The Cape Peninsula is one of the areas that you definitely have to visit when you come to Cape Town. It is full of touristic attractions so one of the best ways to explore it is to take a tour.
I took the Cape Point & Peninsula tour with Day Trippers and I loved it. I spent a fun day, met persons from different countries, had delicious lunch, learned about Cape Town’s history and did some biking and hiking (if you don’t want to bike you can stay in the van and if you don’t want to hike you can take a funicular).
Not only you are going to make the most of your day by visiting several places on the way to Cape Point, but also you are going to experience the scenic beauty of the South African landscape by taking amazing drives like the Chapman’s Peak.
The Cape Peninsula Tour Basics
The Tour Guide
Our tour guide was the awesome Selemani (Sele), he has a lot of experience giving all kinds of tours in Cape Town. He is from Burundi and is a formal soccer player from France. Besides that he is very easy-going and fun!
Transport
We were moving on a very spacious and comfortable van that had the bicycles attached on the back. It was also very convenient because we were able to leave our bags secure while we went out to see each place.
What’s included on the tour?
- Qualified guide
- All transport
- Bicycles
- Lunch
- Entrances to Boulders Beach and Cape Point
*The only extra you have to pay is the Seal Island cruise (75 ZAR = 6.1 USD) and the funicular to the Cape Point Lighthouse (70 ZAR = 5.7 USD) if you don’t want to hike.
Tour duration
The tour lasted 9 hours. Sele picked me and my friends up from Mojo Hotel (My stay at the trendy Mojo Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa) at 9:00 am and brought me back at 6:00 pm.
Places visited
- Beaches: Clifton, Camps Bay, and Llandudno
- Hout Bay
- Seal Island
- Chapman’s Peak
- Boulders Beach
- Cape Point:
- Biking (Optional)
- Lunch
- Lighthouse
- Cape of Good Hope
1. Beaches
On the road we saw Clifton Beaches (I, II, III, and IV), Camps Bay and Llandudno Beach. We didn’t stop to have a look at them but Sele told us some interesting facts about them.
Clifton Beaches
Clifton is an exclusive residential area, home to the most expensive real estate in South Africa. It has 4 beaches (Clifton 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th) that provide locals and tourists with amazing spots to sunbath, do a picnic and play sports like volleyball and football. These beaches are top-ranked and have received Blue Flag Status.
Read more about Clifton Beaches here.
Camps Bay
If you want to spend a fun and relaxed day in Cape Town, going to Camps Bay Beach is definitely your best option! It’s known for its fine white sand, beautiful people, delicious restaurants and views of the Twelve Apostles mountains.
Read more about Camps Bay Beach here.
Llandudno Beach
Llandudno Beach is definitely a must-see. It’s located in an exclusive neighborhood, one of the most expensive in South Africa. Famous for surfing, you can also find children running, family picnics, and dogs playing.
Read more about Llandudno Beach here.
2. Hout Bay
On the way, Sele told us some history about Hout Bay. Now a day it is is the base port to rich marine life and the main tourist attractions with a variety of restaurants, a weekend market, hotels, bed and breakfasts, and other accommodation options.
When we arrived we were able to have a quick look at the harbor and saw boats, ships, seals, nice local souvenirs and people dancing.
3. Duiker Island (Seal Island)
You can stay longer exploring the Hout Bay harbor or for additional 75 ZAR = 6 USD you can take a cruise to the Duiker Island (which you should definitely visit!). The cruise took around 20 minutes to arrive at this nice island and on the way, we were able to appreciate the beautiful mountain landscape.
We stopped for some minutes on the island and we were able to see A LOT of cute seals sunbathing, chilling on the rocks and swimming.
4. Chapman’s Peak
We continued our trip driving through Chapman’s Peak Drive which is considered one of the world’s most scenic drives. Also, an interesting fact is that a car chase scene for the movie Quantum of Solace was filmed there.
You can read more about Chapman’s Peak Drive here.
Lookout view stop
We stopped at a lookout point to have amazing views from Hout Bay, take some pictures and go to the toilet.
5. Boulders Beach
My favorite stop was Boulders Beach. Here we were able to watch the African penguins which settled there in 1982. It is a sheltered beach made between granite boulders, from which the name originated. You will walk through boardwalks that will take you within a few meters of the birds.
Read more about my visit to Boulder’s Beach here.
6. Cape Point
We continued our trip visiting Cape Point, a nature reserve within the Table Mountain National Park; a declared Natural World Heritage Site. Once inside the reserve there is a chance to see Zebra, Eland, Baboons, Ostriches and other interesting flora and fauna.
a. Biking
When we arrived at the reserve we stopped at a nice lookout point and prepared ourselves to do some biking. We were provided with helmets and Sele gave us instructions and a safety briefing to then go biking all the way to the information center.
Also, some people decided to stay at the van. This is perfect because if you don’t like biking you can just relax and keep watching the nice views inside the van.
b. Lunch
When we arrived at the Information Center we were received by Sele with a big picnic at the information center. This place has a “mini-museum” with data of the flora and fauna of the reserve.
There are some tables to sit and eat while making some friends
c. Lighthouse
After lunch, we went to the lighthouse at Cape Point. In 1859 the lighthouse was built and now is still an icon on the peninsula. The lighthouse stands 249 meters above sea level and makes an interesting but steep climb to the top from the parking area.
Hiking
This hike offers breathtaking vistas and real fresh air! On the way we saw several baboons that were friendly and cute but we had to be careful and leave our food in the van because if they see food they try to steal it!
Funicular
If you don’t want to hike, a funicular named ‘The Flying Dutchman’ can also take you to the top in 3 minutes. It takes its name from the local legend of the Flying Dutchman ghost ship.
- Prices: Adult: 70 ZAR = 6 USD (return) / 55 ZAR = 4.5 USD (single)
- Trading hours: Monday to Sunday 9:00 – 17:30 hrs.
- More information about The Flying Dutchman funicular here.
d. Cape of Good Hope
The last stop of the tour was Cape of Good Hope. We saw amazing ocean views and the powerful waves of the ocean punching the coast line! Now, I realize why Bartholomew Dias – the first European known to set foot on South African soil- named it “the Cape of Storms”, but King John II of Portugal later renamed it Cape of Good Hope.
7. Day Trippers
Day Trippers has been offering unique ways to discover South Africa for over 25 years. While they specialize in anything and everything to do with bicycles, they also offer multi-day hiking trips and a whole array of active day tours and team building activities.
Contact
- Website: http://daytrippers.co.za/
- Email: info@daytrippers.co.za
- Telephone: +27 (0) 21 511 4766
- Address: Santos Park, unit 8, 414 Voortrekker Road, Maitland, 7405.
Let’s get social!
- Facebook: @DaytrippersSA
- Instagram: @Daytrippers_za
- Twitter: @DaytrippersSA
- Youtube: @DaytrippersSA
- Trip Advisor: DaytrippersSA
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored blog post, but all opinions are my own
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Capetown is absolutely gorgeous! I didn’t know it’s so beautiful until i saw your photos. The beaches look clean and peaceful and the people are really friendly. Cape of Good Hope took my breath away too. Gosh I need to explore South Africa now~
Sometimes it really is nice to go on a tour and have someone else take care of all the details for you. This sounds like one of those tours. I love how they even transported bikes for you to use during the tour. I’m amazed at all the beaches, views, and wildlife you were able to see…and your photos are spectacular!
What an amazing and action packed day you had! Boulders Beach looks absolutely stunning!
That’s one full day! I love the variety – gorgeous drive, boat trip, biking, hiking and lunch. Sounds like a wonderful way to get to know parts of Cape Town most visitors miss.
I absolutely love this post. I used to live in San Diego and South Africa looks similar with the rocky coastline and powerful waves. Of course, we didn’t have beaches filled with penguins. This bike ride looks like a lot of fun and exactly the way we love to see a country and a coast.