South Africa’s Cape Peninsula: A One Day Adventure

Cape of Good Hope, South Africa

What a day!  I got to see more of South Africa’s coast on Darren’s Cape Peninsula Tour.  Stunning!

After a quick stop downtown for coffee, we traveled south by car along the Atlantic coast to Chapman’s Peak.

The road is incredibly impressive, high above the ocean, twisting and turning, and carved out of sheer cliffs.  Each turn presents a new awe-inspiring vista.

We soon entered Table Mountain National Park where I spotted a lone wild Chacma baboon sitting in a bush surveying the land.  Baboons are native to the area and although this one was the only one I saw, I am told they are plentiful.

The shrubs and trees in this area are all new to me.  The park contains 1200 species of indigenous plants!  Protea, which give a show of blooms in the Spring, are everywhere.  Throughout the park, it’s a visual symphony of greens and pinks.

Every time I catch a glimpse of the ocean it takes my breath away – the color of the water is such a vivid blue-green against the white sand.  And the beaches are empty.  Thankfully, I’ve yet to see a mega-resort spoiling the coast.  But still, where is everyone?

Arriving at the beach near the Cape of Good Hope we spotted four wild ostriches.  I’ve never seen an ostrich in the wild and frankly, never thought about where they lived naturally.  They live here!  Amazing to see such huge birds on the beach.  I found a feather and the skull of a bird nearby.

Cape Point, South Africa

Our next stop was the Cape of Storms, now with a new and improved name that’s stuck since 1488: the Cape of Good Hope.

As a refresher, this Cape was made famous by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, when he successfully navigated the cape and found a marine path to India which allowed Europeans to trade with the Far East for the first time without having to go overland through the Middle East and bother with those pesky middlemen.

Further on we arrived at Cape Point.  The lighthouse here dates to 1859.  It’s a very scenic walk to the peak which is nearly 250 meters above sea level and offers some terrifying scenic viewpoints in every direction.  For those not inclined to walk to the peak, the Flying Dutchman Funicular will take you to the top  and back down for about $5 US roundtrip.

Finally, we went to see penguins (Yes penguins!) at Boulder’s Beach.  This will be covered in the next post.  Stay tuned!

Photos of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa: