About
The Cape Peninsula is a rocky finger of land reaching south from Cape Town in the Western Cape of South Africa. It is a destination for travellers who want wild coastline, dramatic mountain scenery and plant life found in few other places on Earth.
What to see
- Table Mountain rises above Cape Town and dominates the views across the peninsula.
- Cape of Good Hope lies at the southern tip, a headland of cliffs and open sea that gives the peninsula its best-known outlook.
- Fynbos vegetation covers much of the land. It is a diverse shrubland unique to this region, and its flowering and textures are a highlight for anyone interested in plants.
What kind of visit it makes
The peninsula suits a day trip or a slower stay. Walkers and nature lovers can spend time among the fynbos and along the rocky shore, while those who prefer to watch from a viewpoint will find plenty of places to stop and look out over the water and the mountains. Because the landscape changes quickly from city outskirts to wild headland, it rewards travellers who like to vary their day.
Plan ahead for the weather and the distances between points of interest, since the peninsula is long and much of its land is protected natural terrain.
Around the peninsula
Cape Town provides the base for most visits, with its harbour, city life and access to the peninsula's roads and viewpoints. Travellers can combine time in the city with time out on the peninsula, moving between urban streets and open, rugged country within the same trip.