Visiting the Boulders Penguin Colony in Cape Town

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Boulders Penguin Colony near Cape Town houses 3,000 African penguins - but does it do justice to the hype?

The "African penguin" is a contradiction. Somehow the hottest continent in the earth is the home of a bird that is most often associated with the coldest: the Antarctic. And yet the three penguins that I have seen have lived in warm realms: the Galápagos penguin in front of the island of Isabela, which is located directly on the equator, the little penguin in super dry Australia and now the African penguin boulders Penguin Colony in South Africa.

If you know Cape Town, you know the Boulders Penguin Colony in Simon’s Towns 40 km south.

Boulders-Penguin colony

Boulders is the home of a land -based colony of 3,000 African penguins. It is one of the few in the world and has developed into a popular tourist destination.

Boulders is located in the Tafelberg National Park and comprises three beaches, a viewing area and wooden walkway that are designed in such a way that the distance between penguins and visitors is maintained.

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On photographs of the Boulders Penguin Colony, the birds seem to cover the sand, so many are. If they are not lazy, they waddle around, tip over, scream loudly and generally behave like extras for pixar.

Behind the idyllic backdrops is a sobering truth: their number has dropped so much that African penguins are now officially threatened with extinction.

an endangered species

1910 there were an estimated 1.5 million African penguins in the world. In 1956 the first complete count of the species found that 150,000 breeding pairs were still.

by 2009 it crashed to 26,000 breeding pairs, which means a loss of over 80 % in 50 years. In 2010, the African penguin was officially classified as endangered.

Alt = "An African penguin strolls along the Boulders Beach"> Atlas & Boots An African penguin strolls along the Boulders Beach

The Boulders Penguin Colony was "founded" when two breeding pairs settled there in 1982. The number of surrounding island colonies rose and the breeding elections rose to 3,900 penguins in 2005. Unfortunately, the numbers have decreased again and are currently around 3,000.

causes of decline

The decline in African penguins is caused by several factors. Climate change and the overfishing of pelagic stocks make food more scarce, while the destruction of habitats is susceptible to predators, excessive heat and floods.

African penguins also live along an important oil transport route and spill off with catastrophic consequences.

The MV Apollo oil carpet from 1994 is said to have killed 5,000 African penguins, while the MV Treasure oil carpet of 2000 19,000 penguins killed almost 10 % of them and led to the evacuation of further 19,500, many of which were brought to the country afterwards.

The penguins in Boulders are also affected by vehicles on the adjacent road, pets from the nearby beach development and irresponsible tourist behavior (e.g. selfie sticks by fences, garbage, removal of marine life and material).

To help, consider a donation to Sanccob, a registered non -profit organization that has set itself the goal of reverse the decline in seabird populations such as the African penguin.

Our visit to the Boulders Penguin Colony

As with many popular sights, I wondered whether magazine routes and Instagram posts were cleverly recorded to increase the attractiveness. Would we really see hundreds of penguins that spread the sand of Boulders?

I am happy to be able to report that there is no exaggeration. The numbers are really breathtaking. We walked the length of the wooden walkway to watch the penguins waddle, swim and play. To mention unnecessarily that we were enchanted thoroughly.

However, it must be said that experience was missing from the magic to see Galápagos penguins in Isabela and small penguins in Australia. The proximity to the street and the beach, the shops and stands along the thoroughfare and the sheer amount of tourists made it look a bit artificial.

It is said that 60,000 people visit the Boulders Penguin Colony annually. This corresponds to an average of 165 people per day, which does not appear very high compared to what we saw. Admittedly, we arrived at the same time with a big tour bus, but I suspect that the numbers in the high season are consistently high.

Alt = “It is clear why tourists flock to the Boulders Penguin Colony”> Atlas & Boots It is clear why tourists in droves flock to Boulders Penguin Colony

Nonetheless, a visit to the Boulders Penguin Colony should not be missing during a visit to Cape Town. So many penguins will probably not change your life, but it will definitely sweeten your day.

Boulders Penguin Colony: The essentials

What: Visiting the Boulders Penguin Colony near Cape Town.

Where: We stayed in the Grand Daddy, a boutique hotel in the Long Street, 15 minutes walk from V&A Waterfront. The hotel is elegant with extremely bizarre accents: the reception is built from old suitcases, the roof has seven artistically renovated airstream supporters and the elevator is considered the oldest in Cape Town.

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The grandfather

The hotel restaurant serves a great breakfast and the nearby Bombay Brasserie offers excellent upscale cuisine at a reasonable price. The Grand Daddy is a great basis, but note that the room on the "standard" floor has no natural daylight. We were laid on request (according to some scramble with a receptionist). Book a "superior" or "luxury" room to avoid this.

When: The best time to visit the Boulders Penguin Colony are the warm summer months from November to April. The temperatures are highest between December and February and this is also the most busy time. Come to the opening time or an hour before closure to defeat the crowds.

When you combine Cape Town with a safari, note that game observations are best in dry winter (May October) because animals gather around water holes and the lack of vegetation offers guests a clearer view. In spring (November to December) you can watch many newborns.

like: No opening times are listed on the official Boulders website. Lonely Planet quotes you as follows:

  • Dec.-Jan.: 7.00 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.
  • Feb-März, Oct-Nov: 8.00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.
  • Apr.-Sep.: 8.00 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Visitors must pay a nature conservation fee of 152 tsar per person (approx. 10 USD). Find out more about the current tariffs and consult the brochure for more information and contact details.

We rented a taxi for the day at our hotel reception ($ 70, which included a trip to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point). Be sure to arrange the daily rate and working hours with the driver beforehand. If you drive yourself, arrive early to make sure you find a parking space. We organized the logistics on the way with Travel Sim, which works in numerous countries with a single card and telephone number.

You can also visit Boulders with the Cape Point & Penguin Explorer Tour from City Sightseeing or take a train from Cape Town to Simon’s Town by public transport (select a first-class ticket). From Simon’s Town you can either take a 30-minute walk through the historic marine city or take a taxi.

We flew to Cape Town with South African Airways. Book flights at the best prices via Skyscanner.

If you have time, we recommend visiting you to Lesotho and Eswatini (Swasiland) during your trip to South Africa.

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Lonely Planet South Africa, Lesotho & Swasiland is a comprehensive travel guide for South Africa, ideal for those who want to explore the most important sights and choose less busy roads.

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