Having a good time with your family and friends shouldn’t break the bank, that is why we’ve found the best free and budget-friendly things to do at the Cape Town Big 6 attractions: Table Mountain Cableway, Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, Robben Island,
V&A Waterfront, Cape Point, and Groot Constantia.
Groot Constantia
Entrance into the Cape’s oldest wine farm is free and you can explore the vast historical estate on foot – there are numerous walking paths, and joggers and dog walkers (on leashes) are also welcome to enjoy these scenic surrounds.
Visitors Route Experience
Enjoy the new Visitor Route Experience where one ticket gives you entrance into the Manor House museum, original Cloete Cellar, a cellar tour, wine tasting and Spiegelau Crystal wine glass.
Date: Daily | Time: 10:00 – 17:00 | Venue: Manor House | Cost: R95 per person or Visitors Route Experience Ticket + Chocolate & Wine Pairing: R140 per person.
Wine Tasting
Visit one of two tasting rooms to sample and purchase a selection of Groot Constantia’s award winning wines
Date: Daily | Time: 09:00 – 18:00 | Venue: Tasting Hall | Cost: 5 wines for R75
Cellar Tours
Take one of the daily guided cellar tours and tastings, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the wine-making process
Date: Daily | Time: 10:00 – 16:00 | Venue: Tasting Hall | Cost: R100
4 delectable chocolates paired with 4 of their award winning wines.
Date: Daily | Time: 09:00 – 18:00 | Venue: Tasting Hall | Cost: R120
Manor House Museum
Take a journey back in time and explore the grand Manor House museum, which houses displays portraying early years on the estate.
Date: Daily | Time: 10:00 – 17:00 | Venue: Manor House | Cost: R30 for adults, R15 for students and pensioners
Cape Point
With numerous beaches, dozens of amazing viewpoints, a fascinating maritime history, and plenty of unique fauna and flora, it’s impossible to fit everything that Cape Point has to offer in one visit.
Hiking and Walking Trails
Discover cultural and historical spots, including monuments to explorers such as Vasco da Gama and Bartolomeu Dias. Enjoy great swimming spots, picnic sites and walks at the Bordjiesrif and Buffels Bay tidal pools. Walk the shipwreck trail to view a few of the 26 recorded shipwrecks around Cape Point. Hike along a wide variety of scenic and overnight trails through natural fynbos and along sandy beaches. Take part in a range of exciting outdoor activities, such as sea kayaking and mountain biking.
Free Audio tour
Cape Point has a free audio tour that provides an all-encompassing sensory experience, while you’re exploring the beauty of this iconic site. The audio tour, created by VoiceMap, gives fascinating facts — including maritime history, fauna, flora, Cape Point legends and some of the key points of interest. It’s available via the iPhone App store or the Google Play store for Android and here’s a step-by-step guide to downloading the app. Read more about it here.
The Flying Dutchman Funicular
Ride the Flying Dutchman Funicular up to the viewing point below the old lighthouse.
Date: Daily | Time: 09:00 – 17:30 | Venue: Cape Point | Cost: R25 return Child ticket, R65 return Adult ticket
My Green Card
The TMNP My Green Card is available exclusively to residents of Cape Town and provides the holder with 12 free entries into any of the Table Mountain National Park’s pay points: Cape of Good Hope (Cape Point), Boulders Penguin Colony, Oudekraal and Silvermine, as well as to the braai and picnic areas at Tokai, Newlands and Perdekloof.
When buying a card – you will need R135 for the card; a South African ID document; 2 ID photographs and proof of residence. Learn more here)
V&A Waterfront
Get ready for summer while taking in the beautiful views of the harbour with their running trails. The 2.5km and 5km demarcated running trails highlight the best of the buzzing harbour and is freely available to everyone.
A photo posted by V&A Waterfront (@vandawaterfront) on
Walking Tours
There is also a superb self-guided historical walking tour which showcases the very best of South African history. Both the running route and walking tour start at the V&A Information Centre where you can also get your map which will guide you along the way.
Kids Entertainment
The kids will love playing at the 3 Kids Ahoy playgrounds at the V&A Waterfront, so relax with a coffee while you watch the kids burn off some energy.
The Hamleys Express runs daily from the train station outside the Cape Wheel and will stop at the Watershed, providing an exciting adventure for children visiting the V&A Waterfront.
Weekdays: 10:30am to 7pm | Saturdays: 9am to 7pm | Sundays: 9:30am to 7pm
Entrance fees: R20 per person for 15 minutes.
Cape Town Diamond Museum
As a visitor to the Cape Town Diamond Museum you can expect a guided tour where you will learn about the diamond industry, history of diamonds in South Africa, how diamonds form, see amazing replicas of the world’s most famous diamonds and much more.
Entry Fees: R50 per person
Cape Wheel
Enjoy gorgeous views from the Cape Wheel!
Open 10:00 until late | Entry Fees: Adult R120 Children (4-17) R60 | Kids under 4 free | Pensioners R60
Chavonnes Battery Museum
Visitors are invited to don an 18th Century tricorn hat and step below sea-level for fascinating perspectives of the 17th to 19th Century Cape Town.
Entry Fees: R50 per person
Self-guided Historical Tour
Collect your free map at the info desk and explore the route which consists of a series of 32 boards.
Running Routes
The V&A Waterfront has 2 running routes: 2,5km and 5km. Collect your free map at the info desk and follow the signage.
Cave Golf
Everyone will enjoy a round of cave golf at the V&A Waterfront. Find them at the Scratch Patch
Cost: R40 per person and you receive R20 back once you hand in the club and golf balls.
Springbok Museum
Immerse yourself in the history of our country’s beloved game: Rugby
Cost: R180 for a family of 4 and R30 per child thereafter
City Sightseeing Harbour Cruise
See the V&A Waterfront’s harbour from the City Sightseeing Harbour Cruise
Cost: Buy one adult ticket at R35 (online only) and R40 in person and R20 per child
Affordable Food & Beverage Options
Dining at the V&A Waterfront needn’t be an expensive affair. Their food court offers great options to suit your pocket. Or visit to the Oranjezicht City Farmers Market on a Saturday to stock up on fresh produce for the week.
Robben Island
The Robben Island Museum App was developed to offer users around the globe an opportunity to experience and explore the Island’s multi-layered history and sites. Download it from the Google Play Store here.
Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden
Pack a picnic and visit the most beautiful garden in Africa, find a spot under a beautiful tree and let the kids run, play and explore.
Garden Walks
The Botanical Society’s volunteer Garden guides, who are brimming with amazing knowledge and insights into the Garden, lead free guided walks around the Garden. This summer, for the first time ever, they will be offering their free guided walks from both Gates 1 and 2 – in a mixture of short and longer walks. On weekdays there will be 50-minute walks from both gates at 11h00 and 12h00, and 90-minute walks from Gate 1 at 10h00 and 14h00. On Saturdays 50-minute walks will be offered from both gates at 10h00 and 11h00.
Dates: Weekdays: 10h00, 11h00, 12h00, 14h00 (50 /90 min walks); Saturdays: 10hoo & 11h00 (50 min walks) | Venue: Information Desk in the Visitors Centre (Gate 1) | Cost: Walks are free but garden entrance fee applies if you do not have a South African Botanical Society Membership card.
Bird Walks & Theme walks
Stroll through Kirstenbosch with an experienced birder, and spot and identify some of the 125 bird species known to occur in the Garden.
Dates: Contact us for new dates | Time: 08:00 – 10:30 | Venue: Information Desk in the Visitors Centre (Gate 1) | Cost: Walks are free but garden entrance fee applies if you do not have a South African Botanical Society Membership card.
Table Mountain Cableway
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE TABLE MOUNTAIN CABLEWAY WILL BE CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE FROM 24 JULY TO 6 AUGUST 2017.
Kids Season
Explore the natural beauty and grace of Table Mountain with your children during the Cableway’s Kidz Season, when two kids ride for free with an adult who has purchased a return ticket online or from the Lower Cable Station.
This offer runs from May 1 to September 30 and is valid on weekends, public holidays, and during the June and July school holidays!
Your children can enjoy a day of fun, food and natural beauty atop Table Mountain, and even a kiddies’ treasure hunt.
Date: From 1 May | Time: Time: 08:30 – 17:30 | Venue: Lower Cable Station Ticket Office | Cost: 2 kids ride free with every adult return ticket
Seniors Special
South African senior citizens over the age of 60 years qualify for discounted rates on return tickets every Friday, upon producing a valid South African ID. They also have a meal special for pensioners at the Table Mountain Café on Fridays. Chat to a cashier about redeeming your meal special.
Date: Every Friday | Time: 08:30 – 17:30 | Venue: Lower Cable Station Ticket Office | Cost: R100 return or R53 one way on Fridays only | Weather Permitting
Guided Walks
Thirty-minute guided tours happen on the hour from 09:00 to 15:00 daily, departing from the Twelve Apostles Terrace (below the Café). These are free, family-friendly walks conducted by our staff, who will share the story of Table Mountain and the Cableway, and provide any assistance you may require.
Date: Daily | Time: 09:00 – 15:00 | Venue: Twelve Apostles Terrace | Cost: Free
Audio Tour
Learn about the flora and fauna of the summit, at your own pace, with our free Audio Tour. Download the free application to your mobile device – using our free Wi-Fi – plug in your earphones and begin your self-guided tour at the Lower Cable Station. For a step-by-step guide on how to download the VoiceMap application to your mobile device, click here.
WiFi Lounge
Get connected in the clouds above the Mother City at Table Mountain Cableway’s new Wi-Fi Lounge, which is open to all visitors wanting to connect, share, post, Tweet or simply take a seat and gaze out over the Atlantic Ocean.
Situated in the Upper Cable Station, the Wi-Fi Lounge opens its doors as the first cable car comes up at 8.30am and closes with the last car’s departure. Plug and USB points for recharging devices are located throughout the lounge, with seating options ranging from cork stools at high tables to chairs and even comfy sofas.
Share your Cape Town Big 6 experience
Connect with us via our Cape Town Big 6 Facebook or Twitter page. Better yet, snap an Instagram shot of your favourite outdoor moment and tag @CapeTownBig6 #CTBig6
One Destination, 6 Unbelievable Experiences
There is no one way to explore all of the Cape Town Big 6, and much of what makes each of them so special is the variety of things to see and do at each. So if possible, take your time to explore each of the city’s most visited tourist attractions in as much depth as possible – as any local will tell you, you can spend a lifetime at each of the Big 6 and still not tire of them. Find the 3 and 4 day itineraries and tips here.