Cape Agulhas, the Best of South Africa’s Mountains and Oceans

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While you may have seen some Cape of Good Hope tour sites state that it’s in Cape Town where two oceans meet, that’s simply not true. If you’re a geography nerd like me and know about the continents and oceans of the world, particularly the ocean around Africa, you’ll know that it’s in Cape Agulhas two oceans meet.

Cape L’Agulhas is the true southernmost point of Africa and the actual geographical point where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. It’s a perfect day trip from Cape Town and an absolutely magical experience looking off the southernmost tip of the African continent knowing the next land one would encounter is Antarctica. (The only continent I have left to visit.)

Many tourists make it a point to see The Cape of Good Hope (which you should also definitely see) but not many make the drive through the stunning gorgeous countryside from Cape Town to Cape Agulhas. This is a shame because Agulhas is easily one of the best day trips from Cape Town and easily one of my favorite Southern Africa tourist attractions.

A Southern Africa Roadtrip

There are two ways to see Cape L’Agulhas. Your first option is to hire a private guide from a tour company. I recommend African Blue Tours. Cape Agulhas tours from Cape Town cost approximately $100 - $175 USD per person for a group of 2-5 people. The price goes up to approximately $315 for a solo private tour. The other option is to rent a car. Since I happen to be terrified when it comes to driving on the left side of the road and venturing out of my American, right-side comfort zone, I hired a guide. It was great to have someone along for the ride who knew the roads and could tell me more about South African customs, history, politics, and smaller sites I would have missed if I had white-knuckled it down to L’Agulhas myself. I recommend this Wheelchair-Accessible Full-Day Cape Agulhas Private Tour from Cape Town.

If you hire a private guide to visit Cape Agulhas you can customize your trip to your interests. You can add on visits to wineries, hiking, wildlife viewing, and more. My guide was kind enough to stop multiple times to let me capture some photos of penguin colonies, whales spouting, and dramatic cliffside ocean views. He even climbed down a couple of hillsides to snag photos so I didn’t have to risk rolling my ankles or dislocating my knees, things that happen to me quite frequently because of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

Once in L’Agulhas, it’s all about the stunning views. If the winds aren’t too strong, it’s a perfect place to rest and appreciate the beauty of nature. Make sure to grab your photo at the marker indicating the official dividing line where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. The shallow water here offers the best fishing in Africa. But it’s not without danger. South Africa is well known for being surrounded by some of the roughest oceans in the world. Ships that sail around the horn must navigate incredibly rough tides and currents. This area is often referred to as the Cape of Needles. During the winter, high winds can cause waves offshore to reach up to 100 feet. This makes navigating the cape quite difficult. In the last one hundred years, it’s estimated that 150 ships have sunk off the shore of Cape Agulhas. Most notably, the Japanese ship Meisho Maru, whose wreckage is still visible just offshore.

There is a wooden boardwalk along the beach where you can sightsee if you aren’t physically to walk onto the rocky beach.

Things to Do In Cape Agulhas

Once you snap your photo at the marker noting the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, you can enjoy a number of activities in the area.

Cape Agulhas Lighthouse

Due to the great many shipping accidents in what is frequently some of the roughest ocean on earth, The Cape Agulhas lighthouse was built in 1848. It is the oldest working lighthouse in South Africa. You can visit a small maritime museum inside the lighthouse as well as the tiny Cape Agulhas Restaurant.

Word of warning to disabled travelers with mobility issues. The lighthouse contains a somewhat misleading sign proclaiming, “71 steps to the top.” These lighthouse stairs are actually ladder rungs and they’re fairly difficult/terrifying to navigate if you have mobility issues or problems with vertigo. My guide was incredibly helpful and went very slowly helping me along the way. Luckily, there weren’t other visitors that day, so I could take time and avoid holding up the line or being rushed. But visiting the top of the lighthouse is not recommended for those with vertigo or those who lack the muscle strength to safely grip and climb a ladder. Also, visitors must be careful when opening the door at the top and looking out of the lighthouse. Even if the wind on the ground doesn’t seem particularly strong, it can be incredibly strong at the top and easily pin you up against the railing or wall. Make sure you have all loose items secured and you’re holding onto something that anchors you.

Cape Agulhas National Park

For those interested in hiking, biking, birding, or seeing some of the indigenous flora, Agulhas National Park boasts 2,000 species of indigenous plants. Visitors may opt to hike between the fynbos on one of the many picturesque trails: Spookdraai (L’Agulhas), Rasperpunt (L’Agulhas), Grootberg (Napier), or Two Oceans (Agulhas Rest Camp.)

If you’ve driven yourself, it’s also possible to enjoy some of the best camping sites South Africa has to offer. If camping isn’t your thing, SANPArks Agulhas National Park has fifteen beautiful chalets. These one or two-bedroom wooden cabins sleep up to four people and offer amazing views of the oceans of South Africa.

Nearby Arniston and Baardskeerdersbos accommodation will offer more variety for those looking for something a little bit more than just camping.

Visit a Winery

The Black Oyster Catcher Winery is a great place to relax and enjoy a drink. This family-run wine farm close to Elim serves lunches accompanied by a variety of tasty wines.

Cape Agulhas Weather

Cape Agulhas has a Mediterranean climate and the temperature ranges from 55 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Though, as I mentioned winds in the area can be quite strong by the water. L’Agulhas is influenced by the local steppe climate and receives little rainfall. On average the area receives 15 inches of rainfall annually.

Driving back to Cape Town

After all that lighthouse climbing, I had to lie down in the car for our ride back to Cape Town because my muscle spasms were pretty intense. Luckily, they eased up enough to make a stop at Hermanus for dinner. Hermanus is an excellent halfway point between Cape Agulhas and Cape Town. It’s also a great place for Penguin spotting and whale watching. The distance from Hermanus to Cape Town is about 75 miles, or about an hour and a half car ride.

Hermanus Penguins at Stony Point

Before you head back to your hotel, make sure you stop at Stony Point in Hermanus to see African penguins in their natural habitat. Stony Point is one of only two shore-based breeding colonies in the country, the other being Boulders Beach near Simonstown. It’s best to visit this beach either in the early morning or late in the afternoon when the penguins have returned from their fishing expeditions. Of the two colonies, Stony Point was my favorite. You can watch penguins close up without the massive crowds of tourists found at Boulders Beach.

Another major attraction at Hermanus is whale watching. You can see these magnificent creatures just standing on the shores. If you happen to be in town the last week of September, visiting the Hermanus Whale Watching Festival is a must.