EXPLORING THE BACKSIDE OF CAPE TOWN |Sharon Henry
Red Bus Cape Town tours are excellent for visitors to the Mother City. We found wine vineyards, one of the best Hout Bay restaurants and stunning scenery along the route of our hop on hop off Cape Town excursion.
The city of Cape Town is vibrant, edgy, beautiful and cosmopolitan, bursting with history and culture. The City Sightseeing Cape Town tours perfectly shows off what ‘Telegraph’ readers voted as the world’s number one city destination.
The Hop On Hop Off Bus Cape Town
This hop on hop off, global franchise operates a red bus tour on two main routes in the city. The red route stops off at Table Mountain then continues through to Camps Bay, looping back along the coastline to the V&A Waterfront. We chose the blue, mini Cape peninsular tour that goes around the back of Table Mountain to Constantia (the “Beverley Hills of Cape Town”), onwards to Hout Bay before joining the red route’s coastal leg back to the V&A Waterfront.
The ticket for a Classic tour is a bargain at 180 rand (equivalent to £9.23) offering lots to fill one day in Cape Town. Tickets can be bought online, on the bus, or from one of the three tour offices; outside the Two Oceans Aquarium, 81 Long Street and Stop 8 at Camps Bay.

Complimentary headphones plug into the audio ports throughout the bus. The Cape Town City Sightseeing tour.
The Red Bus Cape Town Tour Fun Commentary
We sat on the open-air upper deck, for better views and photography, and to bask in the glorious African sunshine. Red and yellow plastic headphones were provided for the built in audio guides at each seat which offered a choice of 16 languages. The commentary was interesting and informative, injected with humour and interspersed with local music.
We started our Red Bus Cape Town tour on Long Street which was great for admiring the colourful Victorian and Cape Dutch architecture, before we passed the grand columns of the Mount Nelson Hotel entrance on our right.
This hotel is Cape Town’s most iconic luxury accommodation and has attracted the likes of Winston Churchill, U2 and John Lennon. The audio guide told a story about complaints that had been made to Mount Nelson’s management of a hobo on the lawn. Upon investigation it turned out to be the late Beatle, John Lennon, meditating.
The Red Bus Tour Cape Town
The City Sightseeing bus then followed the road to the left of Table Mountain, leaving the built-up city behind.
My fondness for wines made Groot Constantia, South Africa’s oldest wine vineyard our first ‘hop-off.’ On the cellar tour we learnt the intricacies of the wine making process and saw 330, full, 50 litre barrels of product stacked in storage. A sight that’ll have any wine lover drooling and making rash promises to Santa.
The City Sightseeing Cape Town Tour
Table Mountain is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, but the views from the ‘back side’ are breath-taking. We had not expected the abundant forests and sprawling, lush suburbs.
The audio guide explained that pine trees on the mountain range are an invasive species, stealing precious habitat from native plants and there are plans to eradicate them by 2025. Unsurprisingly there’s been outcry from certain quarters who argue the 100 year old pine trees have become part of Cape Town’s heritage.
Interesting fact from the guide: all species of geraniums in the world originated from the slopes of Table Mountain.

The stunning valley we drove through behind Table Mountain on the Red Bus Cape Town tour. Hout Bay is off to the left in the distance.
Mariners Wharf Hout Bay Cape Town
Our next hop-off was the fishing harbour of Hout Bay beach where a kite surfer was taking advantage of the strong wind, walkers threw sticks for their tail-wagging dogs and flocks of seagulls rested on the marina. Famished, we made a beeline for the rustic Mariner’s Wharf restaurant overlooking the curve of the bay’s white sand beach. I ordered their famous fish and chips which were cooked to perfection; moist hake in light and crispy batter. Darrin had a calamari Chokka salad.
Hout Bay Seals Steals The Show
To top off an already enjoyable day we then met Eragfaan Davids or as we call him, the ‘Kodak Moment Seal Guy.’ He has trained wild Hout Bay seals to raise themselves out of the water and delicately pluck fish from his mouth. One seal in particular called ‘Julius’ obediently waited for the ‘okay’ command before taking the food.
People pay good money at Sea World-type parks for such a spectacle; here we had it free. Eragfaan told us he’s been doing this for seven years and earns money from tourists’ donations. Sitting on the jetty he attracts attention by shouting, “get your Kodak moment right here boss.” Eragfaan claims to know 74 seals that frequent the harbour area. The seals are very camera friendly.

Eragfaan Davids has been entertaining tourists for seven years and has become one of the Hout Bay attractions.
Oceanfront Property
The views on the journey to the Waterfront were superb; the glittering Atlantic coastline is littered with white sand beaches and luxury properties built into the surrounding hillsides. Although the rolling waves looked enticing, sea temperature in summer drop to a toe-curling 9C, apparently an effect of melting ice from Antarctica. The sea is bizarrely warmer in winter.
As we drove along the gently winding road the peaks of the Twelve Apostles mountain range loomed on the right, although we counted at least 17 peaks.
Red Bus Cape Town Ticket Prices
The City Sightseeing Cape Town tour is a brilliant excursion. The staff were helpful, the buses comfortable and frequent. It’s also very educational. Unfortunately, we by-passed the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, World of Birds and the Imazamo Yethu township attractions; there’s only so much you can do in a day. Next time!
The one day ticket costs R180 (£9.23 or $12.05) but take advantage of discounts by booking online. It’s a bargain and definitely well worth the money.
Update: Currency conversions based on September 2018 exchange rates.
wow been on that bus tour it was so great. hope u had a great time guys
Hi Kimbley – Yes the bus tour was such a great way to explore the beautiful city of Cape Town.
Good pictures. Hope I get to feed the seals too. Jacob.
Hey Jacob! You really must get out to see the ‘Seal Guy’ on your visit. Make sure to take lots of photos. Enjoy your holiday! 🙂
Good stuff as usual you guys. Not sure if you have time, but no visit to Capetown is complete without afternoon tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel. We tried it and we liked it!!
Okay we’ll have to put afternoon tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel on our to-do list. Bet it’s going to be different to tomato paste sandwiches and pumpkin pudding! 🙂
Awesome photos .brilliant blog thank you
Thanks Shirley – Cape Town is so photogenic you can’t take a bad picture!
Capetonian and loving it ! You do us proud.
Oh yes – totally fell in love with Cape Town!
Brings back some memories of few places I’ve seen, it would be nice to visit and explore deeply into the heart of the City’s attraction sites….maybe one day.
Definitely a city to put on your revisit list.
We did this tour a few years ago!
I am enjoying What the Saints did next so much in anticipation of my visit to Cape Town and St Helena next week. Will definitely fit in the tour you describe so colourfully. I can hardly wait to see my grandson, August, and the rest of my family on the island – you have certainly whetted my appetite for the adventure in store. Thank you and keep the information coming!
Thanks for the feedback Valerie. That’ll be a great way to start your St Helena adventure and there are many other excursions on the tour to try if you have to time to do them. 🙂
Brings back memories, we did this tour a few years ago, it was amazing! Lovely pics Sharon and Darrin, enjoy! MIss you from French!!
Thanks Pat – it truly was an amazing ‘backside.’ 🙂 Missing our French classes too!
If you feel energetic, walk up Table Mountson, go from the lower cable station to the contour path and turn left to Platteklip Gorge. As long as this is safe now? I was told there are thieves and muggers there now but this might not be true, I hope not. I have done this walk about sixty times, it is a good ‘before breakfast’ walk, come back down in the Cable Car, it is no fun walking down.
You have done Jacobs Ladder? This walk only about five times that.
Hi Simon – yes looks like Cape Town has a lot of energetic walks. We were fortunate enough to do one on our visit. Excellent views.
So glad you enjoyed Cape Town and it s beauty .We Capetonians seldom get around to enjoy the scenery and beaches. At my age the beaches are too windy . Did yiou see Kistenbosch Botanical Gardens with its floral kiongdom. What about the trip up Table Mountain in the cable car to survey the peninsula in all is glory. having my 80th Birthday next week at “Suikerbossie” Restaurant near Sanbdy Bay but not in the nude though too old for that these days. The Restaurant is perched high up in a beautiful valley over looking Hout Bay where you get the choicest fish meals .I mean Hout Bay. At Suikerbossie you get a scrumptious outdoor meal under the canopy of those beautiful new sun shades. It’s a place to behold. Y ou Saints will appreciate it as your British Sterling currency goes further than ours and you will really enjoy the scene
Thanks for your feedback. We’ve been told Kirstenbosch is worth a visit. We’ve been to Table Mountain a few times and have been lucky to have clear views. We wish you Happy 80th Birthday for next week, and your planned celebration meal sounds devine.
So glad you did this tour. It’s one of favourites. World of birds, Imizamo Yethu and KB Gardens are also a must……think you both need to go on the motorbike and side car night excursion too now…dont forget Mzolies…..its in Gooks I think, I will make a point of doing that in April. Enjoy the Mother City.
Thanks Adam – have to admit I’m a little dubious about the motorbike and side car! Hope you enjoy your visit in April.