The Cape Point, a nature reserve that forms part of the Table Mountain National Park, is a place you really have to visit while enjoying a holiday in the Cape. It has also been declared a World Heritage Site. The reserve boasts 250 different bird species and 1100 different kinds of plants. With a wealth of activities to pursue including picnicking, swimming, hiking as well as getting some of the most fantastic views throughout the Western Cape, visitors will have so much to occupy themselves with and will be sure to leave with a wealth of photos and memories.

Anyone familiar with Cape Point will know that this finger at the most south-western tip of Africa is rich in history, especially for seafarers. In the time that Cape Point had only one lighthouse, a total of 26 ships were recorded to have sunk, having crashed against the rock formations close to the coast, because of lack of visibility and the volatile winds that blast around this south-western tip of Africa. The most famous among them gained legendary status in the form of an alleged ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman. The legend has been so popular that a funicular service is offered for visitors to Cape Point sporting the same name, the Flying Dutchman Funicular.

Keep reading below to find out all that you can get up to at Cape Point as well as all the relevant information.

There are a few options you can take to get to Cape Point. If you have a vehicle, you can do a self-drive, but if you don’t have one, there is the Cape Town Green Bus which can get you to Cape Point at a reasonable rate. Those that wish to make use of this service can catch a Green Bus at 09:30 at the Cape Town Tourism Office in Burg Street, Cape Town. The tickets for this service can be bought via Webtickets.

If you can get yourself to the entrance to the route to Cape Point, you can spare yourself the effort of a drive by taking the Flying Dutchman Funicular, which can be found in the car park at the entrance. Relax and enjoy the view as you let the funicular take you to the upper lighthouse within a quick 3 minutes. The funicular is capable of transporting 450 passengers per hour.

The prices and operating hours for these various options are as follows:

Entry at Cape Point gates
October – March                                                                     06:00 – 18:00
April – September                                                                   07:00 – 17:00

Adults                                                                                        R 105.00
Children                                                                                    R 50.00 *

* Ages 2 – 11

The Flying Dutchman Funicular
October – March                                                                     09:00 – 17:00
April – September                                                                   09:00 – 17:30

Adults                                                                                        R 42.00 (single), R 52.00 (return)
Children                                                                                    R 17.00 (single), R 22.00 (return)*
Pensioners                                                                               R 17.00 (single), R 22.00 (return)

* Ages 6 – 16

My Green Card holders (for residents of Cape Town only) get 12 entries free for any of the Table Mountain National Park pay points.

Tel                                                                                              +27 (0) 21 780 9010/11
Email                                                                                         info@capepoint.co.za

The Green Bus

The Green Bus departs from the Cape Town Tourism Office in Burg Street in Cape Town at 09:30 and drops off passengers at 15:30. It costs R 460.00 per person (this cost includes the payment for entry into Cape Point, a 90 minute stop in Cape Point, and a 30 minute stop in the Noordhoek Farm Village).

Once you get there…

Cape Point offers superb hiking routes, and rewards those who travel them with lookout points from where they can enjoy breathtaking views of False Bay as well as the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Although, if you’d rather not walk, the funicular service lets you get to these spots as well. But if you want to catch sights of the shipwrecks, then there are trails that will take you to spots that ensure you will.

The setting that Cape Point provides is perfect for a picnic, with gorgeous views all around.

Although the waters around Cape Point are known to be dangerous for swimming, there are areas which are great for doing just that.

For those with the more adventurous spirit, there’s mountain biking and kayaking offered, as well as other numerous outdoor activities to pursue.

If you’d like a memento or some other product, there are three curio shops in Cape Point. The Cape Point Logo Store is close to the main parking area and offers a variety of items including t-shirts, mugs, books and magnets among others. The Cape Point Parks Shop is found also near to the main parking area, and offers products that celebrate the richness of the floral kingdom that Cape Town boasts, including body products from African extracts, guide books on the birds and plants in the area, and a wealth of other products that will enrich your experience at Cape Point. Lastly, Lighthouse Five’s theme is the ocean, with replicas of ships and their parts as well as great white shark posters, shark tooth jewellery and DVDs, and clothes, toys and accessories for the kids. You can find this store at the top, by the funicular station.

Operating hours                                                                             09:00 – 17:00

Tel
Cape Point Logo Store                                                                  +27 (0) 21 780 9066
Cape Point Parks Shop                                                                 +27 (0) 21 780 9202
Lighthouse Five                                                                              +27 (0) 21 780 9111

Lastly, and of course, you wouldn’t want to leave Cape Point on an empty stomach. The appropriately named Two Oceans Restaurant in Cape Point will ensure you will be well fed with a seafood menu that also includes classic dishes such as steak and an abundant amount of choices in wine.

Operating hours                                                                              09:00 – 17:00 (the kitchen closes at                                                                                                                                                                                                                  16:30)

Tel                                                                                                      +27 (0) 21 780 9200
Email                                                                                                  info@two-oceans.co.za

Should you wish to know anything more, Cape Point’s other contact information is as follows:

Tel                                                                                                        +27 (0) 21 780 9010

Make sure you don’t miss out on all that you can experience at the awe-inspiring venue that Cape Point is.