Home Safari.com Your ad on Safari.com?
 Contact our ad-manager for information about marketing plans and conditions.		    
 
   
Cape Town (Kaapstad)
 

View Larger Map
General
 
Cape Town, also called Kaapstad (Afrikaans) or Mother City, is South Africa´s oldest city and was found in 1652 as the Dutch East India Company established the first settlement in southern Africa.

The city has around 3. 5 million inhabitants that live on about 2. 5 square kilometers. Cape Town is situated on the Cape Peninsula, on the hillside of the Table Mountain at the south- western tip of Africa and is one of Africa´s most popular tourist destinations. Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa, as well as the capital of the Western Cape province, one of the nine provinces of the Republic of South Africa.
Climate
  Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate, which means well-defined seasons. However, the weather in Cape Town can be unpredictable, from sunshine on one side of the mountain, to rain on the other.

During summer months (October to March) temperatures are mostly mild, but sometimes the daytime temperatures reach up to 29 degrees Celsius when hot Berg Wind blows from the Karoo interior. Those months are warm and dry, but evenings are cool and the Peninsula gets strong winds from the south- east, which are called Cape Doctor.

Winters (April to September) in Cape Town are mild and wet with temperatures varying from 7 to 20 degrees Celsius. The winter weather on Peninsula is influenced by a series of cold fronts that cross the Peninsula from the Atlantic Ocean that results in strong north-west winds.

Average annual water temperatures range from 10°C to 13 °C on the Atlantic Seaboard, and between 16°C and 17 °C on the False Bay coast. In summer months, temperature can reach up to 22°C in False Bay.
 
Must- see attractions
Table Mountains
  The most popular way to experience the beauty of this mountain is the Cable Car, where you can enjoy views from all directions. Table Mountain forms part of the Table Mountain National Park, which is home to a unique diversity of flora and fauna.
Robben Island
  Robben Island was used at various times between the 17th and 20th centuries as a prison, a hospital for socially unacceptable groups and a military base. It is here, where former South African President and Nobel Laureate Nelson Mandela together with many other political prisoners were imprisoned. Robben Island- former prison is now a museum reflecting the history of the island and South Africa and provides spectacular views across the bay with Table Mountain as its backdrop.
Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
  The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is the centre of Cape
Town´s historic harbor and one of the city´s most popular places. The V&A is set in the scenery of the Table Mountains and still operates. It is a centre for shopping, dining and entertainment such as Two Oceans Aquarium, music clubs and coffee shops. There is also the Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island, the point of departure from Cape Town's Waterfront for the Robben Island ferry.
Cape Winelands
  The Cape Winelands are popular day trips from the city for sightseeing and wine tasting. It is the largest wine producing region in South Africa and is divided into 6 main wine regions, all of them worth seeing. The most popular of them are Constantia, Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, Paarl, Robertson and Wellington. There are numerous cellars in the region and one gets a chance to taste some of the world class wines. This is also an area of museums and art galleries, as well as world renowned restaurants.
Cape Town beaches
  Cape Town is most probably best known for its many wonderful beaches, each with a different setting and atmosphere for families, surfers, for luxury-lovers or those looking for some calm and seclusion. The most popular beaches are those on the Atlantic Seaboard, such as Clifton and its four beaches, as well as Camps Bay and the promenade of Sea Point and Three Anchor Bay.  The Cape´s water ranges from cold to mild and the temperature differs depending on the side of the city.
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
  Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden was found in 1913 and covers 528 hectares. It is home to only indigenous South African flora, fynbos flora and natural forest and is world-renowned for the beauty and diversity of the Cape flora it displays and for the magnificence of its setting against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain.
References
  http://www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/http://www.thompsonsafrica.com/
http://www.sa-venues.com/