The Cape of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope is the dramatic, wild tip of the Cape Peninsula, a rugged headland of towering cliffs, windswept fynbos and pristine beaches near the point where the cold Atlantic and warmer Indian Ocean currents meet. Reached by one of the world's great coastal drives from Cape Town, it is crowned by the old Cape Point lighthouse, roamed by ostriches and baboons, and steeped in the history of the early sea route to the East.

What you actually see

• Cape Point - the dramatic headland and the old lighthouse.
• The Cape of Good Hope - the wild, iconic southwestern tip.
• The coastal drive - the scenic route past Chapman's Peak and the coves.
• The wildlife - the ostriches, baboons and fynbos of the reserve.

When to go

October to April, the warmer summer, for the best weather, though the Cape is famously windy year-round. It combines beautifully with the whole peninsula drive, including the penguins at Boulders and the fishing villages, into a full day.

Honest expectations

It is often extremely windy and can be cold and misty even in summer, so bring layers. The baboons are wild and bold, and will grab food and raid cars, so keep windows up and never feed them. It is not actually the southernmost tip of Africa, which is Cape Agulhas further east, a common misconception.

Nearby

Boulders Beach penguins, Simon's Town and the Chapman's Peak drive are along the peninsula.