Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa as well as the capital of the Western Province. The city is famed for its hospitality. Cape Town has a lively culture scene, particularly when it comes to music. The people are open-minded and relaxed and because of this the city is the tourism capital of South Africa.
The city itself is dominated by Table Mountain - so called due to its flat-topped summit. The views from Table Mountain are spectacular and there are some good, easy walks on the summit - you can catch the cable car to the summit. The views are not to be missed so don't be put off by the crowds!
Cape Town is the South African home for outdoor pursuits. There are a range of watersports to enjoy including: diving, surfing and sailing. There is also angling, scenic drives, mountaineering, hiking, kite-flying, parasailing and bird- and whale-watching. If you need some light relief the city offers wine tasting and shopping.
For spectacular wildlife a trip to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve is perfect. The reserve offers awesome scenery, fantastic walks and deserted beaches. It is especially beautiful in spring when the wildflowers bloom.
Janet Horsley had an incredible time on her tailor-made gap year, blazing a trail through Africa, Asia, Australia and Latin America, read her story here.
Gap Year for Grown Ups have many Career Break Voluntary Projects in Africa for grown up gappers. Because Gap Year for Grown Ups is the leading authority and only specialist source of ideas and options for grown up gap years, it has the widest range of volunteering programmes in Africa. These include animal/wildlife conservation, teaching English in Africa, community volunteering in Africa and Voluntary work with children in Africa.