Take a risk, take Chapman’s Peak Drive!

Sure there’re some risks in doing the Chapman’s Peak Drive, but the magnificent route has had some serious security changes in the past four years and is perfectly save now. They say. And besides that, it’s just one of these pretty spots in the world you have to see.

The feeling is just perfect. Once you’ve stopped your car on of the lookout points provided along the Chapman’s Peak Drive, you stretch your arms and look at the ocean. That must be Antarctica, somewhere on the horizon. Looking down you see smashing rock formations in the water, and a perfect view of the lovely fishing village Hout Bay.

Romantic sundowners
The 10 km drive starts in Hout Bay and takes you all the way to Noordhoek. On the way you’ll have gorgeous mountains walls on your one side and the most perfect coastal line you’ll ever see in your life on your other. Although the Chapman’s Peak Drive is popular amongst tourists it’s not too busy, and you can still enjoy a quiet and romantic sundowner here.

The best thing is to start the route from the Noordhoek side, ‘cause Chapman’s Peak Drive reopened as a toll road on 21 December 2003, and every time you pass the Hout Bay side you have to pay. Rates are R20 per car, R13 per motorbike and R22 per minibus.

Doing the drive will always bring along some serious thrills, especially when you’re aware of the history of this route. Chapman’s Peak Drive was closed in the beginning of January 2000 when the Cape High Court ruled that road authorities had to pay R4 million to a guy who ended up in a wheelchair when a rock fell on his car. Earlier in 1999, fires burned down trees and bushes on Chapman’s Peak, which made to mountain instable and caused rocks to rain down on the road. Five people have been killed by rockfall on Chapman’s Peak since 1987. The last one was a Noordhoek resident in 1999. But to compare: eight people died in car accidents on Ou Kaapse Weg, the alternative route to Cape Point, since 1994.

Driving through the mountain
New technology helped to build a saver Chapman’s Peak. For instance the 155m half-tunnel situated on the most dangerous section of the drive, the first in the country, is literary build in the cliff, which gives you the feeling that you’re practically driving through a mountain. And 1,6 kilometers of fence is installed on the mountain to catch falling rocks. So no worries, the drive is perfectly save.

Once you’ve been to Chapman’s Peak you might ask yourself why no South African has ever won the Tour de France. Or even just one stage in the world famous cycling tour. There are cyclists everywhere on this mountain! And they’re all probably training for the Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour which will also be going through this area again. But don’t feel sorry if you see one of them passing you while you’re enjoying the view. Just cheer, smile and try not the hit them while you’re driving.