Plan your safari
Aerial view of Cape Town with Table Mountain and the Atlantic coast, South Africa

Cape Town & the Winelands

Cape Town is one of the world’s most beautiful cities and the perfect finish to a luxury Big Five safari.

Plan your safari Highlights
Best time Nov–Mar
Getting there Fly into Cape Town International (CPT)
How we travel Private & bespoke

Indeed, few cities on earth sit in a setting like this. Table Mountain rises straight out of the Atlantic, with beaches on one side and vineyards on the other. After the early mornings and dust of the bush, Cape Town is where a South Africa journey exhales: long lunches, sea air and some of the best food and wine anywhere.

In addition, an hour east lie the Cape Winelands (Stellenbosch and Franschhoek), where 300-year-old estates pour world-class vintages beneath the mountains. So most of our South Africa journeys pair three or four nights here with the Sabi Sand: Big Five in the morning, fine dining by the weekend.

Cape Town luxury travel highlights

Table Mountain

Ride the cableway or hike up. The view over the city and both oceans is unmatched.

The Cape Peninsula

A day’s drive past Camps Bay and Chapman’s Peak to the penguins at Boulders Beach and Cape Point.

The Winelands

Stellenbosch and Franschhoek: historic estates, tastings and celebrated restaurants.

Robben Island & history

The ferry to Nelson Mandela’s former prison, guided by former inmates.

Where you’ll stay in Cape Town & the Winelands

We select where you stay privately around your journey. We recommend each camp, lodge or villa according to its location, season, guiding, privacy and suitability for the people traveling. You’ll see the places we suggest, and why, in your itinerary.

Plan your private safari

Practical details,
in one place

Money, health, connectivity and packing work the same way on every safari we plan, so they live in one place rather than on every page.

Know before you go

Flights, entry rules, health and money: the practical details we handle for you, all in one place. Requirements can change, so we confirm everything when you book.

Getting there from the USA

Both United and Delta fly nonstop from Newark and Atlanta to Cape Town (about 15 hours), or connect through Johannesburg. Also, from the Sabi Sand reserves it is a two-hour scheduled flight.

Visas & entry

US citizens visit South Africa visa-free for up to 90 days; passport valid for at least 30 days beyond your departure from South Africa (six months recommended), with two blank pages. New from July 2026: all travelers entering or leaving South Africa must submit a free online SARS Traveler Declaration (sars.gov.za or the SATMS app) within 24 hours before the departure of their final direct travel leg. We send you the link and then walk you through it. International transit passengers who remain within the designated transit area and do not formally enter South Africa are excluded (official SARS guidance). However, travelers are not denied entry or departure solely for not having declared beforehand. SARS officials and self-service terminals assist on arrival, but completing it in advance avoids delays. Download our SARS Traveler Declaration guide (PDF).

Complete the SARS declaration ↗
Health

Cape Town and the Winelands are malaria-free, so no prophylaxis is needed for this leg. Tap water is safe to drink.

Money & tipping

In general, the US dollar goes far against the rand. Also, almost every venue accepts cards. Tipping is at your discretion, around 10–15% in restaurants.

Best time to visit Cape Town

Nov–Mar

Cape summer: warm, dry beach and vineyard weather. December–January is peak season.

Apr–May & Sep–Oct

Shoulder months, mild and quieter, with beautiful light. Whales appear from July to November.

Planning & cost

Safari cost

Priced to your budget, and built around your camps, the season and how you like to travel. There are no fixed packages.

Getting there & entry

Fly into Cape Town International (CPT). The city also pairs naturally with the Sabi Sand (a two-hour direct flight) and with a beach finish in Mauritius or Mozambique.

How we travel

Above all, every journey is privately designed, with private guides and vehicles arranged where specified, the finest lodges, and a specialist on call throughout. At fly-in camps, game drives may be shared unless a private vehicle is reserved.

Cape Town & the Winelands FAQs

In short, three to four nights is right for most travelers. That is enough for Table Mountain, the Peninsula and a full day in the Winelands without rushing.

Most guests finish with Cape Town. It eases you back toward home comforts after the bush, and flight timings from the reserves also work in that direction. Either order works.

The areas our guests stay and tour (the V&A Waterfront, Camps Bay, the Peninsula and the Winelands) are well established, and millions visit them each year. Still, we arrange private transfers and guides throughout, and share the same common-sense advice we would for any major city.

Getting to South Africa: flights, visas and health

Correct when we wrote it. Before you travel, we check every requirement for your exact route and tell you what to apply for and when.

AirportsO.R. Tambo, Johannesburg (JNB) is the regional hub and the gateway to the Kruger, and onward flights reach Skukuza (SZK), Hoedspruit (HDS) and Nelspruit (MQP) in about an hour. Cape Town (CPT) has its own nonstops from the US.
Getting thereDelta flies nonstop from Atlanta and United from Newark and Washington; Cape Town is a two-hour flight from Johannesburg if you prefer to safari first.
Visa: US citizensNo visa required for US passport holders for stays up to 90 days. Since 1 July 2026 every traveler must submit the SARS online Customs Traveler Declaration before entering or leaving South Africa; international transit passengers who remain within the designated transit area and do not formally enter are excluded. However, travelers are not denied entry or departure solely for not having declared in advance, but completing it beforehand avoids delays. See our SARS Traveler Declaration guide (PDF). Apply only at the official portal: sars.gov.za/travelerdeclaration.
HealthYellow fever certificate required if you arrive from a risk country, including a long layover in Nairobi or Addis Ababa, which catches travelers combining East and Southern Africa. The Kruger lowveld is malarial in summer; the Cape and Karoo are malaria-free. Country guidance: CDC Travelers’ Health.
PassportValid for at least 30 days beyond your departure from South Africa (six months recommended), with two blank pages. Travel insurance including medical evacuation is required on every journey we plan.
Full flight guidePlan your safari

Plan your Cape Town and Winelands trip.

Cape Town luxury travel pairs easily with a safari, and in particular works best with a few unhurried days on either side.

So tell us how you like to travel and start with a complimentary consultation.

Plan your safari