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| Adventure & Sport Travel Directory for the Western Cape, South Africa | |
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Cape Town and
the Western Cape lends itself to an extensive number of adventure options
or sport activities. If you are in search of exitement and adventure the
Western Cape is the place to be... The younger generation can try their skills at roller blading, go-karting, ice skating at the Grand West Casino's Ice Rink or take a dare-devil ride on one of the roller coasters at Ratanga Junction while the parents go shopping at Century City. If you like a
slower pace than that of adrinalene junkies try fly-fishing, kite-flying,
take a horse trail along the beautiful Noordhoek beach or enjoy some golf
at Erinvale, only one of the many superb golf courses in the Cape. |
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| Abseiling | Golf |
| The Cape has mountains for Africa! How about a 100m abseil against Table Mountain? If overhanging cliffs and decending rocky mountain faces gets your blood pumping, abseiling has become a popular tourist activity and many adventure sport companies offer this as a extreme sport. Table Mountain, Ceres Mountains, Bushman's Kloof, Chapman's Peak and the Helderberg Mountain range all offer abseiling sites. | As mentioned before, the Western Cape boasts some superb golf courses, where you can enjoy practising your sport in stunning natural beauty. You can tee-off on the edge of the ocean, in the shadow of Table Mountain or from Erinvale (Wold Cup Tournament host 1996) in the Helderberg Valley with its magestic mountains and lush fairways and greens. |
| African Wildlife | Hiking & Climbing |
| Several game reserves protect our flora and fauna in the Western Cape. You can find the Big Five at the Garden Route Game Lodge or see wildlife at Shamwari Game Reserve, or head out to the Kagga Kamma or the Karoo National Park near Beaufort West to see an abundance of South African game. The West Coast offers an abundance of bird life. Some of the air charter companies offer self-fly safaris or fly-inn safaris to other Game Reserves in Africa.Contact them for more details. | There are an amazing number of hiking trails throughout the Western Cape. Pick up a copy of walking trails and routes of the Western Cape at a local book store and set out on a hiking trail or climbing adventure in some of the most beautiful natural settings in the world. |
| Aerosport (also see Air Charter) | Horse Riding |
| See Cape Town and the region from the air and you'll know whey we boast about our region. Many offer qualified flight training schools where aspiring aviators can get their wings. Other flying clubs and airfields include Stellenbosch, Fisantekraal, Vredenburg, Citrusdal, Swellendam, Worchester (gliding or soaring) George, Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn, Beaufort West and Plettenberg Bay. | You can take a horse trail along our sunbleached beaches or take a trail that leads you through the Knysna forest, the Wilderness Lakes district or the open spaces of the Karoo. |
| Aquarium | Hunting |
| Visit the Two Oceans Aquarium at the V&A Waterfront and walk below a spectacular seascape. | Controlled small game hunting safaris are mainly restricted to the Northern Cape region. |
| Rafting and Paddling | Kayaking |
| The Western Cape hosts the largest number of river operators in South Africa. You can test your skills in the rapids of the Doring river (Cederberg) with a mini-Grand Canyon or the well known Breede River with some calmer waters below Swellendam. | Take a kayak out on the Langebaan lagoon from Mykonos to Langembaan village with the best bird watching in the area. Or set out over the swell and currents to Churchhaven on the other side of the lagoon.Enjoy safe and exhilirating kayaking in this region that has a lovely Mediterranean climate. Best time for Kayaking on the West coast is August. Or try the Boulders Route from Simon's Town to Miller's Point. The Garden Route offers a route from Beacon Isle at Plettenberg Bay to the Robberg Peninsula. |
| Bridge / Bungi Jumping | Soaring & Gliding |
| Get the ultimate adrenaline rush and go Bungee jumping at the Gouritz bridge. If swinging from bridges does it for you don't miss this! The Gouritz River Bridge is between Albertina and Mossel Bay (N2 Route) | Offering a number of superb spots for all weather conditions. Try the dunes at Wilderness or parra-gliding from Lion's Head at sunset. Or go launch at Bonnidale Farm near Mossel Bay. Watch the dolphins play while para-sailing along the beaches at Wilderness |
| Cycling and Mountain Biking | River Rafting & Boarding |
| Cape Town and the Western Cape offer some excellent mountain biking trails. The choice is your's a leisurly ride or a testing trail to see if you have what it takes to complete. If you would like to take a wine tour, why not do it by cycling through the winelands with a guide. So lug your camera, biltong and bike and get out there. | Take to the dunes on a sandboard just one hour's drive from Cape Town at Atlantis or head out to the playgrounds of Betty's Bay! If you're a novice get to know the sport by a qualified instructor at Hout Bay or get to know snowboarding in the Matroosberg. |
| Caving | Skydiving |
| Go Caving in the Cango Cavesoffers and unforgettable experience well worth a visit if you are heading out to the Oudtshoorn area. | Citrusdal offers skydiving for the enthusiast and novice. Training can be provided by qualified instructors. |
| Diving | Steam Trains |
| Scuba diving is a popular sport in Cape Town, Why? Where in the world can you dive in two of the world's oceans in one day? Here, The Cape Peninsula offers many diving sights for both reef and wreck diving adventures. This you can enjoy with a qualified Dive Master as your guide. | Enjoy the romance of the steam age. Travel to Spier or to Grabouw; or between George and Knysna on a steam train and enjoy the natural beaty of the Western Cape at a slower pace. |
| Flying Clubs | Surfing and Windsurfing |
| Besides Cape Town International Airport there are numerous smaller airfields throughout the Western Cape offering recreational flying to qualified pilots. Many offer qualified flight training schools where aspiring aviators can get their wings. Other airfields include Stellenbosch, Fisantekraal, Vredenburg, Citrusdal, Swellendam, Worchester (gliding or soaring) George, Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn, Beaufort West and Plettenberg Bay. | The Cape has a multi-directional seaboard and is surfers paradise, the Western and Eastern coastlines offer are literally coverred in fantastic surf spots. Some not as well known as others, but when the surfs up, Capetonians that can manage to stay on top of a surfboard or bodyboard are out there in the surf. Spots such as Llundudno, Noordhoek, The Pipe (Strand), Elandsbaai, Glen Beach, Kogel Bay, Sunset Beach, Vic Bay, Buffels Bay, Plettenberg Bay, Jeffery's Bay are all well visited surfing spots of the Western Cape. |
| Fishing & Angling | Whales, Sharks & Dolphins |
| The Atlantic Ocean and False Bay offer some of the best angling and deep sea fishing grounds in Southern Africa. Gordon's Bay, Kalk Bay, Hout Bay and Simonstown (tunny boat, yacht and Naval harbour) offer entry points into these playgrounds. False Bay typically has warmer water than that on the Atlantic Coast. Snoek season is between June and July and this is when Cape Town is abuzz with anglers. Permits can be bought for angling in some protected areas during season. | Whale
season draws tourists to the Western Cape from all over the world and we
have our very own whale route for the world's best land-based whale
watching. Whales and dolphins are often spotted along our coastline. Visit
the Whale Festival during July/August at Hermanus. African Ramble offer sky
based whale watching. If you would like to get to know the Great White Shark better you can try cage diving with a number of White Shark Cage diving operators or you can go swim with the Dolphins in Plettenberg Bay. |
