Below is our tentative itinerary for Capetown. I would love your feedback.

Table Top[ was not specifically included because it is so weather dependent. We are going to try and just wing it.
What I would really love feed back on is our last night (July 21st). We will have spent the day in the Winelands and we have a flight to Nairobi on the 22nd at 6am. Should we transfer Saturday night to a hotel close to the airport or is it feasible to just drive from our accomodation in the winelands early on the 22nd?
Also, how far in advance do you have to ve at the capetown airport?

Monday 16th:
arrive capetown 8am
transfer to accomodation

Activity options:
(not planning to dit all these in - thought I'd let the weather dictate)

Open Bus Tour of Capetown

http://www.hyltonross.co.za/topless-tour-cape-town.html

www.footstepstofreedom.co.za

Kirstenbosh Gardens

Table Top if weather is clear

Lunch/high tea



Tuesday 17th
½ day cultural/township tour
www.nthusengtours.co.za

combine with visit to Robben Island

Possibly cultural museum



Wenesday 18th

Full day Cape Peninsula tour

Thursday 19th
Shark Cage dive
http://www.ultimate-animals.com/
Late afternoon visit to waterfront?
Green market?

Friday 20th
Check out of accommodation

Optional day to cover off anything we didn’t see

Or

Head to the winelands

Or

spend the morning in Capetown and head to the winelands in the afternoon:
visit Stellenbosh Museum etc.
dinner & overnight in wineland

Saturday 21st
Wineland tour/vineyard tour:
Earnie Els
Muarataie
David Frost

Dinner
Depart for airport hotel



Sunday 22nd

6am flight to Nairobi

Being a Sunday morning, you're not likely to have traffic from the winelands to CPT airport. And, while check-in for a domestic flight is 1/hr prior (you will be connecting in JNB for flight to NBO), do check when the airport at CPT actually opens.

When we departed from our hotel in CPT, barely a 20/min drive, to the airport, also for a domestic flight to JNB for ongoing to VFA, we arrived early... the airport was still closed. Locals seemed to know this and arrived only 45-30/min prior departure.

If you choose to stay in the winelands Sat night, I believe it won't take you but 40/min to the airport, but you will still have to return your vehicle (unless no car and have arranged for this transfer).

I'm sure Cape locals can provide more specific times for you.

hi, keen,

first of all a warning - I like you am still planning my trip - we will be in CPT from 18-22 July so almost t hesame time as you.

My touring map of the western cape gives the distance between Stellenbosch and CPT as 56 kms and the airport is on the way. so you could easily stay in the winelands on your last night and drive to the airport in the morning - it might even be easier than negotiating the CPT traffic.

OTOH it looks so easy to get there from CPT that you could stay in your CPT hotel and get to the winelands and back with no problem. I'd be inclined to do that instead of moving just for one night.

if we are lucky with the weather, my tentative plan is as follows:

day 1 - mountain in the morning, town tour/open bus tour/kirstenbosch in the afternoon.

day 2 - mountain in the morning [if not done the day before] then township tour with selwyn.

day 3 - driving tour to cape, via boulders beach to see the penguins, followed by sunset at chapman's peak.

day 4 - mountain again if necessary [DH is quite determined to get up there if he does nothing else] before leaving CPT and driving to grootbos.

regards, ann

As you mention weather will be a factor for Table Mt. but that is also true for the shark dive. If you really want to do the dive, I would plan it (and Table Mt.) as early as possible and then you can let it slide if the weather is bad. I would move it to Tuesday if possible. Also the more time between diving and flying, the better.

Ann, I personally wouldn't miss Robben Island if you are interested in S. African history/apartheit, and the inmates who give the tours there won't be alive after a few years. (Be sure to make advance reservations.)
Keen2travel: It's a good thought about not moving to the Winelands for one night only. It's a lot to see in one day, but doable (I'd visit both Stellenbosch and Franschook, both charming in different ways). Indeed Cape Town is about a 45 min. drive (from Franschhook, the farthest town from Cape Town), but you could get up early that day and see many wineries, have a lovely lunch and even dinner, and return your car that night so you wouldn't be bothered in the early morning (or hire a experienced tour guide who knows the territory). The Ernie Els winery is spectacular, ultra modern. Don't know the other two you mentioned but be sure to include one of the older ones with Cape Dutch architecture and more wine history.
Leslie

thanks, LAleslie, for the tip about robbin island -

the family have rejected this [possibly because of the time of year we're going - DD suffers really bad sea-sickness].

we are going out for a day in a township with Selwyn, which is the kids' choice, so they'll be getting some education!

depending on how the time pans out, we may try to get to robbin island too, but I know we'd have to reserve in advance [?throguh our hotel?]

thanks again,

regards, ann

The boat ride can be a bit rough and the boats are old (though they're scheduled to get new ones in the future I believe. Poor seasick DD, I perfectly understand. You could possibly go without her? We reserved thru our hotel (the Cape Grace)when we got there, but they barely got us in and we couldn't choose the day or time, so best to do beforehand.
Leslie

thanks again, Leslie,

truth to tell, her mum is also prone to mal de mer - it must be in the genes.

doubt if the lads would want to go alone, but if they did, I suppose we could force ourselves to do some shopping....now where's that reservations number?!

regards, ann