Ghana
Accra · Cape Coast
Accra's food and music, the Cape Coast castles, and a trip a lot of travelers have been meaning to take for years.
Explore Ghana
Africa
South Africa
Table Mountain before the cloud rolls in, Stellenbosch by lunch, and a game reserve close enough to be worth it.
- Best months
- October, November, December, January, February, March
- Typical length
- 10–14 nights
- Flight time
- ~15h from the US East Coast
- Climate
- Mediterranean
The overview
Cape Town is one of the few cities in the world where a mountain, two oceans and serious wine country sit within an hour of each other. Most itineraries combine several days in the city and winelands with a safari leg further north or east, which is where the trip stops being a city break and becomes something people talk about for years.
Why go
- Table Mountain, the Cape Peninsula and Boulders Beach are all comfortably reachable from a single base.
- Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are world-class wine regions barely an hour from the city.
- A safari leg can be added without the trip becoming unmanageably long.
- The exchange rate means a level of dining and lodging that costs considerably more elsewhere.
Worth your time
Table Mountain
Weather decides everything. The cableway closes in high wind, so treat the first clear morning as the day to go.
The Cape Peninsula
A full-day loop taking in Chapman's Peak, Cape Point and the penguin colony at Boulders.
The Winelands
Stellenbosch and Franschhoek both work as day trips, though staying a night changes the pace.
Safari
Adding a reserve is the single biggest decision in the itinerary and drives both cost and routing.
Where to base yourself
- Cape Town city bowl
- Central and walkable, close to the waterfront and the mountain.
- Camps Bay & Atlantic Seaboard
- Beachfront, sunset-facing, more resort in feel.
- The Winelands
- Vineyard estates an hour inland, quieter and slower.
- Safari reserves
- A separate flight or long drive. Which reserve you choose shapes the whole trip.
Where to stay
Property recommendations for South Africa come from Shanair directly rather than from a list — which resort or hotel is right depends on your party, your dates and your budget. That is the first thing the consultation call covers.
Get South Africa recommendationsThings worth knowing
- Seasons are reversed from the northern hemisphere — December is high summer.
- Malaria risk varies by reserve, so the safari region you pick has medical implications worth discussing early.
- Domestic flights between Cape Town and safari areas need to be sequenced carefully against international arrivals.
- Confirm current passport validity and entry requirements before booking — South Africa has specific rules for travel with minors.
Thinking about South Africa?
Tell us your dates and who's coming, and you'll get honest advice on whether it's the right time to go — before you spend anything.