Some of the most popular sightseeing activities in Cape Town revolve around the Cape Peninsula, such as the historically significant Cape Point, and the penguin colony in Simon’s Town. Getting to these sites is a bit challenging because the peninsula is far from the city center. By renting a car and dividing the costs amongst 3-4 people, you can come up with your self-driving your around the peninsula. Here is everything you need to know about the itinerary, the places to stop, and tips about the area.
Renting A Car In Cape Town
The companies in Cape Town rent out both manual and automatic geared cars. Manuals start from 350 Rands per day, while the automatic ones can cost up to 500-600 Rands. Besides, you will be required to pay a deposit of 5000-1000 Rands, but you can get a refund when you return the car unharmed.
You can find cheap rental companies, although they rent out for at least three days, which can be reasonable if you are going to drive to other parts of the country. In that case, a car rental will cost 150-200 ZAR per day.
The Itinerary
The round trip has the following route: Cape Town CBD, Constantia, Kalk Bay, Simon’s Town, Cape Point, Scarborough, Kommetjie, Noordhoek, Chapman’s Peak, Cape Town. You can do this in reverse order, depending on your priorities.
Places To Visit
Constantia
Thanks to Jan Van Riebeeck- the founder of Dutch East India Company, the mass-scale wine production started in Constantia. Then, Simon van der Stel – the Governor of the Cape Dutch Colony purchased private lands in Constantia to build farmlands. Today, Constantia is one of the most popular places for wine-tasting. You can start your day with a wine-chocolate pairing for an energy boost.
Kalk Bay
This quaint town between False Bay and the Cape Peninsula is the true definition of a retirement town, from its vintage stores to Victorian buildings. You can stop by Olympia Café for a delicious English breakfast served with fresh and crispy croissants. Then, you can hop in and out of the galleries and book shops to see the artsy side of the town folk.
Simon’s Town
Although the idea of penguins in Africa sounds far-fetched, this is true for South Africa and Namibia. These two countries are home to the endangered Southern African Penguins. Simon’s Town is one of the places that these penguins congregated. Visiting Boulder’s Beach, you can come closer to these adorable creatures, or even swim with them. There are a few coffee and ice cream shops in the area for you to treat yourself. The entrance is 70 ZAR.
Cape Point & Cape of Good Hope
These two places are famous for the wrong reasons because people always mix them up with Cape Agulhas (also in South Africa), which is the southernmost point of Africa. On the other hand, the Cape of Good Hope is the southernmost point of the Cape Peninsula. There is a 5 minutes’ drive between Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, which has historical value as the point of docking by the Dutch Settlers for the first time. Fascinated by the landscape and the fertility of the soil, they decided to set up a refreshment station here for the long journeys between Europe and Asia. The lighthouse was to prevent ships from hitting rocks. Nevertheless, the rough winds and waves destroyed the ships.
The area has several lookout points, as well as hiking trails with lovely views, overnight huts, and lots of ostriches and baboons to accompany you. There are also several viewpoints for watching Southern Right Whales pass by.
Entrance to the national park cost 190 ZAR
Kommetjie & Scarborough
After your visit to Cape Point, you can relax a bit at the beaches in Scarborough and Kommetjie. These are places where Capetownians have holiday houses. Kommetjie is also famous for the abundance of the Spiny Lobster species. It is considered one of the best surf spots in Cape Town.
Noordhoek
Noordhoek has the longest beach on the Atlantic Coast of Cape Town. This area is famous due to a shipwreck that ran aground. The captain of the ship thought Chapman’s Peak was the Cape Point, so he started sailing towards the peak, but ended up hitting the rocks and running ashore in Noordhoek.
Noordhoek is also a holiday town, with holiday houses of business people and even celebrities. Horse riding is one of the most popular activities to do at the beach.
Chapman’s Peak
John Chapman was the captain of a British ship that ran aground in Noordhoek. Named after him, Chapman’s Peak is quite possibly the most scenic spot in Cape Town. Many car companies seem to agree with this statement, as they regularly visit here for shooting car commercials. The pass is accessible through a toll gate, where you pay 65 ZAR. Several lookout points will mesmerize you with the views of steep and dramatic cliffs and the vast ocean.
On a clear day, you will see a lot of people jogging.
Tips And Things You Might Need To Know
- The baboons in Cape Point National Park can be very demanding and aggressive if you try to feed them. So, you must avoid coming too close to them. Also, refrain from holding food in your hands while you are outside the car.
- March – September is the best time for watching whales, and your chances of seeing them will be very low in December.
- If you have extra time, stop by Hout Bay to visit Seal Island. You can also take a seat at Marine Wharf in Hout Bay for a delicious hake & chips experience.
- As the wind can be very rough, you should take warm clothes with you. Also, you need to avoid wearing hats that might easily come off.
