The Cape of Good Hope is the wild, cliff-lined tip of the Cape Peninsula south of Cape Town — one of the city's essential day trips. Despite the myth, it's not the southern tip of Africa (that's Cape Agulhas), but it's the more dramatic and famous headland.
What you're looking at
Part of Table Mountain National Park, the reserve combines rugged cliffs, empty beaches, and fynbos-covered hills, with the old Cape Point lighthouse and its funicular at the peninsula's end. Historically it was the turning point for explorers like Bartolomeu Dias (1488) and Vasco da Gama (1497) opening the sea route to the East. Wildlife includes ostriches, bontebok, and baboons — the last of which can be bold, so keep car windows up and never feed them.
Visiting as a resident
It's about 1.5–2 hours' scenic drive from central Cape Town via Simon's Town (pair it with the Boulders penguins). Pay the SANParks conservation fee at the gate (higher for non-residents; a Wild Card helps if you go often). Go early on a calm, clear day — it's very exposed and windy.
Good to know
- It's not Africa's southern tip — that's Cape Agulhas, further east.
- Keep windows up and food hidden; baboons raid cars.
- Combine it with the Boulders penguin colony and Chapman's Peak drive.
- Dress for wind and sun; the point is exposed.
Related
- Living in South Africa — the full expat guide
- Cape Town — living in the city
- Table Mountain — the other must-do peninsula sight