The cruise port of Cape Town is right next to the city and offers one of the most spectacular backdrops in the world with views of Table Mountain. This 5-km loop takes you through the popular V&A Waterfront district and runs exclusively through areas considered generally safe. A special highlight: about 300 meters of the route lead through the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre.
This 5-km loop starts directly at the cruise port. After leaving the terminal, you cross a road and reach the V&A Waterfront district. There you pass a swing bridge, where short waiting times can occur.
Shortly after, you run about 300 meters through the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre – an unusual but special passage. You then reach the coast and follow Haul Road towards the DHL Stadium.
The way back leads via Beach Road back to the Waterfront. Via Breakwater Lane with views of the "Cape Wheel" you finally return to the cruise port.
A safe and varied route directly from the port. Due to the many tourists and the passage through the shopping center, this loop is better suited for a walk or a relaxed run than for intensive training. Perfect as an active start or finish to your day in Cape Town.
For longer or faster runs, we recommend the coastal route towards the DHL Stadium. Alternatively, Green Point Park is particularly well suited for tempo training.
By the way: Every Saturday at 8 a.m., a 5-kilometer Parkrun takes place in Green Point Park near the DHL Stadium (walkers welcome too). If your ship stays overnight from Friday to Saturday in Cape Town and you're interested in a run with a competitive feel, we can highly recommend Parkrun.
Start your day on the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus, which is comparatively cheap in Cape Town, and ride to the lower station of the Table Mountain cableway (alternative: Bolt, Uber). From there you can hike up Table Mountain – either only uphill and back down by cable car, or, as a more demanding option, on foot both ways. We recommend the Platteklip Gorge trail, which you can reach by walking about 2 kilometers along the road from the cable car station. The trail should not be underestimated, but it is very popular and therefore considered safe. Alternatively, you can take the cable car both ways. After returning, hop back on the bus and continue to Camps Bay. Enjoy the coastline there before taking the bus back towards the port. To finish, our easy 5-km loop through the V&A Waterfront district is perfect to wind down the day.
The route starts in the immediate vicinity of the cruise port.
You can either follow the route directly via the map on this page or import the GPX file into a navigation app like Komoot. We recommend navigating via the GPX file as it's much more precise and gives you clear GPS guidance while running. Once you've saved the GPX file in your app, you can usually use the map offline as well. We recommend testing navigation in airplane mode without active Wi-Fi beforehand to make sure it works without an internet connection.
Tip: For safety, it's still useful to have internet on the go. For cruises, a global data plan that works in many countries is ideal, e.g. from eSIM.sm (ad).
Parts of the route run along busy streets, but always on separate sidewalks. Otherwise the V&A Waterfront district is considered very safe. Due to the many tourists, the safety level is very high.
Especially for afternoon runs, plan enough time buffer. If time gets tight, check whether you can shorten the route or whether the way back on the same path is faster. Alternatively, you can usually quickly book a taxi via apps like Uber or Bolt. For emergencies, it's also a good idea to save the ship's phone number, which is usually printed in the daily program.
You'll find toilets in the shopping malls in the Waterfront district. We're not aware of any water fountains on the route. However, there are many shops along the way where you can buy something to drink.
The route runs on paved and tiled paths. Normal running shoes are perfectly sufficient. Depending on the weather, we also recommend sun protection (ad), plenty of water and a phone or running watch for navigation. A means of payment is also useful, although in Cape Town you can usually pay easily by card or smartphone.