Kayaking with African penguins at Boulders Beach, Cape Town
Drift at arm's length from African penguins while paddling across the bay.
Kayak from Simon's Town to Boulders Beach where African penguins swim and waddle at close range, then hike a trail in Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. The day runs 7 to 9 hours with hotel pickup, lunch at a Cape Town restaurant, water and snacks throughout, and a live English-speaking guide. Weather may shift the kayaking to a beach swim or reserve visit instead.
Step-by-step itinerary
Kayak with penguins and Cape hike
- Pick up from hotel
- Drive to Simon’s Town
- Kayak to Boulders Beach
- Swim or visit penguin reserve
- Hike Cape of Good Hope trail
- Drive back via Chapmans Peak
- Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve 2h
- Chapman's Peak Drive Entry included 1h
What’s included
- Hotel pickup and return transport.
- lunch at a Cape Town restaurant.
- bottled water and snacks throughout the day.
- a live English-speaking guide.
Times
- Monday to Saturday 07:00
Before you book
Operated by Coast to Coast Tours
Prices and times updated today
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The experience
Hotel pickup takes you down to Simon's Town, where you launch kayaks and paddle across the bay to Boulders Beach. The goal is to drift quietly alongside the African penguins in their natural habitat: a perspective most visitors never get. If wind or swell makes paddling unsafe, the guide finds a secluded beach where penguins gather, or you visit the reserve on foot to watch them there instead.
After the water, you hike inside Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. The route depends on conditions and what you want to see: a game-spotting walk through the reserve, or a descent from Cape Point lighthouse down to the Cape of Good Hope signboard. Chapman's Peak Drive, one of the world's most scenic coastal roads, carries you back to your hotel. Lunch at a Cape Town restaurant and bottled water with snacks fuel the day.
The kayaking portion is weather-dependent, so the guide adjusts on the morning based on conditions. A moderate level of fitness helps. The hike and paddling both demand some endurance. Children from age 2 can join, though the physical demands vary by age and ability.
Is this one for you?Small mixed groups work well here since the kayak launch and hike both move at a shared pace, and the guide adjusts the route based on what the group wants to see and how conditions allow. If you want to paddle alongside penguins in their natural habitat rather than view them from a reserve boardwalk, this is the way to do it, weather permitting.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 15 years).
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 24 h before the start.
What happens if the weather is too rough to kayak?
If conditions aren't safe for paddling, the guide takes you to a secluded beach where penguins gather so you can swim with them, or you enter Boulders Beach reserve on foot to watch them there instead. Either way, you still see the penguins up close.
How close do you actually get to the African penguins while kayaking?
Drifting quietly alongside them in their natural habitat at Boulders Beach puts you at arm's length: close enough to watch them swim and move without disturbing them. This perspective is rare for most visitors to the area.
What's included in the price besides the kayaking and hiking?
Hotel pickup and return transport, lunch at a Cape Town restaurant, bottled water, and snacks throughout the day are all included. The kayak paddle fee and Cape of Good Hope park entrance fee are separate.
How long does the whole day take?
The experience runs 7 to 9 hours from pickup to drop-off, depending on how much time you spend on the water and which hike route you take inside the reserve.
Kayaking with African penguins at Boulders Beach, Cape Town
7h–9h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 233 per person
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