Cape Town, South Africa. A beautiful city surrounded by nature. Whether you are visiting from abroad or a local living the dream: if you want some time away from the city lights soaking up the sights, sounds and serenity of the outdoors we have a few suggestions. All of them are within 1.5 hours drive from the city centre. Here's our list of 5 awesome outdoor activities near Cape Town that we love.
1) Cycling Between Wine Farms
2) Zip Lining
3) Fly Fishing In Crystal Clear Mountain Streams
4) Waterfall Hikes and Swims
5) River Kayaking
Cycling Between Wine Farms
The Western Cape is surrounded by winelands. Instead of going farm to farm by car, take in some of the countryside and beautiful weather when it's around. Some of the many areas one can explore are Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, Rawsonville and Elgin. Our favourites are Rawsonville and Elgin. Slightly less well known and a bit more off the beaten track allows for more exploring and fewer cars around. There are many guided tours on offer so we won't list them here. Otherwise just DIY! Take your own bike or rent one and mark out two or three farms on google maps. Then call one of the farms to see if it is possible to remain offroad rather than on and explore! Obviously if there is wine involved either ensure you have transfers sorted, a designated driver or even better, stay overnight close by and make a weekend of it!
There is nothing better than sipping on a cold Sav Blanc after a light cycle through the trees and forests or vineyards. The combination of fresh air, scents of the vines, trees and nature along with amazing wines make this an absolute winner.
Another great farm to check out is Boschendal in Franschhoek. They have MTB routes marked out on their property along with bicycle rental and even many types of accommodation on site. https://www.boschendal.com/
Zip Lining
For those of you craving a bit more of an adrenalin rush! There are two options for ziplining just outside of Cape Town. Both are filled with fun and adventure in amazing settings. Drive out, get kitted up with the required safety gear and get ready to slide through the day in an absolutely amazing way. There is nothing like that first trip! When you reach the end you'll almost certainly wish to get back to the start immediately.
The 2 Locations:
Elgin, 1h15m drive from Cape Town: https://www.canopytour.co.za/book-now/cape/ - R995 pp*
Ceres, 1h45m drive from Cape Town: https://ceresadventures.co.za/ - R500 pp*
So head out and have some fun with gravity and the surrounding nature! When driving through to either, be on the lookout for the amazing farmstalls along the way. Make sure to pop in for some farm fresh goods!
Fly Fishing In Crystal Clear Mountain Streams
Get outside and enjoy the crystal clear water and sounds of nothing but the river, natural life and breeze through the flora. Rainbow trout were introduced into streams around the Cape and now successfully breed without the need for re-stocking. Fly fishing allows one to relax and at the same time get those pumps of adrenalin when you entice a fish to take your fly! Although fly fishing may seem like something reserved for those with year of experience it doesn't take much practice to get started and to enjoy a day out fly fishing. With a decent guide and a few pointers, you should have a great grasp of the basics after your first day and if everything goes accordingly to plan a picture of yourself with a beautiful rainbow trout too. Fly fishing is not just about the fishing, its about appreciating nature.
A typical day out involves an early start. Get that coffee in a flask and head out to Du Toitskloof, 1 hour outside of Cape Town via the N1 national road. Just after the tunnel another world awaits. Park, and walk down to the start of the section of river booked, called a "beat". Then the fishing fun begins. Wade through the crystal clear water while presenting flies to feeding rainbow trout in the hopes of getting them to bite. Land them safely, quick pic and release. The meditative nature of fly fishing along with the adrenalin of the fight in the amazing setting make this truly unforgettable. Don't forget to pack lots of liquids and a snack to enjoy in the peaceful setting.
We here at On The Fly Adventures Africa obviously have a massive love for the art of fly fishing and make sure that all of our camping trips are close enough to streams, rivers or dams so that we can guide you to find some beautiful fish should you so choose. We also offer guided day fly fishing trips to to the streams of the Cape.
The streams of the Cape are managed by the Cape Piscatorial Society. They offer day permits to visitors and one can book a section of water by contacting them directly should you wish to DIY.
Cape Piscatorial Society Website: https://www.piscator.co.za/CPS2/
Waterfall Hikes and Swimming
When the weather is warm and the call of nature cries out to you, this is one simple way to answer. Jump in the car and head an hour or so from Cape Town and you have multiple options. There are many waterfall hikes around the Western Cape and what better a reward after a few hours of hiking than a dip in the pool below the falls in fresh flowing cool water.
There are many options to choose from but one of our favourites is the Krom River hike in the Limietberg Nature Reserve, just past the Huguenot tunnel on the N1 national road. Permits are required but are easily attainable from Cape Nature and prevent the hike from getting too busy which is great. The valley is home to the fishing waters of the Cape Piscatorial Society too so don't be surprised if you see a fly fisher or two as you start.
For permits have a look here: https://www.capenature.co.za/permits/229/
Fro information on the hike and other hikes in the Limietberg Nature Reserve have a look at the CapeNature site here: https://www.capenature.co.za/reserves/limietberg-nature-reserve/
Horse Riding
Why not skip using wheels and explore on the back of a beautiful majestic animal. Make your way on horseback through vineyards, forest and fynbos. Definitely something memorable to do. Horse About offers amazing guided horseback adventures in the picturesque village of Tulbagh. With day rides and even moonlight rides as part of what's on offer, a great time is virtually guaranteed. A 1.5 hour day ride will cost R250 pp*. Tulbagh is just one and a half hours from Cape Town a day trip is doable but an overnighter definitely the more enjoyable way to do it.
Have a look at the Horse About website here for more info and bookings: https://www.horseabout.co.za/
Final Thoughts
Here at On The Fly Adventures we offer hosted camping trips and love fly fishing as well as anything the outdoors has to offer! The bespoke nature of our tours ensure that we put together the trip YOU want. All of the activities listed above are optional things to do. You don't need need anything more than a relaxing few days away in nature which is what we offer but they can definitely add another amazing layer to an already epic trip!
Contact us now for us to start planning your escape from the city!
Cheers!
Simon
*All prices indicative at the time of writing the article
