The Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point are often mistakenly referred to as the southernmost point in South Africa and by extension, Africa. Technically, they aren’t. Cape Agulhas to the east of these places holds that distinction and also acts as the official convergence point of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Nevertheless, the same feeling of staring out in to an infinite ocean with the knowledge that there is no land beyond this point on the Southern Hemisphere cannot be curbed by what the compass dictates 
It was fascinating to stare in to the vast blueness from the top of the lighthouse at Cape Point.
So how do we get here from Cape Town? There are many buses and tours available for a regimented trip that will probably combine a trip to Boulder Beach. We had hired a taxi and tour guide from www.africanwelcome.com so we could have some more flexibility. The drive is about an hour and 20 minutes, and apparently the queues to enter the Cape Point National Park can get really long. We’d reached the entrance at 10:30 am on a Tuesday morning and there was just one vehicle ahead of us. I guess we were lucky! You will encounter many baboons on the way, and if you stop, be ready for a scare when they decide to get real friendly by jumping on your vehicle. DO NOT feed the baboons or they will follow you to the end of the earth.
There is ample parking at the base of the hill on which the lighthouse is built. There are restrooms and a café as well. There are stunning vistas to be experienced from right here, but of course the elevation of the lighthouse provides the ability to look much further all around. The walk up to the hill is not very strenuous, but there is a funicular available for those who do not want to make the trek up and down. The lighthouse terrace was quite crowded so we took some pictures and quickly made our way down. The weather was wonderful that day so it was quite nice to walk around. Cape of Good Hope is at the other side of Cape Point National Park and a short ride from the Cape Point lighthouse. If you want to get down to a beach, Buffels Bay is very picturesque and has a beautiful tidal pool. The tidal pool is open to swimmers and offers protection from the rough waves.
We continued onto Boulder Beach, which is about a half hour drive from Cape Point. It is located in Simon’s Town which has some nice seafood joints. Definitely try the fish and chips at The Salty Sea Dog right by the wharf. It is an unassuming little joint, but the food is amazing. Boulder Beach is home to a colony of African penguins that are usually found on tiny islands off the coast. Boulder Beach is the only mainland beach where they breed and nest. There is barricaded viewing area, but in the summer months, you can also get on the beach and swim. The beach itself is protected by granite barriers and is considered quite safe. This is the first time we’d seen penguins outside of a zoo, and it was quite a sight to see so many of them basically lazing around. The African penguins are also called jackasses because they make an annoying braying sound. These penguins are smaller and look slightly different than the Emperor penguins we are used to seeing on the TV and in zoos. You must include a visit to Boulder Beach in your itinerary, especially if you have little ones and have never seen penguins in their natural habitat before.
On our way back to Cape Town, we drove through Fish Hoek. It is a small costal town which has the misfortune of being a ‘dry’ town. There are no liquor stores in the town but restaurants can serve wine and beer. We’d decided that we will also make a pit stop at Camps Bay on our way back. Camps Bay has a beautiful beach with a big tidal pool. You can view South Africa’s own Twelve Apostles from the beach as well as while driving on Victoria Road. You can also hike on this mountain range. Camps Bay also has some really nice bars and restaurants with fantastic views. Camps Bay is a great area to stay if you are okay with or actually want to be little outside Cape Town City Center.
After taking in the beauty of the mountains and the ocean at Camp’s Bay, we drove through City Bowl which is home to some really elegant homes and estates. The entire road trip to Cape Point and back through Boulder Beach and Camps Bay was just a reminder of how blessed Cape Town is in terms of natural beauty. There had been a number of wildfires that had devastated many areas just a few weeks before our visit. It was surreal to see the burnt landscape on one side and the lush green parts that had escaped the fires, on the other side. Cape Town was in dire need of rain, and it was a happy co-incidence that it rained quite a bit the first two days we were in Cape Town, even though it kind of screwed up our plans a little bit.
I’m not listing any tips other than just the suggestion to get to Cape Point earlier in the day to beat the crowds. Do make this road trip a part of your itinerary; whether you do it in a day or spend several days discovering some more gems. Have fun!
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