Chapmans Peak Drive is one of the most famous roads in Cape Town. But did you know you can hike there? Chapmans Peak Hike is one of the most beautiful hikes in Cape Town with gorgeous views of Hout Bay and Noordhoek. You won’t need to pay the toll fee to do the hike, you can just grab a day pass. The hike takes you through beautiful fynbos and offers panoramic views.

Chapmans Peak Hike

Details:

Start Location: The parking at the turnaround point for the day pass on Chapmans Peak Drive

Distance: 5km

Duration: +/- 3 hrs

Difficulty: Moderate. The hike follows a steady incline but offers flat sections for recovery. The last bit up to the peak is quite steep.

Conservation fee: None

The Route:

To reach the parking from the Hout Bay side, go through the toll booth but request a free day pass. This allows you to drive to the start of the hike, park and then turn around to go back through Hout Bay. With the day pass you are not able to drive beyond this turn around point. If you are accessing the hike from the Noordhoek side you can just drive to this point without a day pass and then go back the way you came. You are not able to drive beyond this turn around point without paying the toll fee.

The start of the trail follows a narrow stepping stone-like path up to the saddle. You’ll then turn right up a more open rocky/sandy path. This continues up and around the bluge of the mountain with a steady incline. The path flattens out a bit before a final rocky summit to the top of the peak. Make sure you bring along some coffee and snacks or a packed lunch so you can sit and enjoy the views for a while. You’ll have panoramic views from Noordhoek and Long Beach all the way to the whole of Hout Bay and can even spy the back of Table Mountain in the distance. It is absolutely stunning!

You will come back down the same way you walked up. Chapmans Peak Hike is one of my favourite hikes in Cape Town and definitely worth checking out. If you’re looking for more Cape Town hikes check out these hiking guides.