The Best Outdoor Social Clubs for Active Wellness in Cape Town

Did you know that better human connections lead to a healthier and longer life? Group activities have been linked to lower stress levels, improved mood and a stronger immune system. Plus, there’s the benefit of safely getting into a fun new activity surrounded by people who offer support, motivation and advice (and subsequently become friends).

As the trend for holistic wellness grows – from using tech for biometrics to brain-gut health, optimising sleep and taking care of our mental health – a key wellness hack is getting active in nature. Cape Town is purpose-built to make this easy and enjoyable, and with social activity clubs popping up everywhere, you can reap the connection bonus, too.

We’ve rounded up 10 ways to soak up the benefits of community wellness activities – and the spectacular scenery!

Trail running

Prefer to take a run on the wild side? With a mountain right in the centre of the city, Cape Town’s social trail-running community is the envy of runners worldwide. Started in 2014, Tuesday Trails attracts a diverse group of all ages, men and women, seasoned and newbies (many runners start with trail running and skip the pavements altogether). Runners are divided into groups (depending on their level), with a leader and a sweeper, then head out either on the Newlands Forest side or the city side, and never take the same route. This way, you’ll get to learn new paths on the mountain. For half the year (depending on the season), running is by the light of a headlamp in the dark, which ups the thrill factor. Afterwards, there’s a post-run beer tradition (byo or contribute to Pint for a Purpose).
Cost Free
Times Tuesday, 6pm
Where to find it Newlands Forest or city bowl (alternates weekly, check Instagram for announcements)
Contact @tuesdaytrails
Good to know

• Running Wild offers an eight-week beginner trail-running programme (next up in August 2025), in addition to its regular Wolf Pack morning meet-ups twice a week and every second Sunday – with the option to power-walk the same routes.
• Must Love Hills also meets weekly to escape the pavements and head onto the mountain trails, plus they do track nights too.
• The TrailFun Series offers social trail runs and walks on wine farms (from 5km to 21km distances) – the upcoming Autumn Series (8 March – 24 May) is taking place at Devonbosch, Kaapzicht, Bellevue and Mooiplaas.

Beach volleyball

Is there a better way to end a summer’s day in Cape Town, when the sun sets late, than with a friendly game of beach volleyball? The vibe at Friends Who Volley is chilled, not competitive (players of any skill level are welcome); there’s music and laughter, and you’ll get a good dose of vitamin D. Teams of five-a-side play and the first to 10 points wins. Bonus: you can take a last dip in the ocean too.
Cost Free
Times Thursday, 5pm (October – March)
Where to find it Clifton First Beach, Victoria Road, Clifton
Good to know Every so often the crew organises a party, usually at Cabo Beach Club, with DJs and dancing. And they’ve just held the first-ever Friends Who Volley Festival this past February (combining a tournament with a groove fest).
Contact @friendswhovolley

Cold-water dipping

Known for its chilly water, the Mother City has slotted right into the cold-water-immersion wellness trend (paging Dr Huberman!). On any given morning, no matter the season or weather, you’ll find keen swimmers (or dunkers) in stunning tidal pools or in the waves. There are dozens of informal, word-of-mouth groups; a more public one is the Cold Water Social Club, which brings devotees together on the Atlantic side for swims and breathwork. Adding some fun and colour to the endeavour is Pool Party Cape Town, which hosts monthly “mass floats” on lilos in various tidal pools, with an aerial photo snapped and the print sold to raise funds for kids’ water safety.
Cost Free
Times Check social media for schedules
Where to find it Camps Bay Tidal Pool, Victoria Road, Camps Bay, Cape Town
(sometimes on the beach or at Clifton)
Contact @coldwatersocialclub, @poolpartycapetown

Good to know

• The Cape Town Open Water Swim Group guides newcomers (including offering a four-week intro course) and helps more seasoned swimmers keep fit and reach their goals, including the famous Robben Island Swim. It meets every day except Sunday, in Clifton, Simon’s Town and Blouberg.
• The Sunday Hot Chocolate Swimming Group meets at 9am at Caprice in Camps Bay every week for a 1.5km ocean swim – and hot chocolate afterwards. (Other branches of the group meet in Big Bay, False Bay and Gordon’s Bay). swimcapetown@gmail.com
• If you’d prefer freshwater swims, see our rivers and dams listing.

Sauna (with a seaview)

If you’ve been to the seaside recently, you’ll have noticed the mobile-sauna trailers (black or red) popping up all over the Peninsula. Two operators, Hot Huts and Shu Shu, offer the age-old benefits of heat therapy (from detoxing and metabolism-boosting to muscle recovery, improved circulation and better sleep). While you enjoy your sauna session, you gaze out over calming coastal scenery from a large window. Combine your sauna with a cold-water swim and you’re doing a key biohack: “micro-stressing” your body’s cells to reset the nervous system.
Cost Hot Huts: R80 (15 minutes) Book Now
Shu Shu: R150 (30 minutes), R200 (1 hour), R300 (2 hours) Book Now
Times Saunas park at specific sites on specific mornings and afternoons (see their booking pages for the schedule)
Where to find them Hot Huts: Dalebrook, St James, Saunders Rock and Camps Bay tidal pools, Long Beach (Simon’s Town) and Kleinbaai (Blouberg).
Shu Shu: Kommetjie, Witsand (Scarborough), Glencairn, Fish Hoek and Camps Bay.
Contact @hothutsza, @shushusauna
Good to know For more contrast therapy, check out One Flow Yoga & Wellness Social Club’s sauna journey and cold plunge offering at The Rockwell in Green Point.

Cycling

There’s a very well-established cycling community in Cape Town, for both road bikes and mountain bikes. If you’d like to ride the roads in the safety of a group, the Pedal Power Association has weekly social rides open to anyone, with three options: a short ride (around 34km) and intermediate ride (70km) – both with ride captains and back-up vehicles – and the advanced group (4+ hours, including climbs). If you fancy taking a spin at Killarney Race Track, you can join their training sessions on Tuesday nights (September – March).
Cost Social ride: Free
Killarney session: R40 (members); R60 (non-members)
Times Social ride: Saturday, 6.30am (may vary depending on weather, so check online for updates)
Killarney session: Tuesday, 5.15pm – 7pm
Contact 083 414 1442, jannis@pedalpower.org.za
Where to find it Social ride: PPA Office, 9 Hill Park Lane, Mowbray, Cape Town
Killarney: 6 Potsdam Road, Table View, Cape Town

Good to know

• Critical Mass organises group social rides every last Friday night of the month, leaving from opposite the McDonald’s in Green Point at 7pm. A freewheeling urban adventure, the route unfolds spontaneously, decided by whoever is at the front.
• For mountain-bikers, Table Mountain Bikers offers camaraderie, trail info and regular group rides on Wednesday mornings and Thursday nights (membership is R475 a year).
• The Tygerberg MTB Club (SA’s largest mountain-biking community) offers access to a vast selection of trails (with day permits or annual membership). There’s a ‘Slow Coach’ group for newbies, while night rides take place at Bloemendal Trail Park on Thursdays from 6pm.

Surfing

If you’re a woman looking for surfing mates, hook up with the Backline Babes community – you’ll get weekly surf reports and invites to meet-ups (there’s safety and confidence in numbers, as you cheer each other on). If you’re keen to get into surfing or fine-tune your skills, they offer lessons too, for every level (in Muizenberg). These can be one-on-one private sessions, or in social groups with your friends, family or kids.
Good to know Backline Babes is also a brand of cool beachwear and surf apparel made in SA, and as a community member you get discounts.
Cost Private one-on-one lesson: R500 Book Now
Group lesson: R300 per person Book Now
Times Meet-ups on weekends; lessons any time
Where to find it Surfers Corner, Muizenberg, Cape Town (meet-ups also in Blouberg and Strand)
Contact 072 411 7395, backlinebabes@gmail.com

Hiking

Cape Town’s Peninsula mountain chain – as well as the mountains of the Winelands – offers dozens of routes to explore, but for safety’s sake it’s best to go in a group and with someone who knows the terrain well. If you’re serious about hiking often (and not just in it for the cool selfies), there are a number of well-established hiking clubs you can join – including Meridian, Peninsula Ramblers, the Mountain Club of SA, ComeHike or the ladies-only Big Heart Walking or Chicks Who Hike – which offer regular outings led by seasoned hikers. Take Back Our Mountains focuses on safe hikes (with a pay-per-hike system) and also organises clean-up hikes, snare patrols and bark-stripping patrols (which volunteers can join).
Cost Club membership fees vary

Outdoor yoga

In summer, swap the zen surroundings of a yoga studio for a session in the fresh sea air, bathed in the gorgeous light of golden hour on the Atlantic Seaboard. Show Up and Flow welcomes beginners and advanced yoga lovers to the beach to run through a series of poses that will stretch you out, calm you down and leave you feeling fabulous. Bring a towel or kikoi (no yoga mat needed). Booking is essential. Book Now
Cost R80
Times Tuesday, 6.30pm
Where to find it Clifton First Beach, Victoria Road, Clifton, Cape Town
Contact @showupandflow
Good to know 

• Tam Sullivan aka @capetownyogagirl offers yoga flow sessions on the Pipe Track platform on the side of Table Mountain and in Green Point Park (R150, mat hire R30).
• SUP Cape Town teams up with Kaizen Yoga to offer SUP yoga sessions. Contact 071 603 8388 to find out more.

Running

Catering for “everyday athletes”, the Running Late Club welcomes anyone from first-timers to those training for the next big event. A weekly meet-up for a 5km or 7km run means you can squeeze in some exercise after work, have fun and enjoy the scenery. The club also offers a Friday morning before-work run, and changes things up every so often with special runs (like a “burger run”, “poké run”, “pizza run” and relay runs for charity) as well as track nightsl.
Cost Free
Times Wednesday, 6pm (5pm in winter)
Friday, 6.15am
Where to find it Saunders Rock parking lot, Sea Point (the starting point changes occasionally, so check for updates on Instagram)
Friday morning: Two Forty Two coffee shop, Green Point
Contact @runninglateclub
Good to know

• The NotSoFast running club offers a relaxed, hour-long, early-morning run along the Atlantic Seaboard, leaving from Okja Camps Bay on Saturdays at 6.30am.
• Run For Coffee is a female-only community that meets weekly for a run along the Promenade, rewarded by a coffee and chat session (dogs are welcome).
• The Community Track Club, based at Green Point Athletic Stadium, meets every six weeks for a night of track running, with a variety of events and appearances by elite athletes and coaches.

Walking

If, like us, you’re on a daily mission to get your 10 000 steps in, walk this way. Cape Town has a wealth of wonderful places to enjoy a fresh-air walk – perhaps the “poster child” being the Sea Point Promenade. If you’d like company, join Show Up and Stroll’s walking group. They also put a twist on things sometimes by offering an audiobook club (for booklovers who like to stretch their legs). Download your current favourite book or podcast, pop your earphones on and enjoy the scenery for a 45-minute stroll. Afterwards there’s a meet and mingle.
Cost Free
Times Monday, 6.30pm
Where to find it The Deck, Mouille Point, Cape Town
Contact @showupandstroll

You might also be interested in:
The Best Hiking Trails in Cape Town 
The Coolest Tidal Pools in Cape Town
The Ultimate Cape Town Beach Guide

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