logo-20200516214709
4.5
4.5/5

Cape Peninsula Tours

Cape Peninsula Tours

A Cape Peninsula tour is a highlight of any holiday in Cape Town. It encompasses some of the most magnificent coastal areas in the Cape and the popular seaside towns and attractions along the route. This popular Cape Town tour takes you from the vibrant V&A Waterfront to a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the southernmost tip of the Cape Peninsula and returns via the charming coastal towns of False Bay and the eastern slopes of Table Mountain.

The beauty of the Cape Peninsula and its dramatic landmarks are simply stunning. Most tourists do a full-day Cape Peninsula tour where you’re picked up from the V&A Waterfront or your hotel in Cape Town and spend the day exploring one of the most magical corners of southern Africa.

Where is the Cape Peninsula?

The Cape Peninsula is a giant rocky headland that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean at the south-western extremity of the African continent. A peninsula is a landform surrounded by water on the majority of its border while being connected to the mainland from which it extends.

The end of the Cape Peninsula where the jagged cliffs plummet into the icy Atlantic Ocean is often mistaken as the tip of Africa and the point where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. This is incorrect because that point is at Cape Agulhas which is the geographic southern tip of the continent and the beginning of the dividing line between the two oceans.

Geographically speaking, the Cape Peninsula starts in Mouille Point near the Cape Town central business district and runs some 52-kilometers in length to Cape Point at the southern end of the Peninsula. It encompasses the Atlantic Seaboard, the coastal towns of Hout Bay and Kommetjie, and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. The northern end of the Cape Peninsula is Table Mountain.

The area between Hout Bay and Simons Town is called South Peninsula. It encompasses Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. This section of the peninsula falls within Table Mountain National Park and forms part of the Cape Floral Region. The latter is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.

The eastern side of the Cape Peninsula extends from Simon’s Town to the lush suburbs that lie on the eastern foothills of the back of Table Mountain. This section of the Cape Peninsula encompasses the seaside suburbs of Fish Hoek, Kalk Bay and Muizenberg as well as the Constantia Winelands, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and the lush suburbs that extend from the winelands to the Cape City Bowl.

Did you know?

The Cape Peninsula has been an island surrounded by ocean waters a few times over the past 5 million years. This phenomenon occurs as sea levels fall and rise from events such as the Pleistocene, more commonly known as the Ice Age, and from interglacial global warming cycles.

The last time the Cape Peninsula was an island was about 1.5 million years ago. As water levels dropped and the rocky landform emerged from the ocean, it was connected to the mainland by a vast sandy area known as the Cape Flats.

Top 30 places to visit on a Cape Peninsula tour

A typical tour of the Cape Peninsula takes visitors from Cape Town City Bowl to the Cape Point and back. A full-day Cape Peninsula tour may take you to South Peninsula and then return via the quaint coastal towns on the eastern side that that hug False Bay, the Constantia Winelands and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

The list of things to see on a Cape Peninsula tour are wide and varied. It all depends if you’re on holiday for a cultural or outdoor experience. Here’s our choice of the 30 most popular places to visit on a Cape Peninsula tour

Atlantic Seaboard

The Atlantic Seaboard is a narrow band of seaside suburbs that lie sandwiched between the glistening Atlantic Ocean and Twelve Apostles. It’s a spectacular stretch of residential and commercial seafacing developments and boasts some of the most luxurious homes in southern Africa. Victoria Road winds its way through the famous suburbs.

Known as Cape Town’s Riviera, the Atlantic Seaboard stretches from the V&A Waterfront on the north shore, down the west side of the Cape Peninsula to the historic fishing village of Hout Bay. It includes the residential suburbs of Mouille Point, Green Point, Sea Point, Fresnaye, Bantry Bay, Clifton, Camps Bay, Bakoven, Llandudno and Hout Bay.

Bay Harbour Market • Hout Bay

Bay Harbour Market is one of the most vibrant markets in Cape Town and a popular stop-off for lunch and shopping on Cape Peninsula tour. The rustic-chic market features a wide range of artisanal food vendors and arts and craft stalls. The atmosphere is festive, with live music on weekends.

Boulders Beach • Simon’s Town

Boulders Beach is a protected coastal habitat for one of the largest African penguin colonies on the continent. It’s one of only a few places in the world where you can get close to the penguins who are listed as endangered, and even swim alongside them in the sea. Boulders beach is a sandy cove tucked between huge granite rocks that protect bathers from wind. It’s a safe swimming beach for young children.

Boulders and its surrounding beaches now form part of the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area. Three wheelchair-friendly boardwalks lead visitors to a lookout deck where you can watch the penguins nesting with their chicks or swimming in the water.

Camps Bay Beach • Camps Bay

Take a break from your tour of Cape Peninsula and stretch your legs on the gorgeous, powder-white beach at Camps Bay. It’s one of the best beaches on the Atlantic Seaboard and a popular place to stay on a holiday to Cape Town; where hip youngsters flock to on weekends and trendsetters hang out at the popular seafacing restaurants and night clubs.

Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve • South Peninsula

Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve is a large headland on the southernmost tip of the Cape Peninsula. It’s renowned for its spectacular scenery, extreme weather conditions, incredible flora diversity and beautiful beaches.

The area was originally named the Cape of Storms by the Portuguese explorer Bartholomew Dias who was the first person to record its existence in 1488. It was later renamed the Cape of Good Hope because of the great optimism it engendered by opening the sea route to India and the East.

Important landmarks in the Cape of Good Hope include Cape Point which is a small cape that juts out at the pointy end of the peninsula and two historic lighthouses situated at Cape Point.

Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserves forms part of Table Mountain National Park and falls within the Cape Floral Region, which is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. The world-famous nature reserve is popular with hikers, walkers and nature lovers.

Cape Point • South Peninsula

Cape Point is a dramatic promontory that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean at the southernmost easterly tip of the Cape Peninsula. This iconic natural landmark falls within the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and played an important role in history where the giant lighthouses erected at Cape Point guided passing ships around the rocky headland.

A highlight of a Cape Point tour is catching the Flying Dutchman Funicular to the top and enjoying a meal and drinks at the restaurant on the summit. The view of the glistening Atlantic Ocean and beautiful nature reserve is simply breathtaking.

Cape Point Vineyards • Noordhoek

Cape Point Vineyards is a beautiful wine estate that lies nestled on the slopes of the famous Chapman’s Peak mountain range in Noordhoek, and overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Cool sea breezes along with ancient mountain soils create a unique terroir coupled with a late growing season results in a world-class Sauvignon Blanc with minerals tones and great complexity.

Chapman’s Peak Drive

Chapman’s Peak Drive is a spectacular pass that takes you over the Chapmans Peak mountain range from the Atlantic Seaboard and Hout Bay to the beautiful valley of Noordhoek. Chapmans Peak is the mountain range on the western side of the Cape Peninsula.

The winding pass is one of the most scenic drives in the world and an engineering marvel. Stop at lookout points along the way for outstanding views and photo opportunities.

Chart Farm Rose Garden • Wynberg

Chart Farm is a picturesque farm situated in the heart of the southern suburbs of the Cape Peninsula. It’s hugely popular for weekend outings, where you can eat, shop and pick your own roses from the beautiful rose garden.

Purchased in 1934, Chart Farm is over 12 hectares of arable land planted to roses, grape vines and lemon trees. There’s a farmstall and coffee shop on the property and a horse riding centre.

Clifton beaches

Clifton is a picturesque residential suburb situated on the Atlantic Seaboard and boasts some of the most luxurious seafacing residential homes in the Cape. The main drawcard to the area is Clifton’s four beautiful beaches. The most famous is Clifton 4th beach which has been awarded Blue Flag status.

Clifton’s stunning beaches are tucked between massive granite boulders which provide protection from the wind. Take Victoria Road to Clifton, park and walk down a steep flight of steps to discover for yourself why Clifton is one of the best places to visit in Cape Town on hot, sunny days.

Constantia winelands

The Constantia wine-producing area lies on the slopes of the Cape Peninsula, at the east-facing foothills of the back of Table Mountain. The vineyards are ideally positioned overlooking False Bay and lie in the path of fresh, cooling breezes that blow in from the Atlantic Ocean. The wind carries with it salt flakes that settle on the vines and help repel powdery mildew and gives the Constantia wines their distinct minerality.

Simon van der Stel founded the first wine farm, Groot Constantia, in the lush valley in 1685. Today, there are 9 outstanding wineries that form part of the Constantia Wine Route. The most impressive and popular is Groot Constantia.

Dias Beach • Cape Point

Dias Beach is a secluded and spectacularly-beautiful beach situated at Cape Point at the very end of the Cape Peninsula. Take a break from driving on a Cape Peninsula tour and enjoy a few hours soaking up the sun and scenery on this gorgeous beach. You need to be quite fit to visit Dias Beach as the walk there and back from the parking lot is quite steep.

Green Point Lighthouse • Beach Road, Green Point

The Green Point Lighthouse is a prominent candy-striped red and white landmark located close to the Sea Point Promenade. It was first lit in April 1824 and is the oldest working lighthouse in South Africa. It was also the first solid lighthouse structure built in the country.

The Green Point Lighthouse is a national heritage site and is open to the public for a nominal fee.

Imhoff Farm • Kommetjie

Imhoff Farm is a fantastic place to stop off for a lunch and playtime break if you’re doing a Cape Peninsula tour with children. Located on one of the oldest dairy and livestock farms in the area, Imhoff Farm offers a selection of family-friendly eateries and craft, clothing, art and gift shops. The farm is open seven days a week. Visit Imhoff Farm if only for its spectacular view of Chapmans Peak and Long Beach.

Kalk Bay Harbour

Kalk Bay harbour is a legendary destination and famous for selling the best fish and chips in Cape Town. It’s the oldest fishing harbour in Cape Town and fresh fish is caught and sold in the busy marketplace every day.

The town of Kalk Bay is a wonderful place to explore. The picturesque seaside town is renowned for its trendy boutiques, arts and craft markets, bric-a-brac stores, restaurants, delis and beautiful beach. The famous Brass Bell restaurant is an institution in Kalk Bay.

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens • Rhodes Drive, Newlands

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is acclaimed as one of the great botanic gardens of the world. Few national gardens can match the sheer grandeur of the setting of Kirstenbosch, set against the eastern slopes of the Cape Peninsula. The site was bequeathed to the state by Cecil Rhodes in 1902 and the gardens were established in 1913 to preserve the country’s indigenous flora.

Kirstenbosch only grows indigenous South African plants on a magnificent estate that covers 528 hectares. It’s renowned for its incredible biodiversity, rich abundance of endemic plants and dense natural forest. After a scenic guided tour of the gardens, enjoy an excellent meal or coffee at Kirstenbosch Tea Room Restaurant.

Muizenberg beach • False Bay

Muizenberg beach is a beautiful, expansive beach situated where the shore curves round to the east on the False Bay Coast. It’s known as the ‘Surfing Capital of Cape Town’ and well-known for its popular ‘Surfer’s Corner’. A famous attraction is the row of brightly-coloured changing huts that date back to the Victorian era.

The town of Muizenberg is rich in history. It started as a place where rich folk spent their holidays to escape the cold Highveld winters during the gold rush and was where Cecil John Rhodes retired to and spent the last years of his life. The Het Posthuys is one of the oldest buildings in South Africa and was built in 1673 by the Dutch East India Company, originally as a signal station and observation post.

Newlands Forest • Newlands

Newlands Forest is a spectacularly-beautiful conservation area located on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. It’s an oasis of natural pine forest in the middle of the built-up southern suburbs and offers visitors a selection of lovely walking paths and hiking trails. Several vantage points are spread along the routes and offer panoramic views of Cape Town and the mountains.

Noordhoek Farm Village • Noordhoek

Noordhoek Farm Village is a fun, family-friendly destination on the Cape Point Route. You’ll find a great choice of restaurants, a festive pub, kid’s playground, art gallery, craft shops and a popular hotel at the village market. It’s a great place to meet friends or stop off for lunch on Cape Peninsula tour. The Noordhoek Farm Village is located at the base of the famous Chapmans Peak Drive.

Oudekraal Beach • between Llandudno and Bakoven

Oudekraal Beach is a gorgeous cove tucked between Llandudno and Bakoven, opposite the luxury Twelve Apostles Hotel. The spiritual, historical and natural importance of the seaside area means the beach has been left relatively untouched. It’s the perfect spot to stop at on a full-day Cape Peninsula tour for panoramic views of the Atlantic Oceans and spectacular Twelve Apostles mountain range.

Rhodes Memorial • access via University of Cape Town

Located on the eastern slope of Devil’s Peak, Rhodes Memorial was built as a memorial to Cecil John Rhodes who was an English-born explorer and South African politician. The grand memorial was designed by the renowned architect, Sir Herbert Baker.

Sea Point Pool • Beach Road, Sea Point

Sea Point Pool is fantastic public pool swimming complex set right on the beachfront in Sea Point with outstanding views of the Atlantic Ocean and the towering cliff faces at the back of Table Mountain. The salt water swimming pools include a massive 50-metre Olympic-size swimming pool, two kiddies splash pools and a deep diving pool with springboard diving equipment.

Sea Point Pool is open all year round and lifeguards are permanently on duty.

Sea Point Promenade • Beach Road, Sea Point

The Sea Point promenade is the meeting, walking, jogging, chilling and playing hub of the Atlantic Seaboard. This popular paved beachfront promenade stretches the length of Mouille Point and Sea Point. It hugs the contour of the Atlantic Ocean and offers panoramic view of the glistening sea and the western side of Table Mountain. A lush green lawn separates the promenade from the beach road and there’s a fun play area for kids.

Seal Island • Hout Bay

Seal Island – also known as Duiker Island – is a small island located about 6 kilometres from Hout Bay harbour. It known for its large population of endangered Cape fur seals, numbering at least 64 000 on the island.

You can get up close to the seals and marine bird species on a Seal Island charter boat run by a tour operator out of Mariner’s Wharf in the Hout Bay harbour.

Simons Town Jubilee Square • Simons Town

A popular stop-off for lunch on a Cape Peninsula tour is Jubilee Square in Simon’s Town. It lies in the heart of South Africa’s historic naval town. Enjoy a delicious meal of fresh seafood at one of the restaurants overlooking the mariner, have a photograph taken with Just Nuisance and spend some time shopping for curios at the marketplace. Later, take a stroll down Simon’s Town historic main street that’s lined with quaint shops and trendy street cafes.

Table Mountain

Table Mountain is an iconic natural landmark in the heart of the Mother City. It forms part of Table Mountain National Park and falls within the Cape Floral Region which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The towering mountain has stood sentry over Cape Town City Bowl and the Atlantic Seaboard for some 600 million years.

You can explore Table Mountain on a strenuous but exhilarating hike but we recommend taking the more leisurely route up to the summit in a rotating cable car operated by Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. Often the giant mountain is shrouded in white mist, nicknamed the Table Cloth. Most days, visitors enjoy a panoramic view of the beautiful Mother City.

Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles is a magnificent mountain range which forms part of the Table Mountain complex. Overlooking a gorgeous stretch of Atlantic coastline and the town of Camps Bay, the mountain range stretches almost 6 kilometres to Hout Bay.

As you guessed it, the Twelve Apostles consists of 12 distinct peaks. During the time of Dutch Rule, the mountain range was known as the Castle Mountains (Kasteelberg) or Gable Mountains. The stately, luxury Twelve Apostles Hotel lies at the foothills of the great mountain range.

University of Cape Town • Rondebosch

On the drive back from the South Peninsula to Cape Town City Bowl, you’ll pass the magnificent University of Cape Town (UCT) which stands in all its glory at the foothills of Devil’s Peak. Founded in 1829, UCT is one of the oldest higher education institutes in South Africa and recognised internationally for its excellent academic standards.

Warrior Toy Museum • St George’s Street, Simons Town

Something fun to do on a Cape Peninsula tour is a visit to the Warrior Toy Museum in Simons Town. It houses a permanent display of 4 000 miniature cars, buses, airplanes and trucks as well as a collection of dinky toys, dolls and lead soldiers. It’s a delight for the young and old.

World of Birds • Hout Bay

World of Birds is a wonderful place to visit on a holiday in the Cape. It’s the largest bird park in Africa and one of the largest in the world. It houses over 3 000 birds of 400 different species in more than 100 spacious walk-through aviaries. World of Birds is also home to a collection of monkeys, reptiles and small mammals.

Many of the birds and other animals at World of Birds were orphaned or neglected and taken to safety at the sanctuary. World of Birds is committed to the preservation, breeding, education and research and provides both valuable environment for people to learn more about the beautiful bird species seen in the sanctuary.

 

Places to stay in the Cape Peninsula

Visitors have a wide choice of places to stay in the Cape Peninsula and there’s a hotel, guest house or B&B for everyone’s budget. Choose an upmarket establishment that makes your safety and comfort a priority.

We recommend booking a Cape Peninsula tour with a reputable tour operator that runs a professional operation and will collect you from and drop you off at your guest house or hotel in Cape Town.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What can I expect from Cape Peninsula tours?

Some things you can expect from a Cape Peninsula tour include: scenic drives along stunning coastal roads with breathtaking views of the ocean, rugged cliffs, and rolling hills, a visit to Boulders Beach to see the African penguins, and the opportunity to spot other wildlife, visits to historical sites such as the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and the site of the legendary Flying Dutchman ghost ship, visits to local markets or communities and possible opportunities for hiking, exploring caves, or even shark cage diving.

 

What is the cost of a Cape Peninsula tour?

The cost of a Cape Peninsula tour can vary depending on the provider and the specific itinerary. Generally, group tours range from $50 to $100 per person, while private tours can be more expensive, ranging from $150 to $300 or more per person. The cost may also depend on the duration of the tour, the number of destinations visited, and any additional activities included in the itinerary. It’s a good idea to research and compare different tour providers to find one that fits your budget and preferences.

 

How long does a typical Cape Peninsula tour last?

A typical Cape Peninsula tour lasts between 6-8 hours, depending on the specific itinerary. Some tours may also include additional activities such as wine tasting, hiking, or visiting local markets, which can extend the duration.