Whether it’s tramping rocky cliff paths that wind above fizzy cream soda-coloured oceans that blows your hair back, or catching a funicular in a clear, heaven-bound direction to catch your breath at unbelievable vistas, Cape Point is essential sightseeing for every visitor to Cape Town.
It’s the generous chunk of paradise (7 750 hectares to be exact) and Natural World Heritage Site that sits at the southwestern tip of Africa, in the Cape of Good Hope section of the Table Mountain National Park.
Imagine coming upon a large herd of bontebok snoozing on a remote beach. Or a couple of ostriches, like grand old dames on stilettos, picking their way over coastal rocks as they blink lazily against the seaspray and the dazzle of the morning sunlight. These are some of the everyday sights in the Cape Point Nature Reserve, along with frequent sightings of baboons sunning themselves at the sea-edge, and birds-eye-check-ins with whales during their migrating season. Cape Mountain Zebra can also be seen in the Cape Point Reserve, as well as a great many birds, and plenty of the Cape’s disctinctive fynbos.
Things to Do at Cape Point
Soak up gobsmackingly beautiful ocean and mountain scenery and white sandy beaches on foot (there are a variety of well laid out hiking paths), or from the snug seat of your car.
Take the Flying Dutchman funicular up to the viewing point below the old lighthouse. (The funicular sports the name of a local legend – the Flying Dutchman ghost ship.)
Walk the shipwreck trail to view a few of the 26 recorded shipwrecks around Cape Point.
Do some cultural moseying around – there are monuments to early explorers such as Vasco da Gama and Bartolomeu Dias.
Swim and picnic at the scenic Bordjiesrif and Buffels Bay tidal pools. (Bordjiesdrif is rather nicely sheltered on windy days).
Watch whales moving past Cape Point on their annual migration.
Keep an eye out for 250 bird species that occur in the area, spot the Cape mountain zebra and a variety of other fauna.
Bike your way through the magnificence of the reserve.
Go down under to a number of dive sites on both sides of the Point.
Take your own picnic or have a bite at the Two Oceans Restaurant where the views are sensational.
If you can’t resist a spot of curio shopping, you’ll find three shops exhibiting their temptations.
Looking for accommodation not far from Cape Point? Mail our Getaway Consultants or call us on 0860 102 907 (local) or +27 21 797-7122 (international)
Gee, i didn’t realise there was so much to do at Cape Point. Fabulous.
There’s stacks to do at Cape Point! Can’t wait to get back there! There’s a walk that’s calling, called ‘Sirkelvlei’. The footpath begins quite near the entrance. Hoping to set some hours aside for that on next visit, believe it’s a most beautiful walk.