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What to book before you travel to South Africa?

Most visits can be booked on the spot. A few sell out days ahead. Here they are, stop by stop, with what you can do without booking underneath. Keep the rest of your time free.

Trip length
5 daysOne weekTwo weeks

6 activities to book · about €315 per person

Cape Town

Days 1-2
Days 1-2Table Mountain by cable carHalf dayThe floor of the car turns as it climbs, so everyone gets the view. Go early: the cloud locals call the tablecloth arrives without warning.€30Book on GetYourGuide →
Days 1-2Cape of Good Hope and the penguinsFull dayThe drive down the peninsula, the old lighthouse at Cape Point, and the African penguin colony on Boulders Beach.€55Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: The painted houses of Bo-Kaap · The V&A Waterfront · Camps Bay beach · Signal Hill

All activities in Cape Town on GetYourGuide

The Garden Route

Days 4-7
Days 4-7Bungee jump at BloukransHalf day216 metres off a road bridge over the gorge, the highest commercial bridge jump anywhere.€90Book on GetYourGuide →
Days 4-7Walking safari and the canopyHalf dayTsitsikamma on foot and then from above, on the walkways strung through the treetops.€45Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: Wilderness beaches · Knysna and its lagoon · The Tsitsikamma forests · The coastal viewpoints

All activities in The Garden Route on GetYourGuide

Indicative prices per person, checked when written. The button opens the GetYourGuide search for the activity and the town, on the days of the stop once your dates are known. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Frequently asked questions

How much do the activities to book in South Africa cost?

€315 per person if you do them all, across 6 bookings. The most expensive is "Bungee jump at Bloukrans" at €90, the cheapest "Table Mountain by cable car" at €30. Prices checked when written: confirm them when you book.

What can you do in South Africa without booking anything?

12 visits on this itinerary need no ticket or time slot, starting with The painted houses of Bo-Kaap, The V&A Waterfront, Camps Bay beach, Signal Hill. They make up most of your days: booking ahead only concerns a handful of sites with limited places.

At which stop should you book earliest?

Cape Town, with 2 activities to book, against 2 at the quietest stop. That is where slots go first.

How long do these activities take?

From Half day for the shortest to Full day for the longest. Fit them into your days before filling the rest: a guided visit often takes half a day.

The rest of the trip

📒 The free printable South Africa guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→ 🗓️ Best time to visit South Africa, month by month→ 🎟️ What to book: all our destinations→