THE NATURE OF CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

In the Cape of Good Hope, the Cape Peninsula provides one of the world's most spectacular viewpoints namely - the rugged and unique Cape Point. Sir Francis Drake once described it as the fairest cape full rich in history and legend, the treacherous waters surrounding it's rocky coastline are home to many Travellers. One of these was the legendary Flying Dutchman, which disappeared off Cape Point without a trace during a terrible storm in 1680.Cape Point is located in the Cape of Good Hope's Nature Reserve, about an hour's drive from Cape Town. Depends on how much time you have, there are a few different direction you can take to reach Cape Point. The most direct way from the city would be to take the M3 and then the M4 at the M42 junction, following the False Bay road past Muizenberg, Fish Hoek and Simon's Town. An alternative though longer, would be to take the M6 through Hout Bay and along Chapman's Peak Drive. This is a well-known and very beautiful mountain pass built around 1915 and 1922, but with a drop of 150 m to the ocean below, definitely not for the faint-hearted. If you have a few hours to spare though, you can follow the Peninsula Circular Drive which will take you along both these routes.More than half a million people travel to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve yearly.

Visitors can climb the 125 steps to the viewpoint on Cape Point Peak or sit back and relax on the funicular railway. . On a clear day, Cape Hangklip can be seen to the east as well as Danger Point which is about 80 km away. With its 40 km of unspoilt coastline, the reserve offers fantastic opportunities for some outdoor activities. Apart from the many hiking trails, rock angling, swimming, snorkelling and diving are also possible.

Many local and overseas visitors flock to Cape Point betwin August and September for whale-watching, but there are also many other species to look out for all year round. Small numbers of Cape mountain zebra, springbok, eland and hartebeest roam free on the reserve, but you are far more likely to see some of the many baboons here. These baboons have actually adapted their diet to include seafood such as small crustaceans and limpets. The baboons can look very cute when they are begging for food, but few people realise how aggressive and dangerous they can be..The best months to visit the Cape are March, April, September and October. February is the hottest month of the year and cold, wet weather is normal for June and July.