Kalk Bay, Simon's Town and the penguins at Boulders Beach fit into a half day from the city, with time to walk around each place rather than see it through a window. The round trip from the City Bowl is about 80 km, which sits inside the 100 km and 5 hours of a half-day booking. It is the shorter alternative to a full Cape Point day, and for many people it is the better one.
What you give up is the end of the peninsula: Cape Point, the Cape of Good Hope and Chapman's Peak. What you keep is the False Bay coast at an easy pace.
How far is Simon's Town from Cape Town?
Simon's Town is about 40 km from the city centre, around 40 to 45 minutes outside peak traffic, on the road down through the southern suburbs to Muizenberg and along the False Bay shore. Kalk Bay is on the way, about 30 km from the city and around 30 minutes. Boulders Beach is just past Simon's Town, a few minutes further.
| Stop | From the city centre | Time to allow there |
|---|---|---|
| Kalk Bay | About 30 km, around 30 minutes | 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Simon's Town | About 40 km, around 40 to 45 minutes | 45 minutes to 1 hour |
| Boulders Beach | About 42 km, around 45 minutes | 45 minutes to 1 hour |
From Kalk Bay to Simon's Town is about 10 km, roughly 12 minutes. Add the stops together and five hours is enough without hurrying, provided lunch is a sit-down meal at one place and not a series of stops.
A sensible order for the half day
Most half days run in one of two ways.
Morning, penguins first. Pickup around 08:30, straight to Boulders Beach before the car parks fill, then Simon's Town, then Kalk Bay for an early lunch, and back to town by about 13:30. This suits families with young children who are best in the morning.
Late morning, lunch in Kalk Bay. Pickup around 10:00, Kalk Bay first for coffee and a walk on the harbour, then Simon's Town and Boulders Beach in the early afternoon, and back to town by about 15:00. This suits people who want a slower start and a long lunch.
Either way, the half day ends before the late-afternoon traffic on the main roads back into the city. The N1 and N2 and the roads into the centre are busiest on weekday mornings and late afternoons, which is one reason a morning or midday half day works better than one that starts at 14:00. Our guide to Cape Town traffic explains the pattern.
Kalk Bay: the harbour and the main road
Kalk Bay is a small False Bay harbour town with a working fishing community. Seals are often in the harbour, and the main road behind it has the town's restaurants, cafés and shops. Fresh seafood is what most people come for.
The driver drops you at the harbour and parks. On a fine weekend the main road is slow and parking is scarce, so having someone collect you at an agreed spot saves a lot of circling. If you are booking lunch at a particular restaurant, check current times with the venue, or ask the concierge to make the booking.
Simon's Town: the naval town
Simon's Town has been the home of the South African Navy since the early 1900s, and the naval base is part of the town. Simon's Town keeps much of its Victorian architecture, and the town has several museums and monuments tied to its naval history. In Jubilee Square there is a statue of Just Nuisance, a Great Dane who was enlisted in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, which children tend to remember more than anything else.
Boat trips run from the harbour. If you want one, the concierge can look into it, but it needs time, and a boat trip plus Kalk Bay plus the penguins starts to stretch a half day.
Boulders Beach and the penguins
Boulders Beach, between Simon's Town and Cape Point, has a colony of African penguins living in a residential area. The Foxy Beach boardwalk is wheelchair friendly and is the easiest way to see them. Do not touch or feed the penguins. Entry is paid at the gate and is for your own account unless it is itemised on your quote.
Our guide to visiting Boulders Beach with a private driver covers the visit in more detail, including what to bring and when it gets busy.
When a half day is too short
If you also want Cape Point, you need a full day. Cape Point is about 23 km past Boulders Beach and the whole loop back through Chapman's Peak is about 145 km, beyond the half-day distance. The Cape Peninsula loop sets out how that day runs.
A half day is also tight if you add a boat trip, a long hike or a second sit-down meal. In those cases, ask the concierge to quote a full day and use the extra hours as you go. If the half day runs over, extra time is billed per hour at the rate on your quote, and the driver tells you before the five hours are up.
And if there are only two of you, staying in Muizenberg or Kalk Bay already, you may not need a driver for this at all. The towns are close together and an e-hailing car between them is simple. A private driver earns its place when you are coming from the City Bowl, the Atlantic Seaboard or the Winelands, with children, or with someone who would rather not walk far between parking and the sights.
Common questions
Can we see Kalk Bay, Simon's Town and Boulders Beach in one morning?
Yes, if you start by about 08:30 and keep lunch to one stop. The round trip from the city is about 80 km, and the three places are within about 12 km of each other.
Is the Boulders Beach entry fee included?
No. It is paid at the gate and is for your own account unless it appears on your quote. Driver, fuel and tolls are always included.
Can we add Cape Point to a half day?
Not comfortably. Cape Point adds roughly 50 km and well over an hour of driving, plus the time there, which takes the day past five hours and 100 km. Book a full day instead.
Do you fit child seats for a half day?
Yes. Give the children's ages when you book and the right seats are fitted before pickup.
To book the half day, send the concierge your date, a preferred start time, the number of adults and children and where you are staying. The full-day option, if you would rather add Cape Point, is on the Cape Point tour page. The concierge replies with a written quote and a reference.