Chapman's Peak Drive is one of the world's most scenic mountain drives and has recently undergone renovations to ensure the safety of travellers using the route. The drive winds and curves around the peak, and there are some look-out points where one can stop and take in the spectacular sea views. Parts of the drive can be hazerdous- the drop down to the sea is steep.But protective barriers have been placed at dangerous corners.Take it slowly.
There are also designated picnic areas along the route.Baboons have become a problem, because people will insist on feeding them (this is prohibited)- so take care when stopping.They get quite cheeky.
The views are breathtaking- especially at sunset.
Forts built by the Dutch in the 18th century can also be visited, with the original cannons and barracks still standing on the slopes of the Peak. The East fort is the oldest operating gun battery in the world. There are good hiking trails in the mountains surrounding the area.
At the foot of the drive, near Hout Bay, there is a beautiful statue of a bronze leopard, gazing out to sea.
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This drive is an absolute MUST SEE & DO when visiting Cape Town.
This drive between Hout Bay and Noordhoek is one of the most scenic drives in the world.
Built by World War 2 prisoners of war. It is a 9km route 114 curves & was the brain wave of Sir Frederic De Wall the first administrator of the Cape Province opened in 1922
Their is a look out point to park up and take photo's. The views are spectacular sometimes you can spot whales.
The road has now become a toll road which costs vehicles R20. The reason a toll was introduced is there was lots of large vehicles using this drive on a regular basis and not only is it quite dangerous with its twists and turns, there were also sporadic rock falls which have now been netted up.
This drive is famous for the advert for BMW which catch phrase is it beats the Bends (Benz) a BMW went off the road & rolled down the cliff & the man survived, apparently I heard he was listening to Tracey Chapman fast car (how true that is - not sure)
Chapman's Peak Drive is one of the most spectacular coastal roads in South Africa. It starts at the picturesque fishing harbour of Hout Bay and then winds up to Chapman's Point, revealing breathtaking views of the sandy bays down below, until the road reaches sea level again at Noordhoek.
There are numerous parking bays and picnic spots along the road and on the slopes.
You also have to pay a toll fee of R14 to use this road.
This is one of the most scenic and beautifull drives that you will ever do in your life. After being closed for several years due to rock slides and unstable cliff faces, this fantastically scenic drive has reopened after a major reconstruction that involved state-of-the-art engineering techniques, some of which had never been used on South African roads. Work began on the drive in 1910, when it was considered an impossibility. Charl Marais, a mining surveyor, wasn't deterred by the task and set about surveying a route by sending a worker ahead of him to chop out footholds and create rudimentary platforms for his theodolite. With the help of 700 convicts, dynamite, picks, and shovels, a road was chipped and blasted out of the rock. Chapman's Peak Drive officially opened in 1922. You can access the drive from both Noordhoek and Hout Bay.
Today it is a toll road, but not that expensive.
Chapman's Peak Drive is a scenic route running along the coast of the Atlantic ocean on the western side of Cape peninsula. This road " hewn out of the face of sheer mountain" is 9 km long and has 114 curves. Here you can find a lot of places where you can stop the car to admire the scenery and take photographs.
These are a few facts concerning this spectacular drive, but they don't reflect the true beauty of this route. I can just say that it is incredible - you drive along almost a vertical wall of the mountain on one side and on the other side there's the ocean with rugged coastline, sandy beaches and little cosy bays. On a bright day the water seems to sparkle with the reflected light giving the scenery a firy-like appearance. When the sun hides , all of a sudden the scenery changes showing its much more ominous face.
But Chapman's Peak Drive is not only about spectacular views, it's also a masterpiece of engineering. It was constructed between 1915 and 1920 but because of rockfalls has been closed several times for maintenance purposes. All along the way you can see nets and other devices protecting the road. But the rock slides happen and then the drive can be temporarily closed. So it's advisable to check before setting off if the drive is open.
Chapman's Peak is a toll road.
This drive is AMAZING!!! Try it.
Even if you don't like cliff-side driving, the photos you can get are worth it.
There is a toll to drive this route, but it's pretty cheap (I think if was less than 10 Rand).
The road hugs the near-vertical face of the mountain from Hout Bay to Noordhoek. Hacked out of the face of the mountain between 1915 and 1922, the road was at the time regarded as a major feat of engineering. Chapman's Peak Drive was closed in the 1990s, after a rockfall caused a death and a subsequent lawsuit. The road has since been reopened after being re-engineered to protect motorists from falling rocks
Recently, the Chapman's Peak Drive was reopened! However, sometimes it can be closed again due to rockfalls. When you get onto the road, you have to pay a toll. But it's not too expensive.
It's a fantastic drive along the very windy road a few hundred meters above sea level, basically in the rock! It's really worth doing it!
Take a drive along Chapman's Peak Drive, the greatest drive from Cape Town city to Hout Bay (a special place in my heart). The Waterfront, which is a great place to visit.
Cape Point, where two oceans meet.
Chapman's Peak Drive has fantastic views of the ocean, and mountains. The Waterfront has fabulous restaurants and great shopping for curios and things South African. Cape Point, the only place in the world where one can see two oceans, the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean meet at the tip of Africa.
Chapman’s Peak Drive between Noordhoek and Hout Bay on the Atlantic Coast on the south-western tip of South Africa is one of the most spectacular marine drives in the world.
The 9 km route with its 114 curves skirts Chapman Peak, the 593 m southerly extension of Constantiaberg and follows the rocky coastline to unfold stunning views in both directions.
Great scenic drive, a must if it is open, plenty of photo opportunities along the way.
Chapman’s Peak Drive has to be counted as one of the most spectacular coastal drives in the world. It has just reopened to the public after a landslide killed 2 people caused from erosion from a huge brush fire that completely engulfed the region. The drive starts from Hout Bay and runs in and out along the cliffs. There are fantastic views of Hout’s Bay and Chapman’s Bay as well as the open sea. Chapman’s Peak Drive bends around to Noordhoek and descends back down into the valley. There are plenty of nice spots to stop and look out over the water. Nice and clean bathrooms are available as well as eating areas.
This is now apart of Table Mountain National park and costs R20.
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