Getting up close with penguins is one of the best experiences in Cape Town. Other options include scenic drives along the beautiful Cape Peninsula coast and visiting famous landmarks like Cape of Good Hope, Cape Point, and Simon’s Town. We’ve found the best Boulders Beach tours, catering to every penguin seeker and nature lover.
Highlights:
- Scenic mountain and ocean drive along Chapman’s Peak
- Visit South Africa’s largest penguin colony at Boulders Beach
- Explore Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point Nature Reserve
Know Before You Book:
- Use printed or mobile vouchers for your own convenience
- This is a full-day tour
- Some tours include pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation in Cape Town
- All children must be accompanied by an adult
One of the only places in the world outside of polar regions where penguins gather year-round, Boulders Beach is a unique and incredible place to visit.
Fortunately, the penguin beach is just a short walk from parking spaces. From the parking lot, it’s a lovely walk through an indigenous forest to a perfect white sand beach where you can swim and snorkel with the penguins!
Cape Town penguin tours include several combination trips, with some including visits to Table Mountain and Chapman’s Peak.
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Boulders Beach Entrance Fees 2025
The Boulders Beach entrance fee starts at R50 ($3 USD) for South Africans and R215 ($12 USD) for foreign tourists. That said, most tours cover the Boulders Beach entry fee.
Boulders Beach Tickets & Tour Prices 2025
The tours below start from R615 ($34 USD) and can go as high as R3,435 ($190 USD). These Boulders Beach prices depend on how exclusive you want your trip to be and how many additional places are included in the tour!
Whether you want a half-day excursion or would like to spend the whole day touring Cape Town’s abundant nature, there’s a tour here for everyone.
Compare prices across the tour providers below:
Operating Hours for This Penguin Trip
Boulders Beach is open all year, 7 days a week, at the following times:
- December – January: 7 am – 7:30 pm
- February – April: 8 am – 6:30 pm
- May – September: 8 am – 5 pm
- October – November: 8 am – 6:30 pm
Best Time to Go on a Boulders Penguins Tour
The best time to visit Boulders Beach penguin colony is in South Africa’s summer (October – February). The weather is warm, and you can brave the cold waters to swim with the penguins!
If you’re in Cape Town during whale watching season (July – November) you might be lucky and spot some whales from Cape Point viewpoint. The penguins stay here all through the year, so there’s no wrong time to go.
Cape Point and Boulders Beach Tours
This is the perfect day trip to see things outside of Cape Town, like the fascinating penguin colony at Boulders Beach, Simon’s Town, and Cape Point. Make sure you wear comfortable clothes and shoes as you might need to take a little hike upon visiting these sights.
Get ready for a day packed full of exciting activities. With minibus options that will pick you up at your accommodation in Cape Town, you will get to enjoy some of the most astonishing views in the Western Cape.
Bo Kaap, Table Mountain, Chapman’s Peak & Boulders Beach
Visit the colorful houses of Bo Kaap, take a cable car up Table Mountain, and then enjoy the scenic Chapman’s Peak Drive. Followed by a stop at the Boulders Penguin Colony and Cape Point (fees not included).
This penguin’s Cape Town tour is the perfect combination of Cape Town’s eclectic cultures and gorgeous nature. With idyllic photo opportunities and plenty of sights to soak in, it’s the perfect day trip.
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Private tour guide and driver
- Chapman’s Peak drive toll fees
- Luxury vehicle
- Meals and drinks
- Optional gratuities
- All park entrance fees
Cape Town Day Tour to Cape Point With Penguins and Wine Tour
One for the wine lovers, this tour combines the best activities around the Cape Peninsula. Take a scenic route through Camps Bay, drive along Chapman’s Peak, past Misty Cliffs and the seaside village Scarborough, and finally reach Cape of Good Hope in Table Mountain National Park.
The coastline of Cape Town along Chapman’s Peak is a truly magical sight. With the mountains on one side and the crystal-clear Atlantic Ocean on your other, you’ll see why Chapman’s Peak is everyone’s favorite Sunday afternoon drive. Pack your camera because you’ll get to enjoy a snapshot opportunity at Maiden’s Cove near Simon’s Town.
Visit the Cape of Good Hope sign, the lighthouse, and the South African penguins at Boulders Beach, Cape Town. Finally time for wine o’clock. You’ll pass through the Constantia Valley Wine Route, where you can enjoy a wine tasting at one of the most prestigious wine farms in the country.
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Private tour guide and driver
- Entrance fees to five stops
- Drinks and snacks
- Wine tastings
- Luxury vehicle
- Additional food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Entrance fees to all the stops
Full-Day Cape Town Penguin Tour
This tour also starts out with a gorgeous drive along Chapman’s Peak! Upon reaching Hout Bay, you can opt to book an additional boat tour to Seal Island. The tour continues to Noordhoek village.
The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Cape Point are up next. Cape Point is where the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean currents meet. Cape Point is a declared a natural world heritage site, so you can be sure to experience the most beautiful views from the top of the lookout point.
The most south-western point of the African continent is a great place to see fynbos, the indigenous fauna and flora of the Cape region. You can expect to see some signs of wildlife while you are up there – we know that baboons love this spot! And if you’re in luck, you might spot a zebra or a bontebok.
You’ll also get to explore the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, see the beacon of Bartolomeu Dias (the first person to sail around the Southern tip of Africa), or take a hike up to Cape Point Lighthouse. If you don’t want to hike up to the lighthouse, you can enjoy a ride with the Flying Dutchman Funicular at an additional cost, where you will be astonished by the beautiful views.
And last, but not least, you can get up close to the penguins at Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town. Hosting the largest penguin colony in South Africa, Boulders Beach (often misspelled as Bolders Beach) attracts hundreds of visitors yearly.
So, get up close to these cute creatures who look like little men in tuxedos. After this, it’s time to return to Cape Town via the scenic Boyes Drive, passing Cape Town’s best beaches in Muizenberg and Kalk Bay.
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Private tour guide and driver
- Toll fees for Chapman’s Peak
- Luxury vehicle
- Bottled water
- Meals and drinks
- Optional gratuities
- Entrance fees to Boulders Beach
- Optional boat to Seal Island and Dutchman Funicular
FAQs About Boulders Beach Tickets & Tours
Let’s have a look at some of the commonly asked questions about exploring Boulders Beach.
Are There Always Penguins at Boulders Beach?
These cute little creatures are mainstays at Boulders Beach, and you can see them here year-round.
What Time of Day Are Penguins Most Active?
Either at dawn or dusk, so the best time to see these wonderful animals in action is in the early morning or late afternoon.
Are You Allowed to Swim at Boulders Beach?
Yes, you are. It’s best to swim in the summer months (November to February) when the water is much warmer.
Specification: Top Penguins Boulders Beach Tours From Cape Town 2025
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Julia – Germany –
Great Tour and very nice guide We did see a lot of things in Cape Town within a short time. Great to have these highlights. Tour Guide had many Information. Really nice Tour!
a GetYourGuide customer – United States –
Great way to pack in a lot of great must-sees!
Tina – United States –
Loved our guide, so nice and informative.
a GetYourGuide customer – South Africa –
Guide rude Kayak rudder stuck several time and no assistance from guide Beautiful scenic views just a pity the guide very unfriendly and blatantly rude