cape town tourism bus

Hop-on Hop-off Red Bus | Cape Town Sightseeing Tour

• By Katja Mamacos

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A classic for tourists, the city sightseeing bus is one of the best ways to see Cape Town quickly! You can buy a single or two-day ticket, and explore much of the city.

The red bus tour takes you through the city centre, and up to the base of Table Mountain , while the blue drives along the most beautiful stretches of coastline, and over to the city wine region! Hop off at any of the stops you’re interested in, and back on whenever you’re ready.

Küra and I went on this tour to explore our own city from a tourist’s perspective the other day, and it was just lovely! So I’ve got all the info you need, from tickets and times to highlights of the different tour options.

Cape Town Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

Here are some quick details on the sightseeing tour, with everything you need to know about where, when and how.

The red bus at its Groot Constantia stop on the Purple route

Starting point

Ticket Office, Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront

That’s right in front of the Two Oceans Aquarium , another great Cape Town highlight!

You can either buy your tickets online here or at the Waterfront starting point. If you’re planning to explore during off-season, both options are equally good! If, however, it’s busy season, you’ll find a longer, slower line for the in-person ticket purchase.

If you’re taking a spontaneous trip and want to get your tickets on the day, you’ll want to buy them in person – online sales must be made a day or more in advance. And if you want to buy them months in advance, that works too! Tickets can be cancelled or rescheduled up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

A ticket gets you access to all four tour routes, and you can hop on and off as often as you like.

Single day ticket: Adults ~ R300 ($17) | Children under 17 ~ R160 ($9)

Two-day ticket: Adults ~ R390 ($22) | Children under 17 ~ R265 ($15)

First departure: 08:15

Last departure: 17:15

Some routes leave a little later – I’d recommend arriving at 08:30 earliest, and then you won’t have to wait longer than a few minutes for your next bus.

Buses run every 20 minutes (and some every 15 minutes in summer), so you won’t have any long waits at your various stops.

Different tour routes to choose from

Depending on what you’re interested in seeing and exploring, the different tours are very important to choose between! You can tick off more than one in a day, though, and they share a few stops, so you don’t have to stick with just one. Still, it’s important to come prepared.

Red city tour

This is the best tour route if you’re particularly interested in the central loop of Cape Town. It’s also the route that stops at the Table Mountain cable station, which is one of the city’s top attractions!

Long Street: The long-standing hub of Cape Town’s CBD , Long Street is pretty iconic. It’s the best place to be for a fun night out, but during the day you’ll find it’s mostly cafes, proper curio stores, and the like. Well worth a stop if just for the beautiful street art and pretty facades.

Table Mountain Cableway:   This, of course, is one of the absolute most important stops in the city! Cape Town is spread out around our beloved Table Mountain, and its long mountain range is home to some of the most unique and beautiful flora in the world. You can trek up one of the mountain’s hiking trails – it’s a magnificent experience, but challenging.

The easier and more popular option is the cableway. This will take you up to the edge of Table Mountain and provide incredible views and some lovely paths crisscrossing the mountaintop.

Camps Bay: This is a beautiful coastal neighbourhood where you can have lunch overlooking the beach, and then pop into the chilly ocean water for a quick dip! This is also a favourite high-end area to stay in for tourists.

Green Point: This stop is right at the very beginning of the long coastal footpath, the Sea Point Promenade. A lovely and popular route to walk! It’s also right by the entrance to Green Point Park, a large and beautiful park with a lake, kiddies playparks, and lots of spots to picnic and relax.

Blue city tour

Taking you on a wider loop, the blue tour takes you through Constantia and Hout Bay, and round the coast through Camps Bay. A perfect chance to see our city’s natural range!

Kirstenbosch: One of the world’s greatest botanic gardens, Kirstenbosch is really a must-see. It’s home to hundreds of species of fynbos and forest vegetation and is the only place in the world where you can find many of these plants. A fantastically beautiful place!

World of Birds: A giant aviary of birds and monkeys, this is a pretty magical place. Many of their enclosures are open-air, and the birds stay here because it’s home. They’re also a hospital and orphanage for abandoned birds, and work on breeding endangered species. With over 400 species across 4 hectares of land, you’ll have loads to see.

Hout Bay Harbour: This is a beautiful harbour with some of the best fish and chips you can find, seals lazing about, and brightly coloured boats moored. It’s also the neighbourhood where you can set off on a kayaking trip or a seal snorkelling trip . We’ve done both, and can highly recommend either one!

Camps Bay: This tour, too, takes you to one of the best beaches in Cape Town ! In winter, grab a coffee along the promenade and clamber up the beachside rocks for the best view. In summer, take a dip!

Purple tour

The Purple route is a part of the Blue route – it’s its own thing, but you’ll just stay in the Blue route bus and jump off at the purple stops.

Its other name is the wine route, and it’s the perfect opportunity to go wine tasting with friends, family or your loved one. This way you don’t have to drive, and you don’t need to call an Uber to take you the short distances between vineyards.

Groot Constantia: This is the oldest wine farm in Constantia (Cape Town’s vineyard-covered central neighbourhood). Established in [ ], it’s the best place to learn about South Africa’s wine history, with a museum dedicated to that past! The wine tasting is also one of the best we’ve had, with five exquisite wines enjoyed under the trees. Be sure to stroll along the vineyard and visit the duck pond, too.

Eagles Nest: Another big favourite, Eagles Nest is the best wine farm for families. The wine is excellent, and they’ve got plenty of space and opportunity for the kids to play while the adults enjoy their tasting. The setting, too, is really beautiful.

Beau Constantia: Beau Constantia is possibly the fanciest wine farm in Cape Town. The wine tasting space is a large glass box overlooking the Constantia wine valley. The food here is amazing – very high end. And of course, so is the wine! It’s pricey, so I wouldn’t necessarily visit if you’re just looking for a fun time with friends or family. But it might be just the spot for a special date.

Cape Town red bus tour – which one will you choose?

There you have it, all the information you’ll need to choose your favourite red bus tour route. We did the blue and purple tour, and it was fantastic. We did choose to do it on the hottest day Cape Town has experienced in years, so that wasn’t the best decision in the world, but I’m sure you’ll find a better day for such a trip!

Let me know if you do the red bus tour and what you think of it. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

And if you’re looking for exciting things to do in and around Cape Town, check out our post on the Franschhoek wine tram – it’s a fantastic way to spend a day.

Katja Mamacos

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Cancellation fee of ZAR10 , per ticket cancelled, will be charged up to 24 hours before the chosen travel date. 100% cancellation fee applied within 24 hours of travel date.

For groups of 12 or more, you may send us an inquiry at [email protected]. Although we do not guarantee bulk deals for all our tours, there are some tours for which we can offer discounted pricing. Ordinary hop-on-hop-off bus tickets are entitled to group savings. Attractions, pass items and combo tickets aren't.

Due the nature of this type of tour and varying demand, group travellers should be aware that there is no guarantee that the group will be able to travel altogether as the available seats vary from stop to stop and depends on demand each day. The group may need to split up and/or wait for the next bus(s).

As, we cannot guarantee that the group shall be able to travel together as one group, therefore we will reduce the group size down to 4-5 smaller groups per ticket (depending upon group size).

City Sightseeing: Cape Town Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus Tour

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• Enjoy a Discount Booklet for savings on various attractions, including Table Mountain tickets.
• Experience a 1-Day Cape Town Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with 360-degree panoramic views of Cape Town.
• Explore the city at your own pace with multiple bus tour routes, creating your personalized itinerary.
• Pre-recorded commentary available on board in 15 languages
• FREE Wi-Fi on board
• Smartphone Voucher Accepted! (No need to print)
• 1 Day Cape Town Classic Hop-On Hop-Off Ticket
• Audio Guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Arabic, Turkish, Afrikaans, Zulu, Kids Commentary
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Know before you go.

Wheelchair Access with Manual or Automatic Ramp, Wifi, Air -Conditioning Hop On Hop Off at any of the stops along the circular route and simply show the same ticket to board the next bus Kids love the open top buses and have a special commentary channel (In English) Click here for Live Bus Tracking Infants can travel free and you do not require to book infant ticket. *Yellow Downtown Route has been replaced with a walking tour. Disclaimer: Due to traffic issues, public holidays, weather conditions, cruise ship arrivals and unforeseen circumstances, there might be sudden changes in the route or on the schedule. In "normal times" Cape Town is a busy city, especially during special events, summer holidays and at weekends. Traffic congestion and road closures - may cause delays, reduced frequency and changes to the route. We’ll do all we can to provide a smooth and frequent service!

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Cancellation policy, customer reviews.

Very informative Read More

Very informative

Thank you for your valuable feedback. Happy to hear your thoughts. It is always interesting to see what our travelers think of our service.

Terrific value with several routes to choose from Read More

Terrific value with several routes to choose from

A very enjoyable day trip and Rodney was a great guide! Read More

A very enjoyable day trip and Rodney was a great guide!

Thoroughly enjoyed our trip in Cape Town although the fog did mean we could not see a few of the sights. Good commentar... Read More

Thoroughly enjoyed our trip in Cape Town although the fog did mean we could not see a few of the sights. Good commentary to tell us about the many points around the city. Thank you

Lots of buses with friendly staff running throughout the day Read More

Lots of buses with friendly staff running throughout the day

Excellent Read More

Bus was clean! Driver well dressed and friendly! Commentary was very good with many languages to choose from! Read More

Bus was clean! Driver well dressed and friendly! Commentary was very good with many languages to choose from!

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CAPE TOWN FOR CAPETONIANS

Surf and turf tour: Cape Town’s new Waterfront Duck makes waves

Nestled in the heart of Cape Town’s bustling V&A Waterfront, The Waterfront Duck Company offers a one-of-a-kind tour experience that seamlessly merges the charm of historical Cape Town with the serene beauty of its waters.

Also read: Big petrol price cut for South African motorists

The Waterfront Duck is a 40-seater vehicle that can travel on both land and water.

Once operations launch, the tour will start at the V&A Waterfront, pass the Cape Town Stadium, and follow the Atlantic Seaboard coastline to see famous sights.

It will then return to the V&A Waterfront, leave land and launch into the water near the Cape Grace Hotel, and cruise around the V&A Marina and Harbour.

Co-owner of the Duck Company, Keith Lindsay, was inspired by the unique concept while abroad so he embarked on a challenging yet rewarding journey to bring this amphibious adventure to life.

He shares the story behind The Waterfront Duck Company, its challenges, and what makes it a must-try activity with Cape {town} Etc.

The idea for The Waterfront Duck Company took root during a family holiday in Boston in 2008. Lindsay was captivated by the popularity and appeal of the amphibious tour concept, which delighted both young and old.

He recognised the potential for a similar attraction in Cape Town.

‘It was perfectly suited to this story-rich city, combined with an interesting body of water. In my mind the City of Cape Town and the world-class V&A Waterfront fitted both.’

Bringing the concept to Cape Town was no easy feat. Unlike other amphibious tours around the world that utilise repurposed WWII landing craft, Lindsay prioritised safety and modern standards.

The search led to Seahorse Amphibious in Windsor, UK, whose Seahorse MKIII design started primarily as a boat, ensuring optimal safety and suitability for both land and water use.

This vehicle underwent rigorous safety scrutiny by both the UK’s Marine and Coastguard Authority and South Africa’s Maritime Safety Agency, a process that took over two years. Additionally, adaptations were made to ensure the vehicle could navigate Cape Town’s specific environment, including lowering the roofline and adding a bow thruster for enhanced control.

Lindsay emphasises these safety measures: ‘In terms of new amphibious vehicles, many manufacturers actually start with a bus chassis and then convert it to be able to float, which they were not in favour of. We eventually settled on a craft from a company called ‘Seahorse Amphibious’ based in Windsor in the UK. We really liked their approach to design and safety. They started primarily with a boat design and then made sure it was suitable for road use. We believe that this was a way safer and better way to go.’

Safety is paramount for The Waterfront Duck Company.

The amphibious vehicle complies with all necessary regulations, featuring lifejackets, multiple sealed compartments, and automatic bilge pumps.

Lindsay underscores this further: ‘On land, our brakes, seats, lights, etc, all meet the required standards, as would any new bus on our roads. Of course, this is not only a vessel requirement, but also a human one.’

‘Our skipper/drivers (who we call Quacktains) have to be both a skipper with passenger endorsement and a heavy duty driver with PDP. Also, unlike in the USA, where the driver is also the tour guide, our tours will include a separate tour guide (who we call a ConDUCKtor!) who is also a qualified deck-hand crew member.’

‘For safety, we never leave the confines of the V&A harbour wall, always remaining inside the Victoria Basin. Tours will be postponed if the weather is deemed to be outside of acceptable operating parameters.’

‘In terms of comfort, our 36 seats are fully imported, access is easy via 7 short steps and with the roll-up flaps, there is always plenty of fresh air!’

Lindsay explains that The Waterfront Duck Company is set apart from other tourist activities in Cape Town because of its uniqueness.

‘As far as we are aware, this is the very first amphibious tour bus in South Africa – How could you be more unique?! You get the best of the city and the waterfront by land and water!’

The tours are not just about sightseeing; they provide ‘edutainment,’ blending entertaining and engaging commentary with historical and ecological insights.

‘The other point of difference is the focus on ‘edutainment’. Entertaining live tour guides who deliver interesting content in a quirky and engaging way. Our tour covers some interesting historical snippets as well as taking on bit more of a marine/eco theme as we enter the water.’

Finding the right people to operate the amphibious vehicle is crucial. Quacktains must have both a skipper’s licence and a heavy-duty driver’s licence, ensuring they are well-equipped for their dual roles.

ConDUCKtors serve as tour guides and deckhand crew members, adding to the educational and entertaining experience for passengers. A sense of fun and enthusiasm is a must for all team members.

Looking ahead, The Waterfront Duck Company has exciting plans.

‘We have many plans in the making but the key ones are: a) getting our first Duck fully operational as soon as possible; and b) planning our second Duck.’

‘Our order for this has already been placed and it is currently under construction in the UK and is due arrive in Cape Town early in the new year! Our branded apparel and accessory store will also open up soon at the V&A Waterfront at our ticket office in front of the Silo Hotel!’

Experience Cape Town like never before – on land and sea – with The Waterfront Duck Company!

Tickets are not yet available for purchase but will be one month before the launch.

For more information, visit The Waterfront Duck Company’s official website .

NSRI warns of spring tide danger over the weekend

Picture:  Supplied

Article written by Aiden Daries

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