3 Days in Cape Town: Wine, Sharks, and Amazing Views
Cape Town is one of those destinations that seems to have a little bit of everything. During my time there, I experienced the city from the top of Table Mountain to the beautiful coastline, explored the Cape Winelands, swam with sharks, enjoyed incredible food and local experiences, and had the chance to see how history, culture, and natural beauty come together in one remarkable place. Cape Town is more than just a beautiful city. It is a destination that invites you to slow down, explore, taste, and take in the scenery around every corner.
Arrival & City Center
The Cape Town area of South Africa is a unique blend of mountains, valleys, plains, and coastline where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean. The city gives way to countryside and vineyards, and the landscape is so distinct that the Cape Floral Kingdom represents the smallest of only six floral regions on Earth.
At our hotel in town, we got our first taste of the exchange rate at Klok Restaurant. Dinner included offerings like salmon trout linguine, springbok carpaccio, and braaibroodjie and we were able to grab dinner and drinks for only $180 for the entire group of 8.
Day 1: Wine Tours & Pan-African Dining
Our first full day was a tour of three coastal wine regions: Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl. Exiting the city, the landscape transitioned to suburbs dotted with the visible remnants of Apartheid’s shanty towns.
Stellenbosch
Known as the historic heart of South African wine and the "King of the Reds," Stellenbosch features a Mediterranean climate. Our first winery was Blaauwklippen, an estate established in 1682 that claims to be the oldest in the region. Tastings included:
Cab Classic (Sparkling Brut): light and refreshing
Sauvignon Blanc: a table favorite
100% Chardonnay: lighter than I'm used to, not buttery at all
Zen Rosé: mid, but nice aromatics
Brandy & Dessert Wine: Smooth brandy and a plum-like dessert wine
They also provided a charcuterie board that included brie, sharp cheddar, berry cheese, and candied figs.
Franschhoek
Our next stop was the Franschhoek Region, and one of the ways to experience it is with their famous wine tram. We visited Franschhoek Cellar, which featured mountain views and a large event space. While the Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz were pretty basic, the food was the highlight. We tried burgers, chicken sandwiches, and grilled beef ribeye, all of which were amazing.
Paarl
The final stop was Rhebokskloof Estate, nestled against Paarl Rock with rolling hills and a small lake. It would be a perfect wedding venue.
The tasting was structured around dessert pairings:
Flatrock Sparkle was paired with a creamy citrus cheesecake
RBK Chardonnay came with a vanilla crème with a little star anise
Flatrock Red came with a belgian dark chocolate cookie with a blackcurrant compote
RPK Pinotage was presented with dark chocolate mousse
RPK Shiraz came with a Belgian dark chocolate tart
Mama Africa Restaurant
Back in Cape Town, the group dined on Long Street at Mama Africa. The venue featured live music, traditional hand washing, face painting, and a menu representing dishes from across the continent.
There were six of us, and we shared:
Drinks & Starters: The Kilimanjaro cocktail, Amarula espresso martinis, bread with house dip, and savory-sweet barbecue wings.
Game Meats: The Shisha-Nyama platter with tender kudu, fatty crocodile, sirloin-like ostrich, sweet eland, zebra, and spiced springbok.
Entrees & Sides: Cabo Delgado lobster stuffed with rice, mushrooms, and peanut sauce; Jollof rice; sweet potato mash; sweet potato strips; and corn pops.
Everything about this experience was incredible, and I cannot recommend it enough. I was worried that this might be one of those Instagram spots where the videos are better than the food, but I was happy to be proven so wrong.
Day 2: Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai
There are two types of travelers… and we had both types in our group in South Africa. While the majority of our group relaxed in the morning before taking in a local food tour in the colorful neighborhood of Bo-Kaap, three of us opted for a full-day excursion south to Gansbaai with Marine Dynamics to go shark cage diving.
While out on the water Bronze Whaler sharks swarmed the chumed water. There is no snorkel, hookah or scuba gear; the cage is partially above the water line, and you have to use your weights and the interior bars in the cage to push yourself under water and hold your breath to get those views.
I was worried that the water would be too cloudy since there were storms the day before, but the light cloudiness made it even cooler because the sharks kind of snuck up on you out of the murkiness. Those “close calls” only added to the fun.
Some logistics and tips to consider:
Group Sizes: Boat cages hold 6-8 people at a time. Group rotations depend on conditions, but generally there were 6 in the cage on our trip.
Gear Provided: Thick 7mm wetsuits and masks are provided. No scuba certification needed (you hold your breath using weights and bars with the top of the cage always out of the water).
Motion Sickness: Take sea sickness medication 1 hour BEFORE getting on the boat—Joubertsdam swells are relentless.
Cameras: Marine Dynamics provides their own cameraman who’s very interactive with everyone on the boat, and they produce a video that you can purchase of your adventure. Bring a GoPro for the underwater shots and leave the larger cameras back at the hotel, unless you’re really into landscape or bird photography.
Space on the Boat: The boat was a little small for the amount of people who were on it. Not cramped by any means, but there was very little space to move around, and no privacy, even when you were getting in and out of your wetsuit.
Our dive session lasted over 25 minutes, plenty of time to take it all in. The Bronze Whalers and a large short-tailed stingray circled within close proximity. Unfortunately, there were no Great White sightings for us that day as a pair of orcas had apparently gone on a killing spree recently and scared the large sharks out of the area. It was still a really fun experience though.
On the return trip back to Cape Town, we made a stop at the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary (APSS) (run by the same conservation trust) to see their work rehabilitating injured local marine life. When we went there were some penguins who were too injured or otherwise unable to be returned to the wild. The whole operation seems to do good work, so we supported it by paying for a nesting home for penguins on the protected island that APSS manages.
Day 3: Table Mountain & The Cape Peninsula
Our final day began with an early morning visit to Table Mountain via the revolving cable car, which provides a rotating 360-degree view during the ascent. The rocky summit plateau offers expansive views overlooking Signal Hill, Lion's Head, and Devil's Peak.
The top itself is not as flat as it seems when you’re looking up from below. It’s very rocky, but also has sparse vegetation. Someone interested in plant life could fill an entire day taking in the scenery without even needing to look over the sides. We explored for around 30 minutes and were able to take in about 270-degrees of the area below, including the city of Cape Town, surrounding countryside, the Atlantic Ocean and beaches, and other small beach towns.
Some Table Mountain Tips and Logistics to consider:
Beat the Queue: Lines for the cableway easily top 2-3 hours by mid-morning. Buy ticket vouchers online in advance and arrive at the lower station by 7:30 AM.
Sun Protection Warning: The summit of Table Mountain is stark, rocky, and completely exposed. There is virtually zero shade up top so pack sun protection and extra water if you plan on doing a longer hike.
Hiking Expectations: If you plan to explore the trails at the top (like the Maclear's Beacon trail to the highest point), budget at least 2 to 3 hours up top. The terrain is rocky and uneven.
Weather Closures: The cableway shuts down instantly if high winds blow in. Budget a “just in case” bonus day if this is one of the more important parts of your itinerary.
The Cape Peninsula Loop
Following the mountain excursion, the drive continued south along the Atlantic coastline. The coastal drive is world-class, winding past steep ocean cliffs and stunning coastline. There were lots of look out spots, incredible views, and even horses running along the beaches below.
Our first stop was Cape Point Nature Reserve, a protected area with tons of untamed land for animals to roam, and a lot of amazing beaches and coastline to take in. We made our way to the Flying Dutchman, a funicular that takes you up to one of the area’s most famous Lighthouses.
We also checked out the “Most South-Western Point in Africa”, with a beach that featured tons of seals and birds sunning on an island just off the beach from us as the waves crashed in.
Along the highway we were also treated to some laughs from a troop of local baboons as they made their way south stopping traffic, wreaking havoc, and harassing each other.
Our final nature spot was Boulders Beach. We were able to check out the colony of land-based African penguins. While the surrounding beaches are technically open, there was a viewing platform here that you walked along so that the penguins could enjoy the area virtually unmolested.
We wrapped up the afternoon with lunch in Simon’s Town, a small town just north of Boulders Beach, and south of one of South Africa’s naval bases. Our driver recommended The Harbourview Restaurant, and we stuffed ourselves on the freshest seafood (including loads of oysters, fried hake, mussels, prawns, calamari and more), great drinks and took in amazing views for under $50 per person.
Bottom Line
The Cape Town area provides an amazing luxury-to-cost ratio for dining, memorable regional wine varieties, and diverse coastal ecosystems. Three days were hardly enough to experience it all. We barely spent any time in the city proper, because most of our activities required a fair amount of driving to get to them, but it was still a great time. This itinerary is great on it’s own, but if you really want to experience more of Cape Town itself, I’d recommend adding a day or two to check out the museums, cultural experiences and the harborside district.
