Short stop
Cape Point half day
Short penguin stop
- Length5 hours
- Rating4.8 from 747
- Pricefrom $40
Help me decide
Boulders Beach boardwalk or the swimming cove?
Two taps to a plan
Your way to the penguins
Answer one or two questions and the matching way to the colony shows up.
Recommended for you
A half day with swimming
from $39
The listing is a 6-hour half day that pairs the penguins with swimming at Boulders.
Recommended for you
A half day at the colony
from $37
The itinerary gives the Boulders Penguin Colony 2 hours.
Recommended for you
The full Cape of Good Hope day
from $51
The 10-hour day gives the colony 1 hour and adds Cape Point and Simon's Town.
The penguin coast at Simon's Town is a set of beaches, a walkway and a visitor centre. This page sorts out which part is for watching and which is for getting wet.
Editorial team, bouldersbeachpenguins.click · Updated November 7, 2026 · Allow 6 min
The essentials
- The layoutSANParks counts 3 beaches, 1 penguin viewing area and 3 boardwalks in the Boulders section.1
- For watchingThe penguins are best viewed from Foxy Beach, where boardwalks take you to the birds.2
- For swimmingThe cove is a set of sheltered inlets between granite boulders that keep out wind and large waves.3,4
- AccessThree wheelchair-friendly boardwalks were built for the nearly 60,000 visitors a year.5
- On the day tourThe day tour spends 1 hour at the Boulders Penguin Colony.
Boulders Beach is a stretch of coast, not a single cove
The name Boulders Beach covers more ground than the little cove it started with. SANParks describes the Boulders section of Table Mountain National Park as 3 beaches, 1 penguin viewing area and 3 boardwalks.1 That is a useful sentence to keep in your head before you arrive, because it explains why two people can both say they went to Boulders and describe completely different mornings. One stood on a raised walkway a few steps from nesting birds. The other paddled in a sheltered bay with granite rising out of the water.
The park's own brochure says the penguins are best viewed from Foxy Beach, where the boardwalks take visitors to the birds.2 Foxy Beach is also where the story of the colony starts: South African Tourism dates the colony to 1983, when a pair was spotted on Foxy Beach.6 So the place most people walk to for penguins is the original foothold, and the nesting sites around it are why the walkways were built the way they were.
Boulders Beach in the narrow sense is the other half of the picture. South African Tourism calls it a sheltered beach made of inlets between granite boulders, and says the boulders gave it its name.3 SANParks adds that the small bays are partly enclosed by granite boulders that are 540 million years old.7 This is the part with the postcard rocks, the rock pools and the swimming, and it is the reason families linger after the penguins have been seen.
Side by side
Foxy Beach and the swimming cove compared
| Question | Foxy Beach | Boulders cove |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Watching penguins from the boardwalks2 | Swimming, rock pools and picnics12 |
| Setting | Boardwalks through dunes and vegetation8 | Inlets between granite boulders3 |
| History | A pair was spotted here in 19836 | The boulders keep out wind and large waves4 |
| Limits | Keep to the planks and do not touch the birds13 | No vessels and no lifeguards on duty14 |
| Access | Wheelchair-friendly boardwalks5 | Beach space depends on the tide15 |
Facts come from SANParks, South African Tourism and Cape Town Tourism; the colony stays the same wherever you stand.
What the boardwalk gives you
A boardwalk keeps your feet off the nests, and that is its whole job. Cape Town Tourism says the boardwalks wind through the dunes and vegetation, giving viewing spots while protecting nesting penguins and their chicks.8 You walk, you stop, you look over a rail, and the birds carry on with the business of standing around, preening and braying. For a first visit it is the simplest way to see the colony without disturbing it.
The walkways are also built for everyone. Three wheelchair-friendly boardwalks were constructed to cope with the nearly 60,000 visitors who come each year.5 If you push a stroller or use a wheelchair, this is the part of the coast that works for you, and you can plan the rest of the visit around it. The Boulders visitor centre is on the same side of things, and expert guides there give out information about the penguins.9 Pop in before you walk, because a few minutes of context makes the next hour more interesting.
Do not expect to wander. Very little human contact is allowed inside most African penguin breeding colonies, and the Boulders walkways follow that principle.10 The park's artificial nesting boxes, which you will notice as you walk, were put in to reduce the loss of chicks.11 Keep to the planks, keep your hands to yourself, and the penguins will be close enough to photograph without any help from you.
Time on the sand
Minutes at the colony on three listings
- Cape Point half day25
- Site day tour60
- Penguin half day120
The Cape Point half-day line gives Boulders Beach 25 minutes, the site's day tour 1 hour and the penguin half-day listing 2 hours.
What the swimming cove gives you
The cove is a different kind of visit. The granite boulders shield the water from wind and large waves, and South African Tourism calls the result an ideal swimming spot for children.4 Cape Town Tourism describes a family-friendly beach where kids can climb over the boulders, explore the rock pools or swim.12 If anyone in your group has been patient through a long drive, this is where the reward is.
Know the limits before you go in. The SANParks brochure says Boulders Bay is a penguin sanctuary, that kayaks, boats and other vessels may not approach the beach, and that no lifeguards are on duty.14 Cape Town Tourism repeats that no vessels are allowed, canoes and kayaks included.16 So the cove is for people on foot, in the water, supervising their own swimmers. Dogs are excluded from the beaches as well.17
Tide changes the picture. SANParks says beach space at Boulders depends on the tide and advises coming at low tide.15 A visit planned for high water may leave you with a narrow strip of sand and little room to spread a towel. Check a tide table the evening before, and if the timing does not work, spend the hour on the boardwalk first and come back to the sand later in your stay.
Time at the colony
Three ways to book the penguin stop
This site's tour
Cape of Good Hope day
Penguins plus the peninsula
- Length10 hours
- Rating4.6 from 4,137
- Pricefrom $52
Long stop
Penguin half day
Longer at the colony
- Length5 hours
- Rating4.8 from 445
- Pricefrom $37
Rules that apply on both sides
Some rules do not care which beach you are on. SANParks asks visitors not to touch or feed the penguins, because their beaks are as sharp as razors.13 Cape Town Tourism puts it as a reminder that the birds are wild animals, so do not feed them or come too close.21 Rangers patrol Boulders each day, and alcohol and smoking are prohibited.22 None of this is hard to follow, but it helps to tell children before you leave the car.
The national management plan is blunter about what goes wrong. It records visitors at Simon's Town and Stony Point leaning over or crossing barriers to photograph penguins, or trying to touch them.23 It also notes that penguins have been killed by cars, especially at parking lots close to the colonies.24 That is a good reason to watch your step in the car park, and to move your vehicle slowly if a bird has wandered into the lane.
Parking itself needs a plan. SANParks warns that parking at Boulders is limited, so you should arrive early in the peak summer months.25 Cape Town Tourism says the same thing in plainer words.26 If you come on a day tour, the driver solves this for you, which is one of the quiet advantages of not driving yourself. Ask at the Boulders Beach visitor centre if you want the current rules for the day.
Price the stop
What the penguin stop costs your group
Type your party size and compare four ways to reach the colony
Compare all 4 options
What the penguin stop costs your group
Type your party size and compare four ways to reach the colony
- Cape of Good Hope dayThis site's tour · per visitor from $51
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View - Cape Point half dayShort stop · per visitor from $40
≈
View - Penguin half dayLonger stop · per visitor from $37
≈
View - Cape Point full dayLong day · per visitor from $44
≈
View
All amounts are from-prices on GetYourGuide, converted at the ECB reference rate. Exact prices are shown at booking.
On the day tour
Where the colony sits in the day
Before
Chapman's Peak Drive
The scenic drive stop lasts 20 minutes before the tour reaches the penguins.
The colony
Boulders Penguin Colony
The itinerary gives the colony 1 hour, enough for the walkway and the visitor centre.
After
Simon's Town lunch
The next stop is Simon's Town for 75 minutes, with lunch and free time.
Then
Cape of Good Hope
The tour continues to the Cape of Good Hope for 1 hour.
Late
New Cape Point Lighthouse
The lighthouse stop also lasts 1 hour.
How the day tour fits the two halves
The site's own day tour is a 10-hour outing with a live English-speaking guide, and its itinerary lists the Boulders Penguin Colony for 1 hour. It is rated 4.6 from 4,137 reviews and is listed from $52. An hour is enough to walk the boardwalk, visit the centre and take photographs, but it is not a swimming slot, so plan to see the colony rather than to spend the afternoon on the sand.
If the cove matters more to you than the rest of the peninsula, look at the half-day options. One half-day listing gives the Boulders Penguin Colony 2 hours and is listed from $37. A Cape Point half-day listing gives Boulders Beach 25 minutes. The right pick depends on whether you want penguins as a highlight or as one stop among many.
Whichever you choose, the logic of the coast stays the same. Start with the walkway, because that is where the birds are best seen, and use whatever time remains for the water or the visitor centre. The comparison at the end of this page lines the options up side by side.
Video
A virtual walk along the Boulders Beach boardwalks
Roam Around Cape Town on YouTube · Playback files load only once you tap play.
These boardwalks wind their way through the dunes and vegetation, providing great viewing spots and protecting nesting penguins and their chicks.
Before you walk down
What to know and what to bring
Know first4
FAQ
Quick questions get quick answers.
Which part of Boulders Beach has the boardwalks?
Foxy Beach.
The SANParks brochure says the penguins are best viewed from Foxy Beach, where boardwalks take visitors to the birds.2
Can you swim at Boulders Beach?
Are the Boulders Beach boardwalks wheelchair friendly?
Yes, all of them.
Cape Town Tourism says three wheelchair-friendly boardwalks were built for the nearly 60,000 yearly visitors.5
Is there a visitor centre at Boulders Beach?
Yes.
Expert guides at the Boulders Visitors Centre give information about the penguins.9
Can you bring a dog to Boulders Beach?
No.
The SANParks brochure says dogs are excluded from the beaches.17
Can you kayak at Boulders Beach?
Can you touch the penguins?
No.
SANParks asks visitors not to touch or feed them because their beaks are as sharp as razors.13
How long does the day tour stay at the penguin colony?
1 hour.
The itinerary of the site's day tour lists the Boulders Penguin Colony for 1 hour.
Sources
- South African National Parks (sanparks.org) · Boulders Penguin Colony ↩
- South African National Parks (sanparks.org) · Boulders Penguin Colony brochure ↩
- South African Tourism · Visit the Boulders Beach penguins ↩
- South African Tourism · Visit the Boulders Beach penguins ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Meet The Penguins At Boulders Beach ↩
- South African Tourism · Visit the Boulders Beach penguins ↩
- South African National Parks (sanparks.org) · Boulders Penguin Colony brochure ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Meet The Penguins At Boulders Beach ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Meet The Penguins At Boulders Beach ↩
- CapeNature · African Penguin ↩
- South African Tourism · Visit the Boulders Beach penguins ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Meet The Penguins At Boulders Beach ↩
- South African National Parks (sanparks.org) · Boulders Penguin Colony ↩
- South African National Parks (sanparks.org) · Boulders Penguin Colony brochure ↩
- South African National Parks (sanparks.org) · Boulders Penguin Colony ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Meet The Penguins At Boulders Beach ↩
- South African National Parks (sanparks.org) · Boulders Penguin Colony brochure ↩
- South African Tourism · Penguins at Boulders Beach, Simon's Town ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Meet The Penguins At Boulders Beach ↩
- South African National Parks (sanparks.org) · Boulders Penguin Colony ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Meet The Penguins At Boulders Beach ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Meet The Penguins At Boulders Beach ↩
- Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment · Biodiversity Management Plan for the African Penguin (PDF, read with pdftotext) ↩
- Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment · Biodiversity Management Plan for the African Penguin (PDF, read with pdftotext) ↩
- South African National Parks (sanparks.org) · Boulders Penguin Colony ↩
- Cape Town Tourism · Meet The Penguins At Boulders Beach ↩
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