Planning a trip to Cape Town? Then a Cape Peninsula Day Trip is a must-do.
From the colourful beach huts at Muizenberg, to the penguins at Boulders Beach. Wild ostriches at the Cape of Good Hope and the sea cliffs of Cape Point. This one-day itinerary captures the best of the Cape.
The Cape Peninsula begins in Cape Town and extends 30 miles to Cape Point in the south. It is best explored by car, however if you don’t have a car – or simply don’t want to drive – there are plenty of organised Cape Peninsula Day Trips leaving from Cape Town.
A Cape Peninsula Day Trip can be done regardless of the season. I visited in July 2025 in the middle of winter, and it was one of my favourite days in Cape Town.
In this post I’ll share my full self-drive itinerary, including the best stops, entry fees and what I’d do differently.
You can read my guide to spending 7 Days in Cape Town here.
Muizenberg
The first stop of any Cape Peninsula Day Trip should be the colorful beach huts at Muizenberg Beach.
Getting to Muizenberg from Cape Town
The drive from Cape Town takes around 45-60 minutes depending on where you are staying. Muizenberg is a crowd favourite, so it’s best to arrive early.
Parking can be tricky even in winter, so allow for extra time, and have some small change ready to tip the parking attendants – a common practice in South Africa.
Things to Do at Muizenberg Beach
Despite frequent shark sightings, Muizenberg Beach is one of the most popular places to learn to surf in Cape Town. Its long sandy beach, gentle waves and abundance of Surf Schools make it perfect for beginners.
It’s also a popular swimming spot in the summer months.
Don’t let the sharks put you off – the beach employs the Shark Spotters program, where trained “spotters” keep watch over the False Bay coastline and alert beachgoers to the presence of sharks. You can visit the Shark Spotter’s information centre to learn how they keep Muizenberg safe. Take a stroll along the beach and watch the beginner surfers try their luck on the waves.
St James
Just a short 10-minute drive from the main Muizenberg Beach is the smaller St James Beach where you can see a bonus set of colorful beach huts – this time with considerably less people. There is also a tidal pool where you can take a dip without a wave knocking you out.
I didn’t spend too long at St James because the next stop of the Cape Peninsula Day Trip was my most anticipated stop – seeing penguins at Boulders Beach.
Boulders Beach
Boulders Beach is home to colony of critically endangered African penguins. Here you can see these fluffy tuxedo-clad cuties walking up and down the white sands into the cool waters of the Atlantic.
African penguins, also known as jackass penguins, thanks to their loud donkey-like calls, are the only penguin species found on the African continent. There are several colonies dotted along the Western Cape.
Unfortunately, in recent years, the population of these lovable birds has declined significantly due to a combination of food shortages, habitat destruction, climate change and oil pollution.
Boulders Beach Entry Fee
The entry fee to Boulders Beach when I was visited in July 2025 was R215 for international visitors aged 12 years and over, around 9 GBP or 12 USD.
Entrances Fees for International Visitors from 1st November 2025 until 31st October 2026
- Adults (aged 12 years and over) – R245 (around 11 GBP or 14 USD)
- Children (aged 2-11 years) – R120 (around 5 GBP or 7 USD)
Discounted entry fees are available for South African Citizens and Residents and SADC nationals.
Boulders Beach is a part of Table Mountain National Park and entrance fees are included in the SANParks Wild Card.
You can read my post to see if a SANParks Wild Card will save you money here.
Visiting Boulders Beach
My first glimpse of penguins was along the boardwalk to the visitor’s center. When I was there in winter, the juveniles were shedding their baby down which resulted in some unique penguin hair dos. Don’t worry about spotting them amongst the trees, you’ll smell them before you see them.
Once you enter from the visitor’s center, boardwalks take you up to the penguin viewing areas. It can get pretty crowded, but if you’re patient or go early enough you’ll get a good spot to take some photos.
If you’re there in high season, December to February, try to go as early as possible. In hindsight, I wish I had gone earlier. It was really busy with tour groups when I went on a July weekday.
Simon’s Town
A good place to stop for lunch is the nearby Simon’s Town, with plenty of cafes and restaurants, it’s a good place to refuel on a Cape Peninsula Day Trip. If you’re not hungry yet or can’t find a parking space, don’t worry there is a café and a restaurant at the next stop.
Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve
The final stop of my Cape Peninsula self-drive day trip was the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, part of Table Mountain National Park.
Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve Entry Fee
Entry fees when I visited in July 2025 were R455 (around 20 GBP or 26 USD) for international visitors aged 12 years and over. Entry fees to the National Parks in South Africa can really add up so I would definitely recommend seeing if a SANParks Wild Card is worth it for your trip. I purchased one and ended up saving X amount of money by doing so.
Entrances Fees for International Visitors from 1st November 2025 until 31st October 2026
- Adults (aged 12 years and over) – R515 (around 22 GBP or 30 USD)
- Children (aged 2-11 years) – R250 (around 11 GBP or 14 USD)
Discounted entry fees are available for South African Citizens and Residents and SADC nationals.
Visiting the Cape of Good Hope
From the visitors center it’s a scenic 20-minute drive to the Cape of Good Hope – the most south-western point of the African continent. Not to be confused with the famous Cape Agulhas – the most southern point of Africa where two oceans meet.
You can read about my visit to the Southern Most Point of the African Continent here.
Along the way you can witness the stunning coastal landscapes and if you’re lucky some wildlife too. When I was there, I was fortunate enough to spot some wild ostriches.
Once at the Cape of Good Hope, take the obligatory photo with the sign and just have a wander about. There is a walking trail that takes you high up on the cliff side also.
Visiting Cape Point
From the visitors center, it’s a short drive to Cape Point, possibly my favorite stop of the day – apart from the penguins of course.
Here you can either walk or take the Flying Dutchman funicular from the car park up to the lighthouse for stunning views of the Cape Peninsula.
Theres a restaurant and a café here too with incredible views over the water. Whilst drinking my coffee, I was lucky enough to see a Southern Right Whale breaching down below.
Cape Point is the last stop of my Cape Peninsula Day Trip. The drive back to the entrance of the nature reserve is stunning at sunset – make sure you take note of closing time and leave yourself plenty of time to get back as latecomers receive a fine.
Drive Back to Cape Town
After a fantastic day of surf towns, wildlife and dramatic coastal views, it’s time to leave the Cape Peninsula and head back to Cape Town. I took the quickest route back which meant doubling back to Muizenberg.
Optionally, you can drive the scenic Chapmans Peak Drive. If you aren’t short on time, I’d recommend saving it for another day.
You can read my guide to Chapman’s Peak Drive including Hout Bay and Noordhoek beach here.