Current Time in Cape Town
About Cape Town
Cape Town is located in South Africa, in the Southern Hemisphere, and is a major city with a population of around 4,772,846. It runs on Africa/Johannesburg time, currently UTC+2:00 relative to UTC. Cape Town does not observe Daylight Saving Time, so this offset stays fixed year-round.
- CountrySouth Africa
- Population4,772,846
- Latitude-33.9258°
- Longitude18.4232°
- Time zoneAfrica/Johannesburg
- Current UTC offsetUTC+2:00
- Daylight Saving TimeNot observed
Sunrise & Sunset in Cape Town Today
For Sunday, October 11, 2026, calculated from Cape Town's own coordinates.
Sunrise
Sunset
Daylight
Seasons in Cape Town
Approximate dates — the exact moment a season begins shifts by about a day from year to year.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Top Places to Visit in Cape Town
Table Mountain
Table Mountain, its flat-topped summit rising more than 1,000 meters above the city, is Cape Town's defining natural landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Cape Floral Region, home to an extraordinary concentration of plant species found nowhere else on Earth. The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, in operation since 1929 and significantly upgraded since, carries visitors to the summit in a rotating cable car offering 360-degree views during the ascent, while multiple hiking trails, including the popular Platteklip Gorge route, offer a more strenuous alternative for those wanting to reach the top on foot. From the summit plateau, views extend across the city bowl, Table Bay, Robben Island and the Twelve Apostles mountain range along the Atlantic coastline. Weather can change quickly on the mountain, and the cableway closes in high winds or heavy cloud cover, so checking conditions before planning a visit is worthwhile, particularly since the summit's distinctive cloud layer, locally called the tablecloth, can obscure views entirely.
From Cape Town International Airport, take a MyCiTi Airport Express bus to the Civic Centre, then MyCiTi Route 107 to the Lower Cableway Station, or a taxi/ride-hailing app for a more direct route.
Cape Town's main railway station sits near the Civic Centre MyCiTi hub; take MyCiTi Route 107 directly to the Lower Cableway Station.
From the Cape Town bus terminals (Greyhound, Intercape) near Adderley and Strand Streets, take MyCiTi Route 107 to the Lower Cableway Station.
Robben Island
Robben Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Table Bay, held political prisoners for much of the 20th century, most notably Nelson Mandela, who spent 18 of his 27 years of imprisonment here before his eventual release and election as South Africa's first democratically elected president. Tours, led largely by former political prisoners who share firsthand accounts of daily life under the apartheid-era prison system, take visitors through the Maximum Security Prison, including the small cell where Mandela was held, along with the island's lime quarry, where forced labor caused lasting damage to many prisoners' eyesight. Beyond its role as a political prison, the island's history includes earlier use as a leper colony and a military defense post during World War II, layers of history the tours also cover. Access is exclusively by ferry from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront, with tours frequently selling out, so booking well in advance is strongly advised.
From Cape Town International Airport, take a MyCiTi Airport Express bus to the Civic Centre, then MyCiTi routes 104, 105 or 106 to the V&A Waterfront, where the ferry to Robben Island departs.
Cape Town's main railway station sits near the Civic Centre MyCiTi hub; take MyCiTi routes 104, 105 or 106 to the V&A Waterfront for the ferry.
From the Cape Town bus terminals near Adderley and Strand Streets, take MyCiTi routes 104, 105 or 106 to the V&A Waterfront for the ferry.
V&A Waterfront
The V&A Waterfront, a working harbor since the 1860s, has developed since the 1990s into Cape Town's most visited destination, combining shops, restaurants and entertainment venues with the Two Oceans Aquarium, the departure point for Robben Island ferries, and views across Table Bay toward Table Mountain. Named for Queen Victoria and her son Prince Alfred, who laid the harbor's foundation stone in 1860, the precinct retains a genuinely functioning working harbor alongside its tourism-focused development, with fishing boats and other vessels still visible among the more polished waterfront areas. The Nelson Mandela Gateway, housing exhibitions on his life alongside the Robben Island ferry terminal, adds historical weight to what's otherwise a heavily commercial district. Its central, easily walkable layout and strong public transport connections make it one of the most accessible major attractions in Cape Town, a natural hub for combining several activities in a single visit.
From Cape Town International Airport, take a MyCiTi Airport Express bus to the Civic Centre, then MyCiTi routes 104, 105 or 106 directly to the V&A Waterfront.
Cape Town's main railway station sits near the Civic Centre MyCiTi hub; take MyCiTi routes 104, 105 or 106 directly to the V&A Waterfront.
From the Cape Town bus terminals near Adderley and Strand Streets, take MyCiTi routes 104, 105 or 106 directly to the V&A Waterfront.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, established in 1913 on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, is widely regarded as one of the world's great botanical gardens, its 528 hectares showcasing South Africa's exceptionally diverse indigenous flora within the broader Cape Floral Kingdom. The Boomslang canopy walkway, a curved steel-and-timber bridge suspended above the garden's tree canopy, offers an elevated perspective over the plantings and views out toward the mountain and city beyond. Summer evening concerts held on the garden's open lawns have become a popular Cape Town tradition, drawing large crowds for picnics alongside live music performances against the mountain backdrop. Given the garden's scale and the diversity of its plantings, from fynbos vegetation to a dedicated Protea garden, most visitors find a half day well spent here, with several marked trails also connecting into the wider Table Mountain National Park for those wanting to extend into a longer hike.
From Cape Town International Airport, take a taxi or ride-hailing app to Kirstenbosch, as MyCiTi coverage to this specific garden is limited, roughly 30-40 minutes depending on traffic.
Cape Town's main railway station sits in the city center; take a taxi or ride-hailing app to Kirstenbosch, roughly 20-30 minutes.
From the Cape Town bus terminals near Adderley and Strand Streets, take a taxi or ride-hailing app to Kirstenbosch.
Bo-Kaap
Bo-Kaap, on the slopes of Signal Hill just above the city center, is one of Cape Town's oldest and most distinctive residential neighborhoods, its narrow, cobbled streets lined with brightly painted 18th and 19th-century houses originally built to house the Cape Malay community, many descended from enslaved and politically exiled people brought to the Cape from Southeast Asia and elsewhere by Dutch colonial rule. The neighborhood remains the historic center of Cape Malay culture and Islam in Cape Town, home to several of the city's oldest mosques, and the Bo-Kaap Museum, set within one of the district's original houses, provides context on the community's history and traditions. Cape Malay cuisine, including dishes like bobotie and koesisters, a spiced, syrup-coated doughnut, can be sampled at several restaurants and cooking classes within the neighborhood, offering a culinary dimension alongside the area's visual appeal. As a genuine residential community rather than a museum district, visitors are generally asked to be respectful of residents' privacy, particularly when photographing the colorful house facades that have made the area so widely recognized.
From Cape Town International Airport, take a MyCiTi Airport Express bus to the Civic Centre, then a short walk or taxi up to Bo-Kaap on the slopes of Signal Hill.
Cape Town's main railway station sits near the Civic Centre; from there, Bo-Kaap is within a 15-20 minute walk uphill, or a short taxi ride.
From the Cape Town bus terminals near Adderley and Strand Streets, Bo-Kaap is within a 15-20 minute walk, or a short taxi ride.
South Africa National Holidays
2026
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu, Jan 1 |
| Human Rights Day | Sat, Mar 21 |
| Good Friday | Fri, Apr 3 |
| Family Day | Mon, Apr 6 |
| Freedom Day | Mon, Apr 27 |
| Workers' Day | Fri, May 1 |
| Youth Day | Tue, Jun 16 |
| National Women's Day | Sun, Aug 9 |
| Heritage Day | Thu, Sep 24 |
| Day of Reconciliation | Wed, Dec 16 |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 |
| Day of Goodwill | Sat, Dec 26 |
2027
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Fri, Jan 1 |
| Human Rights Day | Sun, Mar 21 |
| Good Friday | Fri, Mar 26 |
| Family Day | Mon, Mar 29 |
| Freedom Day | Tue, Apr 27 |
| Workers' Day | Sat, May 1 |
| Youth Day | Wed, Jun 16 |
| National Women's Day | Mon, Aug 9 |
| Heritage Day | Fri, Sep 24 |
| Day of Reconciliation | Thu, Dec 16 |
| Christmas Day | Sat, Dec 25 |
| Day of Goodwill | Sun, Dec 26 |
2028
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Sat, Jan 1 |
| Human Rights Day | Tue, Mar 21 |
| Good Friday | Fri, Apr 14 |
| Family Day | Mon, Apr 17 |
| Freedom Day | Thu, Apr 27 |
| Workers' Day | Mon, May 1 |
| Youth Day | Fri, Jun 16 |
| National Women's Day | Wed, Aug 9 |
| Heritage Day | Sun, Sep 24 |
| Day of Reconciliation | Sat, Dec 16 |
| Christmas Day | Mon, Dec 25 |
| Day of Goodwill | Tue, Dec 26 |
2029
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Mon, Jan 1 |
| Human Rights Day | Wed, Mar 21 |
| Good Friday | Fri, Mar 30 |
| Family Day | Mon, Apr 2 |
| Freedom Day | Fri, Apr 27 |
| Workers' Day | Tue, May 1 |
| Youth Day | Sat, Jun 16 |
| National Women's Day | Thu, Aug 9 |
| Heritage Day | Mon, Sep 24 |
| Day of Reconciliation | Sun, Dec 16 |
| Christmas Day | Tue, Dec 25 |
| Day of Goodwill | Wed, Dec 26 |
2030
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Tue, Jan 1 |
| Human Rights Day | Thu, Mar 21 |
| Good Friday | Fri, Apr 19 |
| Family Day | Mon, Apr 22 |
| Freedom Day | Sat, Apr 27 |
| Workers' Day | Wed, May 1 |
| Youth Day | Sun, Jun 16 |
| National Women's Day | Fri, Aug 9 |
| Heritage Day | Tue, Sep 24 |
| Day of Reconciliation | Mon, Dec 16 |
| Christmas Day | Wed, Dec 25 |
| Day of Goodwill | Thu, Dec 26 |
Daylight Saving Time
Cape Town does not observe Daylight Saving Time. The UTC offset stays fixed at UTC+2:00 year-round.
Time Difference from Top 10 US Cities
Time Difference from Top 10 Cities Worldwide
Frequently Asked Questions About Time in Cape Town
What time zone is Cape Town in?
Cape Town, South Africa uses the Africa/Johannesburg time zone. It is currently on SAST (UTC+2:00). The live local time is shown at the top of this page.
Does Cape Town observe Daylight Saving Time?
No. Cape Town does not observe Daylight Saving Time, so it stays on UTC+2:00 all year round and never changes its clocks.
What time is sunrise and sunset in Cape Town today?
The sun rises at 6:09 AM and sets at 6:56 PM in Cape Town today, giving 12h 46m of daylight.
What is the time difference between Cape Town and New York City?
New York City is 6 hours behind Cape Town right now. The full comparison against other major cities is in the tables above.
What is the UTC offset for Cape Town?
Cape Town is currently UTC+2:00. This offset is fixed and does not change during the year.