Cape Point Nature Reserve / Cape of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope is probably the most popular sight in Cape Town among tourists and locals alike. Everyone goes there at least once in a lifetime to take a picture of the famous Cape of Good Hope sign and the beautiful scenery. The secluded beaches, rugged rocks and sheer cliffs towering more than 200 metres above the sea and cutting deep into the ocean, provide a spectacular background for the park’s rich bio-diversity.

Cape Point is part of the Table Mountain National Park and comprises the smallest but richest of the world’s six floral kingdoms. You’ll find more than 1,100 indigenous plant species that grow nowhere else in the world. Besides the rich flora and fauna, you can do plenty of other fun things at the Cape Point Nature Reserve. Here is a list of things to do and explore during your visit:

Take in some of the most breathtaking ocean and mountain scenery in the world.
Ride the Flying Dutchman Funicular up to the viewing point, below the old lighthouse.
Discover cultural and historical spots, including monuments to explorers such as Vasco da Gama and Bartolomeu Dias.
Great swimming spots, picnic sites and walks at the Bordjiesrif and Buffels Bay tidal pools.
Watch massive whales moving past Cape Point on their annual migration (around June to October) .
Keep an eye out for 250 bird species occurring here, including some endemic to the area.
Spot the world’s largest antelope, the eland, Red Hartebeest, Bontebok and Zebras.
Walk the shipwreck trail to view a few of the 26 recorded shipwrecks around Cape Point.
Hike along a wide variety of scenic and overnight trails through natural fynbos and along sandy beaches.
Take part in a range of exciting outdoor activities, such as sea kayaking and mountain biking.
Explore a wide variety of stunning dive sites that lie waiting to be explored on both sides of the Point.
Always keep a lookout for the legendary ghost ship – The Flying Dutchman!

Important: Cape Point Gates are a cash-free environment and you are only able to pay the entrance fee via debit or credit card.

The Funicular

This is certainly a highlight for younger children and a great way to spare yourself some steps all the way up to the lighthouse. The funicular leaves from the lower station every three minutes, and comfortably accommodates 40 passengers per car. The travel time to the top takes 3 minutes. Please find the rates below. Children under the age of 6 travel for free on the Funicular.

Description	Adults	Kids (6 – 16y)	Pensioners
Return Ticket	R85	R45	R50
One-Way	R70	R35

Shipwreck Trails

The Cape of Good Hope (formerly known as Cape of Storms) is one of the most dangerous coastlines in the world. Evidence for that are the numerous shipwrecks littering the Cape coast from west to east. On the shipwreck trails, you can still find some of them today.

Olifantsbos Point: From this viewpoint on the Atlantic side of the Peninsula, look towards where the Lusitania collided with Bellows Rock in 1911. It is also the site of three other wrecks: the Thomas T Tucker, wrecked in 1942; the Nolloth, wrecked in 1965 and Le Napoleon, wrecked in 1805.
Phyllisia: View the remains of the Phyllisia, a steam trawler wrecked in 1968.
Buffels Bay: Legend has it that a ship transporting buffalo apparently hit the rocky shoreline and broke apart, freeing the animals, which swam across the bay to freedom during the 1700s.
Cape Point: If you’re lucky you can spot the legendary ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman, which has been sighted over the years.

The Two Oceans Restaurant

This restaurant probably reserves one of the best dining spots in the world and has been consistently rated among the Top 10 restaurants in Cape Town by TripAdvisor. It’s a fine-dining restaurant which prides itself in offering exquisite seafood cuisine combined with the most stunning ocean views in South Africa. Reservations are highly recommended – even in the off-peak season.

Unfortunately, the Two Ocean’s Restaurant is currently closed until further notice.

Our Experience

As South African residents, the prices are pretty much affordable and it’s a nice day trip with the whole family to get out into nature and see some animals. There are quite a few highlights in the park and if you go there in August/September you can even spot some whales very close to the coast. If you are visiting with younger kids, it might become a little draining to motivate them to walk up to the Lighthouse or down the beach. The trails can be challenging for the little feet and you might need to carry them if they are getting tired.

Our kids enjoyed the wild animals the most and we saw quite a few of them on our last visit. We spotted ostriches, baboons, and game. The baboons can be very naughty. When you park at the lighthouse parking spots, you will find many of them walking around and waiting for something to eat. They know how to open bins and even climb onto cars. They are wild animals though and you must keep a close eye on your children – especially when they carry something to eat. There are park rangers on site to remind you to keep a safe distance and not feed them at all!

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to make use of the Funicular because we had loadshedding on that day. So the kids were slightly disappointed and had to walk up by themselves.

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Checklist

Opening Times: Mon – Sun 07:00 – 17:00
Age Group: 0 – 99
Rates: SA Adults = R90, SA Children (2-12y) = R45, Standard Entry Adults = R360, Standard Entry Children (2-12y) = R180
Baby Changing Facilities: No
Kids Menu: No
Price Category: Medium
Fun Factor: 3/5
Free WIFI: No