Food & Culture in Cape Town - 6 Days

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Cape Town

When you arrive in beautiful Cape Town, a driver will transfer you to your hotel near Blouberg Beach. Spend the rest of the day hanging out by the ocean with its copious kitesurfers and amazing views of Table Mountain. While the water is mesmerizingly turquoise, keep in mind that it will be cold!

Enjoy an unforgettable sunset while your guide prepares a braai, or South African barbeque, for your dinner. Braai isn't just a meal, though - it's the quintessential South African pastime, and even has its own national holiday! Dig into juicy steaks, grilled corn, grilled cheese, and sausage (known as boerewors, or "farmer sausage") as you mingle with locals and other travelers.

Day 2: Coffee in the City Center & Chocolate Tasting

Get ready for a foodie tour of downtown Cape Town, where you'll spend the day trying local delicacies. Start the day off right with a coffee tasting, of course. Cape Town has a vibrant coffee culture with dozens of quirky indie cafes all around the city. Then move on to a beer sampling paired with finger foods.

Continue to Honest Chocolate Café, an organic, fair trade, artisan chocolate company, where you'll savor some handmade sweets. Next nibble on some biltong, a popular South African beef jerky snack, before ending the day with an offering of locally-produced cheeses.

Day 3: Cape Winelands and Vineyard Tour

Today you'll take a break from the city and head east to the Western Cape's lush Winelands. You'll visit four different wine estates where you'll sip on everything from Chardonnay to Shiraz. Stop to eat lunch at a charming wine farm overlooking rolling green hills and sprawling vineyards. Then take a tour around the wine cellar and learn about the winemaking process from grape to bottle.

Day 4: Township Tour and African Dinner Theater

This morning you will explore a different part of South African culture and history. You'll start with a tour of the nearby townships, where you'll meet some of the locals, visit a school, and drink home-brewed beer. Later on, enjoy a one-of-a-kind musical experience at the "Kaapse Stories from the Mother City" dinner show. The performance uses popular South African songs to tell the story of Cape Town's (Kaapse in Afrikaans) history and people. While you watch the show, fill up on the three-course buffet dinner, featuring a cornucopia of flavorful dishes that represent each of Cape Town's diverse communities.

In the evening you'll have the option to visit Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years during apartheid. Alternatively, stroll around the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, where you can check out the port's many shops or take part in the booming nightlife.

Day 5: Home Cooking Experience in Cape Malay

On your last day in Cape Town, you'll visit the Cape Malay neighborhood of Bo-Kaap. The district was once a Muslim township during apartheid for descendants of Southeast Asian slaves brought to South Africa by Dutch colonists. The area developed a distinctive character with its brightly painted historical cottages and cobblestone streets, and is still the center of one of Cape Town's most vibrant communities.

You'll visit the home of a local resident, who will teach you to cook a variety of traditional Cape Malay foods for one last fantastic meal. Cape Malay cuisine is rich and aromatic, and has had a massive influence on South African cuisine overall. You'll learn to use spices like cardamom, chili, and ginger in dishes like bredie stew (lamb and tomato), bobotie (curried ground meat with an egg-based topping) and koesisters (spiced doughnuts). Don't forget to pick up some local spices as souvenirs before heading to the airport for your flight home!

Day 6: Depart from Cape Town

After breakfast at your hotel, depart via private transfer to the airport for your flight home—or on to your next destination. Have a great trip!