Letishia Charles is a proudly born and bred Capetonian, and has happily shared her family trip to Cape Point! Cape Point, one of the Official Cape Town Big 6, is a bucket list destination you absolutely have to visit as a local or tourist!
There are so many reasons why I #LoveCapeTown and one of them is that you’re so spoilt for choice with the amount of magnificent attractions in the Mother City.
Situated in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve part of the Table Mountain National Park, this Natural World Heritage Site is home to a variety of beautiful and unique flora and fauna. And possibly the windiest spot to spend the day in the Western Cape! The wind at the most south western corner of the continent is crisp and strong, so be sure not to book a hair dressing appointment before heading out this way… Seriously.
The morning that our family decided to head out to Cape Point, it was a beautiful day out and traffic into the reserve was easy going. Remember to arrive early if you’re not so keen on crowds over weekends and in season, which we usually try to avoid ourselves.
To Walk Or Fly, That Is The Question
As we were on an educational trip arranged by Fusion Design, we received our entry to the reserve and tickets for a return trip on the Flying Dutchman Funicular from them. We (and by “we” I mean, my super fit husband!) decided however, to walk up to the lighthouse. It’s a lovely long walk to the top, to be honest, and I am glad we did that even though there were many stops along the way to “admire the view” aka catch our breath! Totally worth it.
The walk up to the lighthouse is a beautiful one with possibly the most breath-taking views of the ocean and mountains from such a high vantage point – 87m above sea level. The new lighthouse is the most powerful lighthouse on the South African Coast as its light has a range of 60km. That’s pretty far!
A FUN-ICULAR Ride Down
After we had taken enough snaps of the gorgeous views (can one really have enough pictures…?) we popped in at the upper level curio shop which houses a myriad of Cape Point memorabilia. After browsing (and telling the kid to be careful and put everything down!), it was time to board the Flying Dutchman Funicular. A first-time experience for us all, and needless to say, we were all giddy with excitement.
The funicular can take up to 40 people per trip – it’s not a large space, so I was grateful that there were only about 3 others on the ride down with us! Our 3minute trip passing beautiful dense fynbos was exhilarating and the kid loved every minute.
Buffelsfontein Visitors Centre
On our way out of the Cape Point Reserve, we decided to make a turn at the Buffelsfontein Visitors Centre, still within the reserve. The Visitor’s Centre was officially opened to the public in 2003. The building contains interesting artefact displays and information brochures to make visitors aware of the area’s natural and cultural wealth. It is apparently also used as a teambuilding facility and an environmental resource centre.
The kid was in her element as she opened all the drawers and marvelled at the displays of insects, animal bones and more. So glad we stopped here!
On our way out, we drove past the beach and got caught in an Ostrich traffic jam! So lovely to see these beautiful creatures…
And so ended our day at the southwestern most tip of Africa.
Interesting Fact:
Cape Point is mistakenly known by some as the meeting point of the two oceans, the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans, even the restaurant there is called ‘Two Oceans’, but this is not entirely accurate. These currents officially meet at Cape Agulhas which is the point where the warm water Agulhas current meets the cold water Benguela current. Now you know!
A Few Tips To Completely Enjoy Your Cape Point Experience:
- If you value your safety, leave the wildlife alone, in particular, the baboons! As tempted as you may be, feeding them is strictly prohibited and you can be heavily fined.
- Take photos and nothing else. No picking of flowers for your table décor at home! Please.
- If you’re feeling fit enough for it, take the uphill walk instead of the funicular so that you can stop along the way and really take in the beauty of the reserve. Ride the funicular down for the experience. Or the reverse… either way, you’ll love the panoramic views.
- Take your time to explore the various pristine beaches on the conservancy, such as, Buffelsbay Beach, Diaz Beach and Bordjiesdrif Beach to name a few. Perfect for leisurely walks and taking in the absolute beauty of nature.
Cape Point Winter Special
The annual winter special returns yet again to heat things up! Head to Cape Point between the 1st of June 2018 and the 31st of July 2018 where two kids (aged 6 -16) ride for free on the Flying Dutchman Funicular, when an adult return ticket is bought for R70.
Once you’ve built up an appetite, head on down to the Two Oceans Restaurant. Expect absolutely divine meals where kids eat free with any main meal ordered. Simply advise your waiter you’d like to claim the kids winter special and you’ll receive a free kiddies meal with each main meal ordered (sit-down only) – it’s that simple!
Date: 1 June – 31 July | Time: 09:00 – 17:30 | Venue: Cape Point | Cost: A maximum of 2 kids ride free per adult return ticket bought.
Rates:
| Cape of Good Hope | *R76 (child) | R147 (adult) |
| Flying Dutchman Funicular | *R30 (return), R22 (single) | R70 (return), R55 (single) |
* Children: Cape of Good Hope ages 2-11; Flying Dutchman Funicular ages 6-16.
South African pensioners get special funicular rates on Wednesdays : R30 (return), R22 (single)
Cape Point Nature Reserve Info: capepoint.co.za/contact/
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One Destination, 6 Unbelievable Experiences
There is no one way to explore all of the Cape Town Big 6, and much of what makes each of them so special is the variety of things to see and do at each. So if possible, take your time to explore each of the city’s most visited tourist attractions in as much depth as possible – as any local will tell you, you can spend a lifetime at each of the Big 6 and still not tire of them. Find the 3 and 4 day itineraries and tips here.
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