The Wondrous Cape Peninsula

Starting and ending at the statues of Jan van Riebeeck and his wife, the drive around the Cape Peninsula is 143km long. With 1800 species of plants growing in harsh conditions, the Cape Peninsula is definitely the most famous and unique travel experience….

‘Dramatic’ is simply one word used to describe the Cape Peninsula. Underlined with a basement of granite, this plays a HUGE role on the scenery, as it pushes out of the earth’s lining in several parts, creating spectacular sights once only dreamed of!

Cape Point is an excellent example of this natural occurrence. Here two great ocean currents meet, the Benguela and the Mozambique-Agulhas, creating caves in the granite with relentless force, One of these are beneath Cape Point itself, 51m deep with a mouth of 12m in diameter, only approachable from the sea.

Always present amongst the vegetation found in the Cape Peninsula area, is the Cape Schlerophyll or Fynbos. A small-leaved bush highly regarded amongst locals and tourists alike. These awesome plants force themselves to spontaneously combust when they reach a certain level of bushiness and maturity, and then, like a phoenix, grow anew from the ashes!!

In Summer, averaging at about 17km to 40km per hour, the South-East wind makes sure to stir things up, but periodically throws a tantrum of 120km/h, making the Cape of Good Hope infamous for it’s winds. The winter wind is a lot less persistent, a North-West wind replaces the South-East, and brings rain to the Peninsula.

The average temperature of the Southern Peninsula is 20C in summer and 15C in winter. The Peninsula is very much influenced by oceanic conditions, as it is three quarters surrounded by sea, with conditions varying from one side to the other…

Marisa Cronje, T.V Bulphin, Discovering South Africa, Reader’s Digest Illustrated Guide to Southern Africa.