Why go to Cape Town?

Simply put, Cape Town is the most stunning city in the world. It’s hard to explain, but the city has incredible energy you cannot put into words – once you get here you’ll never want to leave. Imagine huge imposing mountains, pristine white beaches, turquoise water, wineries (over 800!), incredible coastal drives, mouthwatering food and drink (wine, gin & craft beer), a fusion of cultures, gourmet markets and wildlife (penguins, sharks, whales and seals!). Oh and not to mention how cheap it is! You can easily spend the equivalent of $25usd for a bottle of wine and dinner for two at many of the prestigious restaurants on offer. Like beer or wine? You’ll pay as little $3usd for a pint of tasty Craft Beer or $7usd for a quality bottle of wine from a local estate. Sounds like paradise, because it is!

Lion’s Head Mountain at Sunrise

But isn’t it unsafe?

Like most cities with a population of 5 million people, there is crime in certain areas and during different times of the day. Being mindful and keeping vigilant is key. For me, during the day walking around in the city and in certain areas is absolutely fine.

At night, I ALWAYS catch an Uber – its safe, cheap (little as $2usd for rides in town!) and extremely reliable. If you haven’t already, make sure you download the Uber app before you come to ensure you maximize your enjoyment in Cape Town. Like in many big cities around the world, don’t walk around flashing valuables or money around for opportunists to take a chance. Overall, if you stick to this advice you should be fine.

Well, I heard from a South African expat that it is a dangerous?

No, generally not where tourists go. Are there dangerous areas? Absolutely, but it’s easy to know where to stay away from and if you keep yourself out of these areas, you will be fine. The media tend to write news that they know will sell, and unfortunately it tends to paint South Africa in a negative light. Yes, there are areas that are very unsafe, but tourists would be silly to venture into those areas at certain times of the day. There’s a reason why people rate Cape Town as the best holiday destination in the world. A lot of South Africans have emigrated to Western countries such as Australia, the UK and the States as a result of either in search of better economic opportunities or as a result of Apartheid coming to an end so some like to justify their move by slagging off on the country they left behind.

I heard something about a drought in Cape Town, should I stay away as a tourist?

 Please do not let the drought hinder your decision to come as tourists as a whole only represent 1% of Cape Town’s population. Our doors will remain open, but please bring a water-saving mentality and together we can ensure the city gets through this crisis. You will be able to shower and maintain daily hygiene. Mandated guidelines suggest a shower of no longer than 2 minutes. The use of baths is entirely discouraged. Some swimming pools at hotels have been converted to salt (ocean) water.

Many parts of the hospitality industry have proactively implemented water savings and water augmentation solutions to ensure ongoing availability of water in their establishments. Tourists will still be able to access and enjoy primary tourism attractions such as our iconic Table Mountain, Cape Point, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens & KIFF KOMBI TOURS! You will still be able to enjoy the diverse and world-class experiences Cape Town and the Western Cape has to offer.

Why do a tour in Cape Town?

Cape Town is an intricate city. There are corners of Cape Town that even locals don’t know about. We have hand picked our guides according to their life experience and knowledge of the city. You will hear stories unheard of by the general public and see things that you would not usually take notice of if walking past yourself. Kiff Kombi Tours may have tours in its name, but its more an experience where you feel like you are being taken around town with your local friend, as well as meeting like-minded travelers from all around the world.

Cape Town is a massive city, so getting around to places like Cape Point, Penguins at Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town or wineries around Stellenbosch requires a lot of driving. Our tours are very cost effective when on a budget. After adding the costs of hiring a car, petrol, entry fees to the National Parks and lunch – the cost of all this ends up being more than the price of a tour with us, so you’d be silly to think it’s a cheaper option do it yourself. There are many places to go out and drink at – so why take the risk of drink driving when you can pay for a knowledgeable local to drive you around the whole day and enjoy some world-class wine, craft beer or gin!

Chapman’s Peak Drive – one of the World’s most stunning coastal drives

What is the best time of year to visit?

Peak season in Cape Town is in the summer months, which starts in November until February, where tourists flock to the city due to the warm and dry weather. If you love the beach and festive atmosphere, then this is probably the best time to come to Cape Town. Summer is also when the wind pumps the most, so if you don’t dig the wind, then best to wait until February/March time.If you want to skip the crowds, but still want to enjoy the nice weather, then March-May is a very good time to come. The weather is still warm and as winter approaches, the leaves of the trees become very pretty.

Clifton Beach during Summer

June to August is winter time, where traditionally Cape Town is meant to get all of its rainfall, but obviously due to the recent drought the last few years have been a very dry and pleasant winter (even though we need the rain!). August to October is an amazing time to be in Cape Town. Not only is it starting to warm up, but the Whales are in town! It’s almost impossible not to spot a whale breaching while driving along the coastal roads during this time, so it’s quite a popular time of year to come.

Where should I stay?

It depends on your budget, but generally anywhere in the ‘City-bowl’ (Gardens, Oranjezicht, Tamboerskloof, De Waterkant, CBD etc.) is a great choice. If you are after more of a beachy-vibe, then expect to pay a lot more with Green Point, Sea Point, Fresnaye, Bantry Bay, Clifton and Camps Bay all being absolutely stunning places to stay.

If you want to get out of the city, then you can’t go wrong staying at any wine farm guesthouse in Constantia, Stellenbosch, Franshhoek or Paarl. If you are young, after a party and on a budget, then the best hostel in Cape Town is Once in Cape Town on Kloof St. They call themselves a ‘Poshtel’, with their amenities almost feeling like you are staying at a hotel. Their on-site bar, Yours Truly, is one of the best places to drink in Cape Town and has an awesome mix of locals and foreigners alike. While, if you want your space, then Air BNB is extremely popular in Cape Town with there being plenty of options available.

Looking down at Sea Point

There you have it! If that still hasn’t convinced you, then read The Telgraph’s Article on the World’ 50 Greatest Cities – where Cape Town has won first place for the last four years running! If you have any other questions about Cape Town, please do not hesitate to email bookings@kiffkombitours.co.za