Visiting the Boulders Beach penguins with a private driver

Boulders Beach is on the False Bay side of the Cape Peninsula, in Simon's Town, about 40 km and 45 minutes from the city centre outside peak traffic. It is part of Table Mountain National Park and home to a colony of African penguins that settled there in 1982, and the Foxy Beach boardwalk is where you see them most closely. A Boulders Beach private tour works either as a stop on a full Cape Point day or as the centre of a half day with Simon's Town and Kalk Bay, and an hour at the colony is enough for most visitors.

Where Boulders Beach is and how to get there

Boulders sits between Simon's Town and Cape Point, on the sheltered False Bay coast. From the city, the usual route runs south through the southern suburbs and along the False Bay coast through Muizenberg and Kalk Bay. These are the approximate figures, outside peak traffic:

The colony lives in a residential area, and on a summer weekend parking near the entrances can be tight. A driver drops you at the entrance and collects you there, which on a busy day saves more time than the drive itself.

Foxy Beach or Boulders Beach: where to see the penguins

The Boulders section of the park has more than one beach, and it helps to know which is which before you arrive.

• Foxy Beach is where most visitors go to see the penguins. A boardwalk takes you close to the birds on the sand and in their nesting areas without disturbing them. The boardwalk is wheelchair friendly, which makes it suitable for older guests and children in prams.
• Boulders Beach itself is a sheltered swimming beach among large granite boulders, next to the colony. Penguins sometimes come onto this beach too. Swimmers share it with the birds and keep their distance.

Both are within the park and require an entrance fee, which is for your own account unless it is itemised on your quote. Check current entry times with SANParks for your date.

Seeing the penguins properly

The African penguin was listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List in October 2024. The colony at Boulders grew from two breeding pairs in 1982, and seeing it this close comes with simple rules:

• Do not touch or feed the penguins.
• Stay on the boardwalk at Foxy Beach and keep to the marked areas.
• Keep your distance on the swimming beach, particularly from birds that are nesting.
• Keep children close and quiet near the nests.
• Do not use a flash close to the birds.

Allow about an hour. That is enough to walk the boardwalk slowly, watch the birds coming in and out of the water and spend some time on the swimming beach in warm weather. Photographers and families with young children often want a little longer.

Boulders on a Cape Point day

The most common way to visit Boulders is as part of a full Cape Point day: down the Atlantic side over Chapman's Peak, through the national park to Cape Point, and back along False Bay, stopping at Boulders in the afternoon. The full loop from the city is about 135 km, and the day runs as a full day of ten hours and 250 km per vehicle, with driver, fuel and tolls included. Our guide to a Cape Point private tour sets out the timings stop by stop, and the Cape Point tour page shows what is included.

The order can be reversed. If the wind is strong at Cape Point in the morning, the driver may suggest starting on the False Bay side with Boulders, then going on to Cape Point later.

Boulders on a half day with Simon's Town and Kalk Bay

If you have only a morning or an afternoon, a half day of five hours and 100 km inside the Cape Town metro covers the False Bay side well. A typical half day from the city:

1. Drive to Boulders, about 45 minutes, and spend an hour with the penguins.
2. Ten minutes back to Simon's Town for a walk along the main road and the harbour.
3. On to Kalk Bay, a small harbour town with a fishing community, seals at the harbour and fresh seafood, for lunch or coffee.
4. Back to the city, about 30 minutes outside peak traffic.

The guide to Kalk Bay and Simon's Town on a half day covers this route in more detail.

Who does not need a private driver for Boulders

If you are two people staying in the southern suburbs with a hired car, Boulders is an easy drive, and the main challenge is parking. A private driver earns its place when the party is larger, when there are young children or older guests who need a drop at the entrance, when Boulders is one stop in a longer day, or when you would rather not deal with the parking on a summer weekend.

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Boulders Beach?

Morning is usually quieter than the middle of the day, especially in summer and during school holidays. Numbers on the beach vary with the season and the time of day, so treat any visit as a chance to watch rather than a guaranteed count.

Can children visit the penguins?

Yes. The Foxy Beach boardwalk is easy for children and prams, and child seats are fitted in the vehicle before pickup. Give the children's ages when you book.

Can we swim with the penguins?

You can swim at Boulders Beach, which is next to the colony. Penguins sometimes come onto the beach. Keep your distance and do not touch them.

Is the entrance fee included?

No. Park entrance fees are for your own account unless they are itemised on your quote. Driver, fuel and tolls are always included.

For a quote, send the date, the number of guests, the children's ages if any, and where you are staying, and say if you want a half day on False Bay or the full Cape Point loop. The concierge replies with a written quote and a booking reference.