2 Week South Africa Itinerary | Cape Town, Winelands, Safari

South Africa is a big country and has a lot to offer. While 2 weeks may seem like a long time, you'll need to map out your time wisely to make the most of your trip. My 2 week South Africa itinerary will take you through how we allocated our time between Cape Town, the Winelands, and safari!

This is one of our most epic trips to date! South Africa exceeded expectations in all ways.

Cape Town offers luxury stays and fine dining at a fraction of what you would pay in the US or Europe. There's plenty to keep visitors busy with Tabletop Mountain, ocean views, Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, cable car rides, and colorful Bo-Kapp.

The Winelands offers stunning views, hiking opportunities, art galleries, Cape Dutch architecture, and memorable wine tastings.

While we loved our time in Cape Town and The Winelands...safari had us near tears when it was time to leave. I've never felt so connected with nature as I did during safari in South Africa. 

It's hard to put to words the feeling you get while observing lions, elephants, giraffes, leopards, etc., in their natural habitat. 

Enough of the intro, let's get into my 2 week South Africa itinerary!

I hope it goes without saying to only partake in observation/photography safaris. Respect the animals and skip the hunting safaris.

South Africa two week itinerary overview

2 weeks in South Africa is the minimum amount of time I recommend. The flight time is no joke. Those coming from the United States should expect 20+ hours of air time each way. And that's if you found a good schedule without excessive layovers!

Because 2 weeks is a nice round number to ask off of work, this itinerary includes 2 days of travel time. Which means we are left with 12 days in South Africa.

If it's your first time in South Africa, this itinerary was made for you. The musts are Cape Town, the Winelands, and safari. The amount of time I give each destination ensures a well-rounded experience versus a quick glimpse.

This itinerary for South Africa is for the COUNTRY of South Africa alone. Not the region. This means you won't have to mess with additional vaccine requirements, visas, and crossing borders.

Here's the breakdown of my 2 weeks in South Africa itinerary:

Days 1 - 4: Cape Town with a day trip to the Cape Peninsula (take a day off of Cape Town if you're including day 1 as your travel day to South Africa)

Days 5 - 7: The Winelands

Days 8 - 13: Safari - 6 nights split between two camps

Day 14: fly home

Have less than 2 weeks in South Africa? No worries! I'll give some ways to shorten this itinerary at the end of the post.

Two Weeks in South Africa – itinerary for Cape Town, the Winelands, and safari 

Before we begin: is Cape Town safe?

I'll be writing a designated blog post on this topic next, but to give a brief summary: yes and no.

Is this your typical touristy European town that's safe for solo female travelers, where walking around alone is no problem, and solo morning jogs are no big deal? No. I knew from our drive to Cape Town from the airport that I would NOT be doing any jogging or wandering around by myself here.

Do you need to worry about getting murdered or mugged the moment you walk out your hotel door? No.

It's really just petty theft to be aware of.

Jake and I had ZERO problems while in Cape Town and the Winelands because we took certain precautions, following the advice of friends who are from there (which I detail below).

Petty crime is high. It's not a surprise seeing that the unemployment rate of South Africa is around 35%. There are miles of slums between the airport and downtown Cape Town and homeless camps throughout downtown.

As long as you are street-smart, you will be fine. Because we stuck to popular hikes and tourist areas, we were probably overly cautious. But since a local gave us these tips, we decided it was better to be safe than sorry. 

A few precautions we took:

• the only valuables we took while hiking was one phone (to order Ubers and for pictures). To be honest, we felt completely safe on our hikes (Lion's Head and around Table Top Mountain). This precaution is probably more important if you are going on hikes that aren't as popular/always filled with people.
• we did not wear any expensive jewelry or carry around flashy equipment (like a big camera).
• we did not have a rental car since we heard stories of people's cars getting stolen or broken into in Cape Town (we did have a rental car in the Winelands and had zero issues).
• our hotel recommended sticking with Uber Black. We ordered whatever was available first. I can see why the hotel pushed Uber Black. Some of the regular Ubers were a bit "rough" and very small. But safety-wise, we felt fine in all our Ubers.
• we didn't walk around at night. For dinner, we took Ubers straight to and from the restaurant.

Ok, now that we've got that squared away, let's dive into my 2 weeks in South Africa itinerary, starting with Cape Town.

Cape Town Itinerary - Days 1 - 4

Hiking, city tours, incredible dining, ocean views

Cape Town is such an interesting city. On one end, you have miles of slums as you drive in from the airport. On the other end, you have fine dining galore. It seems to be a place of stark contrast.

While we were initially hesitant about Cape Town, we ended up thoroughly enjoying the city.

4 days in Cape Town gives you enough time to do a day trip to the Cape Peninsula and hit all the musts in the city without feeling rushed.

I recommend booking your day trip to the Cape Peninsula on your first full day. That's what we did in order to "hit the ground running".

The Cape of Good Hope & Penguins Small Group Tour from Cape Town exceeded expectations. It hit all the musts, was well-organized, allowed enough time at each stop, and the small size of 12 travelers was perfect. 

Jeep Tours Cape Town is another popular option. While I didn't book this company, several close friends have given it rave reviews.

I considered renting a car and doing the Cape Peninsula drive ourselves. I'm glad I didn't. It was a lot of driving. Plus, it would have been no fun for Jake having to focus on the road versus enjoying the views.

The other 3 days will be dedicated to Cape Town as there is plenty to keep you busy. The dining scene is so superb (and cheap with the current exchange rate), that you'll want as many dinners as possible.

Here is what I would include for 3 days in Cape Town:

• morning walk along Sea Point promenade
• Victoria and Alfred waterfront
• Tabletop Mountain
• Hike Lion's Head
• Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden
• Camps Bay Beach

Best restaurants in Cape Town

My favorite dinners in Cape Town:

• Fyn - $107 per person, 8+ course tasting menu. The food was spectacular without being overly pretentious. This was Jake's favorite.
• Belly and the Beast - $45 per person, 6+ course tasting menu. This was my favorite. It's also more casual/intimate than Fyn (there are only 30 seats).
• La Colombe - located in Constantia
• Thali - casual upscale Indian food

Other restaurants that were recommended but we did not visit:

• PIER Restaurant - fine dining, multi-course tasting
• TK Fledgelings  - fine dining, multi-course tasting
• High tea at the Mount Nelson hotel
• Ouzeri
• Kloof Street House

Hotels in Cape Town - where we stayed

POD Camps Bay was a modern, boutique hotel steps from the ocean and walking distance from the main street lined with coffee shops and restaurants. It was a nice hotel, and I would definitely recommend it, BUT, it didn't come close to our second hotel. 

Ellerman House is one of the most special places we have ever stayed at. With just 12 rooms and 2 villas, not one detail was missed. The owners' goal was to make this a "home away from home". And let me tell you, they succeeded. We didn't want to leave! 

The hotel is filled with art. We booked the complimentary art tour and thoroughly enjoyed it. Also included was a wine tasting in the insanely gorgeous tasting room/gallery, the pantry (a room filled with pastries, cakes, coffee, teas, and Insta-worthy desserts), breakfast with ocean views, sauna, cold plunge...the list goes on and on. I can't recommend Ellerman House enough.

South Africa Winelands Itinerary - Days 5 - 7

Wine tasting, Hiking, Spa and Relaxation

Picture Napa Valley, but more stunning and at 1/10 of the price!

We stayed 3 nights in Franschhoek and 2 in Stellenbosch. For the average traveler, this is too much time. I knew that going in, but we needed a place to chill and work remotely for a bit.

2 nights and 2 to 3 days is more than plenty to get a taste of the Winelands.

Franschhoek is a bit more remote, secluded, charming, and romantic.

Stellenbosch is a University town, so it’s a tad more lively, but the downtown is still charming.

I’m glad we stayed at both, but next time, we will either choose Stellenbosch or the area between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.

We were very happy to have a car as there is much to explore in this region: wine tastings, scenic hikes, secluded farm-to-table restaurants, and tucked-away hotels (perfect for spa treatments). Our time wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable if we didn’t have our own transportation.

The Winelands are stunning and the whole experience puts Napa Valley to shame. Charming Cape Dutch architecture, gorgeous hikes, views that are so beautiful they don’t look real, $7 to $15 wine tastings, Michelin Star restaurants, art galleries, and straight-out-of-the-dirt farm-to-table dining.

Our expectations were exceeded and we can’t wait to return.

Things to do in the Winelands (besides wine tastings):

• Explore downtown Franschhoek and Stellenbosch. Franschhoek is beyond charming. Both have cute boutiques, art galleries, and coffee shops.
• Hiking Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve - we did the Vista Trail, which took about 2 hours round trip. 
• Spa treatments - you'll pay a fraction of what you would pay in the States (or Europe), so carve time out for some pampering. I highly recommend the Spa at Lanzarac. Jake and I booked massages and facials and every single service was above and beyond.

Best wineries in the Winelands:

• Oldenburg - we loved this one so much we visited twice. Postcard views from the tasting room paired with some of the best wine we had during the entire trip.
• Rust en Vrede - our second favorite wine of the trip.
• Babel at Babylonstoren - one of the best cheese boards of my life. Gorgeous setting too.
• Delaire Graff
• Tokara - views were amazing but the wine was just OK.
• Boschendal - we didn't make it here, but this spot was highly recommended.

BEST RESTAURANTS IN the Winelands:

• Yama Asian Eatery - great sushi, small/modern atmosphere and CHEAP!
• Babel at Babylonstoren - our favorite dinner experience in the Winelands. This is a must. Get there early (before sunset) to walk the expansive grounds and gardens beforehand.
• De Etkamer - casual tapas-style spot in downtown Stellenbosch. Food was insanely good and farm-to-table.
• La Petite Colombe - we didn't go here since we had enough fine dining experiences from Cape Town and we visited their main restaurant (La Colombe) in Constania. Based on our experience at La Colombe, I don't hesitate to recommend La Petite Colombe if you're looking for fine dining in Franschhoek.

Hotels in the Winelands - where we stayed

Our hotel in Franschhoek (Leeu House) was ideally situated in the heart of downtown (which is tiny). Even though it was within walking distance of nearby restaurants and art galleries, it felt quiet and private. Breakfast was delightful each morning on the patio by the pool.

We visited the sister property (Leeu Estates) to use the gym and pool. That property was gorgeous. It's more secluded/romantic since it's tucked into the vineyards.

I found a brand new hotel in Stellenbosch called Southern Sun de Wagen. It was $123 a night and we LOVED it! It was beyond cute and within walking distance of downtown Stellenbosch.

Safari Itinerary - Days 8 - 13

Animals, nature, and more animals

Next up…safari! The highlight of our trip. We decided to keep things simple and stay in South Africa for safari versus traveling to different countries. No visas, no vaccines. Easy.

We spent 3 nights at &Beyond Kirkman’s Camp and 3 nights at &Beyond Ngala.

I'm glad I chose &Beyond and will book them again for several reasons:

• It allowed me to plan my own trip since they book everything safari-related. Your &Beyond travel advisor is not only a great resource to help you choose which lodge is best for your travel style, but they also book all the transportation to/from/between the lodges.
• The rooms (while not over the top) were comfortable and a joy to stay in.
• Dining, service, guides, and trackers were all fantastic.

We were extremely lucky with our game viewing. Our guide at Kirkman’s Camp said our viewing was a 12 out of 10. We saw the BIG 5 on our first drive within the first 3 hours. Every day was action-packed with sightings. Here are a few of our sightings:

• hippos
• adult and baby giraffes
• lots of warthogs, impala, kudu, nyala
• white rhino
• leopard eating his impala kill in a tree
• Cape buffalo
• African wild dogs (very rare)
• 2 massive brother lions who killed a baby giraffe and were eating it (night sighting)
• 30+ elephants in the water
• honey badgers
• zebra
• wildebeest
• spotted hyaena with baby cubs
• male cheetah with an impala kill

Have I convinced you to go on safari yet?

Out of the two lodges, we preferred Kirkman’s Camp. It’s half the size of Ngala (10 lodges/rooms) and, therefore, felt more intimate. The game drives were also more “action-packed”. The crowd at Kirkman’s was a younger, more adventurous crowd, while Ngala seemed to cater to families and older adults.

Don’t get me wrong, both were fantastic…it just depends on your travel style.

How much did safari cost in South Africa

The safari portion of your trip will be, by far, the most expensive.

Our total for 6 nights safari with &Beyond was $13,600. I booked when they had 15% off if you stayed 6 nights between 2 camps.

This seems like a lot, but you need to remember what this includes:

• transportation to, from, and between the lodges. This included our plane from Cape Town to SKU airport and then SKU airport to the camp via safari vehicle. We then took a hopper plane from our first camp to the second camp. From the last camp, our package included the 1.5 hour drive to the airport and then the plane back to Cape Town.
• all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, canapes before the evening game drive), drinks (including alcohol), 2 game drives a day, and your guides and trackers for your vehicle.
• don't forget these camps are on private land, so you are paying for "private game viewing".

Tips for choosing your South Africa safari

Book a lodge/camp on private land. Camps that are on public land can not leave the main road. This means you can only view wildlife from the road, and if the cheetah walks behind a tree, well, that's all you're going to see.

With private land, you are off-roading 90% of the time. There are rules in place on which animals you can off-road for/follow so wildlife is still respected.

If we weren't able to go off-road, we would have only had glimpses of the wildlife vs. a front-row seat. Sometimes, we sat for an hour or more to watch a pride of lions. Off-roading gives you a lot of flexibility, a more adventurous ride, and prime game viewing.

Another thing to remember with private land vs public land is the crowds. On public land, there will be A LOT of vehicles. Being surrounded by other people takes a lot of the magic out of the experience. Plus, I can't imagine that's good for the animals when they are surrounded by people.

80-90% of the time during our game drives, our vehicle was the only one. There were some times that we were joined by other &Beyond vehicles if there was an especially rare sighting, but for the most part, it was a private experience.

The vehicles at our camp, and most luxury camps, will hold a maximum of 6 people (not including the driver and tracker). This was the perfect size. I wouldn't have wanted anything bigger.

Be sure to choose a lodge that respects nature and the animals. &Beyond had strict rules to ensure that neither animals nor humans were put in danger. For example, if cubs were left alone, we were not allowed to visit those cubs until the mother returned.

&Beyond also does a lot of work behind the scenes to protect the wildlife. 

And, hopefully, this goes without saying, but to participate in a safari that respects life and not join a hunting safari.

Have less than 2 weeks in South Africa? Example 10 day itinerary

If you need to shave a few days off this South Africa itinerary, start with The Winelands. You could spend just 1 night in The Winelands or skip the overnight altogether and use one of your Cape Town days for a Winelands day trip.

Here's my itinerary recommendation for 10 days in South Africa:

Cape Town: 3 nights

Book a tour that combines Table Top Mountain with the Cape Peninsula. While this will be a very full day, it's a great way to see a LOT in one tour/day.

Considering how affordable private tours are in South Africa, I recommend going that route to ensure you see everything that's a priority and skip the hassles that come with group tours.

• Table Mountain, Boulder's Penguins & Cape Point Private Tour from Cape Town
• From Cape Town: Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope & Penguins including Park Fees
• Table Mountain, Boulders Penguins & Cape point, Private Day Tour

Book a second day trip to explore The Winelands. Again, go with a private tour so the guide can cater the tour to your wants/needs.

Safari: 6 nights split between two camps

Day 10: fly home

In Summary

Overall, our trip to South Africa exceeded expectations in every way. It's one of our most memorable trips to date and was the perfect choice for our 10-year anniversary.

We can’t wait to explore more of Africa. You can be sure I’m already researching which safari to book next!

I adore animals. To admire them in the wild is to witness nature on an entirely different level. Never before have I felt so at one with nature, from watching each sunrise and sunset to the endless animal sightings.

I can’t recommend a safari trip enough. 

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2 Week South Africa Itinerary | Cape Town, Winelands, Safari

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