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As I am heading into my third week here in Cape Town, I want to reflect on some of the highlights I have experienced so far. Each day brings a new opportunity and another eye-opening adventure. 

From local farmer’s markets to a safari, I have been checking things off my bucket list every day! If you ever find yourself in Cape Town, here are some of my favorite places you should check out!

 

Oranjezicht City Farm Market 

Saturday and Wednesday are market days! Every Saturday, the Oranjezicht City Farm Market opens to the public to celebrate local food and culture. Inside is decorated with a beautiful array of flowers and lights. A fresh fruit and vegetable stand is the center of the market and surrounding it are local traders selling their unique products like homemade soaps or woven dresses. The food here is incredible! Walking around the border of the market, you can find Vietnamese food, crepes, sushi, street Indian food, and so much more. It is the perfect place to taste test and see what you like!

While on Wednesdays, the market shifts into a place to experience Cape Town’s nightlife. With a DJ, numerous food stations, and a view of the sunset, this market is such a special experience. At night, the market is extremely crowded and is a hot spot for food lovers! I have already been to the day market and the night market, claiming recognition from some of my favorite vendors. 

The Oranjezicht City Farm Market is such a comfortable and exciting place. It is one that I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to explore a new culture and anyone who loves to taste a variety of different foods! 

 

Beaches

Cape Town is known for its stunning beaches. Because it is located on a peninsula, there are so many to choose from. To make the beaches even better, the backdrop of the incredible mountains and city life always ties it together. So far, I have been loving the Clifton Beaches. The white sand, rocky mountains, and local location allow for a perfect beach day. 

One of my favorite things to do while at the beach is to take a stroll along the water, admiring the houses that sit on the coast. At Clifton beach, some of the most expensive houses in the city can be seen. This makes for a beautiful walk, admiring nature, and exploring the surrounding areas of this beach. The water here is extremely cold due to the fact that this beach is on the Atlantic coast. Just dipping one foot in the water almost makes your entire body freeze up! But, the view of the mountains connecting with the foamy white waves is well worth it! Plus, when the summer weather shines down, a quick jump in the cold water is quite refreshing. 

 

Table Mountain 

Table Mountain is officially one of the new seven wonders of nature. It is also the most leading tourist attraction in Cape Town. You can either take a cable car up the mountain or hike it. A cable car gives you an aerial view of the city, pulling you all the way up into the clouds. This view is one that I will never get over. Ascending over 3,000 feet into the air and watching the people, beaches, and buildings below you become smaller and smaller in an incredible sight. While being pulled up the mountain, things like the Cape Town Stadium, where the 2010 World Cup was played can be seen. At the top, the views continue to get better as there are walking paths around the entire mountain, with a panoramic view of the ocean and the city.

I not only took the famous cable car up the mountain, but I also climbed the full 3,563 feet in elevation, seven miles up Table Mountain. However, I caution you that this hike was extremely strenuous and difficult, with a lot of rock climbing. Be aware of the lack of trail markers. We ended up taking a wrong turn that led us to run out of water three hours into our five-hour hike. Doing this without water was quite the task. Eventually, when we made it to the top of the mountain, the entirety of the exhausting climbing was worth it. Looking down at the aerial view of the city is different every time you reach the top.

The first time I went up the mountain in the cable car, it was pretty cloudy. This blocked almost the entire view of the side of the mountain with the ocean. However, when I hiked up the mountain, the sky was clear and the sun was starting to set. I am so happy to check Table Mountain off of my bucket list in my first few weeks here! Hopefully, I will be able to see the other seven wonders of nature in my lifetime. 

 

Safari

A safari was one of the top experiences I was most excited about when coming to Cape Town. The CIEE Program took all of the students for an overnight trip to Aquila Private Game Reserve. We first stopped in Stellenbosch at a local Eagle Encounter where injured birds are taken care of before they return back to the wild. My favorite bird here was the African Eagle. I have never seen such a large bird up close. Our tour guide informed us of the power that this eagle and many others have. Did you know that the grip of their talons is as strong as the jaw of a lion? We were also informed that these birds only eat about once a week. Because it was Friday (feeding day) every time the handler would walk towards the cage, these birds would spread their large wings and make high-pitched noises. It was definitely a sight to see!

At the Eagle Encounter, I held a snake for the first time. Though it was small, the handler told me to put my big, curly hair in a ponytail because the snake would burrow into it. So, I did as he said, and it only took the snake a few seconds before it slithered around my neck. I immediately asked for help once it got tighter around my neck, moving its way into my ponytail. No more snakes for me!

The next day we arrived at Aquila Private Game Reserve. This is when my excitement was through the roof. Here in South Africa, they have the Big 5: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffalo. There are also categories of the Beautiful 5, which include giraffes, and the Ugly 5, which includes wildebeests and hyenas.

We hopped into the safari truck with our safari guide Max, and we began our bumpy ride. The first animal we saw was a hippo! There were three hippos jumping and playing in a small body of water in the reserve. This was the first time I have ever seen a hippopotamus. 

• Safari Pro Tip: If a hippopotamus begins to charge at you, run in zig-zags! This is because a hippo’s legs are too short and stubby to change directions quickly enough. 

As we continued driving, we saw lots of ostriches. Their long necks poked out of the bushes and long blades of grass. When we put the truck in park, one of the males decided to come closer to the truck and block our path in the road. But, Max found his way around him and made our ride even bumpier.

• Safari Pro Tip: If an ostrich ever charges at you, it will want to use one of its legs to kick you. The power of their kick can kill a human being. The best way to survive an ostrich attack is laying on the ground so the ostrich is not able to kick you. Instead, it will step on you which is less powerful. 

The next animal we stopped to see was a rhino! One of the Big 5! This was an exciting moment for me because I have never seen a rhino before. There were about four that were feeding on some grass in front of the truck. We admired their beauty for a while before moving forward to see some zebras. The view of these animals in an area with over 20,000 acres of land, including mountains and water, was truly amazing. There was never a dull moment when looking around. One fact about zebras is that they are black with white stripes! 

My favorite animal is a lion. Therefore, I was most excited to see one in this reserve. However, because the land is so massive, Max told us we had to look closely into the mountains because lions will sleep for sixteen or more hours a day. After spotting the lion very far away under a shaded tree, we continued our trip until we were in a traffic jam. Literally. 

A herd of elephants began walking toward the trucks on the touring path. One elephant, in particular, had a stick in its truck and decided to walk on the path that our truck was on! I could almost feel the weight of the elephant’s bulky steps beneath me. We were moving slowly behind the elephant as he was enjoying the large stick he was playing with. After a few minutes, he decided to pull over for a snack of some grass and leaves. I have never been so close to such a large animal before that it was almost daunting! But, he did no harm and went on enjoying his day in the African sun. 

Giraffes and baboons were wandering the landscape and were incredible to watch. The giraffes were laying down, hidden away in the long grass. They are the only animal to walk with the same two legs at the same time! Left front leg, left back leg. Right front leg, right back leg! The baboons were scattered across the whole preserve and made the ride really enjoyable. They hopped around and played with one another taking a minute to stop to stare at the truck once it drove by. 

As the safari wrapped up, I took one last look at the landscape and my surroundings. I know I have said it many times, but I can’t say it enough. The South African mountains are the most amazing sight I have ever seen. Paired with the lush green trees and sparkling lake water, the Aquila Private Game Reserve was truly stunning. 

 

Overall, each of these experiences I have had so far are ones that I will never forget. Each day continues to get better and better and each day I am learning more about this beautiful country. This coming week I will be scuba diving with stingrays, sea turtles, and more! I will also be taking an African dance class and going on the Lion’s Head hike! I can’t wait to see what the upcoming weeks have to offer here in Cape Town. 

Stay tuned for my next blog! I am so happy you are here. 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi friends! My name is Tara Roumes and I am a junior here at URI. With a double major in journalism and English, you can always find me writing! When a pen isn’t in my hand, a fresh cup of coffee and a book often replace it. My love for books can be found on Instagram, @taras_littlelibrary, where I post reviews and connect with other avid readers. If I am not reading or writing, I am definitely claiming a front-row seat at any athletic event on campus, playing with my two dogs, or listening to Harry Styles. This is my second semester blogging for Inside Rec and I am so excited to share my experiences, thoughts, and opinions with you! Right now I am studying abroad in Cape Town then I head to Sydney and Rome!