Cape Town: Peninsula, Cape of Good Hope & Penguins

Granite boulders frame a colony of African penguins on one of Earth's few swimmable penguin beaches

You're driven the full Cape Peninsula loop, starting with Chapman's Peak's coastal cliffs, then Cape Point's lighthouse and ocean views, then Boulders Beach where you can swim near African penguins. Free time in Simon's Town and Kalk Bay breaks up the drive. Hotel pickup, toll fees, and water are included. The day ends back at your hotel in late afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Hout Bay1h
2. Cape Point1h 30m
3. Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve20m · entry included
4. Boulders Beach1h 30m

Explore Cape Peninsula highlights

• Pass by Camps Bay Beach
• Visit Hout Bay Harbour
• Drive Chapman’s Peak Drive
• Pass by Noordhoek farm village
• Explore Cape Point Nature Reserve
• Visit Cape of Good Hope landmark
• Walk or funicular to Cape Point lighthouse
• Visit Boulders Beach Penguin Colony
• Free time in Simon’s Town
• Pass through Kalk Bay village

The experience

The drive starts early, winding south from Cape Town through Hout Bay, where the harbour sits thick with fishing boats and the smell of salt hangs over the restaurants. Chapman's Peak Drive cuts along the coast next: a road that climbs and dips with the cliffs, the Atlantic Ocean dropping away on one side, mountains rising on the other. You stop at a viewpoint to take it in, and the scale of it hits different when you're standing there. The Peninsula tour doesn't rush this part. It's built into the rhythm of the day.

By mid-morning you're at Cape Point, inside the Table Mountain National Park, where the lighthouse sits on a ridge and two ocean currents meet below. The reserve holds 250 bird species, including the African penguin colony that's nested here since the early 1980s. You walk the paths, spot baboons moving through the scrub, and the light off the water keeps changing. If the stairs feel like too much, there's an optional funicular that takes you up without the climb. After Cape Point, the route drops down to Boulders Beach, where the penguins live between granite boulders the size of houses. You can wade in the shallow water here. It's one of the few places on the planet where you swim alongside them, and they're less interested in you than you'd think.

The afternoon moves through Simon's Town, a naval town with coloured Victorian buildings and a jetty where you can walk and grab lunch if you want, then past Kalk Bay's fishing harbour before heading back north. Chapman's Peak toll is covered, so there's no surprise at the gate. Hotel pickup and drop-off mean you don't navigate the drive yourself, and the guide knows where to stop and how long to linger. It's a full day, around eight hours, but the route is designed so you see the peninsula's shape, not just its highlights.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private transportation around the entire Cape Peninsula.
• toll fees at Chapman's Peak Drive.
• bottled water.
• entry to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Boulders Beach.
• free time in Simon's Town and Kalk Bay.

Options for this experience

2 options

Up to 8 people · Guide in English08:00

Up to 9 people · Guide in EnglishNo fixed time

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (under 18)

GroupUp to 9

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendly

Operated by SadiCapeTours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the Cape Peninsula's main landmarks (the lighthouse, the penguins, the dramatic coastline) in one day without arranging your own transport or timing the stops yourself. The fixed route and included pickup mean you arrive back at your hotel in the late afternoon without having driven.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 18).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

Can you swim with the penguins at Boulders Beach?

Yes. Boulders Beach has shallow inlets between granite boulders where you can wade in the water alongside the African penguins. It's one of the few places in the world where this is possible.

Is the funicular at Cape Point included?

No, it's optional and at your own cost. You can walk up to the lighthouse instead, or take the funicular if you prefer not to climb.

How long is the tour?

Around eight hours, including hotel pickup and drop-off.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, private transportation, toll fees at Chapman's Peak Drive, and bottled water.

Is there time for lunch?

Yes. You have free time in Simon's Town and Kalk Bay, both of which have restaurants and cafés overlooking the bay.

Do I need to be fit for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended, and you can choose whether to walk or take the funicular at Cape Point.

Is there an option to see seals?

Yes. An optional 40-minute boat cruise to Duiker Island, where you can see a seal colony, is available at your own cost from Hout Bay.