Travelogue from South Africa: Full-day excursion to Cape Point

In November 2023, Jude and two of our colleagues went on safari in South Africa, followed by a trip to Cape Town. Here, they went on one of our excursions, i.e. the popular full-day excursion to Cape Point, where, among other things, Africa’s most south-westerly point, the Cape of Good Hope, is found.

A day of breathtaking views and a sense of freedom on the fantastic trip along the magnificent coast from Cape Town all the way out to the tip of the peninsula. An absolute “must do” excursion when you’re in Cape Town.

It’s like stepping into a whole new world: South Africa has so much to offer!

After a few days of wonderful experiences immersed in nature on our safari in Kruger National Park, and then on to Cape Town: a big city with a gripping history and numerous contrasts, it’s nice to just catch your breath on this one-day excursion and let your mind run free. And that’s exactly what happens while I’m being driven along the beautiful coast.

Our first stop is in Kalk Bay, a suburb of Cape Town, named after the lime that comes from the shells that were burned to make lime for houses, among other things. A cosy little fishing village, where we talked to some fishermen at the harbour while admiring their catch. And there were even some seals there lying relaxing.

We then drove on to Simon’s Town/Boulders Beach, which is known for its large penguin colony. From the visitor’s centre in Boulders, there is a free trail that you can walk along. From the trail, you can already see penguins (and you can smell them, too!), and there is a nice view of the colony as you walk on. If you’d like to see the penguins at closer range, it costs around €10 per person, which is payable at the visitor’s centre. In my opinion, it wasn’t necessary, because you have a pretty good view of them from a distance.

We continued to Cape Point, located in Table Mountain National Park, and after a short climb, we came to the viewpoint from which we could see the wild sea and the rugged cliffs. If time allows, there are hiking routes you can follow here. We unexpectedly saw ostriches while driving back through the park.

After lunch in Scarborough, we drove up again. We drove via the scenic coastal route “Chapman’s Peak drive” from Noordhoek with its large beaches (fantastic for riding or surfing) via a winding route of around 10 kilometres to Hout Bay. It was without a doubt my favourite part of the tour, and we also secretly compared this part of the drive with the “Great Ocean Road” in Australia. You drive right up close to the mountain wall, and so have the wild sea and the sandy bays and various picnic spots/viewpoints on your left.

It’s definitely worth staying here for a while and enjoying this magnificent stretch of coast. It really is one of the most scenic routes that I have experienced, and that day, I felt truly complete: so I advise anyone who is in Cape Town to go on this excursion!

/Jude

TourCompass – From tourist to traveller