So without further ado, here are 11 SUPER COOL ACTIVITIES IN CAPE TOWN YOU’VE PROBABLY NEVER TRIED BEFORE:
Taste Turkish coffee at Byblos Café
The Rundown: Byblos is a quaint Lebanese-inspired coffee shop at The Palms in Woodstock owned by a passionate and award-winning barista, Mikhael Bou Rjeily. The whole coffee drinking experience – from the décor and furniture to the cups and ambience – transports you to the exotic world of the Ottoman Empire. Turkish coffee is also one of the oldest brewing methods in the world – a cup of coffee here is like enacting an ancient ritual.
Super Cool Factor: The Turkish coffee is served with a complimentary baklava, which is a rich, sweet pastry filled with nuts and other ingredients. It originates from the cuisine pool of the former Ottoman Empire.
Cost: Turkish coffee ranges from R40 to R80 per cup.
The Palms | 145 Sir Lowry Road | Woodstock | Cape Town | +27 (0) 21 461 2612
Explore the abandoned zoo at Rhodes Memorial
The Rundown: Stationed near the Rhodes Memorial at the University of Cape Town, this patch of land was a fully functional zoo from 1931 to 1975. It was established at the request of the late Cecil John Rhodes and originated out of his menagerie of animals. Exploring the spot with a group of friends is definitely something to tick off your to-do list in the Mother City as although it is no longer operational, visitors can walk through the crumbling remains of cages and other intriguing relics.
Super Cool Factor: This establishment was formally known as the Groote Schuur Zoo. It was a very popular attraction in its day and was free of charge to the public. The most prominent feature of the zoo today is the Lion’s Den, which can still be clearly seen.
Cost: FREE
Rhodes Memorial Street | Rondebosch
Play a game of mystery at Hint Hunt
The Rundown: HintHunt is a thrilling live group escape game that challenges participants to find their way out of a locked room by solving difficult clues and unearthing hidden objects before 60 minutes is up. Test your problem-solving wits (not to mention your relationships with friends and loved ones) in this fast-paced, adrenalin-pumping environment.
Super Cool Factor: This one-of-a-kind game (Cape Town was the first city to import the mental activity from its headquarters in the UK in 2013) earned the status of the Mother City’s leading attraction on TripAdvisor.com in 2014.
Cost: It costs between R200p/p and R300p/p to play, and booking in advance is essential – you can reserve a slot via HintHunt’s website.
The Old Biscuit Mill | 373 – 375 Albert Road | Woodstock | Cape Town | +27 (0) 21 448 9864
Try a new form of waterskiing at Blue Rock Resort
The Rundown: Blue Rock Resort in Helderberg Rural offers adrenaline junkies a unique method of skiing that propels participants forward using an overhead cable system (with an electronic motor) rather than a boat. The cable system allows skiers to take to the water of the Western Cape’s only clear water lake in groups.
Super Cool Factor: Participants can choose three methods of riding: kneeboarding, which is ideal for all ages especially little ones; waterskiing, an intermediate form of enjoying the water; and wakeboarding, the ultimate way to make the most of the cable.
Cost: Rates range from R185 to R420p/p and exclude entrance fee to the resort, which ranges from R50 – R55 for adults, R40 – R45 for kids under age 16, and R30 to R35 for little ones under the age of six.
Blue Rock | Sir Lowry’s Pass Road | Somerset West | +27 (0) 21 858 1330
Bounce off the Walls at Rush Trampoline Park
The Rundown: This thrilling trampoline park (one of the first in South Africa) allows you to jump to your heart’s content in a safe environment that’s fit for all ages. The massive facility boasts over 17,000sq.ft of interconnected wall-to-wall trampolines, two dodgeball courts, three basketball slam-dunk lanes, two long trampoline lanes perfect for doing flips, a battle beam (a ledge on which two participants battle it out using beams over the foam pit) and lots more.
Super Cool Factor: The trampoline park also has a nifty glow-in-the-dark feature, which adds a whole other dimension to the unique experience.
Cost: Prices at Rush Cape Town vary depending on the different activity offerings. A one-hour open jump session is priced at R115 (excluding socks) and R110 for a second hour. Non-slip trampoline socks are priced at R25 per pair. Online booking for slots is recommended on weekends and public holidays.
Stadium on Main | 104 Main Road | Claremont | Cape Town | +27 (0) 82 460 5388
Taste wine-infused ice cream at Somerbosch Estate
The Rundown: This wine estate pulls out all the stops by offering connoisseurs and foodies alike the chance to blend dazzling reds with the sweet delight of wine-infused ice cream. Four types of wines (pinotage, merlot, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon) are paired with the delicious dessert and tasters are urged to try to pick up the flavours of each in the ice cream.
Super Cool Factor: The ice cream is made to complement the taste of its respective pairing. It’s also made on site, from scratch.
Cost: This one-of-a-kind experience is well priced; patrons pay R40p/p for the whole session. Booking is recommended.
R44 | Somerbosch Wines | Stellenbosch | +27 (0) 21 855 3615
Ride the cool Atlantic wave with High Five Kiteboard School
The Rundown: The folks at High Five Kiteboard School have put out all the stops to give water lovers the chance to skip the kitesurfing training queue to hop along the waters by tandem kitesurfing. This option, which is to be launched officially in January 2016, is great for those who would rather dip their feet into the water to feel the kitesurfing ‘temperature’ first before diving in. Adventurers simply get on the board and kite surf their way across the waters, without having to go through the rigorous training steps. A qualified IKO guide will ensure that all the technical details are taken care of, meaning that all a surfer needs to do is enjoy the ride. Do note that the minimum age requirement for tandem kitesurfing is 10 years; the minimum weight is 40kg while the maximum weight is 100kg. NOTE: Ask for CapeTownMagazine.com reader specials!
Super Cool Factor: High Five is the only school in the Western Cape that offers tandem kitesurfing!
Cost: Please contact High Five directly by calling +27 (0) 72 902 7899 or emailing info@high-five.co.za.
68 Beach Boulevard | Bloubergstrand | +27 (0) 72 902 7899
Zip through Spier’s vineyards on a Segway
The Rundown: See Spier wine farm in a completely unique and fun way by taking a Segway Tour. Whizz through the lesser known and most intimate parts of the 300-year-old farm on one of these revolutionary two-wheeled, self-balancing electric vehicles.
Super Cool Factor: Participants can witness first-hand how the winery is making an impact with its pioneering biodynamic farming approach (a holistic, organic agricultural method that focuses on natural cycles and the connection between soil, plant and animal life).
Cost: The one-hour tour costs R250p/p and departs at 9am, 10:30am, 12pm, 1:30pm or 3pm daily; the two-hour option is priced at R400p/p (this includes a complimentary wine tasting) and departs at 9am, 12pm or 3pm daily. Booking is essential.
R310 |Stellenbosch | Western Cape | +27 (0)21 809 1157
Cuddle an alpaca at Quenti Alpaca Farm
The Rundown: This quaint farm in Wellington invites guests to not only meet these adorable relatives of the llama South-American animals that resemble the llama, but to see how everything from blankets and beanies to scarves and carpets is made from their wool. One- to two-hour long visits to the farm and mill are by appointment only (for now).
Super Cool Factor: The birthing seasons of the year, March-April and October-November, make for rather exciting times on the farm.
Cost: This unique experience is priced at R50p/p.
Klein Limietrivier Farm | Wellington | 021 873 6242 | stephen@quenti.co.za (email recommended)
Ride along Gansbaai’s coastline on a Fatbike
The Rundown: Founded by an avid mountain biker and Gansbaai resident, Fatbike Tours allows adventurers to cycle along the beaches and sand dunes in the area using distinct two-wheelers called Fatbikes. These are bicycles with unusually wide, low-pressure tyres that glide easily over soft terrain.
Super Cool Factor: All efforts are made for the tours to be as eco-friendly as possible so while the lightweight wide-tyre bikes leave very little tread, riders are asked to pedal below the low water mark where the sand is firm and compact and no tracks are formed.
Cost: Beach cycle tours cost between R500p/p and R650p/p for around three hours of fun. Note, you need to be 16 years of age or older, under 120kg and taller than 150cm. 63 Ingang Street |De Kelders | Gansbaai | +27 (0)79 514 8386
Have a swing at Night Golf with Glo Pro SA
The Rundown: Golf needn’t be just a day-time activity withGlo Pro SA’s glow-in-the-dark neon lighting. The lights illuminate the course and inject a festive feel into the age-old sport. This version of the sport is open to all levels of experience as well as all ages, making it a great family-friendly activity.
Super Cool Factor: Locations for this unique activity change from time to time. Some golf courses that have hosted the sport include Devondale, Steenberg, De Zalze and more. Check out Glo Pro SA’s Facebook page to keep up to date with night golf events.
Cost: Prices depend on the venue, and range from R250 to R350p/p.
Various locations | +27 (0) 82 487 6162
Abseil on Paarl Rock
The Rundown: While abseiling has become quite a popular sport, gliding down a well-known landmark in the Cape Winelands town of Paarl is certainly one for the books. Offered by Cascade Country Manor, the activity invites anyone and everyone (even those without the know-how) to rope their way from the top to the bottom of the area’s most famed granite formation.
Super Cool Factor: The rock is the second largest granite outcrop in the world! Cost:Abseiling costs between R650p/p and R1200p/p, depending on the size of the group. Children must be 12 years of age or older to participate and all under-18s must have a parent present while abseiling. Reasonable fitness levels are required.
Cascade Country Manor | Waterval Road | Paarl | +27 (0)21 868 0227 (the hotel is the meeting point)