The Perfect 10 Day Itinerary for South Africa
One advantage to visiting South Africa is how many different places you can go without leaving the country. One morning you’re hiking Table Mountain and that afternoon you’re sipping wine at a vineyard in the Winelands. The following day you’re laying on a beach and the next thing you know you’re in the bush taking photos of a rhino. You get the point. I also like that it’s a year round destination. While there are pros and cons to each season, there is no wrong time to visit the country. This means you aren’t competing with a zillion other people who want to visit during a very specific time frame (except maybe during the festive time period between Christmas and New Years).
If you’re coming from the United States and it’s your first visit to the country, I would say the ideal trip is at LEAST 10 nights on the ground. It will also take you one to two days to get there, a day to get home, and a day or two to recover from jet leg on either end now you’re actually looking at a two week trip. With that time frame in mind, I’ve put together my favorite South Africa itinerary, which is 4 nights in Cape Town, 2 nights in the Winelands, and 4 nights on safari. This is an ideal schedule if it’s your first time to the country because it hits on the highlights while still allowing for relaxation. Of course if you’re not a wine drinker and prefer sightseeing vs. relaxing then skip the Winelands. If you have a healthy budget and your main focus is game drives then by all means lets book you on a weeklong safari. But assuming you want to make a few stops and don’t have an unlimited budget or time, keep reading for the ultimate 10 day trip!
Cape Town
I always like starting the trip in Cape Town and leaving safari for last since it’s the “grand finale”. Ideally you will fly into Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is roughly a 20 min drive to the V&A Waterfront so it’s an easy transfer after a long international flight. Read my blog post on favorite hotels in Cape Town to see which accommodation might suit you best.
Day 1.
Settle into your hotel and take it easy. If it’s daylight and your hotel is in a walkable location, go out and stretch your legs and get the lay of the land. If it’s my first time in a new place, I sometimes find that I’ve packed incorrectly and “need” to go shopping and run a few errands. Another arrival day favorite is a spa treatment. Find somewhere casual for an early dinner and try to shake off jetlag and get a good nights sleep. There are many restaurants with marina views in the V&A Waterfront (look for seals!) or head to Kloof Street or Bree Street where you will find restaurants and bars with more of a local vibe.
Day 2.
If you’re like me then you’re still jet lagged and will wake up early, making it a good day to hike Table Mountain or Lions Heads. If this activity is on your must-do list then I recommend trying to do it on the first day. The reason for this is because often times it’s so windy that people aren’t permitted to go up the mountain (I learned this the hard way) so it’s best to try to check it off at the beginning of the trip and this way you have some cushion time if you have to reschedule. Cable cars operate up and down Table Mountain so even if hiking isn’t your thing, utilize the cable bar and spend some time up top admiring the views of Cape Town. In the afternoon, rent bikes and ride around the V&A Waterfront Boardwalk. The route has plenty to see, with surfers on one side and art installations on the other.
Day 3.
I recommend getting a driver/guide and doing a tour of the Cape Peninsula. There’s a lot to see so work with a guide to create a custom itinerary for your day (or just have it be a surprise!). The famous penguins who live on Boulders Beach are about 45 minutes away so head there first and then make your way back up the coast with stops at beaches, scenic overlooks and coastal towns like Simon’s Town and Fish Hoek.
You can rent a car, and explore on your own but only if you’re comfortable driving on the left side of the road! While I typically prefer to explore alone, I found the guide to be worth it for the history lessons and inside scoop from a local. We also visited a whiskey distillery after breakfast and drank wine at a beachfront restaurant for lunch so having a driver was key!
Day 4.
Take a helicopter tour! I’ve used Cape Town Helicopters who are located right in the V&A Waterfront and offer 50 minute rides for around $450 per person. I chickened out at first and almost didn’t get on the helicopter and I’m so glad I did!
Next take a 20 minute uber south to Constantia, a suburb of Cape Town. Have a long, leisurely lunch at Glen Constantia and then hit up Beau Constantia for a tasting.
Spend the rest of the day exploring the downtown area (make sure you do some shopping at the Waterfront Watershed and at LEAST one restaurant on Kloof Street!).
Cape Winelands
Day 5
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and move on to the Winelands portion of your trip. I recommend staying in Franschhoek, which is a small town on the Western Cape, about an hour from Cape Town. Hire a driver for the day and make some vineyard appointments, with your first one in Stellenbosch Slowly make your way to your hotel by way of multiple wine tasting stops.
Day 6.
Go into the main drag of Franschhoek. It’s a super cute town with many shops, art galleries, and places to pop in for a beer or glass of wine. Explore the town and then relax at your hotel before dinner at La Petite Colombe (a must!).
Safari
Day 7.
Scheduled flights to the national parks depart from Cape International Airport (CPT) in the mornings around 9 or 10am. Depending on where you land and where you are staying on safari, you will either drive or have a chartered flight in a puddle jumper plane to your accommodations. You should arrive by 2ish, which gives you enough time for a tour of the property and to settle in before your first game drive around 4p!
Days 8-9.
Typically guests do morning (6-9a) and evening (4-7p) game drives, as these are the opportune times for animal viewing. The afternoons are at leisure to lay by the pool, do a spa treatment, nap, have a long lunch, etc. In my experience, there are usually animal visits to the lodge so animal viewing doesn’t only happen on game drives. I always think I’ll get restless with the whole day being open but then all of a sudden its 3p and I’ve gone through two bottles of wine while watching elephants from an outside day bed and it’s time to get ready to go back into the bush. Everyone sits down for dinner around 8p after returning from their drive.
Note: Game time drives will vary based on the time of year it is because you want to go at dawn and at dusk when the animals are most active. Game drives are between 2 and 4 hours in duration, depending on where you are stay. I did notice that the more expensive properties will do longer drives with more flexibility to come and go as you please while others are on a stricter schedule.
My advice: Don’t ever skip a game drive. There were some mornings that I had to peel my eyes open with my fingers and really didn’t want to get out of bed so early but you really don’t need much energy for a game drive. You’re just sitting in a truck. So just do it. You can go back to sleep at 9am. You also have more flexibility if you have a private vehicle so if you would like to be on your own schedule (for example, leave at 6am instead of 5am) then you will want to look into places that allow you to reserve a private vehicle that is not shared with other guests.
Day 10.
Be prepared to cry. This is the day you are leaving Africa and nothing will ever be the same.
So now that you want to go to Africa, what are next steps?.
Contact me for a consultation! I will work with you to create a custom trip trip that fits your style and needs. Maybe it’s similar to this one, maybe it’s not! Only one way to find out.
