The Cape of Good Hope is most south-western point on the African Continent. It also is an excellent scenic viewpoint with clear blue water and rocky cliffs.
In order to climb the Cape, you do need time. There are a lot of stone stairs, so bring good walking shoes. Also, it gets windier the higher up you go, and you'll be going pretty high, so be sure to bring a jacket of some kind if the day is even a little bit cool. Once you get to the top, you'll see the famous signpost with how close you are to major world cities, such as London (9, 623 km), Rio de Janeiro (6,055 km), Amsterdam (9, 635 km), and New York (12,541 km). If you want a picture with this sign, be prepared to wait a little bit, as it is (understandably) a popular picture spot.
Climbing down is a lot harder than climbing up, as the stairs are steep enough that falling down them is a bit easier than falling up them. About 3/4 of the way up the trail, the concrete steps and paths stop and it turns to rock and gravel steps and paths. I cannot stress this enough: bring good walking shoes. Once you get to the bottom, you can go explore the rocky beaches where, if you are lucky, you'll see some wild animals including ostriches, eeland (the largest type of antelope) and baboons, like we did. In fact, on the drive to and from the Cape, keep your eyes peeled, as it is a nature reserve. Climbing the Cape of Good Hope was an incredible experience, and one that I urge anyone going to South Africa to do. Not only is the scenery beautiful and the animals amazing, but it gives you an opportunity to see up close the famous "Cape of Storms" (a previous name of the Cape of Good Hope), fabled home of the "Flying Dutchman".
