When Bartolomeu Dias first sailed past the Cape in 1488 - no doubt cursing through his teeth - he named the area the Cape of Storms. The gale force winds that frequently blow across the peninsula were also the inspiration for the legend of the Flying Dutchman. But it was later renamed the Cape of Good Hope, as it represented a gateway to the trade routes of the East.

The lighthouse at Cape Point is a mandatory stop for any bus tour that circumnavigates the Cape Peninsula. But if you have more time, you may wish to explore the beaches and tidal pools that can be found along it's rocky shoreline. Venus Pool on the False Bay side is a pleasant location for swimming or fishing. Anglers may obtain fishing permits at the gates.

The Buffelsfontein Visitor Centre has audiovisual presentations and interesting artefacts that shed light upon the Cape's cultural and natural history.

The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve has now been incorporated into the much larger Table Mountain National Park, which has been proclaimed by UNESCO as a Natural World Heritage Site.

ATTRACTIONS & ACTIVITIES AT CAPE OF GOOD HOPE NATURE RESERVE:
- sight-seeing
- bathing
- fishing

SUMMARY OF WILDLIFE & FLORA:
Vegetation: protea, erica. and other fynbos
Mammals: baboon