The Easter holidays are around the corner and there is no better way to spend it than with the Cape Town Big 6: Table Mountain Cableway, Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, Robben Island, V&A Waterfront, Cape Point, and Groot Constantia.
Table Mountain Cableway
Hatch a plan to make your way up Table Mountain for an egg-cellent time this Easter. The Easter Bunny and his magical friends invite families to join them at the Cableway’s Lower and Upper Stations for adventure filled outdoor fun from Friday 30 March until Monday 2 April 2018.
Young visitors will receive an activity book. Buskers, magicians and face painters will also join in the fun on 30 March, 31 March and 2 April from 10 am to 2 pm.
Let the kids put their inner-explorer to the test with a free Easter egg hunt between 10 am and 2 pm on 1 April (Easter Sunday). Young explorers will receive their first clue at the Lower Station. Following a trail of clues to different characters at the Upper Station, each new clue will put kids one step closer to The Easter Treasure.
Due to the increase on VAT from 14% to 15%, the Cableway would like visitors to take note of the following:
- Standard return ticket rates until 31 March 2018: R290 for adults and R140 for children and teens under 18 years of age
- Standard return ticket rates from 1 April – 30 September 2018: R293 for adults and R141 for children and teens under 18 years of age
Visitors can purchase tickets online from tablemountain.net or at the Lower Station Ticket Office. Hint:online ticket holders can join the queue to board the cable cars immediately on arrival.
Some tips to make your Cableway experience even better:
- Park and ride: Leave your car in the parking lot at the bottom of Tafelberg Road. From there you can catch the free MyCiTi shuttle to the Lower Cableway Station. Shuttles depart every 30 minutes between 7am and 7pm.
- Free 30-minute guided tours depart from the Twelve Apostles Terrace, below the Shop at the Top and Table Mountain Café, on the hour from 9am to 3pm daily.
- There is FREE WiFi at the Lower Cableway Station. This allows visitors to download the free Table Mountain Cableway audio tours via the Voicemap app (available from the Apple App or Google Play stores). Once downloaded, these tours run offline. They’ll provide you with great insights into the iconic New 7 Wonder of Nature.
- Bring a jacket, wear comfortable shoes and make sure you phone is fully charged.
Fun is the word of the weekend at the Cableway this Easter . . . hop to it!
The Cableway operates weather permitting. For more information or to find out if the Cableway is open, what the queuing times are, and what the weather conditions at the top are like, visit our homepage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter or call us at +27 (0)21 424 8181.
V&A Waterfront
It’s school holidays, and there is SO much for your kids to enjoy at the V&A Waterfront. In addition to their long-standing playgrounds, they also have a number of fun activities and events that will keep the little (and not so little) ones entertained.
PARADE WITH TOYS THIS EASTER!
Date 29 March to 8 April
Time 11.30am daily
Venue Toy Kingdom and Artjamming, Breakwater
Cost Free
Encounter toys, toys and more toys when you join the daily Easter Toy Parade at the Artjamming and Toy Kingdom stores at the Breakwater in the V&A Waterfront. Every day colourful toy characters will line up for the 11.30am Toy Parade in the form of a flash mob dance, and children of all ages are welcome to join them. Both stores will greet young visitors with balloons and bubbles, as well as “eggstraordinary” special offers for Build-a-Bear sessions.
EASTER CREATURE FEATURE
Date 31 March – 9 April
Time 4 pm daily
Venue Two Oceans Aquarium
Cost Included in entry fee This Easter, the Two Oceans Aquarium is adding a special, interactive, kid-friendly “Creature Feature” to their daily activities. Come and marvel at the sharks of the Predator Exhibit while learning more about South Africa’s incredible coastline and its animals, from in-house experts who know how to have fun and keep you entertained. This special new feature will take place every day at 4 pm from 31 March untill 9 April only.
As per usual, free arts and crafts and thrice-daily puppet shows for little ones, two penguin feeding events and two feeding times at the I&J Ocean Exhibit – complete with talking scuba diver – are part of your Aquarium experience throughout the day. You can further complement your visit by taking part in an adventure scuba dive, a Penguin Experience or the brand new Ocean Experience. Details at www.aquarium.co.za.
HARBOUR AND CANAL CRUISES
Date 31 March – 9 April
Time Cruises leave every 30 minutes from 9 am
Duration 30 Minutes
Venue Outside the Two Oceans Aquarium, V&A Waterfront
Cost Adults R50, Children R30
Enjoy the ultimate maritime adventure when you hop on the V@A Waterfront Harbour cruise or the Canal Cruise with City Sightseeing. Each tour includes commentary with a special dedicated kid’s channel. This is a fun and exciting add-on to any Waterfront visit. Tours depart daily, every thirty minutes from 9 am from outside the Two Oceans Aquarium. Cruises cost R50 per person for adults and R30 for children.
STAY SAFE WITH PAW PATROL AND TOY KINGDOM
Date Thursday 29 March to Sunday 1 April
Time 9 am to 6 pm
Venue Centre Court, Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre
All paws will be on deck at Centre Court in the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre from Thursday, 29 March and Sunday 1 April between 9am and 6pm. Paw Patrol and Toy Kingdom’s Stay Safe initiative will teach pre-schoolers to explore their surroundings safely, with helpful tips that will keep them out of danger. Receive a booklet that teaches youngsters about road safety, and as they complete each activity they receive a sticker. When all activities are complete, they receive a special safety certificate.
GREAT EGGSPECTION
Date Saturday, 31 March to Sunday, 7 April
Time 11 am to 5 pm
Venue Amphitheatre
This Easter, young visitors to the V&A Waterfront’s Amphitheatre will get to meet the Easter Bunny and his friend in person. Every day from Sunday, 31 March to Sunday, 7 April between 11 am and 5 pm, they will be entertained by this colourful character and could be in line to receive free prizes and sweet giveaways. They will also be kept fit with ‘hip-hopping’ dancing, egg-xersize bunny yoga and games of pinning the tail on the bunny.
Groot Constantia
Please note that Groot Constantia is closed for Good Friday, 30 March, but they will be open for the rest of the long Easter weekend. So bring your family and friends for some wine, chocolate & wine pairing, or buy a Visitor’s Route Experience Ticket.
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 R80
4 delectable chocolates paired with 4 of their award-winning wines.
Date: Daily | Time: 09:00 – 18:00 | Venue: Tasting Hall | Cost: R125
Visitors Route Experience
Enjoy the new Visitor Route Experience where one ticket gives you entrance to 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.
Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden
Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts
It’s that time of the year again where we look forward to ending off the weekends with music that satisfies the most diverse tastes in the spectacularly beautiful Kirstenbosch Garden. Meet with friends and family, gather your picnic baskets and blankets to enjoy the floral heritage and the mountain and let the music end your weekend on a high note.
PLEASE NOTE WHEN BOOKING TICKETS ONLINE: Only Tickets via WebTickets are legitimate tickets, please do not purchase tickets from any other websites as it may be a scam.
1 April: Kahn Morbee & Karen Zoid
6 April: Morcheeba
Nature’s Treasure Box Holiday Art Workshop
The very popular Nature’s Treasure Box Holiday Art workshop for 6 – 9 year olds will take place at the Gold Fields Education Centre at Kirstenbosch on Thursday 5th April, during the easter holiday break. Children will play games, listen to stories and enjoy a fun walk in the garden, before painting their own box and putting some of nature’s special treasures into it. Please contact us to book as early as possible, as this workshop usually fills up fast.Date: 5 April | Time: 09:00 – 13:00 | Venue: Gold Fields Environmental Education Centre | Cost: R60.00 per child. Pre-booking and pre-payment are essential. Nazeerah van Niekerk on 021 799 8670 or n.vanniekerk@sanbi.org.za
Oyama Bonsai Kai Show
Date: 30 March – 2 April | Time: 09:00 – 17:00 | Venue: Old Mutual Conference Centre (Gate 1) | Cost: Free
Robben Island
Explore South Africa’s political past with an informative tour at the maximum security prison. But Robben Island isn’t just about the political past of our country, keep an eye out for the African penguins that are on the island.
The ferry ride to Robben Island is an adventure in itself, enjoy spectacular views of Table Mountain from the upper deck of the ferry if you are lucky, you may even spot some dolphins or seals frolicking in the waves.
Tour the Robben Island surrounds in a guided bus tour and view the Robben Island shipwrecks, 19th-century Lighthouse; the only lighthouse in South Africa to use a flashing light instead of a revolving light.
A former Robben Island inmate will guide you while on the island, and you’ll receive unparalleled insight into the significant role that each of the Robben Island’s inmates collectively played throughout apartheid. You will be guided to the maximum security prison, various Robben Island exhibition displays and a visit to Nelson Mandela’s prison cell.
You will also be able to visit the World War 2 canons and a limestone quarry where Madiba, and so many others, crushed limestone.
To conclude the day buy a souvenir at the Robben Island Curio shop.
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.Ferries depart 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm – weather permitting. You can buy tickets online or in-person at the Robben Island Museum.
Cape Point
Cape Point Marshmallow Drive
Cape Point will be hosting a Marshmallow drive from Saturday till Monday! Bring the kids as there will be a Pirate who will hand out marshmallow chocolate eggs to the kids from 11:00 – 16:00
Date: 30 March – 2 April | Time: 11:00 – 16:00 | Venue: Cape Point | Cost: Free
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: R30 return Child ticket, R70 return Adult ticket
Two Oceans Restaurant
The Two Oceans Restaurant occupies an enviable position above False Bay at the southwestern tip of Africa. The restaurant is as famous for its seafood cuisine as it is for a superb wooden deck that looks out onto one of the most stunning ocean views in South Africa.
Date: Daily | Time: 09:00 – 17:00 | Venue: Cape Point | Cost: varies
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
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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.
Buy tickets online