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South Africa · Africa

Cape Town holidays

33.9°S · 18.4°E
At a glanceTable Mountain, beaches, Cape Point, food and wine, one of the world's great city settings. Southern summer (Nov-Mar) is dry and warm.
~12h flight estimate3 to 5 days£45 to £260+ per dayStraightforward
Before bookingEntry rules, health advice and local conditions change. Always check current official advice.Check current FCDO advice

Best time to visit Cape Town

The strongest period is November to March. April and October are good shoulder-season alternatives if you prefer fewer crowds. Daytime highs average about 26°C across the main season. Rainfall is generally limited.

Jan27°CBest
Feb27°CBest
Mar26°CBest
Apr23°CShoulder
May20°COther
Jun18°COther
Jul18°COther
Aug18°COther
Sep19°COther
Oct22°CShoulder
Nov24°CBest
Dec26°CBest

How much does a trip to Cape Town cost?

On the ground, including accommodation and everyday spending, allow about £45 a day at the budget end, around £90 a day mid-range and £260+ for high-end travel. A seven-night mid-range trip, including estimated return travel from London, is best treated as a planning range of £1100 to £1540 per person. Return travel is modelled at about £505 off-peak, £650 typically and £925 in busy UK travel periods. These are planning estimates rather than live quotes. Available accommodation spans cheap & cheerful, simple, comfortable, premium and luxury. The quiz prices the highest available tier that fits your selected minimum and total budget.

What kind of holiday is Cape Town?

Cape Town is strongest for city breaks, natural landscapes, beaches and coastal time, and food and drink. The main settings are urban settings, mountains, and coastal scenery, and the pace is active.

How flexible is it? Cape Town can credibly be planned with a relaxed to very active daytime pace, serene to buzzing evenings and mixed to hotspot crowd settings through the choice of area, hotel, activities and timing. The typical version has active days, lively evenings and a hotspot setting. The quiz selects the closest credible version rather than treating it as one fixed product.

Strong fit if

  • You want city breaks, natural landscapes, beaches and coastal time, and food and drink.
  • You enjoy active days and getting outdoors.
  • You are comfortable with a well-known destination.

Think twice if

  • You mainly want to stay by a pool or on one beach.
  • You want very quiet evenings.
  • You strongly dislike famous or busy destinations.

Travel from the UK

Allow roughly 12 hours of modelled flying time from London, before airport and transfer time. This is a substantial journey, so ten nights or more will usually make better use of the travel time.

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit Cape Town?

The strongest period is November to March. April and October are also worth considering for lower crowds. Main-season daytime highs average about 26°C. Rainfall is generally limited.

How much does a trip to Cape Town cost?

On the ground, including accommodation and everyday spending, allow about £45 a day at the budget end, around £90 a day mid-range and £260+ for high-end travel. A seven-night mid-range trip, including estimated return travel from London, is best treated as a planning range of £1100 to £1540 per person. Return travel is modelled at about £505 off-peak, £650 typically and £925 in busy UK travel periods. These are planning estimates rather than live quotes.

How long is the flight or journey to Cape Town from the UK?

Allow roughly 12 hours of modelled flying time from London, before airport and transfer time.

Who is Cape Town good for?

Cape Town best suits travellers looking for city breaks, natural landscapes, beaches and coastal time, and food and drink. Expect urban settings, mountains, and coastal scenery, with an active pace.

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