Chapman's Peak Drive is a 9 km toll road on the Atlantic side of the Cape Peninsula, between Hout Bay and Noordhoek, with 114 curves cut into the mountainside above the sea. It opened on 6 May 1922 and closes from time to time for high winds, heavy rain, maintenance or rockfall clearing, so always check the live status on the official website on the day. Most visitors drive it as part of a Cape Point day, and it is best done in daylight, outside the weekday peak periods, with time to stop.
Where Chapman's Peak Drive is and how long it takes
The drive links Hout Bay, about 20 km and 25 minutes from the city centre outside peak traffic, with Noordhoek on the far side of the mountain. Driving straight through takes only a few minutes, but nobody drives it straight through on a first visit. With stops, allow half an hour to an hour.
From Noordhoek, the road continues south towards Cape Point, about 45 minutes away outside peak traffic, or east over to the False Bay side. That is why Chapman's Peak is usually the first scenic stretch of a Cape Point private tour, with the return along False Bay.
Is Chapman's Peak open today?
Check the official Chapman's Peak Drive website on the morning you plan to go. The homepage shows the live status. The road may close for:
- High winds, which are common in summer when the south-easter, the Cape Doctor, blows between October and March.
- Heavy rain, more common in winter, from June to August.
- Rockfall clearing or the risk of rockfall after bad weather.
- Planned maintenance.
If the road is closed, the alternative is to go through Constantia and over Ou Kaapse Weg, which comes down into the valley behind Noordhoek, and the day continues. With a West Landau driver, this is checked before you leave the hotel, and the route is planned around it.
Chapman's Peak is also closed for major sporting events. The Cape Town Cycle Tour, 109 km around the peninsula including Chapman's Peak, runs with full road closures, and its next edition is on 14 March 2027. The Two Oceans Marathon ultra also runs over Chapman's Peak, with the 2027 ultra on 4 April. On those days, plan the peninsula for another date. Our guide to Cape Town Cycle Tour transport covers the closures in more detail.
The toll
Chapman's Peak Drive is a toll road. Tolls are paid at the toll plaza, which also houses the drive's administration and public toilets, including disabled toilets. Check current toll fees on the official site.
On a West Landau booking the toll is included in the fee, as all tolls are. You will not need cash or a card at the plaza.
Where to stop on Chapman's Peak
The official site says there are numerous areas to pull over and see the view along the drive. The best-known is Chapman's Point, the high point reached by the climb from Hout Bay, with the view back across the bay and along the coast. There are also three main picnic areas along the route, with more than 60 picnic tables and benches, and public ablution facilities.
A few practical points for stopping:
- Pull-over areas can fill on clear summer afternoons. A driver can drop you at a viewpoint, wait nearby and collect you, which avoids searching for a gap.
- Take rubbish with you or use the bins provided. The operator asks visitors to respect the natural environment.
- Do not stand close to the cliff edge for photographs, and keep children close.
- The wind can be strong at the exposed points even when the city is calm. Bring a layer.
When to drive Chapman's Peak
Time of day. Daylight is essential. The road is narrow and winding, and the view is the point. Chapman's Peak's own weekday peak periods outside the holiday season are 07:00 to 08:00 and 16:30 to 18:00, when residents use it to commute. Mid-morning and early afternoon are usually the easiest times for a visitor.
Season. From 15 December to 5 January, the drive treats the whole holiday period as its peak, and it is busier throughout the day. Summer is also the windy season, so closures for wind are more likely then. May, which Cape Town Tourism describes as seldom windy, is a good month for the drive.
Direction. Tour buses and long vehicles may only travel from Hout Bay to Noordhoek. Most visitors drive it in the same direction, southbound, as part of the loop to Cape Point. A Staria or Palisade can drive either way, so the driver can reverse the loop if the weather or the traffic suggests it.
Driving it yourself or being driven
Chapman's Peak is one of the most rewarding roads in the Cape to drive yourself, and with a hired car and a confident driver, you do not need a chauffeur for it. The case for a driver is that the person behind the wheel sees very little of it. On 114 curves, with oncoming traffic and cyclists, the driver's eyes belong on the road. With a chauffeur, everyone in the vehicle sees the coastline, and the stops happen where the view is best rather than where a parking space appears.
The operator notes surveillance cameras, regular patrols and blind-spot mirrors on sharp bends. With West Landau, a Chapman's Peak drive is usually part of a full Cape Point day of ten hours and 250 km, priced per vehicle, with driver, fuel and tolls included. The Cape Point tour page sets out what is included, and the guide to the Atlantic Seaboard drive from Camps Bay to Llandudno covers the coast road leading to it.
Common questions
How long is Chapman's Peak Drive?
It is 9 km long, between Hout Bay and Noordhoek, with 114 curves. Driving straight through takes a few minutes. With stops, allow half an hour to an hour.
What happens if Chapman's Peak is closed on the day?
The route goes through Constantia and over Ou Kaapse Weg instead, coming down behind Noordhoek. On a Cape Point day the rest of the itinerary continues as planned.
Is Chapman's Peak Drive safe?
The operator monitors the road with surveillance cameras and regular patrols, and there are blind-spot mirrors on the sharp bends. The main risks are distraction and stopping in the wrong place, so pull over only in the marked areas.
Can we see Chapman's Peak on a half day?
Yes. A half day is five hours and 100 km inside the Cape Town metro, which covers the Atlantic Seaboard, Hout Bay and Chapman's Peak with time to stop, though not the full loop to Cape Point.
Send the concierge the date, the number of guests and where you are staying, and say if Chapman's Peak is part of a Cape Point day or a shorter Atlantic Seaboard outing. The reply is a written quote and a booking reference.