ECO-TOURS AND SAFARIS

The entire Cape Peninsula falls under Table Mountain National Park, a park designed to protect its unique floral kingdom, mountains, beaches and wildlife. So wherever you go in Cape Town, you’ll encounter much nature and see efforts to conserve it.

Cape by Design Tours offers you a number of eco-tour experiences:

CAPE POINT SAFARI
Climb to the lighthouse, above high cliffs and wild seas at the point where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. Take the obligatory photo at the Cape of Good Hope, the south-westernmost tip of Africa. Then leave the beaten tourist track and visit some lovely hidden corners. We might come across a family of baboons, a group of ostriches, a herd of antelope and who knows what other surprises we’ll find along the way.

SEA SAFARI
In Cape Town we have our own Big 5 of the Sea: Whales, Penguins, Seals, Sharks and Dolphins.

Cape Town Day Tours and trips around the Cape
We give you the option of two trips, one in Cape Town and one a little outside Cape Town:
Peninsula Sea Safari

Visit penguins at Boulders Beach.
Take a boat ride to view Seals, which live on an island in Hout Bay.
Dolphins come and go in large numbers and you may or may not see them.
Whales are a frequent site around our Peninsula between July and December each year.
If you want to see Great White sharks from a distance, our shark spotters might be able to show you where they are.
Go Shark Cage Diving and viewing in Simonstown, an eco-tour which gives you the chance to see one of natures great spectacles, breaching Great White Sharks.

Hermanus Sea Safari: Takes you a little outside Cape Town as you follow the stunning coastline of False Bay, past the “False Cape”, all the way to Hermanus.

The place of the world’s best land-based whale watching, July to December.
Look out for dolphins and seals on the way.
Visit a penguin colony at Bettys Bay.
Go Shark Cage Diving and learn about Shark Conservation in Gansbaai.

KIDS SAFARI
Cape Town is a really child friendly place and there is much open space and nature for kids to run around in and have fun.

Cape by Design Tours offers several suggestions for family outings:

Take a bucket and spade and go to the beach, you’re spoilt for choice.
Swim among the Penguins on Boulders Beach, a way of avoiding the view spot where all the other tourists go.
Walk through large enclosures in a huge bird park and experience feathered creatures and cheeky squirrel monkeys.
Visit our award-winning Two Oceans Aquarium and get up really close to some mean looking fish and odd-looking sea creatures.
There are several wildlife parks in and around Cape Town such as a Lion Park, Cheetah Outreach and Raptor Conservation Project.

MOUNTAIN SAFARI
Mountains are just everywhere when you are in Cape Town and a mountain walk will give you a different perspective on the City and give you great exercise.

Cape by Design Tours has competent guides to accompany you. Here are just a few suggestions of Mountain walks you can do:

Table Mountain: you can take the cable car to the top and enjoy a one-hour walk to Maclears Beacon, the highest point. For the fit and healthy, take a guided walk to the Summit.
Chapmans Peak is a spectacular drive, but you can also park, pause and take a 3-hour walk to the top and back.
Lions Head is a little tricky in places but when you’re on top, the reward is a 360-degree panoramic view of the city and surrounds.
If you’re an adrenaline junkie, try abseiling off the top of Table Mountain or go rock climbing with a well-trained guide.

FLOWER SAFARI
1. Cape Peninsula Flower Safari

Wild flowers grow everywhere in Cape Town; arum lilies, geraniums, ericas, proteas and many more. Our unique plant kingdom is called fynbos and it is well preserved around here.

We offer several ways you can get to learn about our unique plant life:

At Cape Point we’ll take you a little off the usual tourist route and show you some plants that make up the unique fynbos group.
Stop at various points in Table Mountain National Park to take a look at whatever interesting flower is blooming.
Kirstenbosch, our world famous botanical garden has a splendid mountain setting and an abundance of indigenous flowers and trees.

2. West coast Flower safari
In August and September, just after the winter rains, nature reveals the most incredible wild flower carpets on a massive scale. There is a coastal park north of Cape Town, which is open just for these two months. If you are in town at that time, this wondrous experience should be high on your to do list.

BIG 5 SAFARI
A long time ago Cape Town was teeming with wild animals and the Big 5 were right on our doorstep. Those days are long gone and we must now drive to a game park about 2 hours from Cape Town in order to see the Big 5.

The tour includes an informative 3-hour game drive, breakfast and lunch.

For an exciting Big 5 experience, the Garden Route has much to offer:

Visit an Elephant Sanctuary
Enjoy a wildcat experience or a meerkat meander.
Walk among monkeys in a forest.
There’s the choice of several genuine Big 5 Safaris near Port Elizabeth

THE REAL THING:
For an authentic Big 5 experience in the Bushveld or further north in Namibia, Botswana or elsewhere, we can arrange an unforgettable trip for you.

SCENIC SAFARI

The whole of South Africa is actually a scenic safari!
For those wanting to use Cape Town as a springboard for the rest of South Africa and even southern Africa, there are many more places to explore:
Garden Route, Little Karoo and Route 62, Cape Mountain passes, West Coast, Cape Aghulhas, Kruger Park, Kalahari.
Southern Africa:
Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique

SPECIALISED SAFARI

SHARKS:
Shark Viewing: personalised eco-tours where you get the chance to witness one of nature’s spectacles, Great White Shark breaching.
Shark cage diving: an amazing and safe way to get close to these huge predators of the deep.

WALKING WITH BABOONS:
An opportunity to experience the gentle side of these much-maligned creatures whose continued existence around urban Cape Town is very threatened.

BIRD SAFARI:

We have over 610 bird species in Cape Town and boast 70% of South Africa’s endemic species, particularly those associated with the fynbos. Cape town is also well known for its many different sea birds, the pelagic species. Our knowledgeable twitcher guide will try to find you as many as possible.

Tours should never be a matter of choosing off a list - they should be created to suit the desires of the tourist.