Cape Point Nature Reserve

Cape Point Nature Reserve occupies the dramatic southwestern tip of the Cape Peninsula, about 70 km from central Cape Town in South Africa's Western Cape, and forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. The reserve covers rugged coastline, fynbos-covered slopes and sheltered bays, and is home to baboons, eland, bontebok, Cape mountain zebra and more than 250 bird species. From the main car park, visitors can reach the old lighthouse either by a steep 10-minute walk or by the Flying Dutchman funicular, which climbs the slope to the upper viewing platform. The old lighthouse, built in the 1850s, sits high on the peak, while a newer lighthouse lower down was constructed after a shipwreck in the early twentieth century because the old one was often shrouded in cloud. From the viewpoint, the cliffs fall away to the ocean in a spectacular vista where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet in a swirl of currents. A separate wooden signboard at the Cape of Good Hope, a short drive away, marks the most south-westerly point of the African continent and is the classic photo stop, usually with a queue. Other highlights include Dias Beach, the Bartolomeu Dias Trail, Diaz and Buffels Bay, and the cliffs of Cape Maclear. Most visitors spend four to five hours, driving between the main points and walking short trails. Baboons are a hazard: food should never be carried openly, and feeding them is prohibited and fined. Crowds peak between 10:00AM and 3:00PM, when tour buses arrive; arriving at opening time gives the best light, clearer skies and quieter paths. Wind and mist are frequent, so layers are essential, and the weather can differ greatly from that in the city. The reserve has a restaurant, shop and toilets at the main car park.