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Cape Town travel guide

Welcome to the Mother City. Brimming with culture and adventure, Cape Town is a paradise for anyone desiring exploration or relaxation. Foodies will rejoice at the plentiful dining options that Cape Town has to offer and sun seekers need not worry, with beaches such as Clifton and Camps Bay right on your doorstep.

Getting around the Cape

Our direct overnight flights with Virgin Atlantic land you in the vibrant and diverse city of Cape Town. With only an hours time difference from home, you'll be fresh from the moment you step foot off the plane. Getting around couldn't be easier too, be it by foot or taxi, there's plenty of transport options available for you to explore all the Mother City has to offer. 

The Virgin Way...

The Winelands

Franschhoek Valley

For the somellier in all of us

 

Whether you're a seasoned wine connoisseur or an easy-going afficionado, the Western Cape's vineyards offer a fascinating glimpse into the incredible wines this region has to offer. What's more, with the preferential exchange rate, these can all be enjoyed be at a fraction of the cost of the other big name wine regions. Better yet, The Winelands can be accessed in as little as 45 minutes from Cape Town.

Sip back and relax...

Mont Rochelle

Mont Rochelle

Located in the picturesque town of Franschhoek, Mont Rochelle will likely be top of your agenda. Owned by Virgin Limited Edition, you can expect sensational wines, mouth-watering cuisine and fantastic Virgin hospitality.

 

 

Tastings start from R60pp

Haute Cabriere - CPT Travel Guide

Haute Cabrière

Family owned for over 40 years, Haute Cabrière offers some of the most impressive wines in the region. You can also enjoy lunch at Haute Cabrière's restaurant whilst taking in the incredible views of the Franschhoek Wine Valley.

 

Tastings start from R90pp

Lanzerac Wine Estate

Lanzerac

Founded just 13 years after Stellenbosch itself back in 1692, Lanzerac Wine Estate is a renowned part of the region's history. Lanzerac remains true to the legacy it has created and continues to offer a luxurious experience to all who visit.

 

Tastings start from R80pp

Rickety Bridge - CPT Travel Guide

Rickety Bridge

Formerly owned by one of the first female landowners in South Africa, Rickety Bridge is a traditional estate sat within the Franschhoek Valley. Tastings here are incredible value and there's even a child friendly option so no one misses out. 

 

Tastings start from R75pp

 

 

When one day just won't do

  • For those wanting to enjoy the Winelands for longer, why not spend a couple of nights in one of the gorgeous Winelands hotels. A stay in a Winelands hotel gives you the opportunity to relax and take a break from the excitement of Cape Town. We recommend a stay in Mont Rochelle, a stunning Virgin Limited Edition hotel located in the Franschhoek Valley.

The Cape Town know-how

Geography

  • Cape Town is the 2nd largest city in South Africa
  • The landscape is surrounded by vast mountain ranges and stretches of Atlantic Ocean
  • Cape Town has multiple neighbourhoods, each with unique characteristics

Cape Town flights

  • It takes about 11 hours to fly to Cape Town from London Heathrow with Virgin Atlantic
  • Flights depart daily on an overnight service
  • Cape Town is an hour ahead of the UK so there’s no jet lag when you land

Getting around

  • Cars drive on the left-hand side of the road, just like home
  • Hiring a car allows you to visit local regions such as Franschhoek and Stellenbosch
  • If planning to stay in Cape Town, use Uber to travel as they are affordable and reliable
  • Cape Town is extremely walkable so no need to rely solely on transportation

Weather

  • Cape Town enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate in the summer months
  • Their seasons are opposite, making Cape Town the perfect winter getaway
  • November- March is generally the warmest time of year to visit Cape Town

Money and entry visas

  • There are no visa requirements when entering Cape Town from the UK
  • Your passport must be valid for a minimum period of 30 days from the date you depart South Africa
  • The official currency is the South African Rand

WiFi and electricity

  • WiFi is reliable and fast across Cape Town, both in hotels and restaurants
  • Power cuts can occur during periods of loadshedding

Health

  • If you suffer from Hayfever, ensure you take medication with you as it may be triggered in Cape Town
  • Public healthcare services are available to tourists but may not be to the same standard as in the UK
  • Private healthcare is of a high standard but can be expensive so ensure you have the appropriate travel health insurance

Eating out and tipping

  • A 10% tip when eating out is standard in Cape Town
  • We recommend an evening meal at The Lawns for great food and sunset views
  • For a sugary snack, be sure to try a Koeksister, a readily available South African treat

Out and about

  • Take a hike up Table Mountain for incredible views of the city and coast
  • Head for the ocean to catch a glimpse of humpback whales, tours run July-December

 

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Your holiday may be affected by travel restrictions or cancellations

We are continually reviewing our flying schedules, taking into account the  Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice against all non-essential travel. Depending on when you are due to travel, your holiday may be affected and we’ll email you to let you know as least 21 days before travel.

You’ll be away before you know it

Your next holiday is only a click away - our website has thousands of options ready to book. But if you need more help, just give us a call on 0344 472 9646.

Looking for inspiration? Explore our destinations and holiday types and save your faves to your very own Wishlist. Or dive right in to our 2021 holiday offers.

Latest Foreign & Commonwealth Office repatriation travel advice


Over the past few weeks, we have repatriated our customers from overseas who wanted to come home.  

Please visit this page to keep up to date with the Government’s travel advice on returning to the UK, and to register for email alerts.
 

How would you like to talk to us?

With many customers needing our help, we are prioritising those customers due to travel before 31 December 2020. Log in to Manage my booking where you can message us about your options or you can give us a call. Bear in mind you may have to wait longer than expected. We continue to review this and working to open up these options to more customers. In the meantime check out our FAQs to see if this can help answer any immediate questions.

Stay tuned for the latest updates


Rest assured; we will notify you as soon as we know if your holiday has been affected by email. 

We are continually reviewing our flying schedules, taking into account the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advice against all non-essential travel. Depending on when you are due to travel, your holiday may be affected and we’ll email you to let you know as least 21 days before travel.

Let’s talk


If you need to speak to us to change or cancel your booking you can call our team on 0344 472 9646 or chat to us on SMS/Whatspp via Manage my booking.

For the latest information on Covid-19 you can check our FAQs here.

Payment flexibility


Don’t worry if you’ve missed a payment or just need a little more time to pay; we have options available to help you. If your holiday is going ahead as planned, you can continue to pay for your holiday in Manage my booking, even if travelling in less than 12 weeks. If you’re unsure, you can delay any additional payments by choosing a new time to travel by requesting a call back in Manage My booking for one of our team to look at options. If your holiday is more than 6 months away, you may wish to set up a Direct Debit to spread the cost. This can be arranged whilst rebooking or afterwards in Manage my booking.

We're flexible with your holiday plans


We understand that you may wish to change your holiday plans and we appreciate the need for flexibility. 

We'll be in touch by email letting you know how to register to change your holiday plans. You can also log into Manage my booking to find the details there. 

Please look out for emails from us or visit our dedicated Covid-19 (Coronavirus) page for the latest updates.

You're holiday is going ahead as planned


If we haven’t notified you of any changes, your holiday will be going ahead as planned but if you prefer to move your holiday to a later time we can help. You can call our team on 0344 472 9499 who can look at options for you.

Thank you for your patience and understanding


Payments are being prioritised based on when the request was made, working in order from March 2020 onwards. We will always try to process refunds at the earliest opportunity, for requests before August our maximum timeframe is 120 days. As we are steadily reducing the maximum processing time for each new request, for refund requests made in August, we expect the maximum processing time to be 80 days, from the date the refund is requested. For those requesting a refund in September, we expect it to be processed within a maximum of 60 days, and then reduce to 30 days for refunds requested in October, before returning to normal levels.

We'll be in touch soon


To finalise the amendment, one of our customer advisors will phone you. We need to work through amend requests in departure date order so we can prioritise those with the most imminent travel plans, so you may have a longer wait than usual until we’re able to ring you back. We will help everyone that wants to move their holiday.

I returned early from holiday and have further questions?


You can contact our team by emailing feedback.backhome@virginholidays.com to discuss options on unused portions of your holiday. If you need to contact our team about amending an existing holiday or requesting a refund please log in to manage my booking.

I am currently on holiday and I need to speak to someone


The easiest way to contact us while you are away is via WhatsApp. To get the conversation started, click the link and type "hello” .

or you can get in touch with our in-resort team during local opening hours

Find contact details for your location

Outside of local resort office hours you can call us in the UK +44 (0) 344 472 9626 (option 2) or email us duty.office@virginholidays.com

If you are in the USA or Canada please email: USAreps@virginholidays.com.

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