Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with white sandy beaches and a mountain range covered in lush green vegetation right within the city’s limits.
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One of the best ways to see Cape Town is by air, which will give you a perspective of the city and its surroundings like no other. From Table Bay and Table Mountain looming over it, all the way south along the Peninsula to False Bay and Cape Point.
Here’s a look at how you can get a bird’s eye view of this incredible city.
1. Paragliding
Enjoy the ultimate tandem paragliding experience over Cape Town from the popular Signal Hill or Lions Head launch sites. Get your adrenaline kick by soaring over the city and enjoying the bird’s eye views of the mountains, beautiful flora, vibrant neighborhoods, and breathtaking coastline. With no experience necessary, these award-winning views are a sight to see while gliding above land and sea.
Accredited operators include Fly Cape Town Paragliding, Cape Town Tandem Paragliding, Skywings Paragliding, Parapax Tandem Paragliding, Icarus Tandem Paragliding, and the Tandem Flight Company.
2. Gyrocopter Flights
For something truly different, why not try a ride in a gyrocopter? Not quite a helicopter, not quite a microlight, these funny-looking flying machines will give you a birds-eye view of Cape Town and its lovely surroundings.
And just when you think that a gyrocopter flight sounds a bit boring, opt for a ‘combat’ flight and the pilot will show you just what the gyrocopter is capable of. As with microlight flights, there are only a small number of operators in the Cape Town area and all offer transfers to and from the city.
3. Helicopter Flights
Get a bird’s eye view of the city with a helicopter trip over Cape Town. Take a stunning tour of some of the greatest and most historic sites the city has to offer. You can see Robben Island, the famous beaches of Camps Bay and Clifton, Table Mountain, Cape Point, and the Constantia Winelands from above. There’s also the option of flying out to the Winelands for lunch, or to the bush for a safari.
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Tours start by rising up over the V&A Waterfront and the scene that unfolds beneath is the breathtaking rise and fall of Cape Town’s terrain, confirming precisely why the Mother City repeatedly tops international lists of must-visit destinations. All heli tours depart from the V&A Waterfront, so it’s incredibly easy to book a flight.
4. Skydiving
Skydiving gives you the chance to see Cape Town and its surroundings from a completely different angle. There are a handful of operators in the Cape Town area that all have experienced and certified tandem instructors who will ensure you experience the incredible thrill of jumping from 10,000ft above the Cape Peninsula.
Most offer transport options to and from the city, and if you’ve enjoyed the experience so much that you want to learn how to skydive yourself, some offer a skydiving course or can tell you who to contact.
5. Hot Air Ballooning
For those who feel like a more relaxed, laid-back activity but still want to take to the skies, a ride in a hot air balloon might be for you.
Float over the picturesque Cape Winelands with the wind in your hair and magnificent views from the tranquil safety of the hot air balloon. Most operators only offer flights during the summer months (November to May) due to the unpredictable weather of Cape winters. There are many options to choose from, with some packages including breakfast and transfers to and from the city.
6. Microlight Flights
One of the most affordable aerial activities you can do in Cape Town is a flight in a microlight. These small, open-cockpit planes fly closer to the ground than their bigger brothers and therefore give an exhilarating ride of a different kind. There are a small number of operators in the Cape Town area who provide microlight trips, as well as flight training, should the microlight bug bite. Most operators offer transfers to and from the CBD at an additional fee.
