Cape Point and Peninsula: Day Trips and Tours from Cape Town

On a day trip to Cape Point and Peninsula from Cape Town you can thoroughly explore the beauty of its great variety of attractions. Visit the iconic Robben Island, majestic Table Mountain or the spectacular Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.

Enjoy a delightful wine tasting at historic Groot Constantia, the antics of the adorable penguins at Boulders Beach and explore old Simon’s Town naval village.

Here's all you need to know about Cape Point and Peninsula, one of the most famous destinations for day trips from Cape Town.

How to get to Cape Point from Cape Town?

The Cape Peninsula lies on the Atlantic Ocean at the south-western point of Africa, with Cape Town as the mother city. The Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point are at the southern end of the peninsula.

You have two options to get to the Cape Point Nature Reserve:

From Cape Town to Cape Point by car

You can rent a car or taxi in the Cape Town CBD for a 1.5 hour scenic drive via the M5 and M4.

From Cape Town to Cape Point by bus

Your other option is the Cape Point Explorer bus service. It has fully air-conditioned buses with guides on board.

The Southern Line train service from Cape Town runs through the Southern Suburbs and St. James, Kalk Bay and Fish Hoek but only as far as Simon’s Town.

How much does the entrance ticket to Cape Point cost?

Cape Point Nature Reserve entrance fee:

• Standard Entry: Adults ZAR376 (about US$22), children (2-12 years) ZAR188 (about US$10)
• SA residents: Adults ZAR94 (about US$5), children ZAR47 (about US$3)

Flying Dutchman funicular tickets:

• Adults: ZAR90 (about US$5) return, ZAR75 (about US$4) one way
• Children: ZAR50 (US$3) return, ZAR45 (about US$3) one way
• Senior citizens (60+): ZAR55 (US$3) return, ZAR40 (US$2) one way.

What is the typical itinerary of a day tour to Cape Point and Peninsula from Cape Town?

Your tour will start with hotel pickup in Cape Town, followed by a drive in an air-conditioned vehicle along the Atlantic Seaboard. On your way to Hout Bay harbor, you can admire the Twelve Apostles Mountains.

Here you can take an optional boat tour to the seal colony on Duiker Island (at your own expense), or browse the local craft shops.

Your tour continues along the scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive to Boulders Beach in Simons Town to visit the African penguin colony (optional).

The final stop is the Cape Point Nature Reserve, known for great landscapes and  wildlife. After your picnic lunch, you will stroll to the Cape Point lighthouse and take a comfortable hike to the extreme south westerly point of Africa.

You can walk along Diaz Beach with its dramatic cliffs and stormy waves until you reach the Cape of Good Hope sign3. You will then get back on board your vehicle to return to your Cape Town accommodation, for the end of your tour.

*The optional boat cruise from Hout Bay harbor to the seal colony costs about US$7 and the optional Boulders Beach entry about US$10 for non-SA adults.

What kinds of tours are available to go to Cape Point?

Full-Day Cape Peninsula and Cape Point sightseeing tour

During this full-day sightseeing tour around the Cape Peninsula and Cape Point from Cape Town, you will have fun both driving and hiking.

Focusing on the Peninsula’s natural attractions, the trip will provide you with a perfect overview of the region if you visit for the first time. Commentary on the various attractions from your tour guide will ensure an informative tour.

Your meeting point is Burg Street in the Cape Town CBD or you can request pickup. The tour starts with a drive along the Atlantic Seaboard, with views of the Twelve Apostles Mountains.

The first stop is Hout Bay harbor, where you have the option of a boat cruise to the Duiker Island seal colony or browsing the local craft shops.

Continue along scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive to Boulders Beach in Simons Town and marvel at the African penguin colony (optional).

Your final stop is the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve for lunch, a Cape Point lighthouse visit and easy hike to the continental endpoint.

End you tour with a walk along the beautiful Diaz Beach until you reach the well-known Cape of Good Hope sign.

*Infant seats are available for this tour.

Cape Peninsula, penguins and wine tasting tour

Discover the attractive fishing villages along False Bay, watch the African (Jackass) penguins at Boulders Beach and explore the Cape’s oldest wine estate.

You will first be driven along the scenic St. James/Muizenberg beachfront from where you can admire the Steenberg Mountains, sandy beaches and turquoise Indian Ocean.

During a short stop-over at St. James beach, look out for the old colorful beach huts and alluring rock pools. Further on, you will pass by the bustling Kalk Bay and Fish Hoek fishing villages.

Folks from these communities are descendants from fishermen who had been going out to sea as early as the 19th century.

You will stop over at Boulders Beach to see the African penguin colony. The best viewing of the penguins is at Foxy Beach, where the boardwalk will take visitors to the breeding sites.

Here you can observe and adore these endangered creatures hopping and squawking along on the beach and large boulders.

Take a break in Simon's Town to wander the same streets that famous figures such as Mary Kingsley once graced. Another icon was the legendary Great Dane, Just Nuisance, the only dog ever enlisted into the British Royal Navy.

Your guide will show you his bronze statue in town and share fascinating stories about Simon’s Town’s history. End your visit with lunch at a local eatery and a nice walk on the harbor deck.

Your trip from here takes you along the rugged cliffs of Chapman’s Peak for breathtaking views, so hold your camera ready. Your next visit is the vibrant harbor in Hout Bay where you can browse the market’s fine craft and art products.

Another familiar sight is the Cape fur seals slumbering on the harbor walls. From here you will travel to the famous Groot Constantia wine estate for a wine tasting.

You will be impressed by the grandeur of the historic homestead on South Africa’s oldest wine estate, dating from 1685. Take a leisurely stroll through the beautiful vineyards and wine cellar and savor some of the Cape’s finest wines.

* Lunch at Simon’s Town, the Groot Constantia wine tastings and the Boulders Beach entry are at your own expense. The entrance fee for Boulders Beach is R152 (about US$9) for adults and R76 (about US$5) for children for foreign individuals.

Cape Peninsula and Cape Point scenic helicopter flight

On this private helicopter tour over the Cape Peninsula you can admire the beauty of the Atlantic seaboard, Cape Point and False Bay from the sky. You will see Robben Island, Table Mountain and Constantia’s vineyards like never before.

Your meeting point is the Helipad, East Pier Road in the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront.  Here you will board a private helicopter and as the flight takes off, you can take in the city views around you.

All along, the live commentary on board will keep you informed of your whereabouts and the route ahead. Your flight first takes you along the Atlantic coastline, bordered by the Twelve Apostles mountains.

You will drift around the Karbonkelberg towards Hout Bay and see the landscape change from sandy beaches to rocky bays on the way to Cape Point.

As you get to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point you will pass over rugged cliffs and the Cape Point lighthouse. See how the mighty waves pound the rocks and strong sea currents swirl beyond the point.

From here you will head back up the Peninsula towards Simon’s Town, the historic naval town, and Boulders Beach, home of a colony of African penguins.

You will fly past the sea resort villages of Muizenberg and Fish Hoek, and admire the views of False Bay. On the way back to Cape Town you will be soaring along the opposite side of the mountains than the first part of your trip.

You will pass over the beautiful Constantia vineyards on South Africa’s oldest wine estate, before touching down again at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront helipad.

*Infants 3 months to 1 year are allowed but not to occupy a seat.

*The tour is wheelchair accessible.

*The helicopter flight is dependent on good weather. If your tour is canceled because of poor weather, you can choose a different date or request a refund

How much does a tour to Cape Point and Peninsula from Cape Town cost?

Cape Peninsula and Cape Point tour costs vary according to its nature and duration.

The full-day Cape Point and Peninsula tour costs US$50 per person and, the 50-minute Cape Peninsula and Cape Point scenic helicopter flight US$480 per person.

The Cape Peninsula, penguins and wine tasting tour lasts 7 hours and costs US$110 per person.

What will you see and do?

Day trips from Cape Town offer numerous attractions, of which some major ones are:

Robben Island

The island is best known as the place where former South African president Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years, but there’s a lot more to its history.  

The island was discovered by Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias in 1488 and henceforth used by the Portuguese, English and Dutch as a refueling station. Since the late 17th century it had been used for imprisoning mainly political prisoners.

From 1845, the island also became a refuge for lepers and by the end of the 19th century, there were already a few hundred.

The island was fortified during World War II with guns as part of Cape Town’s defenses. From 1961, the maximum security prison was used to imprison political prisoners, but it was closed in 1991.

The medium security prison for criminal inmates was closed in 1996.

Groot Constantia

The wine estate is the oldest in South Africa, dating back to 1685 when it was granted to VOC governor Simon van der Stel. He built the large Cape Dutch style house and produced wine and other fruit.

After his death in 1712, the estate was sold off as Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia and Bergvliet. Groot Constantia was bought by the Cloete family in 1779, who extended the vineyards and the manor house.

The wine cellar was added in 1791. The estate was bought by the Cape of Good Hope government in 1885 and used as an experimental wine farm.

In 1925, the manor house burnt down but was restored to its original Cape Dutch character. It is now owned by the Groot Constantia Trust.

Simon’s Town

Simon’s Town has been a naval base for more than two centuries, first for the British Navy and now the SA Navy. It has a rich heritage in well-preserved historical buildings.

Look out for places such as the old British Hotel, Admiralty House, the Martello Tower (built 1796), The Residency (built 1777, now the Simon’s Town Museum) and the SA Naval Museum.

When is Cape Point open over the year?

The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve is open all year round. Cape Point is situated within the reserve and opening times correspond to the reserve’s hours of operation.

Come early in the morning or late in the afternoon to see the spectacular sunrise or sunset at Cape Point.

What are the opening times?

Because of seasonal changes, opening times for the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point vary during the year.

The operational hours are from 6 AM to 6 PM from October to March and 7 AM to 5 PM from April to September.

When is the best time to visit Cape Point?

March to May and September to November when the weather is pleasant are the best months to visit Cape Town.

At the same time you will also get lower prices saving around 30% on traveling and accommodation. If you’re into whale watching, May and October are the best months to visit the Cape.

Travel tips

• Make sure to book your Cape Peninsula and Cape Point tour in advance.
• Contact your local embassy/consulate on safety precautions.
• Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a jacket for windy conditions.
• Make sure to bring cash.