Return tickets start from £499. This certainly seduces 6,000 miles away (Image: Arnold Petersen via Getty Images)
Every year, southern whales travel from Antarctica to South Africa's coasts, mating and calves. Seeing them close is an incredible sight, a true tonic of the mind and spirit.
And to allow us to see them, there are new seasonal visitors to the Northern Atlantic Aviation Cape, which began flying three times a week during the Northern Hemisphere winters. If you can stretch into a premium economy for comfort, you can certainly stretch. My outbound flight was overnight and I arrived fresh and was ready to explore immediately. Return tickets start from £499. This certainly seduces a destination 6,000 miles away.
Cape Town is a beautiful city, surrounded by the imposing majority of Table Mountain. The first destination for most visitors is the cable car to the top. If there is often no cloud cap (tablecloth) above it, the reward is a spectacular view of the city and the Atlantic Ocean. On my group's visit, the cable car was not taking action. Instead, we went to a rather low light hill. There, the view is still impressive. We then took a tour of Bo-Kaap, a picturesque historic district with brightly colored houses, mosques and quirky shops.
The once-separated area of Cape Murray – workers brought in by Dutch settlers – it is still a predominantly Muslim district. Like nearby district 6, where thousands of citizens were exiled for white-only development that never happened, it offers insight into South Africa's history during the apartheid era.
Colorful houses in Vocap in Cape Town (Image: Maria Korneeva via Getty Images)
It was time to head straight to V and A Waterfront. This is a massive and growing area of the former Cape Town Dock, and is now passed to restaurants, bars, shops and leisure activities, which also relax tourists and Capetonians. We tried the timeout market. This is a world food court that is supposed to find what you like for around 12 pounds for mains and drinks.
Our base was just off the coast and was an excellent presidential hotel with views of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held for many years. From there, my group took a sidecar adventure excursion on Cape of Joy. What was interesting and interesting was the verdict.
I tried a more calm hop. I jumped off the tourist bus and saw the view. Two major routes cover most of the attractions, including the Downtown Historic Core, Table Mountain Cable Car, V and Waterfront. I even had the Northern Loop to Kirstenbosch on the slopes of Table Mountain. One of the world's great botanical gardens, it is a beautiful place to wander and a great place to learn more about the unique plants of the Cape. Next up my group itinerary is to go out into that countryside and head to Hermanus 75 miles east, along with the SA Forest Adventure, which is always fun.
Ready to go on a quad cycling near Hermanus (Image: Richard Price)
The same company offers a variety of exciting activities claimed for almost two miles, including the world's longest K3 Caledon Zipline. If you get on the tractor for an hour to the summit, you can get off again in a few minutes and reach speeds of over 80 mph.
Several members of my party have taken up the challenge and declared you are the closest you are likely to fly to. The brand is the capital of whale watching in Hermanus. Here, most visitors come on boat trips during the season. Usually July to November.
It was our set point, but unfortunately strong winds and choppy sea forced the boat cancellation. However, you can also see whales from the coast. I tried it but couldn't find it. But Hermanus and its rocky coastline are charming places to wander and browse shops.
Then it was time to eat.
Inside that restaurant, Spyced matches high quality food and wine, while Perlemoen is located in a great location in the old harbor and made the most of interesting local delicacies such as abalone and Springbok. Our final destination for our trip was Stellenbosch, north of Cape Town. It is a lively place with the heart of an attractive colonial building, many of which have been converted into bars and restaurants.
Vineyard scenery at sunset in Stellenbosch (Image: Getty Images)
Around it are some of the wine estates that are famous for the area. Many are open to the public and offer the opportunity to purchase several bottles for tours, food, tastings and suitcase homes if luggage is permitted. We tried two on our trip – Wildekrans, Hermanus nearby, and Jordan just outside Stellenbosch.
The food was exceptional in Jordan, and both were excellent, whether it was a lifelong enthusiast and a driver in need of tasting. We took a tasting tour in Jordan and returned to Table Mountain and Cape Town, where we were home. But not before another attempt to see the whales.
Cape Town is wrapped in Table Mountain (Image: Getty Images)
This time I went to Gunsbai. We sailed from Hermanus around the bay a little from the bay and with marine dynamics.
The company offers what is called the Marine Big Five Experience, including whales, common seals, African penguins, bronze whaler sharks and dolphins. I was lucky enough to swim the pod to the boat. This would have been spectacular enough without the mother and calf of the right whale that could have reached within dozens of yards. However, take a look at the Penguins immediately. This species is called an endangered species.
Every year, southern whales travel from Antarctica to South Africa's coasts, mating and calves (Image: Getty Images)
Birds, like many of the Cape's wildlife, are under threat from climate change and human behavior. It is no surprise that South Africa has been named Best-Value's long-distance destination by the post office TravelMoney. The accommodation, food and drinks are all found to be very affordable. Beer is a few pounds and gin is a pound. Wine, great scenery, sea life, vibrant Cape Town – it all makes for a great holiday.
