The reserve has a well developed road network for game viewing. Although this is primarily a botanical reserve with more than 1.200 different plant species, including 25 protea species, you might with a bit of luck see zebra, bontebok, eland and red hartebeest.
There are two possibilities to reach the top of Cape Point - for the fit there is a beautiful but steep walk up the mountain - for the others there is access via a vernacular. Should you come across some baboons please do not feed them. Coming back from Cape Point turn right towards the Cape of Good Hope, with a bit of luck you will see ostriches on the beach. The Cape of Good hope sign post is one of the most taken photographs in the world.
Muizenberg
Muizenberg is nestled below the 507 m high Muizenberg mountain and is one of the famous beach resort of the Cape Peninsula. Boyes drive is a scenic mountain route which by-passes the centre of Muizenberg and continues to Kalk Bay. The views across the bay towards the Hottentots Holland Mountains are well worth the climb if you are without a car.
It's history dates back to around 1670 when a cattle post was established on the banks of Sandvlei. The battle of Muizenberg (1795) and the subsequent Second Occupation in 1806 marked the beginning of the period of British influence on the Cape. By the end of the century Muizenberg was a fashionable holiday resort with several hotels. Many of the wealthy diamond mining magnates built holiday homes here, including Cecil John Rhodes whose house still exists today. Some areas of Muizenberg are still largely Victorian character and show evidence of the wealth of this era.
Muizenberg has a perfect bathing beach, gently sloping, with flat, hard sand, moderate waves and safe swimming, ideal for young children. Beneath the elevated promenade at the pavilion are change rooms, toilets and showers. There are landscaped gardens, a water-slide, boat pond, children's playground and a putt-putt course. The Muizenberg pavilion includes a conference hall, meeting rooms and a restaurant.
St James was named after the first church that was built there by the Roman Catholics in 1852. The suburb is well sheltered from the wind, has a pleasant little beach and tidal swimming-pool, and has always been popular with visitors from overseas. A stone's throw away is Rhodes cottage, the first Cape residence of the renowned mining magnate. Many homes along the coast date back to the time when the country was but a colony of Queen Victoria's empire; lining the road to Kalk Bay are a multitude of shops dealing in antiques dating to this and other periods of the Cape history. The sheltered beach attracts crowds of bathers and sun worshipers and during the summers months parking is at a premium. There are colourful bathing huts surrounding tidal and rock pools.
Kalk Bay is a Bohemian village of cobbled streets, delightful shops and restaurants above the fishing harbour. One of the most colourful attractions is the fishing boats returning
home with their catches. The fish are off loaded and auctioned then and
there. The Cape fishermen are renowned for their quick witted humour
and they may be heard at their best here amongst the crowds as the
community bid for the days catch.
The Main Road winds along the sea past great stone mansions that reflect St. James colonial past as Millionaire's Mile. The seaside suburb is a popular destination for its safe and small bathing beach and a tidal pool characterised by colourful Victorian bathing boxes.
Fish Hoek Beach "Copyright: South African Tourism"
Fish Hoek is made of separate areas, each with its own character and beauty, and is surrounded by mountains. Fish Hoek has the atmosphere of a seaside village. Surrounded by rugged mountains, it has a fine white beach and safe bathing conditions, with colourful Victorian bathing boxes adding an old-time touch.
At the entrance to Fish Hoek, at the base of the Kalk Bay mountain, we find Clovelly. Well known for its fabulous golf course. It has the convenience of being in walking distance from the beach, shops and country club, yet is far away enough to be the most quiet and peaceful part of Fish Hoek. As you travel further into the valley you will come across areas such as Sun Valley, Sunnydale, Milkwood Park and Faerie Knowe.
The presence of the sea and the prevailing winds provide a moderate influence on the climate. The South Easterly wind can blow very strongly at times. Cape Town city is an easy 35 minutes car ride away. The Sun Valley shoping mall is 5 min. by car and has a large selection of shops, restaurants and coffee shops.
Simon's Town is nestled on False Bay within easy distance of Cape Town International Airport. The village is rich in history, character, atmosphere and lots of warmth. If you stay here your neighbours are whales, penguins and seals. with world heritage status bird life, famous deep sea fishing and the beauty of Table Mountain and Cape Point.
In Simon's Town is boulders beach where you can share the beach with the jackass penguins. Simon's Town looks like an English seaside town with intricate Victorian wrought iron balustrades and the flag flying British Hotel dominating the main street.
Tip: An absolute must are the penguins at boulders beach.
Misty Hills is little hamlet nestled against the mountain side. This is a conservation village on the Cape Peninsula, surrounded by the Table Mountain National Park and Baskloof Private Nature Reserve. On long walks you will find a unique and important variety of flora and fauna. Misty Cliffs is only a short drive from Cape Point Reserve en route to Scarborough past Kommetjie. The hamlet has a remote and tranquil atmosphere and a beautifull beach.
Scarborough is one of the Cape Peninsula’s most predictable whale watching spots. Scarborough is a rustic village of residences and holiday homes. Its position on the Atlantic shoreline and surrounding Cape Fynbos makes it a unique conservation area.
Take a walk along the seashore if you’re looking to spot the rare and endangered African black oystercatcher. Join a qualified zoologist for an organized tour to observe two resident troops of baboons or make an appointment to visit the Witsand Crayfish Factory. The Good Hope Nature Reserve, within the Table Mountain National Park lays 20 km south of Scarborough, and a further 5 km drive brings you to Cape Point – the southernmost tip of the Cape Peninsula.
Kommetjie, is a quiet rustic seaside villages situated between the Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, it is just a 35 minutes drive from the city centre via Chapman’s Peak, a spectacular scenic mountain drive, winding along the Atlantic coast between Hout Bay and Noordhoek; this tortuous route is one of Cape Town’s major tourist attractions.
Kommetjie is well known for it’s crayfish and surfing. Long Beach stretches for eight kilometres between the Kommetjie and Noordhoek and is a popular surfing area and favourite for horse riding and long walks. A twenty-minute drive takes you to the Cape Point Nature Reserve, the tip of Cape Town’s peninsular.
The Chapman's Peak Drive is one of the most spectacular scenic drives. The 600 meter high road was cleaved out of the rock-face and is about 10 km long. There are great views over Chapman's Bay and back to the Sentinel and Hout Bay. Sometimes you can see Wales far down in the bay on many occasions. The drive is a toll road and the toll has been fixed at 23 Rand.
Noordhoek
Noordhoek "Long Beach"
Noordhoek Beach is over 8 km long, and is the most unspoiled and best protected on the Atlantic Cape coast. At one end it is defined by Chapman's peak plunging into the sea, and at the other, by the Kommetjie lighthouse. The beach is backed by National park-protected wetlands, and as a result is free of the urban sprawl that characterizes many other Cape Town bays.
Behind the wetlands rise magnificent mountain slopes, densely overgrown with green coastal fynbos. Horse riding is common in Noordhoek. Many residents own horses and keep them on their properties. There are also riding schools. There are many trails through the wetlands and along the beach. Noordhoek village has a rural, country feel, with an attractive common and paddocks, and charming local shops, restaurants and bars. It is connected to the Cape Town area via one of the world's great roads, the spectacular Chapman's Peak drive, with its incredible views of the Atlantic coast. Noordhoek photos.
St James was named after the first church that was built there by the Roman Catholics in 1852. The suburb is well sheltered from the wind, has a pleasant little beach and tidal swimming-pool, and has always been popular with visitors from overseas. A stone's throw away is Rhodes cottage, the first Cape residence of the renowned mining magnate. Many homes along the coast date back to the time when the country was but a colony of Queen Victoria's empire; lining the road to Kalk Bay are a multitude of shops dealing in antiques dating to this and other periods of the Cape history. The sheltered beach attracts crowds of bathers and sun worshipers and during the summers months parking is at a premium. There are colourful bathing huts surrounding tidal and rock pools.
