There’s nothing better to do on a hot summer day in South Africa then to visit Cape Point Nature Reserve on the Cape Peninsula, a place synonymous with wind. Explorer Sir Francis Drake claimed that Cape Point was “The most stately thing and the fairest Cape [he’d seen] in the whole circumference of the earth.” Although he witnessed the Cape over 400 years ago, the man wasn’t lying!

This famous section of the Table Mountain National Park, close to Cape Town, has over 7,750 hectares of untouched wildlife, and 40 km of coastline. The overall space and diversity of this expansive reserve is amazing. Cape Point Nature Reserve is filled with rocky cliffs, white sand and pebbled beaches, as well as long stretches of land covered in fynbos (local plant life indigenous only to the Western Cape). Lucky visitors may even witness a family of baboons sitting on the side of the road grooming each other as cars filled with international tourists stop to take pictures.

At R75 per person, a trip to the Cape Point Nature Reserve isn’t something that locals can afford regularly, but for visitors, the $10 or so that it costs is definitely a bargain. After visiting the Park’s information centre located near the main parking lot, guests can visit the Cape Point Lighthouse, built in 1919. A trip up the rugged rising sandstone can be done by a short ride on the Flying Dutchman Funicular (a tram that travels on a track for about 585 meters) or by walking up the concrete footpath. The walk is fairly easy, but the exertion mixed with the hot African sun can really wind you. Once at the top, the powerful winds act as the perfect cooling agent, and the breathtaking views overlooking False Bay and the rest of the Cape Peninsula make the foot journey well worth it.

Visitors might be surprised to find that Cape Point is not actually Africa’s most southerly point, nor is it the point where the currents of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. To see the most southerly tip of Africa, you have to travel east-southeast about 150 km to Cape Agulhas.

A single visit to the Cape Point Nature Reserve in South Africa allows visitors to enjoy many of Cape Point's most captivating sights and activities. From fynbos lined hiking trails, to rare bird watching and an abundance of picnic spots to enjoy, guests can easily spend the greater part of 48 hours, if not more here exploring the Park. Becoming apart of this outdoor paradise is a great way to explore Cape Point's diverse landscape in depth and first hand.

The best times of year to visit Cape Point during the summer months: November to middle or late May.

If you visit during the winter months, you may not be able to partake in all of the outdoor activities that Cape Point Nature Reserve has to offer, such as hiking, picnicking, relaxing on the beach, etc. Cape Town weather in the winter can be pretty wet and cold, so if you visit during that time you should definitely be prepared and dress for the occasion. An umbrella may be your best friend.

In terms of tour guides, most hostels and other accommodation can recommend their favorites to you. Cape Point is a very popular tourist attraction, so most locals will be able to inform you of all the finer ins and outs of the area.

The best thing about Cape Point is that it can be enjoyed by bike, car, or by foot.

The entrance fee into the park is R75, so although it's affordable for tourists, it's quite pricey for locals. If you're a local, try to make a day out of it by bringing a picnic along.

Even if you are visiting in the summer, make sure to bring something warm to put over your shoulders just in case the wind picks up on top; which it often does.

If you do happen to come across some baboons while in the Park, make sure not to feed them. Also, if you see them on the street and you drive up to take a look, make sure that your windows are rolled up. Baboons can be aggressive.