Cape Town Travel Tips: What to Know Before You Go

Practical tips for Cape Town

• Table Mountain closes with wind — check cableway status app before heading up; sunrise + sunset hikes best light.

• Never leave valuables in cars anywhere — smash-and-grab is the #1 issue.

• Load-shedding (rolling blackouts) affects hotels; check ESP app for daily schedule.

Staying safe and comfortable

Local emergency number: 10111.

• Atlantic Seaboard (V&A, Camps Bay, Clifton, Sea Point, Green Point), City Bowl (day), Constantia, Winelands, Cape Point all safe.

• Avoid townships without licensed guide, no walking between neighbourhoods after dark.

• Never leave anything visible in parked cars — smash-and-grab is the #1 tourist issue.

• Emergency 10111 (police) / 10177 (medical).

Visas and entry

Entry policy: mixed, typically up to 90 days. US, UK, EU, Canadian, Australian, NZ, Japanese, Emirati, and 100+ passports enter visa-free 90 days. Passport valid 30 days beyond stay + 2 blank pages. Others eVisa or embassy. Under-18s need unabridged birth certificate.

Budgeting your trip

Accommodation is the largest controllable cost in Cape Town. Compare live rates for your dates and neighbourhood shortlist before locking in flights — the difference between areas is often larger than the difference between travel weeks.