Sunshine almost every day and beautiful natural surroundings, Cape Town was literally made for outdoor activities. Consequently, it is not surprising that this is the sports capital of Africa. It is nearly impossible to visit this city without trying some of the sports that you will find here. In the following, I will shortly present to you the most common activities that locals in Cape Town pursue.
Hiking in Cape Town.
Huge mountains in the middle of the city, it is probably a no-brainer that one of the favorite activities that locals in Cape Town pursue is hiking. On top of it is free, and for easy hikes you barely need equipment.
Hiking Lions Head
The most common spot for tourists is Lion’s Head that lies in between the city and Camps Bay. The little mountain is almost 700 meters high and most visitors start their hike on the parking platform. From there it is an easy hour hike to the top.
Reaching the top, however, can become a bit challenging due to the partial climbing of one wall. It is a very easy climb, but for elderly people, I wouldn’t advise it. I always heard of another way to reach the top but was struggling to find it.
In the end, all the sweat to reach the top will be worth it because you will be spoiled with a fantastic 360° degrees view of Cape Towns surrounding and the majestic Table Mountains. It is the perfect spot to enjoy a sunrise or sunset in Cape Town.
Hiking Table Mountains
Getting to the top will take you a bit longer than the Lion’s Head but it is equally rewarding.
Most visitors take the cableway to reach the top, but I would advise every person that is still capable of sports activities to hike to the top. It is just more rewarding if you know you just climbed this whole way up. There are also always plenty of beautiful spots to stop for a water break.
There are various ways to the top for different experience levels ranging from 2-5 hours hikes. My favorite hike was the Skeleton Gorge hike that started in Kirstenbosch Gardens and finished at the cable car.
As long as the weather is good and it is not too windy the cable car will be operating, nevertheless, you should always keep enough energy to make your way down again in case that they don’t operate.
Surfing in Cape Town.
With its huge coastline, two oceans, and the Cape Peninsula, Cape Town represents a dream city for every surfer. Here you will find a wave almost all year round and this is why this is one of the main outdoor activities in Cape Town.
The most common beach for visitors is Muizenberg Beach due to its warmer water and usually smaller waves it is perfect for people that always wanted to give it a try. It was also my favorite beach due to the long waves that you can occasionally find.
For experienced surfers, Kommetjie, Noordhoek, Llandudno, or the spots in the Cape Peninsula National Park provide the best waves with barreling potential. Surfers that want to surf those spots, however, need to bring thick wetsuits, boots, etc. due to the freezing Atlantic water.
Sharks are around but in my 7 months living in South Africa, I did not witness one shark alarm. There is also an app “Sharkspotters” if it makes you more comfortable. As soon as you will see the waves you won’t think about it trust me.
Kitesurfing in Cape Town.
Because of the strong winds that the city experiences throughout the year it is also known for its booming kitesurfing scene.
Beaches around Bloubergstrand are the territory of these impressive watersports enthusiasts. The best windy months are from November to March and there are also numerous shops that rent gear if you shouldn’t take yours.
The cherry on top is the marvelous view of the Table Mountains while crushing through the waves, especially by sunrise or sunset.
Running in Cape Town.
Running like in any other city is also widely popular in Cape Town. There are numerous parks or promenades, like the Green Point Park or the Sea Point Promenade for a smaller run.
More experienced runners will also enjoy a run to the top of the Lions Head.
The real experts that are looking for an even greater challenge will run along the Chapmans Peak that leads from the city until Noordhoek Beach.
This is also the route for the famous Two Oceans Marathon that is considered to be one of the most challenging but beautiful marathons in the world.
Cycling in Cape Town.
Casually cycling is not a big thing in Cape Town. Due to the high geography, cycling here is more of a pro-cyclist thing.
Same as the runners most cyclist practice their endurance on the winding roads of Chapmans Peak.
The city is also the host of the largest, timed cycling event in the world, The Cape Town Cycle Tour, with almost 30 000 attendees. The 110-kilometer long tour will go through various parts of the city, as well as the Western Cape.
E-Cycling.
If you are not really into sports and just wanted to check out what I write here, you would enjoy an E-Cycling tour through the city.
E-Bikes are one of the best inventions in the sports industry and are especially handy for hilly cities like Cape Town.
I hope I could provide you with some insights into the local sports scene of Cape Town and gave you some ideas about how you can stay in shape at your holidays. Doing some sport on your holidays in Cape Town will be mandatory because the food there is just too good to resist.
I would like to get your feedback. Where you ever in Cape Town and did some other outdoor activities? Do you have a different opinion? Or did you enjoy reading this article? Then please let me know, I would love to get your feedback.
