South Africa - Cape Peninsula

A drive through Cape Peninsula towards the Cape Point has been so far the highlight of my week. I would have preferred to have done it on my own at my pace, but for now I did it with a tour.

We first stopped in Hout Bay where everybody went on a short boat ride to see a small colony of fur seals. Since no experience can top my encounters with them in Galapagos, I walked around the little port to take in the bright sun.



The next stop was unplanned. A little further south of Simon’s Town southern right whales (“right” is because they were right to kill for their oil and bones; story of their near extinct and revival) were playing by the shore. Literally. The whales are easily seen here between July and October as they pass by the South African shore. No boat or car needed, just stroll on the beach. The southern right whale is recognized by whitish-brownish callosities on its back and head. My camera is no good to take good pictures of wild life from a distance, but callosities are seen.




From Simon’s Town we continued on to a small national park of Boulders Beach with its colony of African penguins. They are cute little creatures and their synchronized strut through dunes is a very funny thing to see. Before the African penguins were called Jackass penguins for their donkey like sounds during courtship.





At about noon we reached Table Mountain National Park. We biked about 7 km among the stunning landscape to reach our lunch spot. A bit more driving and spotting a female ostrich and we reach the main parking lot for Cape Point. We hiked up to the original lighthouse, greeting a lovely baboon on the way there.



Apparently, New York is the furthest point on my itinerary nowadays.




Rio de Janeiro – 6055 km
Jerusalem – 7468 km
New Delhi – 9296 km
Singapore – 9667 km
London – 9693 km
New York – 12 541 km


A 45 minute hike to Cape of Good Hope was amazing, but as with the tours it usually goes it was horribly rushed.



I do not know if anybody would be disappointed to learn that the Cape Point is neither the most southern point of Africa nor where Indian and Atlantic oceans meet. Cape Agulhas is the place, about 300 km southeast of Cape Point. Nevertheless, the place is amazing.

We saw seals, whales, penguins, ostriches, baboons, and a snake during one day – not too shabby!

More animals and landscapes on flick.