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Cape Point & Simonstown tour:
We visit the fishing village of Hout Bay from where we board a boat to view the seal colony. Hereafter we travel through the Constantia farm area en route to Cape Point, the southern-most tip of the peninsula. We have an optional refreshment stop at Imhoff’s Farm in Ocean View after which we proceed via Misty Cliffs and Camel Rock until we reach the Cape Point Nature Reserve. Thu funicular car takes us to the top lighthouse from where we will be able to see the Atlantic as well as the Indian Ocean. We stop for lunch in Simon’s Town and learn about the history of this beautiful naval town. Our stop at Boulders allows close up view of the African Penguin. At the Amlay House we learn about the history of he people of Simon’s Town and their cultures. From here we take the coastal drive back to our hotel.
Here we visit the southern most tip of the Cape Peninsula. Escape the metropolis and loose yourself in a 7750ha reserve of indigenous fauna and flora, including baboon, bontabok, zebra, springbok and over 150 species of birds. In the reserve, at the end of the Table Mountain chain, is Cape Point. Tourists can take the funicular railway system to the viewsite at Cape Point. The view from the old lighthouse is simply spectacular. There are many drives, walks, picnic spots and changing room facilities in the reserve. See how the baboons interact with the visitors while enjoying lunch in this scenic environment. The False Bay side of the Peninsula was discovered in 1671 when a Dutch East India vessel found sanctuary there from the harsh weather and contrary winds that predominated around the rest of the Cape. False Bay is named after the fact that ships mistook it for Table Bay; this is why Simonstown was chosen by the then commander-in-chief as the permanent base of the Royal Navy for its South African Squadron.
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Simonstown was named after the then Governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel in 1687. The bronze statue of Able Seaman Just Nuisance can be found in Jubilee Square and is a definite favourite of all tourists. This Great Dane made a name for him during the war and was given full benefits, including a free pass on the train. Entry to the Simonstown museum is R5 per person. Another spectacular site to visit will be the Boulders. Boulders have served at various times as a whaling station, base for trek fisherman, and a prisoner-of-war camp during the South African Anglo Boer War. Today, the area provides excellent viewing spots for whales as well as penguins, and also features popular bathing beaches. Why is it called Boulders? The name is derived from a cluster of large granite boulders breaking the coastline and providing numerous sheltered inlets and reefs. The origin of these boulders can be traced back some 300 million years when molten granite formed the base of overlying Table Mountain sandstone. The erosion of the surrounding softer material exposed the rounded granite boulders. The Boulders is Nestled in a sheltered cove between Simon’s Town and Cape Point, Boulders has become world famous for it’s thriving colony of African Penguins and magnificent wind sheltered, safe beaches.
Although set in the midst of a residential are, it is one of the few sites where this vulnerable bird (Spheniscus demerus) can be observed at close range, wandering freely in a protected natural environment. From just two breeding pairs in 1982, the penguin colony has grown to about 3000 in recent years. This is partly due to the reduction in commercial pelagic trawling in False Bay, which has increased the supply of pilchards and anchovy, which form part of the penguin’s diet. Boulders forms part of the Cape Peninsula National Park (CPNP), which incorporates Table Mountain and the Peninsula mountain chain from Signal Hill to Cape Point. Penguin Facts: Because of their donkey-like braying call they were previously named the Jackass Penguin. Since several species of South America produce the same sound, the local birds have been renamed African Penguins, as they are the only example of the species that breed in South Africa.
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