Many people associate this noticeable double-decker transport with London and tourist travel, although it has long been present in many capitals of the world. Cape Town is no exception!
In Cape Town, the bus runs according to the Hop-On — Hop-Off rule (get on and off at any bus stop along the route). You can buy a ticket on the official website or at the ticket offices at: V&A Waterfront, located outside the Two Oceans Aquarium or CBD, located at 81 Long Street.
There are two types of tickets for the red bus: classic and premium. We’re going to tell you the differences.
Classic Hop-On Hop-Off includes:
- walking tour
- official tour with a transfer (you can get off at any stop wherever you want to walk longer and then, with a ticket, get on another bus and continue your journey)
- outdoor comfort (headphones and audio guide in 15 languages are provided)
- valid for all routes: red, blue, purple (red one goes through the city and up to Table Mountain, blue route is a mini tour of the peninsula, purple route is a wine tour of the Constantia Valley)
- valid for 1 day
The cost is R279 per adult and R165 per child ticket.
The premium ticket includes all the classical items and:
- harbour or canal cruise (optional)
- sunset bus tour
- valid for 2 days
Tickets cost R379 per adult and R265 per child. Here you can have a look for any specials.
Now let’s have a look about the route. What attractions will you see during the sightseeing tour?
- Victoria and Alfred Waterfront (tour desk is near the Two Oceans Aquarium). This stop will take you to a food market and some of the best mussels in the world. Visit Battery Park with its amazing vegetation.
- Zeitz Mocaa Museum. In 2017 it was rebuilt by Thomas Heatherwick from a 1920s storehouse. It combines pipes, glass, concrete and the best pieces of art in South Africa. Once you are inside, you feel like you are in a honeycomb, where the play of light alone is worth something. At this stop you will also see the Nelson Mandela Gate to Robben Island.
- Cape Town Convention Center is the venue for various international congresses. If you are a member of one of them, now you know how can you get there.
- Lower cable car station. The very point where you will climb the most famous landmark – Table Mountain. The main thing is to take your jacket with you.
- Camps Bay Beach. A place washed by the Atlantic Ocean at the foot of the majestic mountains called the Twelve Apostles. This is where windsurfing and kitesurfing enthusiasts gather during the season.
- Green Point Lighthouse. Built in 1824, it is one of the oldest in South Africa and attracts guests with its views of the ocean and city. There is a museum on site and many restaurants nearby.
- Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden is one of the largest on the planet, with more than 7,000 plant species. In 2004, UNESCO recognized it as a world heritage site, making it the first botanical garden in the world.
- Constantia Nek. That same wine tour through the oldest wine region of South Africa, where you will visit the oldest winery and boutique winery.
- World of Birds in Hout Bay. In this not that large African park. You will meet not only birds, but also monkeys, which receive a lot of attention. You can ask a park worker to find a park worker to go into their enclosure and touch them. It’s a super exciting expirience.
- Imizamo Yethu Township. Although there is a walking tour here,Beloc won’t recommend. Just look at the life of poor people while sitting on the bus. Keep your valuables close to you.
- Marine pier in Hout Bay harbour. This is the habitat of a colony of fur seals. Reach their peninsula on a pleasure boat. It departs every 30 minutes from the pier. The orchestra will welcome you with songs, but be aware to thank them with tips. They will definitely hint you about this.
Bus tours run daily from 9:00 to 17:00. Boarding occurs every 10-30 minutes. Travel and boarding times vary depending on the season.
Tour duration:
- red line 1.5 hours
- blue line 2 hours
- purple line 30 minutes
If two days are not enough for you, there are other exciting tours on the official website. The red bus team invites you to take a trip to the whales, explore the life of penguins and seals, or to enjoy a tour of the best wine regions of South Africa. It’s up to you to decide what to choose!
