Cape Point tour from Cape Town: Penguins and two oceans

Drive the Atlantic coast to where two oceans meet, then return along False Bay past penguin colonies

A half-day sightseeing tour from Cape Town to Cape Point Nature Reserve, departing at 8:30 AM with hotel pickup included and a professional English-speaking guide. The route follows the Atlantic seaboard through Camps Bay and Sea Point, enters the 17,300-acre reserve to see wildlife and birdlife, and returns via Simon's Town and Boulders Beach, where African penguins gather on the sand between granite boulders. Entrance to Cape Point is included. A visit to the penguin colony at Boulders Beach is optional and at your own cost.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Hout Baypassing by
2. Boulders Beach20m
3. Cape Point45m · entry included

Cape Point and Penguin Sightseeing

• Drive along Atlantic coast
• Pass Sea Point and Camps Bay
• Visit Cape Point Nature Reserve
• Observe wildlife and birdwatch
• Travel along False Bay coastline
• Pass Simon's Town and Fish Hoek
• Optional visit to Penguin colony
• Return to Cape Town via university and memorial

The experience

The tour starts with pickup from your Cape Town hotel around 8:00 AM, then heads south along the Atlantic coast. The drive passes through the suburbs of Sea Point and Camps Bay, where the Twelve Apostles mountain range rises above the shoreline. From there the route turns toward the Cape Peninsula and enters Cape Point Nature Reserve, a protected area spanning over 17,300 acres of indigenous plants and wildlife.

Inside the reserve, the guide points out baboons, Reebok, Cape Mountain zebra, bontebok and the occasional eland moving across the landscape. Birdwatchers find many species throughout the reserve, and it is also one of the world's largest breeding grounds for tortoises. The coastline itself is the draw: the dramatic meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans (as local legend describes it), and the wind that locals call the "Cape Doctor" for its supposed curative powers. The return journey follows False Bay, the calmer water on the eastern side of the peninsula.

On the way back to Cape Town, the route passes through Simon's Town and the fishing village of Fish Hoek. A stop at Boulders Beach to see the African penguin colony is optional and at your own cost. The beach itself is a sheltered inlet between large granite boulders. The tour ends by passing the University of Cape Town, Rhodes Memorial and Groote Schuur Hospital before returning you to your hotel around 1:00 PM.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from selected Cape Town city centre hotels.
• professional English-speaking guide.
• entrance fee to Cape Point Nature Reserve.
• scenic drive along the Atlantic coast through Sea Point and Camps Bay.
• access to the 17,300-acre reserve to see wildlife and birdlife.
• return route along False Bay through Simon's Town and Fish Hoek.

Options for this experience

4 options

Exclusive HD vehicle and guideUp to 6 people · Guide in English · 08:00Covers an exclusive vehicle with an English-speaking guide; entrance fees and extras not mentioned are excluded; pickup is included

Half-day Cape Point sightseeing tour with penguins, departing from Cape TownUp to 14 people · Guide in English · 08:00Pickup is included

Afternoon tour with an English guide includedUp to 14 people · 12:30Departure time: 1:30 pm, with an English guide; pickup is included

Half-day tour, exclusiveUp to 6 people · Guide in English · 08:00Exclusive half-day tour: includes an exclusive vehicle with an English-speaking guide, entrance to Cape Point Nature Reserve and the penguins; pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00 and 12:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (2 to 11 years)

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 62

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Cullinan Guided Journeys

Is this one for you?Choose the morning slot if you need to return to Cape Town by early afternoon, and confirm at checkout whether you want the optional Boulders Beach penguin colony add-on.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 11 years).

What wildlife might I see at Cape Point Nature Reserve?

Cape Point Nature Reserve is home to baboons, Reebok, Cape Mountain zebra, bontebok and eland, along with many bird species. The reserve is also one of the world's largest breeding grounds for tortoises, so you may spot them across the 17,300 acres.

Can I visit the penguin colony at Boulders Beach?

A visit to Boulders Beach penguin colony is optional and at your own cost. It is included only in certain tour options. The beach is a sheltered inlet between granite boulders where African penguins gather on the sand.

What is included in the hotel pickup?

Hotel pickup and drop-off from selected Cape Town city centre hotels is included. Pickup begins around 8:00 AM, and you should wait at your hotel's main reception desk 10 minutes before your scheduled time. You'll receive your exact pickup details via email the day before the tour.

How long is the tour and when does it return?

The tour runs for 4.5 hours, departing at 8:30 AM and returning to your hotel around 1:00 PM. The schedule allows time for the scenic drive, the reserve, and the return route along False Bay.

What is the "Cape Doctor" wind I might feel at Cape Point?

The Cape Doctor is the name locals give to the brisk wind that blows across Cape Point. It is said to have curative powers, and you may feel it strongly at the tip of the peninsula where the two oceans meet.