Visiting the gem of Southern Africa

Greetings everyone, 

This post represents my first travel update of 2024, and I am very excited to be back out on the road. This update is being written after spending three weeks in Southern Africa, which was fantastic.

At the beginning of February, I flew to Cape Town, South Africa which quickly became one of my favorite places. It is obviously a well-known tourist destination, but I am very surprised it’s not talked about more. (Perhaps because it’s such a far journey from most places in the US?) Cape Town has everything! Beaches, mountains, food, distinct neighborhoods, great weather, and more. It is one of the very few places I’ve been — if not the only place — where I feel like there’s a limitless number of things to do. Like with all of my travels, I did extensive research before going, but even after arriving, I discovered many more things that weren’t on my initial list. I stayed there for about two weeks (I extended my time there) and didn’t do everything. 

Cape Town has lots of digital nomads and is ideal for those working on the European time zone. The central business district has most things that a regular city might have, but there are many different neighborhoods (some that are beachside), and each have their own vibe. 

Cape Town is a gem

In one day, you could theoretically go walk on the boardwalk on Sea Point, taking in views of Lion’s Head and Table Mountain, and then drive south for about 45 minutes to see penguins. On the drive back (for that matter, Cape Town is an excellent road trip destination) you could have amazing sea and mountain views, and in the evening you could do a tour at a winery. Just an example of all the things you could do in a single day.

Going to the top of Lion’s Head is a must while in Cape Town

One notable thing that can’t be missed is going to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. It’s a very interesting and educational tour, which includes a visit to Mandela’s cell.

Robben Island

While there, I tried to do most things, but the highlights were seeing the penguins, going to the Cape of Good Hope, and walking up both Lion’s Head and Table Mountain. And what a pleasure it was to have very warm weather — I fled the cold Pacific NW for a reason! I will go back to Cape Town, next time for hopefully much longer. What a place. 

Cape of Good Hope

I suppose it’s also worth mentioning that Cape Town is quite unique, in the sense that it’s very different from other cities in Africa. At least that’s what I gathered in conversations with others. 

After spending longer than initially planned in Cape Town, I flew to Johannesburg, one of South Africa’s three capital cities and the economic hub. Most people will tell you that Joburg is more dangerous and disappointing compared to Cape Town. On balance, that’s true, though I went to visit my aunt for a long weekend and to use Joburg as a starting point for a road trip to my next country.

In the following days, I rented a car and set out for Lesotho, which you can read all about here.