Visiting Capetown

[+hamgran]

We will be visiting Capetown for six days in early April, on a geocaching adventure... it's our first time here and we're really looking forward to it.

Wondering if anyone could give us any advice on where to go, what to see, which geocaches to focus on, and a good place to stay... there are four of us: one couple, and two women travelling together.

Thanks very much for the help!

- hamgran (from Canada)

[+wmpastor]

Table Mountain is a must-see, along with the coast.

[+ipodmusicman]

Hi hamgran,

 

Glad that you'll be visiting Cape Town to cache here. I think you'll come away not disappointed since we are known for having some great caches in great locations.

 

What is ideal though is for you to create an Event cache (perhaps at the V&A Waterfront at one of the pubs there) for the day after you arrive so that you can meet some local geocachers who'll be able to point you in some directions. Since you are only here for 6 days, quality is key and getting info first hand is always a great advantage.

 

Table Mountain is where you are going to find some great caches. Also look out for the cluster of caches of which some of them are cave caches near Kalk Bay. See GCQTPD (Mines of Moria) and look at the caches surrounding that. I am still to do those caches myself, but from hearing about them from my fellow geocahcers, they are really awesome.

 

Taking a drive past Simonstown to Cape Point, there are a lot of park and grabs, but once you enter the Cape Point Nature Reserve, there are a good bunch of caches there too.

 

As for where to stay, there are many B&Bs, hotels, etc around the city, but if you wanna go backpackers, that option is there too.

 

I hope some of the locals will chime in here too.

 

~ipodmusicman

[+hamgran]

Thanks... much appreciated. Great idea about the event cache. I've done that before, in places I've visited, and it's worked great.

[Rat_Tails]

Hi

 

April is can be a wet month, so bring your raincoats just in case. But on the other hand, it can also be dry and no wind making it one of the best months in the year!

 

Good spots I can think of, with website links for convenience:

 

Table Mountain (weather dependant, go in a group and dont go in the late evening/at night when hiking! Also has an Earthcache I believe)

 

In the same area as Table Mountain, you have Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (gorgeous picnic place, small entrance fee keeps out 'riffraff', littered with Geocaches) and Rhodes Memorial (a few chaches here but sometimes disabled cos of security finding them etc. Nice restaurant here -useless info, but

)

 

V&A Waterfront and surrounds (CPT Stadium, 2 Oceans Aquarium* shopping mall*, boat trips*, etc).

 

Robben Island (weather dependant, has an Earthcache, need to book your trip in advance)

 

Cape Point (entrance fee required, but also makes the area more exclusive without 'riffraff' and it's riddled with Geocaches)

 

Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek (wine/cheese farm areas, all in the same region, also riddled with Geocaches)

 

In the CBD, you have the Company's Gardens (great on a Sunday, take some unsalted peanuts and feed the VERY tame squirrels and some bird seed and feed the hundreds of pigeons). I dont like staying after sundown though for safety reasons but I often go for the afternoons. You can also visit the SA Museum*, the Art Museum* and the Planetarium*).

 

*not suggested for Geocaching specifically, but rather just a cool place to visit in an area with Geocaches

 

Happy caching and welcome to South Africa when you arrive!