The Penguins at Simon's Town

(5 reviews)

Cape Town audio tour: The Penguins at Simon's Town

This is a 0.6mi walking tour

It takes an average of 20 mins to complete.

Cape Town

South Africa

$2.99

Access all 8 locations offline with the VoiceMap app

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About the Tour

Join me on this short, informative walk that primes you for your visit to the famous penguin colony at Boulders Beach. Whether you're a local who has been before, or it's your first time in Cape Town, this tour is a great way to get a more in depth view into the lives of African penguin.

Along the way, I'll fill you in about the history of Simon's Town, how False Bay got its name, and the geology of the Cape Peninsula.

Tour Producer

John Whitehead

2 tours

I am a local, an ex-teacher and a Cape Town tourist guide. My tours focus on uncovering stories that make the city interesting. These narratives, together with our history and the scenic beauty of the Cape to give visitors a great tour experience.

Preview Location

Location 2

Cafe Penguino

Keep going straight along the road past Cafe Penguino.

The stone building on your left is the oldest building in the area. Residents believe it was once a stable because there are still old water troughs evident. The building was probably a military structure built in the l... Keep going straight along the road past Cafe Penguino.

The stone building on your left is the oldest building in the area. Residents believe it was once a stable because there are still old water troughs evident. The building was probably a military structure built in the late 1800s and is typical of many of the Simon's Town early architecture.

Have you ever asked yourself how many penguin species there are or why there is a colony in an urban area like this? Well, all eighteen penguin species are native to the Southern Hemisphere and generally occur in colder latitudes. The African penguin or speniscus demersus is only found on the south-western coast of Africa, hence its name. It was called the Jackass penguin on account of the donkey-like bray which it produces. The name was then changed to African penguin. Listen out for it the call!

As you walk, look out for penguins which often take up residence in the gardens along this route!

So why are penguins here, in this fairly populated urban area? Well, firstly, the species was endangered. The African penguin declined from around 1.5M in 1910 to around 200 000 in the year 2000. In 2010 their numbers were estimated at around 55 000.

Oil spills around the Cape Peninsula in the 1970s led to many birds being rescued and in need of rehabilitation, preferably away from land-predators. Around that time surface trawling in False Bay was restricted and two breeding pairs were introduced in 1982. The colony now numbers 3 000 birds.

African penguins are a charismatic breed, popular with tourists. They look like gentlemen in dinner jackets who have had a bit too much to drink!

African penguins are flightless birds that are monogamous – they mate for life, and can live for up to 30 years in captivity. As you’ll see they are about 24 inches tall. Their breeding season is from March to May in South Africa and from November to December in Namibia. Pairs will return to the same site each year, and will typically lay two eggs.

Carry on walking along this road. Read More

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Major Landmarks

Boulders Beach

Getting There

Route Overview

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Start location
17-7 Kleintuin Rd, Simon's Town, Cape Town, 7995, South Africa
Total distance

1km
Final location
Simon's Town, Cape Town, 7995, South Africa
Distance back to start location

597.48m

Directions to Starting Point

The starting point is the car parking area at Seaforth, Simonstown. To get there, travel through Simonstown (travelling from Fish Hoek) on Queen's Road (M4) and turn left into Seaforth Road (500m past the gates at Martello Road, which takes one to the bus parking area). The parking area is immediately down the road.
For those who park at the large buses parking area (Martello Road), proceed through the gates and along the walkway which brings you to the general parking area and craft market.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Seaforth Beach and Seaforth restaurant is worth stopping at and the restaurant provides a wide range of great meals and specialises in seafood. Ice creams are available on the road at busy times.

Best time of day

Opening times are:
December – January: 7am – 7.30pm
February – March: 8am – 6.30pm
April – September: 8am – 5pm
October – November: 8am – 6.30pm
Cost: Entrance is free to Wild Card holders.
SA Nationals: Adults R76 Children R39.
Foreign Visitors: Adults R152 Children R76

Precautions

It is always advisable to keep valuables out of sight and avoid anyone trying to offer assistance. There are however 'official' parking assistants who provide help in the car park for tips. Refreshments are available at Cafe Penguino which at the beginning of the walk. There are toilets inside the entrance to the colony.

The walk to the colony is along a flat road of a few hundred meters. The terrain at the colony is along a flat, wheelchair accessible boardwalk, so its easily done by children, the aged and even those with disabilities. While the walk for this educational tour is only about 20 minutes, groups could easily spend over an hour viewing the penguins and even longer if decide to visit Boulders Beach afterwards.

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“This app has become my go-to app for audio tours. I pretty much use it for every trip and it works wonderfully. I highly recommend VoiceMap for travelers to truly experience cities.”

App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”

Google Play Store

Questions and Reviews

4.4 / 5

5 Ratings

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