Boulders Beach: seeing African penguins
Everything you need to know about the penguin beach in South Africa
If you think about penguins, you think about the Antartics or you go to the nearest zoo to see them. But if I tell you that you could see real-life penguins in their natural habitat? Ever thought you could do that in South Africa? Yeah, me neither, but you definitely can at Boulders Beach!
The ability to see this small creature at the beach, just chilling, was such a surreal experience. This is certainly a place that should be on everyone’s bucket list! But, you’re probably wondering how you can visit these penguins. That’s why I made an extensive blog post about visiting the penguins at Boulders Beach in South Africa.
You might also like: Ultimate 3 day itinerary in Cape Town
For your information, all these pictures were taken in July 2022.
Table of Contents
Some information about Boulders beach
It’s quite a weird sight to see penguins at the beach and not with snow so how did they get here? In 1982, a colony of penguins got stranded on this beach and are there ever since. In the beginning, they were with very few, but have grown into a colony of around 2.200 penguins to this day. But, because of (il)legal fishing, they became an endangered species. So please be respectful when hanging around them.
These species belong to the African penguin and are named after that as they are the only ones breeding on the African continent. So, you will find these penguins not only at Boulders Beach. They have adapted to the warmer climate by burrowing, emerging at dusk and dawn, and using the pink glands above their eyes to cool their blood down. And the water around the Benguela is very cold. There are 26.000 African penguins left since 2009, which has shrunken from 150.000 in 1956.
Boulders Beach got its name because of the many rocks that lay on the beach. These rocks are used for the penguins to take shelter. But the beach where the penguins are located is called Foxy Beach, instead of Boulder Beach. For whatever reason, they call it by the wrong name. But both beaches are only 130 meters away from each other. Both are part of Table Mountain National Park.
How to get to Boulders beach?
Boulders Beach is a 45-minute drive from Cape Town. The best way to get to this beach is by car and drive for yourself. But, I know renting a car in a city can be quite scary so you still have the option to take public transportation or by using Uber. But even though it’s quite out of the way and you need to figure out a way to reach this beach, it’s a must-visit in your itinerary of Cape Town. We used a rental car, which made it easier to be there early in the morning as it can get pretty crowdy.
By car: You can find parking near the entrance of Boulders Beach. The parking is free, but there probably will be a parking guide who asks for money. It’s for the best to give them a little bit of money as they are watching over your car.
By public transport: You could take the train from Cape Town to Fish Hoek. Afterward, you should take a taxi or an Uber to get to your destination. I personally think taking the train isn’t the safest option and it’s just better to take a taxi or Uber directly from Cape Town.
Can you spot the penguins all year round at Boulder Beach?
If you’re making all this effort to come all the way to this beach, it is best to know if there will be any penguins at the beach. But don’t worry, you can spot these penguins all year round at the beach! This is their natural habitat and they will be there most of the time. They will spend some time in the water, but not all 2.200 penguins at the same time.
Even though you can see them the whole year, some periods are better than others. In South Africa, you have a dry and rainy season, so it’s best to see them in the dry season, which is between November and March. Here you have the most chance of good weather and better temperatures!
Opening times and entrance fee
To spend some time with the penguins, you first need to pay an entrance fee for conservation to enter this beach. This is R176 per adult, per day, or R88 per child, per day, which is around €8 per adult or €4 per child.
As you need to pay entrance for Boulders Beach, there will also be opening hours you should keep in mind. They could differ per season or per month. In the winter period (April to September), the beach is open from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. But in the summer period, it differs per month. In peak summer, it’s open between 7:00 AM – 7:30 PM. For the other months, you could check the website of SANparks.
Spending time with the penguins at Boulders Beach
There are a few possibilities to see these penguins. The first one is the platforms where you can see the whole colony on the beach. It’s a great way to see them all together, but still be a great distance from them.
But you could also see these penguins from up close, by swimming with them. I still don’t know if it’s legal or not as I find different information online, but it’s still possible. You’ll need to get to the other beach, where all the people are located. And that way, you could swim to the beach where the penguins are located. It’s easier when it’s low tide, that’s why we didn’t do this. The tide was too high and we couldn’t just leave our camera gear on the beach or in our car.
But, be very careful by approaching these animals as they are still wild. They could bite with their beaks and it will hurt. Also, as they are endangered, approach them with respect and don’t bother them. I read in an article that some people come too close and stress them out, which is not okay! And I will not condone this behavior!
Some tips to photograph the penguins at Boulders Beach
Photographing penguins can be a challenging but rewarding experience. Here are some tips to help you get great shots at Boulder Beach:
- Get there early! Penguins are most active early in the morning and late in the afternoon, so try to arrive before the crowds and before the penguins settle in for the day. We were at opening time and were one of the only people at the platforms, but after some hours, there were a lot more people.
- Use a zoom lens as this will allow you to capture close-up shots of the penguins without getting too close and disturbing them. A lens with a focal length of 200-400mm is ideal. We didn’t have this with us at the time and only had a 70-200mm, which was too far away sometimes.
- Look for interesting compositions. Rather than simply taking snapshots of penguins, try to find interesting compositions and angles. Look for patterns, shapes, and textures in the sand and rocks, and use them to frame your shots. The rocks offer a special perspective so don’t try to focus too hard on the penguins alone.
- Use a fast shutter speed. Penguins move quickly, so use a fast shutter speed (at least 1/500th of a second) to freeze their movement and capture sharp images.
Remember to enjoy the experience and have fun taking pictures of these beautiful creatures! Boulder Beach is a beautiful and unique place, and photographing penguins is an incredible opportunity. Also, we encountered another animal called a Hyrax! Try to spot them as well!
Other things to do near Boulders Beach
Boulders Beach is located near Cape Town and this is exactly where you’ll want to spend some extra time. Cape Town is the perfect travel base for many adventures or hikes around the area. Or you could travel further, away from Cape Town, and drive the Panoramic Route. Or maybe, your trip in Cape Town has come to an end and you want to indulge yourself in a safari to Kruger National Park!
Read more about South Africa on my blog:
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Hello, I’m Ellen and welcome to this blog! I’m in love with exploring the world and hopefully I get to inspire you with these blog posts and pictures to feel the same. You will find detailed itineraries, hidden gems, tips and so much more!
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