Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve
The Basics
Several tour options are available from Cape Town—half- or full-day and private or group. Tours typically take you along the winding cliffside roads of Chapman’s Peak Drive and stop at Cape Peninsula towns such as Hout Bay and Simon's Town on the way. Many tours also offer the option of visiting the adorable penguin colony at Boulders Beach.
Some guided tours include time to hike or take the funicular up to the cape’s scenic lighthouse, while full-day tours often involve another area activity such as Stellenbosch wine-tasting or a visit to Robben Island. Private tours offer the most flexibility.
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Things to Know Before You Go
Not all tours include the entrance fee to Cape Point, so it’s best to check before you book.
Many facilities, including the funicular, restaurant, and restrooms, are wheelchair accessible.
Stairs lead to the lighthouse, making it inaccessible for wheelchair users.
Cape Point offers a free, GPS-enabled audio tour that provides background information about your specific location.
How to Get There
There’s no public transportation to the cape. If you have a car, it will take you just over an hour to drive from Cape Town to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. A taxi from Cape Town is quite affordable, especially if sharing, but you will have to pay for your driver’s entrance fee as well and the parking lot is located 9 miles (15 kilometers) from the gate. Skip the hassle by booking a guided tour.
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When to Get There
Although it can get chilly in the southern hemisphere’s winter months (June to September), there are few bad times to visit as long as you dress for the chill. December, January, and February are, however, the best times to visit thanks to their long, sunny days with very little rain.
Most Southwestern Point of Africa
It was long believed that the Cape of Good Hope was the southernmost point of the African continent. That title actually belongs to Cape Agulhas, also located in South Africa...but about 90 miles (150 kilometers) southeast. When this point was established, the South African government was unfazed, changing the sign at the site to instead read “The Most Southwestern Point of the African Continent.”
- Cape Point
- Boulders Beach
- Simon’s Town
- Silvermine Nature Reserve
- Chapman’s Peak Drive
- Duiker Island
- Hout Bay
- Groot Constantia
- Stony Point Penguin Colony
- Rhodes Memorial
- Imizamo Yethu Township
- World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park
- Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
- Twelve Apostles
- Sir Lowry's Pass