One Week South Africa Itinerary: Cape Town, Wine Region & Safari (Luxury Travel Guide)

In 2025, Cape Town was named the best city on earth by The Telegraph Travel Awards, and let me tell you, they were not exaggerating. Between the incredible food scene, jaw-dropping scenery, and vibrant culture, Cape Town truly has it all.

I had been desperate to visit Cape Town for years, but with only five days of annual leave left, I was worried I wouldn’t fit everything in. However, while you could definitely spend more time in Cape Town, you can still experience both the city and a safari in just a week.

In this blog post, I will give you the full rundown of how I would recommend spending a week in Cape Town. This itinerary is perfect if you’re short on time but want a luxury-leaning trip that combines city, wine, and safari.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (any links marked with * are affiliate links). If you purchase through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Best time to visit Cape Town

The best time to visit Cape Town is between November and March for warm, sunny weather. However, if you want to see whales in nearby Hermanus, the best months are June to November. For fewer crowds and lower prices, consider travelling in the shoulder seasons (April–May or September–October).  We travelled in November, and it was lovely.

Itinerary Overview:

Day 1-5 - Cape Town

Day 5-7 - Safari (Sanbona Wildlife Reserve)

Day 1 - 5: Cape Town 

Where to Stay

Cape Town is full of iconic luxury hotels; we chose to stay at The One&Only Cape Town*, and we were not disappointed. I highly recommend this hotel. If you'd like to learn more, you can read my full review here, or check current rates and availability here*.

Some other luxury Cape Town hotels include:

Silo Hotel* - an ultra-luxury boutique hotel set atop a converted historic grain silo on Cape Town’s waterfront. 

Mount Nelson* - a hotel with an iconic pink facade and old-world elegance. 

Ellerman House * - a boutique hotel with beautiful ocean views, set above Bantry Bay. 

The Marly *- boutique hotel set right on the lively Camps Bay. 

Arrival Made Easy

I would highly recommend booking a transfer from a reputable company when you arrive (your hotel should be able to recommend one, ours recommended Jarvis).

Getting around

I’d suggest using taxis to get around Cape Town. We went with a company recommended by our hotel (Jarvis). Although it was a bit more expensive, the service was excellent and felt very luxurious. That said, while researching our trip, many other travellers recommended Uber as a reliable, more affordable option.

Day 1 - Arrive and Explore V&A Waterfront

After checking in and settling into your hotel, head to the V&A Waterfront. This harbour is home to excellent shops and restaurants, sunbathing seals, and stunning views of Table Mountain. It’s the perfect place to spend a few hours strolling and soaking up the atmosphere. 

Lunch - Time Out Market

This food hall brings together different cuisines from some of the city’s best chefs. Each stall serves a different range of dishes, from local Cape Malay to Greek and Japanese, making it the perfect lunch spot.

Dinner - Bo Vine

This laid-back steakhouse along the Camps Bay Beach is the perfect place for dinner. For starters, we went for the deep-fried avocado, which was incredible (I would genuinely go back just for that).  We then had the steak as a main, which was delicious.

Day 2 – Table Mountain

Morning 

Dedicate your first full day in Cape Town to exploring the iconic Table Mountain, a must-do on any Cape Town Itinerary. You can either walk up to Table Mountain or, like us, take the cable car. The views are incredible, and you can spend a few hours walking around and taking in the sights. There is also a restaurant, a shop and a café to eat at once you are up there.

We booked our tickets through the official website and had no issues.

Top Tip - Visit at the start of the trip. Due to the wind and occasional fires, the cable car may have to close. If you plan this early, you’ll have another chance later in the week if needed.

Top Tip- Understand there is going to be a queue. When we turned up, the queue was huge, and we got there before 10. We got the VIP tickets as I had heard how long the queue was, and even then, we waited 45 minutes to an hour to get up. The standard queue was around three hours long.

Afternoon

I recommend relaxing by the pool in the afternoon, so you can take your time at Table Mountain.

Dinner - La Colombe

This restaurant was a highlight of our trip. Set in the Constantia Wine Valley, it is such an amazing restaurant. You can choose between a few different options, but it is mainly a set tasting menu. It is quite expensive (we paid £108 each); however, I do think this is worth it for the insanely high standard of food you get.

Day 3 – Cape Town Wine Region 

Morning & Afternoon

Spend today exploring the wine region of Cape Town. There are loads of ways to explore the wine region; however, my favourite is to take the Franschhoek Wine Tram. This service makes it super easy to visit a range of wineries at your own pace, with tram and bus transportation. We booked our tickets directly on their official website, which was easy to use and confirmed everything instantly.

There are numerous lines you can choose from; we chose the Pink Line, but definitely do your research to find the best one for you. The stops we chose to get off at on the tram were:

• Rickety Bridge - We got the wine pairing and the non-alcoholic pairing (a selection of iced teas), the views were stunning, and the wine was lovely. We even brought a bottle home with us.

• Grand Provence - famous for its sparkling wine with oyster pairings, which was delicious.

  
  

Late Lunch - Arkeste (Chamonix Winery)

After finishing the tram, we got on the bus and stopped in Chamonix to go to the restaurant Arkeste for a late lunch. This food was incredible. We sat outside and enjoyed the peaceful setting.  I got the pork belly, which was so tender. 

Unfortunately, we had then run out of time, but I wish we had gone to Pigcasso as it is a farm sanctuary.

Top Tip - the Franshoek wine tram is quite far out so a taxi/transfer will cost quite a bit.

Day 4 – Cape Peninsula Tour (Best Day Trip from Cape Town)

Morning & Afternoon 

Today, go on a Cape Peninsula Tour, where you get taken to the most amazing places around the Cape.

There are loads of tours you can choose from, just check they do all the places you want to see. I have linked a private tour that looks good here* and a group tour here*

On our tour, we visited:

• The Penguin Colony - see the famous penguins who reside on the beach,

• Cape of Good Hope - see ostriches and walk up to the lighthouse for amazing views.

• Viewpoints of the Twelve Apostles mountain range 

• Clifton and Camps Bay

• Chapman's Peak Drive

• We also went for a late lunch at a lovely restaurant, but I can’t remember the name, unfortunately

  
  

Day 5 to 7 – Safari Near Cape Town: Sanbona Wildlife Reserve

After a few days exploring Cape Town, ending your trip with a safari is the perfect way to finish. I highly recommend heading to a safari. I cannot recommend Sanbona Wildlife Reserve* enough. Located about 4 hours from Cape Town, it offers a remote, once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

I have a whole review of Sanbona (linked here), but here’s what to expect:

Day 1:

• Arrive and check in

• Eat your included lunch (the food is amazing throughout)

• Relax in your safari tent with a private pool amongst incredible views.

• Evening safari with a sundowner - on our sundowner, we had incredible views of giraffes.

• Dinner and stargazing.

Day 2:

• Early morning safari (with tea/coffee before departure) 

• Walking safari (our highlight of the trip)

• Breakfast, relax and lunch

• Second evening safari.

• Dinner

Day 3:

• Early Morning Safari

• Breakfast

• Departure

Honestly, the safari was one of the best experiences I have ever had, and I highly recommend including it in your trip.

Final Thoughts

Cape Town is genuinely my favourite place I have been, and I cannot recommend it enough. Between the stunning views, incredible food and wine, and unforgettable safari experiences, it truly offers something special.

If you enjoyed this post, check out my reviews of the One&Only Cape Town and Sanbona Wildlife Reserve.