Plate tectonics. Now that’s a novel way to start a blog about the best camping spots near Cape Town.
But seriously, if you drew a circle around two hours drive from Cape Town in any direction that doesn’t involve swimming, you will find a place to camp that will blow your mind.
How did that happen? Plate tectonics, that’s how.
Over billions of years, this part of Africa has been smooshing up next to other continents, creating the Cape Fold mountains, and then serenely drifting away like that girl who ghosted us on Bumble, giving us the West and South coasts.
At the moment, and for a little while longer (couple million years?) we’ll be stuck in this paradise of coastlines, valleys, and mountains. So take advantage while you can and get yourself to one of these amazing campsites.
Best Campsites Near Cape Town
Danielshoogte Private Reserve – Aurora
You want to sleep in a natural cave? Of course you do! And at only 90 minutes from Cape Town, this working farm is the perfect distance from all your worries.
Enough that it feels like a holiday, but not so far you want to unalive the people in the car with you.
Sure, you could take one of the 3 chalets available, but you’re an adventurer! You want the cave!
Fortunately, the cave camping spot comes with an ablution block that has running water, solar heating, and the luxury of flushing toilets.
There is loads of wildlife to see on the farm, and plenty to do if you’re the active sort. Frankly, we think we’d prefer to lie back in our cave with some edibles. But you do you, boo.
If you are going to spend the night in a cave, you will need a vape with an all-mighty battery, like the Storz and Bickel CRAFTY+ V2 Vaporizer!
Oewerzicht – Greyton
Two words: Hot Tub.
Can you think of anything better as the autumn chill starts to set in? We can think of a few vapes that would feel mighty fine in those hot tubs.
Wait, didn’t you realise there are two? At the Campsite? These legends have recently installed hot tubs at many of their chalets and ALSO PUT TWO AT THE CAMPSITE!
This is prime accommodation. You get a choice of 25 reed-shaded sites, all with power points, situated along the banks of the Riviersonderend River. Say that 5 times after a couple of gummies.
The campsite is 9km from Greyton so you can do all your shopping at delightful, local mom ‘n pops, instead of the usual, miserable trip to the Seapoint Checkers.
You can also rent mountain bikes in Greyton and use them on the farm. Now that sounds like a good reason for a wake and bake.
Slangkop – Kommetjie
This little gem is in the Table Mountain National Park. Most Capetonians don’t even realise that there are overnighters in their literal backyard. If you want a proper walk, use this as one stop on the Hoerikwaggo trail, which stretches from Cape Point and the cable car station.
This is proper camping luxury. You get flushing toilets (we’ve seen some stuff guys, flushing toilets will forever be BAE), hot showers, a braai area, and an awesome, antique Dover stove for chilly evenings.
If you’re going for luxury, you’ll want to pair it with a luxurious vape like our new G Pen Elite II.
Tietiesbaai Campsite – Tietiesbaai
Listen, we know what we just said but sometimes no luxury IS luxury. There are days that lighting a fire to get your morning coffee just makes you feel alive! Or starting up the gas burner. Whatever.
Tietiesbaai campsite offers you cold showers and no electricity. But you get to wake up next to the sea in the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve.
It’s a mere 7km from Paternoster, should you urgently need a cappuccino after all your hard work making “moerkoffie”.
This campsite is apparently at the end of “good gravel roads” but all the photos show serious 4x4s. Take from that what you will. Maybe leave the Fiat500 at home this time.
Beaverlac – Porterville
What list of Western Cape campsites would be complete without the OG Beaverlac? This place has it all: from family-friendly, electrified chalets for the comfort-conscious, to unserviced “campsites” (really you can just camp anywhere).
But we’re here for the camping!
Right, so as mentioned, there are no electrical points. However, there IS a little shop on site that offers campers the use of electrical outlets to charge stuff.
You get ablution blocks with showers and flushing toilets! You can even bring your dog if they’re a good dog. Please don’t bring any bad bois.
Beaverlac is very strict about bad behaviour and loud music. So if raving the night away to dank techno is your jam, uh… don’t.
This writer is a regular at Beaverlac. But he doesn’t stay at the campsites. No, he and his friends go one step further. We stay at the Africa Hut, which is a full 6km from all the normal camping and chalets.
You MUST have a 4×4 to get there, and you have to cross a river by foot to access the “cabin”. There is no flushing toilet. There’s a hut with a long drop.
In fact, there isn’t much of anything except the ability to be your most extreme self. We in no way endorse ax-throwing contests but also… it’s a good spot for that.