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Chapmans Peak Drive

Cape Town's Best Scenic Drive

Chapmans Peak Drive is not only one of Cape Town's most popular attractions, but also one of the world’s most popular scenic drives.

This coastal drive offers stunning views along the Atlantic coastline and the pictoresque fishing village of Hout Bay as well as the stunning long white beach at Noordhoek.

Chapmans Peak Drive

This coastal road connects Hout Bay with the more southern village of Noordhoek and is attracting thousands of visitors every year.

Chapmans Peak Drive starts in Hout Bay, roughly 20 km from Cape Town city center.

Originally known also as the Hout Bay – Noorde Hoek Road which was build between 1915 and 1922. Construction was started in 1915 and 1916 from both sides of this now famous scenic drive until the two construction sections finally met in 1922. Convicts helped build the now called Chapman’s Peak Drive, which is also called Chappies by the Capetonians.

The scenic drive which is a toll road which was undergoing more reconstruction work due to rock falls for the last sixteen month to get a huge safety upgrade.

The road is now finally open again since yesterday, October 9, 2009.

So you will be able again to enjoy some of its majestic beauty of this mountain road. There are many view points along this road.

View across Hout Bay

Here is a view down to Hout Bay in late afternoon. Isn't it beautiful?

To give you some more images from Chapmans Peak Drive , I want to share some of my pictures I took when we drove over this magic pass during the last years.

Cape Town’s most scenic drive

The picturesque mountain road is winding up and down along the Atlantic Coast with 114 curves and is 9 km in length.

Here is a picture of one of the tunnels of Chapmans Peak Drive

Chapmans Peak: A scenic mountain road

Due to rockfalls the road which was reconstructed and modernized significantly during the last twenty years was closed for traffic and only open during the Cape Argus Cylce Race earlier year. Now the catch fences for the Drive have been improved again.

There are many safety nets for falling rocks along the road and the scenic drive was getting a massive overhaul again. The heavy-duty safety nets are actually the most powerful in the world and could catch a 30-ton boulder! Although we surely do not want to see this happening... In case of heavy rainfall or wind, the road might be closed of for safety reasons nevertheless.

The villages on both sides of the Chapman’s Peak Drive are well worth a visit: Hout Bay and Noordhoek.

There is the fishing village of Hout Bay, which is popular with many expats too.

Hout Bay Beach is very popular at the weekends with families having a picnic at this safe beach. There are great restaurants too which offer stunning views across the bay and over to Chapmans Peak Drive.

Hout Bay Harbour with view toward Chapman's Peak Drive

This view of Chapman's Peak Drive was taken from Hout Bay Harbour.

Then there is the quaint village of Noordhoek.

Longbeach, one of my family's favorite beaches in Cape Town is also very popular with families and horse riding is possible on this beach.

Noordhoek Beach from Chapmans Peak

During any closure of the scenic road the villages to the south of this scenic drive, like Noordhoek and Kommetje can be reached via Ou Kaapse Weg, another scenic drive around Cape Town and via Fish Hoek or Simon’s Town from the False Bay side.

Cape Argus Cycle Tour over Chapmans Peak Drive

Chapman Peak Drive is also one of the popular features during the annual Cape Argus Cycle Race, which this year will be on Sunday, March 14th, 2010. Cyclists from all over the world are coming to Cape Town to join the race.

Lance Armstrong is already in town and all over the Mother City cyclists are getting ready for the big day. Go on and cheer for them. Find the starttimes for the Race here.

This means the Chapmans Peak Drive will be reserved for cyclists and closed for the general traffic from Saturday 13th of March at 18.00h until Sunday, 14th, roughly around 17.00h.

And please check for other road closures in Cape Town due to the cycle race. Find more info about the road closures here.

Cyclist on Chapmans Peak Drive with views down to Scarborough Lighthouse

If you want to know more about the Cape Argus Race and the route please click on this link to learn more about the cycletour.

If you plan to join the race, have a great day at the Cape Argus Cycle Race and have a safe journey!

And to our dear friend...Good luck, Bobby, and enjoy:)

Other great Cape Town Attractions

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