Originally Posted by
bentrmpt
Should I be thinking more seriously about Gansbaai?
I think both Simon's Town and Gansbaai will serve you well. We went all the way out to Gansbaai in April/May 2010 and LOVED it--saw about 30-40 white sharks including about 6 that breached! It was a very early drive out (the outfits will pick you up), but it was totally worth it. Since we were jetlagged, the early wake up wasn't so bad.
I'm trying to decide if we should do Robbens Island, because I've heard some mixed reviews. I've also heard that, with Cape Town winter weather, the ferry often gets cancelled. I'm very interested in learning more about the history of apartheid while in Cape Town. Is Robben Island the place to do it? Are there other things that I should be considering, like a township tour?
We didn't go to Robbens Island on our first visit in 2003 and regretted it...so we went on our second visit in May 2007. We had no issues with the ferry at all. We very much enjoyed Robbens, but things like this are always subjective. I normally hate museums and cultural things like this, but I really enjoyed it.
There is also the District Six museum about apartheid and the removal/history of that apartheid relic. It was interesting--if you have time, do it, but I wouldn't worry if you don't.
I'd definitely recommend a township tour if you want to see how the majority of real South Africans live.
We'd love to do the Chapman's peak drive, and we'd love to spend time driving around the wine country. Should we rent a car, or should we do this through private guides/small tour groups? I have heard mixed advice on the wisdom of renting a car in Cape Town, so I'd love to hear advice from this forum.
Chapman's Peak drive is cool...but Table Mountain is cooler. Up to you! We've driven in SA on numerous trips and never had a single issue, including most recently in 2010. We are going back in January 2015 and are driving around then, too. In Cape Town you won't really need a car since taxis are readily available...but if you venture outside (which I recommend) you'll need a rental car or to hire a car/guide or travel with a group.
I definitely recommend visiting wine country...in fact, I recommend staying in wine country if you can. Our first trip, we day tripped out and regretted it--between traffic and the long day and not enough time to really see it all. (For us, who have been to wine regions all over the world, the SA wine country is the most dramatic and beautiful--unquestionably.) Our last 2 trips we stayed in Franschhoek for at least a few nights (including getting married there in 2010!), and we'll be back again for 3 nights in Franschhoek in January 2015.
We never do wine touring with groups. We're too particular and we know far more than most groups--which often simply visit the prettiest wineries and not the ones with the most exciting wines. Depends on what you prefer...and how comfortable you are using a GPS and driving on your own (and spitting if you are wine tasting so you don't get drunk!).
Is the Test Kitchen worth it? What other restaurants in the Cape Town region should I be considering?
We are going in January 2010 during our next trip. There are TONS of amazing restaurants in/around Cape Town--there are many lists you can refer to by a simple Google search. Since the Test Kitchen's chef used to be at La Colombe which we dined at in 2003, we know he's amazing. The Test Kitchen is rated by most as even better than The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais (where we will stay in Jan), and we dined at the The Tasting Room the night before our wedding in April 2010--amazing. (We dine at top restaurants the world over, and I can assure you that the dining in Cape Town and in the Cape wine country is world class--and much cheaper than in Europe or the US!)
One of the other benefits of staying in wine country rather than just daytripping it is the chance for dining at some of the most incredible restaurants there. Again, the lists are easily found. (We're going to Vergelegan's Camphor and Le Petite Ferm and the Tasting Room again in Jan in wine country, and the Test Kitchen in Cape Town...skipping La Colombe this time.)
What am I missing from my itinerary that I need to include?
You MUST spend at least a day driving down the Cape peninsula to the Cape of Good Hope, Boulders Beach with the penguins, and the cute little towns along the Bay and Atlantic (both sides--drive down one way and back the other). It's amazing.
If you do go to Gansbaai for sharks instead of Simon's Town, our driver managed to take us back a longer way that stopped along some of the top wineries in the southern Hermanus region--Hamilton Russell and Bouchard Finlayson. What a nice surprise and highlight.
Trust me--you will love it. It's my favorite place in the world (the whole Cape and Cape Town), and I can't get enough.