Activity description
By booking this tour, travelers will have the opportunity to get up close to African penguins, swim with them on the white sand beach, take a stroll along the Boulder Penguin Colony promenade, and see one of the largest penguin colonies in South Africa. Take advantage of the opportunity to be photographed, as the penguins love having their picture taken. Enjoy the wonders of Cape Town, from its pristine beaches to the spectacular views from Cape Point as we drive to South West Africa. Have lunch in Simon's Town and enjoy a drive along one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, known as Chapman's Peak Drive. This is truly one of the most relaxing excursions you can experience while traveling to Cape Town.
ITINERARY
This is the starting point for our pickups—your accommodation/hotel. Shortly after pickup, we'll drive along the M5 and connect with the M4, passing the beaches of Muizenberg, St. James, and Fish Hoek along the False Bay coastline, en route to the penguin colony at Boulder's Beach. Shortly after picking you up from your accommodation in Cape Town, we'll drive through the city center to see some monuments and historic buildings.
Like their counterparts, the beach huts at St. James Beach are also used by swimmers as changing rooms. Your guide will stop here for a few minutes so you can take fun photos of these colorful beach huts before continuing on to the penguin colony at Boulder's Beach.
We'll pass through Kalk Bay harbor, which resembles a fishing village, with boats docking and fishmongers selling their catch. Here you can buy fresh fish daily. The views, smells, and refreshing sea air are spectacular.
We passed Fish Hoek Beach. You can feel the warm waters of the Indian Ocean flowing into the False Bay area, making Fish Hoek a favorite beach for swimming and sunbathing on long stretches of warm white sand.
We'll stop at Simon's Town, founded in 1679 by the second governor, Simon Van der Stel. It's the second-oldest town in South Africa and home to the South African naval base. Formerly a British headquarters under Commonwealth rule, the British took over its administration in 1944 after World War II. We'll have a view of Martello House, the oldest British building built in the country and the oldest of its kind in the world. We'll visit the statue of the only nuisance, and its story will be told there: the only dog, a Great Dane, who saved the South African Navy and the maritime services. We'll have lunch in Simon's Town at Harbour View (optional).
We stop at Boulder's Beach, the highlight of the day, to visit one of the largest African penguin colonies in South Africa. Boulder's Beach is one of the best beaches in Cape Town, especially for swimming and sunbathing. It's possible to have close encounters with African penguins as they swim and sunbathe at Boulder's. Then, we'll take a stroll along the boardwalk to the official penguin colony site to see and swim with the penguins in their natural habitat. The Boulder penguin colony is home to approximately 3,000 African penguins who spend their days playing in the waters of False Bay, sunbathing, and strutting on the granite rocks.
We continued on to what was undoubtedly the highlight of the day: the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point Nature Reserve. It's believed that no visit to Cape Town is complete without a photo behind the Cape of Good Hope sign.
We'll explore the nature reserve while our guide shares stories about Bartolomeu Dias (1488) and Vasco da Gama (1497). Both lighthouses can be seen. The Cape of Good Hope is home to diverse wildlife, including fynbos (thin shrubland), over 250 bird species, including ostriches, fallow deer, baboons, elands (Africa's largest antelope), and the Cape mountain zebra. We advise our guests to remain vigilant and not approach the reserve's wildlife, as they can become violent. Close contact and feeding are not permitted.
After exploring the Cape of Good Hope, we head to Cape Point, where visitors can take a short walk to the Cape Point Lighthouse or choose the Flying Dutchman funicular option (additional cost at the visitor's expense). Many believe that Cape Point is the meeting point of the two oceans. However, Cape Point is, in fact, the official meeting point of two ocean currents: the cold Benguela and the warm Agulhas. Cape Point Lighthouse is the most powerful lighthouse on the South African coast.
Noordhoek Beach is one of Cape Town's hidden gems, offering visitors a unique and unforgettable experience with its pristine white sands, crystal clear waters, and breathtaking views.
Whenever possible, we'll drive Chapman's Peak Drive, one of the most beautiful and spectacular roads in the country, if not the world. We'll stop for a few minutes at the viewpoints to take some photos. The route has about 114 curves and an elevation of 593 meters above sea level. You'll also see Sentinel Mountain, which resembles a black rhinoceros.
Upon arrival in Cape Town, visitors will be dropped off at the same pick-up point where they were picked up in the morning.
Notes:
- Wheelchair accessible.
- Accessible to strollers or baby carriages.
- Public transport nearby.
- Baby seats available.
- Not suitable for pets.
- Babies should not sit on laps.
- Wheelchair accessible.
- Not wheelchair accessible.
- All visitors must be in the hotel lobby at 8:00 am and wait for the tour guide to pick them up.
