Episode 103 Cape Town in Winter: What to Know Before You Go

In episode 103 of the Global Travel Planning Podcast, Tracy is joined by Doug to share the practical side of planning a winter trip to Cape Town, fresh from their recent three week stay in the city. It follows on from episode 102, where they talked through their favourite things to do and see while they were there.

This time it is all about the details that make a trip run smoothly, from tipping culture and why you need a little cash, to packing for chilly mornings and warm sunny afternoons, staying safe, getting around by Uber and finding somewhere brilliant to stay. If you are weighing up a winter visit, or heading to Cape Town at any time of year, there is plenty in here to help you plan.

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Episode 103 – What you’ll learn in this episode

• Why Tracy and Doug chose winter for their three week stay in Cape Town, and how the season worked out with only three days of rain in 21
• The advantages of visiting in winter, including walking straight onto the Table Mountain cable car when summer queues can reach four hours
• How to plan around the Table Mountain “tablecloth”, including why a flexible ticket matters and why it pays to go up the moment the sky is clear
• Where they stayed, a one bedroom apartment about seven minutes’ walk from the V&A Waterfront that they would happily book again
• Why Uber became their way of getting around the city, including the one pickup and drop-off point at the V&A Waterfront by the Cape Town Wheel
• How tipping works in South Africa, from adding 10 to 15 per cent on the restaurant bill with a pen to tipping drivers through the Uber app
• Why it helps to arrive with some rand in cash, and the two occasions Tracy and Doug were caught out with none at all
• What to expect at full service petrol stations and from car guards in car parks if you plan to hire a car
• What to pack for a Cape Town winter, layering a T-shirt, jumper and jacket for days that start chilly and can end warm enough for sunburn
• Why the houses feel colder than the days, and why a hot water bottle turned out to be a worthwhile purchase
• The food they loved, from bobotie samosas at the Oranjezicht City Farm Market at three for 60 rand to malva pudding, kingklip and fish and chips at Kalky’s in Kalk Bay
• What afternoon tea at the Mount Nelson is like, with around 86 teas and a tea sommelier, and why it made a special 30th birthday celebration
• How the winter markets are a good time to shop for wire and bead animals, with room to haggle politely on price
• How Tracy and Doug stayed connected using the Saily eSIM and NordVPN, both activated as soon as they landed at Johannesburg Airport

Links

Mentioned in this episode

• Cape Town apartment near the V&A Waterfront – Luxury Green Point Apartment with Backup Power – the one bedroom apartment we stayed in for three weeks, about seven minutes’ walk from the Waterfront, and would happily book again.
• Saily eSIM – the eSIM we both used for data throughout South Africa, activated as soon as we landed.
• NordVPN – the VPN we kept switched on for banking and email on shared networks.
• Wise – the card Tracy used for contactless payments throughout the trip.
• Table Mountain Aerial Cableway – flexible tickets valid for a week, so you can wait for a clear sky.
• Bo-Kaap walking tour and Cape Malay cookery class with Faldela, Cooking with Love – the cookery class where we made the Cape Malay curry, samosas and roti.
• Oranjezicht City Farm Market – the weekend market at the V&A with the unforgettable bobotie samosas.
• Kalky’s, Kalk Bay – well known fish and chips right by the harbour.
• Hugo’s Sea Point – small plates, friendly staff and very reasonable prices.
• Karibu Restaurant, V&A Waterfront – a tourist friendly spot for trying bobotie.
• Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel afternoon tea – the splurge worth planning for a special occasion, with a tea sommelier and around 86 teas.

Podcasts

• Episode 102 South Africa Travel Guide: Best Things to do in Cape Town in Winter – part one of our Cape Town series, covering what we did and what to include in a three day, five day or week long trip.
• Episode 99 – 10 Essential Travel Tips for Every International Trip – includes the eSIM and VPN routine we use on every trip.
• Episode 70 Epic Africa Adventure (Part 1): South Africa with Tanya Munro – Tanya’s southern Africa journey, covering Johannesburg, Kruger and the Garden Route.

Articles

• Things to do in Cape Town, South Africa: an insider guide – the full guide covering Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch, the V&A, Robben Island and where to stay.
• Best eSIMs for Global Travel – Tracy’s comparison of eSIM providers mentioned in the episode.
• What to wear on safari in South Africa: a packing guide – useful if you are adding a game reserve to your trip, as we did.
• Essential travel resources – the tools and companies we use to book our own trips.

Loved this episode? Have a question? Get in touch!