous (see the warning on the South Africa page) so don't go alone unless you know what you're doing. The townships tours are safe. If you want to bring sweets or gifts for the children, it is best not to give it directly to them, but to give it to the tour guide who will distribute them later.
Tours can be booked directly or through one of Cape Town's many booking agencies. Tours run once or twice per day. Be aware that if you're given the chance to try some township food, that a 'walkie-talkie' is often made from the feet and beaks of poultry. The very best way to see a township is by foot and to stay overnight at one of the many township B&Bs.

There are several tour companies which offer tours.

• African Experience, 70 Loyolo Street, Kayamandi, ☎ +27 21 889-5562, e-mail: awaa@webmail.co.za.
• Andulela Tours, ☎ +27 21-790-2592, e-mail: info@andulela.com. Offers a variety of different tours, including jazz, soccer, poetry, and culinary tours. Their emphasis is on meeting people, not looking at them.
• Cape Fusion Tours, Oranjezicht Cape Town, ☎ +27 21 461-2437, e-mail: info@capefusion.co.za. Offers hands-on African cooking experiences in Langa at a local cooking school. This gives you an insight into the culture, the people and their cuisine.
• Kwathabeng Tours, 1 Mocke St Dieprivier, ☎ +27 21 829-6166, e-mail: alex@kwathabeng.co.za. Township Tavern Tours
• Langa Heritage Walk, Lenotholi Avenue, Langa, ☎ +27 21 695-0093, e-mail: khanyisok@yahoo.com.
• Luhambo Tours, Cape Town, Milnerton, ☎ +27 21 551-0467, e-mail: info@luhambotours.com. Specialised in township tours (Gugulethu and Khayelitsha) and wine tours
• Sam's Cultural Tours, 45 Mshumpela Way, Langa, ☎ +27 21 694-6370, e-mail: ntimba@telkomsa.net.
• Sipunzi's Black Cultural Township Tours, 1818 Makhaza Khayelitsha, ☎ +27 82 769-7072, e-mail: khayelitsha@tourismcapetown.co.za.
• Daytrippers, cape town, ☎ +27 21 511-4766, e-mail: info@daytrippers.co.za.

Wildlife

There are a number of small nature reserves in and around Cape Town.

• Koeberg Nuclear Power Station and Nature Reserve, ☎ +27 21 550-4667. The 3000 hectare buffer zone around the power station has been converted to a nature reserve with Bontebok, Genet, Steenbok and many other antelope.
• Table Mountain National Park, ☎ +27 21 701-8692, e-mail: tablemountain@sanparks.org. Table Mountain National Park forms part of the Cape Floristic Region UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park covers a large area of the Cape and incorporates a number of park areas. Most of it is free access; the only places you need to pay are at the Cape of Good Hope, Silvermine and Boulders.

Wine tours

With South African wines becoming more and more popular worldwide, the number of tourists who visit Cape Town to learn more about the local wines is growing. The impressive variety of vineyards in Cape Town and the surrounding Cape Winelands make the choice which one to visit and which wine to taste very difficult. It is always a good idea to rely on one of the established wine tour operators. Guests should insist on a specialised guide with a thorough knowledge of South African wines.

• Taste the Cape Travel and Tours cc, Kirstenhof,Cape Town, ☎ +27 798 120 220, e-mail: info@tastethecape.co.za. A tour company specialising in wine and food tours with a registered tour guide.

Whale watching

Mostly you will see Southern right whales, but on occasion you might also spot humpback and killer whales. Bottlenose and dusky dolphins also frequent False Bay. The Southern Right wales visit each year between June & November to mate and calve.

From viewpoints next to the coastal road between Fishhoek - Sunny Cove railway station through Glen Cairn to Simon's Town one can often spot whales less than 100m from shore. At Cape Point whales can often be seen passing below.

A number of operators also offer Whale Watching Cruises.

• Simon's Town Boat Company (from the town pier), ☎ +27 83 257-7760. The sole permit holder for boat based whale watching in False Bay (Permit No. 0806336). R750 per adult ( 2012 prices).
• Waterfront Boat Company, Shop 5 Quay, V&A Waterfront, ☎ +27 21 418-5806, e-mail: glynis@waterfrontboats.co.za. 3 to 4 hour cruise in the bay and you are almost guaranteed to spot whales. R350.
• Dyer Island Cruises, Gansbaai, ☎ +27 28 384-0406, e-mail: info@adventureticket.co.za.