Cape Peninsula Virtual Tour

The Western Cape with it's scenic beauty is the ideal place to start an African journey. Described by Francis Drake when he rounded the Cape all those years ago as "A most stately thing and the fairest Cape we saw in the whole circumference of the globe".

The Cape was also named "The Cape of Storms" by other voyagers, this difference in perception illustrates the huge variety of moods which influence this southern tip of Africa dominated by its famous flat topped mountain, rising 1000m out of the ocean.

The Cape Peninsula comprises many parts, the vibrant night life of the V&A Waterfront to lonely windswept rocks of Cape Point, graveyard of many a ship. Gracious homes set amongst vineyards, comical penguins at Africa's only mainland breeding colony at Boulders Beach, Simonstown or lively street markets where bargain priced clothes, jewellery and art may be found.

Kalk Bay is a fishing village which still retains much of its original character and has a vibrant night life as well as interesting shops which are open seven days a week.The town was first inhabited in the seventeenth century by shipwrecked seamen and deserters.

The "Historic Mile" (twenty one of the buildings in St Georges street are over 150 years old), is a popular walk along pavements once trodden by Admiral Nelson. The Simonstown Museum has displays on the early history of the town, and is open to visitors daily except Sunday. The boulders beach penguin colony is one of only two mainland breeding colonies of the jackass penguin and also offers sheltered swimming.