Cape Town Cape of Good Hope & Boulders Penguin tour

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/20

Duration5h

GroupUp to 13

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Drive the dramatic coastline, walk among endangered penguins

This half-day guided tour from Cape Town travels south along the Atlantic coast to Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Boulders Beach, where you walk a boardwalk among African penguins. The route includes Chapman's Peak Drive, Camps Bay, and stops in Simon's Town and Kalk Bay; a live English-speaking guide, air-conditioned vehicle, bottled water and Chapman's Peak toll fees are included, while entrance to the penguin colony and the nature reserve are optional add-ons you choose at booking.

Step-by-step itinerary

Cape of Good Hope and Penguin Colony Tour

Drive along coast past Bo-Kaap
Stop at Camps Bay for photos
Visit Hout Bay harbour and seals
Drive Chapman's Peak scenic route
Stop at Noordhoek farm village
Explore Cape Point Nature Reserve
Visit Cape of Good Hope sign
Walk or bus to Cape Point lighthouse
Lunch at 2 Oceans restaurant or food shop
Visit Boulders Beach penguin colony
Pass through Simon's Town navy town
Pass through Kalk Bay town
Stop at Muizenberg beach if traffic allows

The Experience

The tour starts by driving slowly along the coast past Bantry Bay and Camps Bay, where you can step out to photograph the Twelve Apostles mountain range and the Atlantic Ocean. From there the route follows Chapman's Peak Drive, a mountain road that drops toward the ocean; there are pullouts where you stop to take in the view. After Hout Bay or Noordhoek farm village (depending on the day's flow), you enter Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, a 7,700-hectare protected area home to over 2,000 plant species, many found nowhere else. Baboons, zebras and antelope often graze along the roadside here.

At Cape Point you can walk a 45-minute trail to the lighthouse standing 300 meters above sea level, or take the funicular for an extra fee; either way you get a 360-degree view of the peninsula. The 2 Oceans restaurant is here if you want to eat. Boulders Beach, your final major stop, is one of only two mainland penguin colonies in South Africa and home to endangered African penguins. A boardwalk lets you get close to the birds without disturbing them. From there the tour passes through Simon's Town (South Africa's naval base and a seafood hub), Kalk Bay with its 1800s architecture and galleries, and Muizenberg with its long beach and colorful changing huts before returning to Cape Town.

The vehicle is air-conditioned and the guide speaks English throughout. Bottled water is provided. Entrance fees to Boulders Beach penguin colony and Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve are not included in the base price but you can add them when you book; the Cape Point funicular is also optional. The tour runs about five hours total.

What’s included

Live English-speaking guide.
air-conditioned vehicle with pickup from your Cape Town location.
bottled water.
Chapman's Peak Drive toll fees.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Glorious Cape Tours

Is this one for you?Most half-day Cape Town tours rush through the same stops on a fixed schedule. This one gives you a guide who knows the route and can adjust the pace — you linger at Camps Bay if the light is right, skip the funicular if the walk appeals more, or spend extra time at Boulders Beach with the penguins instead of moving on the minute the group is ready.