You really should go to Cape Town

[375 Ruger Fan]

The first week of October, I went to South Africa and didn't hunt. I hope that doesn't get me banned from this website. My wife, a non-hunter, and I were celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary. Since we live in Lagos, Nigeria, a trip to Cape Town via Joburg is a relatively easy journey and a place that's been on our bucket list for awhile.

Time and cost are always a factor when traveling from the US or Europe to come to Africa for a hunt. But if you can work it in, a short stay in Cape Town is a worthwhile adventure. A few days in Cape Town before your hunt, to get over the jet lag, would be well worth it.

For most of my travels in Africa, I use the Cape Town based travel agent, Go2Africa.com (http://www.go2africa.com/) They have never disappointed.

The Lagos to Joburg flight is a 5-1/2 hr overnight, redeye flight. We arrived on a Sunday morning at 5am at OR Tambo. Slow-slow immigration process caused some anxiety problems while waiting in line, but we made our 7am connecting flight to Cape Town, arriving about 9am.

A driver with Ilios Tours (https://www.ilios.co.za/) met us as we exited the baggage area and took us to our hotel. The driver was very professional, friendly and knowledgable. The car was clean and seemed brand new. It was about a 20 minute drive from the airport to the V&A waterfront area of town. V&A is Victoria & Alfred. I think Victoria was the queen of England, not the other Victoria that has a SECRET....

The hotel we stayed at was the Queen Victoria Hotel, a small, upscale hotel with 35 rooms. (http://www.newmarkhotels.com/accommodation/hotels/queen-victoria-hotel/) The rooms were quite nice and spacious and had spectacular views. The location was across the street from the V&A waterfront, which has loads of shopping, pubs, dining, movie theatres, etc. We found the entire area to be clean, friendly and very reasonably price. With the strong US dollar to rand exchange rate, this a good place to spend some time.

Views from the hotel: Table Mountain and the V&A waterfront

The big tourist attractions in Cape Town are going up Table Mountain and doing a penisula tour to Cape of Good Hope

The gondola to get up and down Table Mountain. If you do this, buy your tickets online before heading there. There are long lines and lots of tourist.

A view of Camps Bay

A view of the down town and V&A waterfront area of Cape Town. Robben Island can also be seen.

Me and my bride of 30 years, with Table Mountain in the background.

I'll post some photos from the penisula tour and some actual wildlife in a day or so. All in all, a great place to visit.

 

[cpr0312]

Nice photos, thanks for sharing! This place is definitely on my list

 

[sierraone]

Cape Town is on my agenda for a 2nd or 3rd trip. My first trip next July will only be my son and I hunting with Paw Print. He is barely squeezing enough time off for that short hunting trip. The next trip will probably only be me, since time off is not an issue for me. Money yes, time, no! Looking forward to your next group of photos!

 

[Divernhunter]

When we went hunting in 2013 we went to Cape Town first for about 5 days. Did tours, went to the V&A and really enjoyed it. I would have stayed longer but we were in SA for 20 days and my daughter had to return for work. The big 5 photo safari was great as was going to The Cape Point since I am a scuba diver plus being the southern most point of Africa.
I always tell people that they need to go there for the jet lag problem(if they get it) and to see some of Africa they will not see if they just fly over-hunt and fly back.

When I go back I plan to take about 2 weeks and sightsee

 

[Aaron N]

Beautiful city. We spent four days after our hunt in March. We satayed in Camps Bay and highly recommend it to anyone I talk to!

 

[wesheltonj]

Loved Cape Town, wish I could have flown there direct instead of Jo'berg. They just need a rifle service and more direct flights. Ranks right of there with Sydney, London as a world class city, with lots to do.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

As I mentioned, two of the major tourist attractions in the Cape Town area are Table Mountain and going to the Cape of Good Hope. As many have mentioned, there's plenty of other things to see and do. Wine country tours are popular, but my wife and I are not wine drinkers. Swimming with the sharks is popular with some thrill seekers, but not something we chose not to do. I think I'd have to become a serious wine drinker before I'd go swim with the sharks!

We set up a penisula tour with Ilios Tours and our driver/ tour guide met us at our hotel about 930am and off we went. The mini-van was spotless and looked fairly new.

The first thing we got was a bit of a geography lesson from the tour guide. The Cape of Good Hope (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_of_Good_Hope ) is thought by many to be the southern most point in Africa. It is not. That distinction goes to Cape Agulhas (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Agulhas). See the red X on the map below, marking the Cape of Good Hope. Regardless, I'm glad I got to the Cape of Good Hope and I look forward to one day going back and visiting Cape Agulhas. I think a multiday self drive trip between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth would be great. Of course a nice PG hunt on the eastern cape would have to be part of this plan too.

It a little under 500 miles from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth by driving.

The photo above is about 20 minutes out of Cape Town, along the coast road.

There was a line of 20-30 tourists waiting to pose for a photo here. Almost a scene out from Disneyland. Lots of tour groups, big buses, etc. Note the sign says "The most south western point of Africa", whatever that means.......

We saw several Ostriches and lots of other birds along the coast.

After leaving the Cape of Good Hope, we headed north. We passed through an area called Buffalo Bay, but sadly the buffalo no longer roam there. We continued north towards Simon's Town, on the eastern side of the Cape Penisula. Simon's Town is a navy town and also the area to go see the African Penguin.

We ate lunch in Simon's Town at a nice waterfront place. Several RSA Navy ships could be seen.

On the way back into Cape Town, we stopped at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirstenbosch_National_Botanical_Garden ). In addittion to all the flora and fauna, apparently they also have snakes. We didn't notice any though.

 

[Nyati]

Thanks for the post, it´s definitely a great idea to visit Cape Town, and I should add Port Elisabeth and Durban as well.

Our wives deserve it, and well, as we are there, maybe there would be an opportunity to hunt for two or three days

 

[cpr0312]

Thanks for more pics of your journey, felt like we were along for the ride!

 

[Pheroze]

My wife and daughter went for a fews day while we boys hunted. They loved it, and I intend on making the trip some day!

 

[Quinton]

I can see my house from one of your pics! Glad you enjoyed our city.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Little sunnier and warmer in October vs August.
Either way, it's a great tourist destination (area).

I can only imagine the number of tourists when it was sunny out.
Tourist buses everywhere.
Get up early and avoid the hoards, is the best advise I can give in addition to your information.

 

[Scott Slough]

My daughter and I did the self-drive from Port Elizabeth and Cape Town tour after hunting the Eastern Cape ... would highly recommend! It was a bit chilly in early July but otherwise a blast!

 

[Katy Darren]

My daughter and I did the self-drive from Port Elizabeth and Cape Town tour after hunting the Eastern Cape ... would highly recommend! It was a bit chilly in early July but otherwise a blast!

Bumping this thread as we’ll be hitting Cape Town in early May prior to hunting the Eastern Cape. How long (and safe) is the drive from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth? I hear some areas to avoid in Cape Town that google maps routes you through so was planning to stick with tour groups and fly to Port E? But we likely have time to drive…and it avoids hitting airports and checking guns a couple extra times.

 

[Pheroze]

The ro

Bumping this thread as we’ll be hitting Cape Town in early May prior to hunting the Eastern Cape. How long (and safe) is the drive from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth? I hear some areas to avoid in Cape Town that google maps routes you through so was planning to stick with tour groups and fly to Port E? But we likely have time to drive…and it avoids hitting airports and checking guns a couple extra times.

The route offers a lot. Plan to hit at least Kynsna and Plettenberg. You could turn the trip into a entire vacation, with great places to go to. Enjoy the trip!