Self Drive the Cape Peninsula

About Self Drive the Cape Peninsula

Self Drive the Cape Peninsula – two oceans in one day and one of the most beautiful drives, and easiest way to truly orientate yourself to the mountain range and two oceans that dominate Cape Town.

Route: Cape Town, Fish Hoek, Simon's Town, Cape Point, Chapman's Peak, Clifton
Length: 160 km
Time: in a day
Overnight: our favourite villages – Scarborough, Kommetjie, Hout Bay or Simon's Town

Cape Town to Kalk Bay
Take the N2 from Cape Town's city centre and, as you hit hospital bend, move into a right-hand lane so that you can take the M3 to Muizenberg. Pass Mostert's Mill on your left, and the university on the slopes of Devil's Peak on your right. Rhodes Memorial's exit is roughly 1.5 km past Mostert's Mill on your left.

From Rhodes Memorial return to the M3 and continue towards Muizenberg. The M3 ends in a t-junction at Westlake. Take a left on the M42 until you reach Main Road (M4), where you take a right. About 600 metres later, turn right off Main Road up Boyes Drive. The views from up here are beautiful, and if there are whales in the bay (August through November) this is a good way to spot them.

Drive on (but be careful of the speed trap in the dip as you head to Kalk Bay) until the road descends in a left curve, past Theresa's restaurant (on your right) and Olympia Bakery (to your right just beyond the parking area at the set of lights; definitely worth a pit stop!).

Kalk Bay is to the left of the lights. If you can find parking (difficult at the best of times) take a leisurely stroll along Main Road and explore the antique shops, clothing boutiques, restaurants and book stores.

Kalk Bay to Boulders Beach
Head on towards Cape Point past Kalk Bay harbour, around the headland and into Fish Hoek. At the traffic circle, at the end of Fish Hoek, turn left and park where you can. Jager's Walk is a lovely path along the rocks from Fish Hoek to Sunny Cove, and takes around 40 minutes.

Head back to the circle and take a left, in the direction of Glencairn. A little further on is Simon's Town where there is plenty to do.

Not long after you leave Simon's Town, take a left into Bellevue Road (it is the second penguins sign post, not the first, which takes you to Seaforth beach). Park in the parking area at the bottom of the road to visit Boulders Beach. During summer and over weekends this is a popular beach. Try to get there early.

Boulders to Cape Point
After your swim head back to the M4, the coastal road. At Smitswinkel Bay the road begins to climb the mountain and turns inland. Your first left is the entrance to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve (there is an entrance fee). There are various hikes, beaches and picnic areas as well as a restaurant. And you might want to follow everyone else to the very tip of the peninsula.

Cape Point to Hout Bay
Leave Cape Point, and take a left back onto the Plateau Road. At the Cape Farmhouse, there is a left turn into Red Hill Road. Drive into the little village of Scarborough and on through Misty Cliffs to Kommetjie . This is a beautiful part of the drive, to the more remote villages of Cape Town.

At the intersection with the M6, take a left and then left again onto Noordhoek Main Road, following signs to Chapmans Peak, past the Noordhoek Farm Village. Enjoy some of the most magnificent views of the Atlantic and Hout Bay.

At the bottom of the drive, head into Hout Bay, turning left into Princess Street and then right into Victoria Avenue, to head up Suikerbossie Hill.

Hout Bay to Cape Town
Victoria Avenue climbs the side of Little Lion's Head over Hout Bay Nek. This coast road, particularly at sundown, is indescribably beautiful. Follow the road past Llandudno, beneath the Twelve Apostles, through Bakoven, Camps Bay and Clifton, stopping where and when you want to.