Cape Town’s playground - The Cape Point Route; has some of the most unexpected wildlife and eco-nature experiences available in the country. Some of the fauna may be a tad controversial– sharks, baboons and even the penguins, but the Cape Point Route has them all. The route is essentially 2 coastlines wrapped around a national park with 18 beaches to choose from; Cape Fynbos and wildlife experiences ranging from whales to Cape Clawless otter…and there’s even hippo!
The Cape Point Route runs from Hout Bay on the Atlantic coastline, over Chapman’s Peak Drive down to Cape Point itself, then back up the False Bay coastline to Muizenberg. The Cape Point Route is easy, affordable and accessible - just 30 minutes from Cape Town City Centre. This is not a been- there–bought-the-t-shirt place. This is weather beaten faces and warm smiles. It’s real and it’s beautiful. With dramatic mountain ranges, and long ocean fronts, this is the stuff that you see in the movies.
The Penguins at Boulders Beach have gained international stardom both from their accessibility and their quirky nature. A visit to the Cape is not complete without a stop at tuxedo junction where you will be entertained by the very characters of these birds. Insider info suggests going to the Boulders Beach side instead of the boardwalk side at Seaforth for a more intimate experience. Highly recommended to plan your lunch stop (or even better an overnight night stay) at Boulders Beach Lodge & Restaurant where penguins watch people watching penguins. One can also kayak past the little guys for a unique viewpoint and a fun, safe activity for all ages and levels of experience. Birding tours on the Cape Point Route abound with numerous guided tours and also pelagic trips (pelagics are our seabirds and trips go from Simon’s TownHarbour).
Marine life and whale watching on the Cape Point Route is a hidden treasure. Southern Right Whales abound during breeding season from June – November but numerous other species are found in the bay – Bryde’s whales and humpbacks. Take a boat trip and enjoy close encounters with these gentle giants of the sea. There are great land based whale watching sights along the entire Cape Point Route Coastline with hot spots at Glencairn, Fish Hoek, Kalk Bay and Muizenberg. It is truly memorable to experience a whale breaching in the waters in front of you- especially over lunch and a glass of wine at one of the ocean fronted restaurants. Flukes Restaurant in Glencairn was named after the famed whale tails that mesmerize their clientele from the deck and is well worth a stop for the views and the cuisine.
Various boat trips go to Seal Island in False Bay and Duiker Island in Hout Bay where there are large colonies of Cape Fur Seals - so named because they have very thick pelts unlike true seals which only have a thin covering of hair. Seals prefer breeding on rocky ground, hence the abundance of seals on both these islands. Their habitat does provide a great opportunity to get out on the water and feel the salt spray on your cheeks and that is a definite holiday feeling.
Despite the controversy surrounding the proverbial Great White sharks, which are famous in False Bay for their breaching, there are opportunities to see and learn more about their natures and habits on boat trips. Shark cage diving tours are an option for the more adventurous traveller. Despite the fear factor these phenomenal mammals provoke, swimming is safe and the beaches are scanned by shark spotters who alert bathers if “Jaws” are close to shore. It is however recommended to swim within the breakers!
Another controversial creature is the Chacma baboon seen with regularity on the Cape Point Route. A unique species that also feeds on shellfish – they are fun to watch with their human qualities and make fabulous subjects for photographers. The controversy has resulted from the decrease in space of their natural habitat and the baboons are forced to forage in “human territory” to survive. These social creatures do not naturally attack or challenge humans but will protect themselves if cornered so please help protect them and don’t feed them! Book a guided walk to get up close and personal and when you have finished take the kids to Noordhoek Farm village where you can watch them clamber in the playground like the very creatures you have just observed. Pay attention to your own similarities as you eat, shop and forage in this gem of a stop in rural Noordhoek.
Keep your eyes peeled when visiting the Cape Point Nature Reserve for small antelope like klipspringers, duiker, grysbok and steenbok. They may not be as exciting as the big 5 but they are indigenous to the area and integral to the ecosystem of the park. Larger antelope like red hartebeest, cape mountain zebra and eland can also be found in the park so get your check list ready and scan the horizon. Take some time to explore the roads less travelled or plan a hiking trip in the hopes of spotting some of the shyer mammals like the Cape fox, genets, polecats, molerats, porcupines and mongooses. You may be lucky enough to see a tortoise or some of the reptiles (22 snakes, lizards) or even some frogs and toads.
Unexpected animals on the Cape Point Route are the Cape Clawless Otter (often seen in Kommetjie) or the hippo at Rondevlei Nature Reserve. Sunset Beach Guest House is a fabulous spot right on Kommetjie beach and sandy footprints are very welcome. You’ll be reminded of youthful carefree holidays, as the blue of the sea and sky has waltzed indoors. You’ll feel right at home there and can even get personal chef Ingmar to whip up your favourite meal whilst you hit the beach in search of the otter. Rondevlei lies next to Zeekoevlei (which was named after the herd of hippos that used to wallow there). Hippos were indigenous to the Cape but were exterminated within a hundred years of the first Dutch settlers arriving. Hippo were reintroduced in 1981 to control the alien grasses and now feed on natural buffalo grass and the ecosystem has stabilised to make way for many other species of birds, small mammals and plants.
In addition to the fauna, Cape Fynbos is a wonder of the world and is recognised as a Hot spot of floral diversity with more than 2285 species of plants. It is the smallest floral kingdom in the world in size, but contains more plant species than the entire British Isles and New Zealand. Fynbos means fine bush in Afrikaans so you will see very few large trees but lots of scrubs, bush and some sensational flowers depending on the season. Hot spots for floral experiences are Silvermine Nature Reserve, Rondevlei Nature Reserve or Cape Point Nature Reserve. Base yourself in St James at Villa St James, for walks and hikes in Silvermine – a great way to see the details and diversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom and you can relax in a deep bathtub before strolling down to the restaurants, cafes, museums and shops on the doorstep of Villa St James.
Escaping into nature is a relative term as the whole region is one smorgasbord of mountain and sea, plants and animals. Take a picnic with you from La Vallèe Delicatessen and Wine Cellar in Glencairn, who specialise in picnic baskets and have over 200 of the Cape’s finest wines to enhance the experience.
An area of natural beauty, open spaces and magnificent scenery, diverse cultures and unique attractions, the Cape Point Route is the ultimate playground for everybody.
For more information on the Cape Point Route, call us on 021 782 9356 or visit our website www.capepointroute.co.za
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