The temperature in Cape Town starts rising again: spring is in the air. So let’s put winter behind us, shake off the last drizzles and gear up for a month of creativity, trance parties, flower walks, wine trail runs and much more activities for our backpacker friends! So if you looking for a backpacker in Cape Town that provides all outdoor activities, Ashanti Travel Centre is here for you!
Whales Watching
Best place for whales watching around Cape Town is surely Hermanus; wedged between the mountains and sea, Hermanus is a little fishing village and a prime land-based whale-watching destination. The whales can be seen from the cliffs in the town centre as early as June and usually depart in early December. About 60 to 100 of these magnificent animals come here from Antarctica to breed and rear their young. The cliff tops in Hermanus offer great views and the ability to watch the whales close up so don’t miss it when you staying in Cape Town!
Hiking
Table Mountain: It’s finally Spring, for all Ashanti’s Backpacking adventurers who came hiking Table Mountain; it is finally the time to come back against the rock! Several routes can be taken to get to the top of Table Mountain: The easiest one and the most famous one is Platteklip Gorge (3 Km / 3 Hours / Easy where you can view the mother city as you climb up the orginal route used by explorers to get to the top of Table Mountain. This is an easy route and often this is the first route many people take up Table Mountain. The path is constructed of stone steps and has recently been upgraded with stone gabions to stop any erosion. There are no difficult parts to climb and it is a constant climb to the top.
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Another route that you may use is Pipe Track, there is a beautiful and easy contour path above Camps Bay called the Pipe Track, which starts at Kloof Nek. The Pipe Track, originally a service path for maintaining pipes leading from the high reservoirs, serves to link the paths leading up to the Twelve Apostles ridge. Along the way, there are several exciting routes up the mountain from the Pipe Track.
Lion’s Head: The second main attraction of the Mother City is of course Lion’s Head: best known for its stunning views of the Mother City, Table Bay on one side, and the Atlantic shoreline on the other, which makes the hour-long walk to the top really worth the effort. Add a little mystery to the walk by tackling it during full moon and be rewarded with a glittering view of Cape Town by night! Also, due to its height above the city and the ideal wind conditions that prevail around it, Lion’s Head is a great spot to go paragliding, hang-gliding or microlighting. For further information, feel free to contact Lizette from the Ashanti Travel Centre at [email protected]
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Concerts
Spring is also famous for the variety of outdoor concerts and festival in the Mother City. The first one coming up is Organik Gaian Dream Trance Party which will take place from Friday, 16 to Sunday, 18 October 2014. The festival will be host 90 kilometers away from Cape Town and the ticket will cost around R320. This trance party is famous for its location in a big open field in the middle of the forest. Feel free to visit the website to discover the after movie from the last edition and buy your ticket!
On Saturday 31 October – 1 November, Flenterskloof Farm will be hosting what is being called another great trance event, TRANSylvania Cape Town. This festival is the first edition of his kind and will happen for the Halloween Night. If you need a place to find an accommodation after the festival, Ashanti Backpacker will be hosting an after Party on the 1st of November to celebrate Halloween with all our backpacker friends!
The Village: Spiritual Synaesthesia Trance Party: This is the ninth year of Synaesthesia and a celebration of life, with this year, psytrance sounds of Contra, Deliriant, Lester the Jester and Archive, with his twilight psychedelic psyTrashings. There are plenty of facilities for your physical self, including a fabulous shaded dance floor, lots of chill areas, camping amenities, a fully-licensed bar, security, clean toilets and a wonderful variety of food, craft and clothing stalls.
Flower walks
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Spring is of course the best season to go on Flower Tours to discover the wonders of South Africa. Rocherpan Nature Reserve is a coastal nature reserve teeming with birds and colourful wildflowers. The reserve, which lies 25km north of Velddrif on the Cape West Coast, consists largely of a seasonal vlei that is usually dry between March and November. It’s a very great place for our guests to go and discover the nature part of the country.
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Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve is a striking, rugged nature reserve in the Breede River valley, about 15km south of Robertson on the road to McGregor. The rocky landscape is starkly beautiful, dominated by patches of succulents, dwarf trees and shrubs. In spring, Vrolijkheid lives up to its name –happiness – as splashes of bright orange botterblom daisies decorate the reserve.
Mzoli’s Sunday Braai
Mzoli’s Place, situated just outside Cape Town in the township of Gugulethu, is known for its vibrant parties, diverse patronage and, of course, its signature meat. Kwa-Mzoli, as locals call it, is the ideal place to introduce oneself to township culture, the friendly people, big personalities, street fashion and the partying that never stops. It is a great spot to end off your week at Ashanti Lodge! Sundays are usually the best days to go, as the music is live. Get there early as the queues usually wind around the block and parking is limited. Book a taxi or find out if other backpacker from Ashanti Lodge Garden would like to join; it’s convenient and will definitely be needed after all the alcohol you’ll probably consume!
Surfing
Cape Town has an abundance of surf spots along its coast, from coves with small, gentle swells, to expansive beaches, bone-crunching waves. Rather surprisingly, the typically Cape Peninsula water temperatures rise during the winter time, making the months of October, November and December ideal for surf; not to mention, the bigger winter storms make for bigger swells! Ashanti Travel Centre can provide several tours for you with Downhill Adventures (Surf School, Sandboarding); or Stoked School of Surf
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Open Air Cinema
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The Galileo Open Air Cinema welcomes you to a magical movie experience of cinematic delights, tantalizing treats and breath-taking scenery under a canopy of stars. At The Galileo, when the sun sets the stars really come out, with a glittering line-up of romantic comedies, cult classics, musicals, adventure sports and documentaries that let you cuddle up and be entertained. Every event is a unique experience that starts at 6pm, when the doors swing open and welcome you to a festive market with mouth-watering artisanal food and drinks on sale, interactive games on hand and lively music floating on a summer’s breeze. From October to April!
Spring is finally in Cape Town bringing hundred activities so don’t miss anything that you could do in the Mother City! Feel free to ask reception at Ashanti Lodge and the Ashanti Travel Centre for more information about all the tours and activities to do!
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