Booze Cruise Trike Tour Cape Town

Cape Town’s coastal pubs and open-air trike ride make this more than a standard pub crawl. You travel from the V&A Waterfront through Hout Bay, Glencairn, Kalk Bay, and Newlands Forest, with time at four very different drinking spots. Guide Willem drives, shares local stories, and gives you a wide view from the back of the trike.

I like the unusual transport and the route. You get ocean scenery, harbor views, forest roads, and several old-school pubs in one private outing. I also like that the group is limited to your party, so the day can feel relaxed rather than like a herd being pushed from bar to bar. The main drawback is simple: this is a long day built around alcohol, and you must arrange your own ride home if you do not want to return to the V&A Waterfront.

Key points to know before booking

• A private trike for up to two people: You ride with your own party rather than joining a large group.
• Four pub stops: The route includes the Workshop pub in Hout Bay, Hotel Glencairn, The Brass Bell in Kalk Bay, and Foresters Arms in Newlands Forest.
• One drink included per person: Your booking covers one beer or glass of wine each. Food, extra drinks, and lunch cost more.
• Six hours with a scenic road section: The pubs each receive about 30 minutes, with the rest of the time spent traveling between them.
• Willem is the guide and driver: His local stories and easy conversation are a major part of the experience.
• Plan the return journey before you go: The trike returns to the V&A Waterfront, but driving after drinking is illegal and dangerous.

Why a trike works so well on this Cape Town route

A motor trike gives you a very different view from a closed vehicle. The open seating lets you take in the coast and surrounding scenery as you move between pubs, while the unusual vehicle is likely to attract attention along the way. The trike used for the tour has been described as clean and comfortable, which matters on a six-hour outing.

The route is also well chosen for variety. You are not spending the whole day in one bar district. You move from the Atlantic side of the peninsula to a beach stop, then a historic harbor area, and finally a forest setting near Newlands. That change of scenery gives the day a proper Cape Town feel.

Willem is the guide and driver. His style, based on the information available, is conversational rather than formal. He brings local stories, personal memories, and what one booking described as old war stories. That can make the road time as interesting as the pub stops, especially if you enjoy hearing about a city from someone who has spent a lifetime around it.

The trike is best suited to a pair. The price is $265.78 per group of up to two, not per person. For two people, that works out to about $132.89 each before any extra drinks or food. That is not a cheap pub crawl, but it covers a private vehicle, a personal driver-guide, roughly six hours, and one alcoholic drink per person. If you value privacy and sightseeing as much as the drinks, the price is easier to justify.

Starting at the V&A Waterfront at 11 a.m.

The tour begins at 11 a.m. at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. This is a practical meeting point, with public transportation nearby and plenty of activity around it. You should arrive ready for a full day rather than treating this as a quick afternoon bar outing.

The morning start is useful because the route has several stops and a fair amount of driving between them. It also means you are likely to reach the first pub around lunchtime, although lunch is not included. Bring money or a payment card for food and anything beyond the included drink.

Because the tour is private, only your group participates. That gives you more control over the pace and conversation than a shared coach excursion. It also means the experience depends heavily on whether you and your companion enjoy the same sort of day. One person wanting a long scenic ride and another wanting a fast sequence of drinks could make the format less satisfying.

Hout Bay and the smallest pub claim

The first listed stop is the Workshop pub in Hout Bay, described as the smallest pub in Africa. The visit lasts about 30 minutes, with admission included as part of the stop rather than a separate ticketed attraction.

The appeal here is the setting and the sense of scale. A tiny pub gives the day a story to tell, and Hout Bay places you close to one of Cape Town’s best-known coastal areas. You can expect this stop to feel compact and characterful rather than spacious or polished.

Thirty minutes is enough for a drink and a look around, but not enough for a long meal. Since food is on your own account, do not assume this first stop replaces lunch. The included allowance is one beer or glass of wine per person for the entire tour, not one at every pub.

The road section around this part of the trip is part of the experience. The route includes a marine drive described as the second most scenic in the world. The supplied details do not name that road, so I would treat the claim as a bit of local color rather than the main reason to book. The practical point is clearer: you get a scenic coastal ride between the pubs, not just a series of short transfers through city streets.

Glencairn Beach and the Hotel Glencairn

The second stop brings you to Glencairn Beach and the Hotel Glencairn. Again, the planned visit is about 30 minutes. This is a good change from Hout Bay because the focus shifts from a tiny pub to a beachside area.

A short stop works well here if you want a drink, a view, and a change of scene. You may find the coastal setting more important than the bar itself. The tour gives you enough time to pause and take in the area, but not enough to turn it into a full beach visit.

The phrase drink or two appears in the tour description, but only one beer or glass of wine per person is included in the price. Any additional drinks are yours to pay for. Keep that distinction in mind when working out the likely cost of the day.

This is also where sensible pacing matters. Four pub stops can sound modest, but the tour lasts about six hours. You do not need to drink at every stop to enjoy the ride. Taking the scenery and the conversation seriously will make the day more comfortable, and it helps you avoid turning a pleasant excursion into a difficult journey home.

Kalk Bay Harbour and The Brass Bell

The third stop is The Brass Bell at Kalk Bay Harbour, one of Cape Town’s best-known pub settings. The harbor gives this part of the route a strong sense of place. Boats, water, and working harbor surroundings make it feel different from both Hout Bay and Glencairn.

The Brass Bell is described as one of Cape Town’s iconic pubs. That makes it a useful stop for people who want a recognizable local venue rather than four anonymous bars. You have about 30 minutes here, enough to enjoy the atmosphere and a drink without losing the rhythm of the day.

Kalk Bay is also a natural point to think about food. Lunch is not included, and the tour description says all food and drinks beyond the included beverage are at your own expense. If you want a proper meal, ask Willem about timing on the day or plan to eat before setting out. Do not count on the 30-minute pub stop automatically including a full lunch break.

The harbor is one of the strongest visual moments on the route. From the trike, you are seeing the coast in motion. At the pub, you have time to stop and enjoy one place. That combination gives the day more substance than a pub crawl that stays indoors.

Newlands Forest and Foresters Arms

The final stop is Foresters Arms near Newlands Forest, described as Cape Town’s oldest pub. The setting changes again, moving away from the coast and toward trees and inland roads. It is a fitting place to finish a route that has already shown you several sides of the city.

The planned stop lasts about 30 minutes. At this stage, the pub’s age and character may matter more than adding another drink. You have already visited three coastal areas, so finishing in a forest setting gives the route a clear sense of progression.

This is the last pub before returning to the V&A Waterfront. If you have been treating the day as a sightseeing trip with drinks rather than a race from bar to bar, Foresters Arms should feel like a calm final stop. You can talk with Willem, take in the surroundings, and let the day wind down before the return drive.

The four stops are each short. That is a benefit if you like variety, but a drawback if you want to linger over a meal or settle into one pub. You are buying a moving tour with pub stops, not a traditional crawl where you spend an hour or two in each bar.

What the price includes, and what it does not

At $265.78 for up to two people, the booking is priced as a private half-day experience. Two people receive the trike, the driver-guide, the route, and one beer or glass of wine each. You are not paying separately for entrance to the four pubs.

The value depends on how you compare it. If you want the cheapest possible way to drink in Cape Town, this is not it. If you want a private ride with coastal scenery, local commentary, and unusual transport, the price is more reasonable.

Budget separately for:

• Lunch or any other food
• Extra drinks
• Transport after the tour if you do not want to return to the V&A Waterfront
• Any personal purchases during the day

The booking is mobile-ticket based, and confirmation is sent within 48 hours, subject to availability. The experience is private, and most people can participate. No special access limits are listed, but the tour involves riding in an open trike for several hours, so comfort with that format matters.

Safety, weather, and getting home

The operator gives unusually important advice here: arrange transport back to your home, hotel, or guesthouse. The tour ends where it begins, at the V&A Waterfront, but you should not drive after drinking. Driving under the influence is both dangerous and against the law.

The cleanest plan is to arrange a ride before the tour starts, especially if you are staying away from the Waterfront. Do not assume the tour vehicle will take you to your hotel afterward. The supplied details only confirm that the activity ends back at the meeting point.

Good weather is required. If poor weather forces cancellation, you are offered a different date or a full refund. Under normal circumstances, the experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. That makes weather awareness and firm planning important before you book.

Cape Town can give you bright sun, wind, and changing conditions in one day. The trike’s open design is part of its appeal, but it also means you should dress for exposure. The supplied information does not specify clothing or equipment, so check directly with Cape Town Trike Tours if you need firm advice before departure.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would choose this experience if you want a private day out, enjoy meeting a local guide, and care about the road between the stops as much as the pubs themselves. It suits a couple or two friends who want a memorable way to see coastal Cape Town without joining a large group.

It is also a good match for repeat visitors. The route reaches several pubs that you might not find on your own, including the tiny Workshop pub and the older Foresters Arms. One person who had visited Cape Town for more than 15 years still found at least five pubs on the broader outing that were new to him. That suggests the tour can offer fresh places even if you already know the city.

I would think twice if you dislike open vehicles, need a long lunch break, or want a serious tasting program. The tour is social and scenic, not a formal guide to Cape Town’s beer or wine. It also may not suit anyone who expects transport back to their accommodation.

The published score is 5 out of 5 from five ratings, and the praise centers on the same points: Willem’s friendly hosting, the comfortable trike, the wide views, and the chance to visit places beyond the usual tourist circuit. Those are the parts I would weigh most heavily when deciding.

Should you book the Booze Cruise Trike Tour?

Book it if you want a private coastal ride with four pub stops, not simply an afternoon of drinking. Willem’s personal approach, the open trike, and the changing route from Hout Bay to Newlands Forest give the experience its character.

Skip it if you need a low-cost outing, a guaranteed hotel drop-off, or lots of time at each pub. Also skip it if poor weather would make an open vehicle unpleasant and you cannot accept the tour’s strict cancellation terms.

For the right pair, this is a memorable Cape Town day: part scenic drive, part local pub tour, and part conversation with a guide who clearly enjoys showing off his city. Arrange your return transport first, pace yourself, and treat the pubs as stops within a wider road trip.

FAQ

How long does the Booze Cruise Trike Tour last?

The tour lasts approximately six hours.

Where does the tour start?

It starts at 11 a.m. at the V&A Waterfront, Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at the V&A Waterfront meeting point.

How many people can join the private tour?

The price covers one private group of up to two people.

What drink is included?

One beer or glass of wine per person is included. Food and any additional drinks are not included.

What happens if poor weather cancels the tour?

If the tour is canceled because of poor weather, you will be offered a different date or a full refund.