Boulders Penguin Colony

Boulders is one of the most delightful wildlife encounters in the world, and one of the most accessible. On the False Bay side of the Cape Peninsula, just south of the naval town of Simon's Town, a colony of African penguins nests in the dunes and bushes behind a string of small coves sheltered by huge rounded granite boulders. The colony began in 1983, when a couple of breeding pairs settled on the beach, and grew quickly; it is now protected as the Boulders section of Table Mountain National Park. In the 2026 count SANParks recorded about 790 breeding pairs, up from just under 700 the year before, and roughly 2,500 birds in all — welcome news for a species that has lost more than eighty per cent of its population since the 1950s and is now critically endangered. There are two ways to see them. The main viewing area at Foxy Beach is reached by boardwalks that wind through the vegetation, past nesting burrows, to a platform overlooking the beach where hundreds of penguins stand, preen, squabble and waddle in and out of the surf. This is where you get the classic photographs. A short walk away, Boulders Beach itself is a sheltered cove of calm, clear water among the rocks, where you can sit on the sand and swim while penguins wander past; the water is warmer than on the Atlantic side but still cool. Both are covered by the same daily conservation fee, payable at the entrance. Penguins are present all year, and the breeding season peaks in the winter and spring months, when chicks are in the nests, while late summer sees the moult, when birds stand around shabby and immobile for a few weeks. Go early or late in the day to avoid the coach tours.

A few rules protect the birds and you. Stay on the boardwalks and within the viewing areas, and do not touch, chase or feed the penguins: their beaks are sharp, and they bite when cornered. Alcohol and smoking are not allowed, and the beach is closed to kayaks and other vessels. Boulders is part of a no-take marine zone, so nothing may be removed from the shore. Parking is limited and fills quickly in summer and on weekends; arrive early, or take a tour. Tide matters at Boulders Beach itself, since the sand nearly disappears at high tide.

Fees and practicalities: SANParks charges a daily conservation fee at Boulders, with separate rates for South African residents, SADC nationals and international visitors, and the tariffs changed on 1 November 2026, as they do every year. For international adults it is a modest amount by world wildlife standards, a couple of hundred rand or so, but check the current SANParks tariff before you go. Cards are accepted. Simon's Town, a few minutes away, has cafes and restaurants on its harbour, and the drive along False Bay through Muizenberg, St James and Kalk Bay is lovely. The train line from the city runs along the coast to Simon's Town, although most visitors drive or come on a peninsula tour.

Who it suits: everyone, and particularly families, since even small children can walk the boardwalks and the experience is short and vivid. Photographers should come early or late for soft light and fewer people. Combine Boulders with Cape Point on a full-day loop of the peninsula, or make it a relaxed half day with lunch in Simon's Town and a swim at the penguin beach.