Cape of Good Hope city. Cape of Good Hope. Where is located on the world map, photo and description. Vasco da Gama expedition

Excursion to the ends of the earth! Isn't this a dream!

For a long time it was believed that the cape Good Hope- the southern point of Africa. It was discovered in 1488 by the Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias de Novais. In search of a sea route to India, Bartolomeu and his team skirted Africa. Having got into a violent storm, the ships wandered in the ocean for several days, and then stumbled upon a cape. In memory of the storm, the navigator named it Cape of Tempests.

Soon, thanks to King João II of Portugal, the cape received a different name - the Cape of Good Hope.

The Cape of Good Hope is the extreme point of the southwestern part of Africa. Its exact coordinates are indicated on a plate installed in front of the cape. Tourists constantly gather near it.

A little further from it is Cape Point - a favorite place for visitors due to the powerful, 240 m above sea level, lighthouse. The Cape of Good Hope lighthouse was built on Cape Point back in 1857. It is currently not operational, but tourists can take a funicular or walk to the observation deck, located at an altitude of 200 m, from where a beautiful panoramic view opens up.

If you look closely, from a height you can see how the waters of the Indian and Atlantic oceans... Water of different shades merges together. On the coast there are sandy beaches where you can relax with a big company or retire.

Not far from the Cape of Good Hope is the famous active rest Diaz Beach. Surfers are attracted by high waves, divers are attracted by numerous sunken ships, and adventurers hope to catch a glimpse of the legendary Flying Dutchman.

On the way to the Cape of Good Hope from Cape Town on the territory of more than 7 thousand hectares there is a nature reserve of the same name with the cape. More than 1,000 plant species, including endemics, are found here. In the impenetrable thickets of the reserve, the artichoke protea grows, the flower of which is the symbol of South Africa.

More than 250 species of birds and many animals live here: eland antelopes, zebras, bear baboons, cheetahs, lynxes, mongooses, crocodile-like lizards. And next to them live penguins and fur seals. V winter time and in spring, southern whales swim near the Cape of Good Hope.

How to get to the Cape of Good Hope:

• from Moscow to Cape Town with a transfer in Munich, London or Dubai, from where it takes 4 hours to get to the cape by car. The road by car runs through an area filled with wonderful landscapes, so time flies by.

For your convenience, Excellens company organizes individual tours to the Cape of Good Hope with a flight from Moscow.

The Cape of Good Hope is located on the Cape Peninsula, in the south of Cape Town, South Africa. The Cape of Good Hope is not the southernmost point of the entire continent, but here coastline turns east and opens a passage from the Atlantic to Indian Ocean.

Coordinates of the Cape of Good Hope:

34 ° 21'33 ″ south latitude

18 ° 28'21 ″ east longitude

Cape of Good Hope Facts:

1. Table Mountain is located on the Cape of Good Hope.
2. The legend of the "Flying Dutchman" is directly related to this place.
3. Not far from the Cape of Good Hope is the island of fur seals.
4. It is an integral part of all tourist travel in South Africa.
5. The Cape of Good Hope was discovered by a Portuguese named Bartolomeo Dias.
6. It was discovered in 1488.
7. The Cape of Good Hope was originally called the Cape of Storms.
8. Storms are frequent here, supplied by the Atlantic Ocean.
9. In fact, the most extreme point of Africa is Cape Agulhas.
10. For the first time, the wreck of a steamer attracted attention to the Cape of Good Hope.
11. Not far from the Cape of Good Hope there is national park.

The Cape of Good Hope is in the list: cities

Read also

• 
  Where is Gaspra located? - city on the map and coordinates
• 
  Where is Gubakha located? - city on the world map, coordinates and photo
• 
  Where is San Jose (California) located? - city on the map and coordinates
• 
  Where is Sparta located? - city on the map and coordinates
• 
  Where is Nakhodka located? - city on the map and coordinates
• 
  Where is Uzhgorod located? - city on the world map, coordinates and photo
• 
  Where is Paris located? - city on the world map, coordinates and photo
• 
  Where are Cheboksary located? - city on the map and coordinates

The Cape of Good Hope is one of the most famous places in Africa. For a long time it was considered the extreme southern point of the continent, until it became clear that the neighboring Cape Agulhas was several meters to the south. But by that time, the Cape of Good Hope had gained fame throughout the world, and is still popular among tourists.

In the first part of the post I will talk about him, and in the second - about the most unusual inhabitants of Africa. Oddly enough, penguins live on the black continent and we went to the coast, where their colonies nest (or rather even burrow) ...

These stones in the water are the end of the Cape of Good Hope:

3.

There is a parking lot on the shore nearby, which can be accessed by car. What we did:

4.

After it was discovered that there was a mistake with the southern point, the Cape of Good Hope was assigned a different category of honor, calling it the most southwestern point of the continent. This is indicated by the inscription on the plate, next to which everyone is photographed.

For the first time I saw how a large group of tourists was taking pictures: everyone put their cameras in a line in front of the guide, and he shoots with each camera in turn. It turns out such a photographic conveyor for fifteen minutes:

5.

Nearby there is a walking path to the cape itself:

6.

Somewhere the path goes along the ground, and somewhere there are wooden stairs. They have many black lizards that look like miniature crocodiles:

View from Cape of Hope on the coast of South Africa:

8.

The most fearless tourists are photographed with their legs dangling from a cliff:

9.

And I just took off my legs against the background of the cliff to show how steep it is:

10.

Regular readers know that I love being photographed in different places, bouncing a star. The Cape of Good Hope is no exception:

11.

The neighboring mountain, Cape Point, is significantly higher than the Cape of Good Hope and can be climbed by funicular. Our random fellow travelers in the carriage turned out to be Russian-speaking too:

12.

There are three lighthouses on this mountain - at the highest point, somewhere in the middle and below by the sea. Only the latter works, since both upper ones are poorly visible in foggy weather:

13.

Nevertheless, the tall lighthouse is popular with tourists, as it offers an excellent view of the Cape of Good Hope:

14.

On the observation deck, there is a traditional indicator of distances to major cities in the world. I did not find Moscow there:

15.

A beautiful view of the meeting of two oceans - the Atlantic (right) and Indian (left). Their currents are so strong that not far from the coast they collide with each other and form a white, seething seam on the calm water surface. Before the Cape was given the name of Good Hope, the first European navigator named it the Cape of Streams:

16.

The water element is also raging at the foot:

17.

I took this picture of the Cape and Cape Point a day later from Table Mountain - another famous hill in South Africa (I will talk about it in detail in one of the following posts):

18.

After the Cape of Good Hope, we went to have a bite to eat not far from the penguin beach. Street performers danced near its entrance:

19.

On the coast, where penguins live, there is something like a small nature reserve. Having paid five euros for the entrance, you find yourself on long bridges, behind which birds walk:

20.

There are enough of those who want to see African penguins:

21.

There are also a lot of penguins. They live in burrows, go to sea for fish and come back to feed their offspring:

22.

This type of penguin is called spectacled or donkey. Why the donkey is understandable: it makes sounds similar to the moo of a donkey. Why spectacled is not clear:

23.

Spectacled penguins are listed in the International Red Book and Red Book of South Africa. This is due to the uncontrolled consumption of penguin eggs by the inhabitants of Africa. Initially, the population of the species numbered two million individuals, but in the twentieth century, when 450 thousand eggs were collected per year for fried eggs, about twenty thousand of them remained:

24.

There is no place on the world map more mysterious than the Cape of Good Hope: shipwrecks, exotic animals and plants, unusual nature and the climate - all this, like a magnet, attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world every year.

The Cape of Good Hope is located in the Southwest of the African continent and is the southern part of the Cape Peninsula. 45 m to the north, the Cape of Good Hope meets another Cape Point. Geographically, the Cape of Good Hope belongs to the Atlantic Basin, but is washed by 2 oceans at once from different sides: the Atlantic and Indian.

The eastern part of the cape is always colder due to the Antarctic current. The opposite shore of the promontory is washed by the warm waters of Fels Bay, formed by the Indian Ocean. Due to the collision of cold and warm waters, strong air currents are formed around the cape, giving rise to strong winds and storms in the sea.

Highest point the headland is Mount Table (Table Mountain), its height is 1086 m. Near Table there are mountains of Devil's Peak (height - 1000 m), Lion's Head (670 m), 12 Apostles and Signal Hill (350 m).

Table Mountain near the Cape of Good Hope

Table Mountain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a symbol of the nearby city of Cape Town.

The mountain owes its name to an unusually flat top. Thanks to which, Table resembles a table. Not every tourist is able to see the mountain, as it is often covered by clouds. Locals call this phenomenon "tablecloth".

Weather permitting, the mountain is visible from Cape Town. From the city you can climb to the top of the mountain by cable car, or on foot. At the top is observation deck and telescopes. This allows for a bird's eye view of Cape Town and the ocean. The mountain is composed of sandstones, it has steep slopes covered with vegetation.

The history of the formation of the Cape of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope is located on the African Plate and is part of the Cape Peninsula coastal spit. The history of the appearance of the Cape of Good Hope is inextricably linked with the formation of the African continent. The cape was formed during the Triassic period, after the separation of Africa from Pangea.

At that time, this land was not a cape at all, but a small island. For a long time, the ocean applied sand between the island and the mainland, slowly connecting them.

Locals call this phenomenon the “Helping Hand of Africa”. During the Ice Age, the Cape of Good Hope, like the entire southern part of Africa, was covered with ice.

Humans began settling in southern Africa during the Stone Age, as evidenced by the numerous rock carvings. Rock carvings of a cape have been discovered nearby in Cape Town.

Cape of Good Hope exploration

The Cape of Good Hope appeared on the world map in the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries. Interest in the cape is connected with the East India Company, which required a sea trade route from Europe to India. Like all great geographical discoveries, the Cape of Good Hope was discovered by accident.

The explorer of the cape is considered to be the navigator of Portuguese origin, Bartolomeu Dias. All the men in the Dias family were engaged in navigation, so he Bartolomeu was well acquainted with navigation and ship management, already at the age of 30 he became the captains of the ship on state allowance.

In 1487, King Juan II of Portugal ordered to equip a naval expedition of three ships, two of which were military sailing ships. The goal was to find a new route to India via Africa. A year later, they reached the southern hemisphere of the Earth and began their journey along the shores of the African continent.

The unbearable heat and the storm raging off the coast of Africa forced Diash to change course and set sail for 2 weeks. open sea... After the storm subsided, the ships returned to their usual course and reached the southern part of the continent. Ahead was the Indian Ocean and a direct route to the shores of India.

However, Dias did not manage to reach its shores. The team began to demand a return home due to depletion of supplies, scurvy and very hot weather. The captain decided to return in 3 days.

During these three days, the ship managed to reach Cape Agulhas and round it. On the last day of their journey, Dias and his team rounded an unknown promontory and turned back. Diash named it Cape of Tempests, as strong winds were blowing around it. The Cape of Good Hope appeared on the world map thanks to Juan II. Upon his return to his homeland, Diash presented a report to the king, who did not like the name Cape of Tempests.

It was decided to rename the Cape to His Majesty the Cape of Good Hope. The too long name did not stick and was changed to the Cape of Good Hope. This name was supposed to give hope to sailors who go to the shores of India.

For a long 5 years no one has been looking for the shores of India. Interest in him was awakened only after the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. King Juan II again orders an expedition through Africa. In 1498, Vasco da Gama rounded the Cape of Good Hope and headed for the shores of India.

Dias later made attempts to reach the Cape of Good Hope, but whether he succeeded in his plans is unknown. Diash's ship is missing southern shores Africa. After that, the legend was born that the ship is always wandering off the coast of the cape it opened. Perhaps this story served as the prototype for the famous tale of the Flying Dutchman, a ghost ship.

The path to India, past the coast of Africa, was paved, but the Portuguese were not interested in its development. The first settlements of Europeans in these parts were organized by the Dutch in 1652. It was they who began to study the cape, the population living in these parts and nature.

The pilgrims managed to find out that historically the area of ​​the cape belonged to the Hottentot tribe, akin to the Bushmen tribe. It was the Dutch pioneers who founded the city of Cape Town near the cape, the name of which can be translated as "proud on the cape".

Cape Town began to flourish as all ships that circled the Cape of Good Hope docked in port to resupply. The cape became an outpost of the East India Company on the way to India.

In 1657, the Hottentots, dissatisfied with slavery and the fence of land by the Europeans, unleashed a war. The excitement was suppressed by the Europeans. In 1795, the settlement did not withstand the onslaught of Napoleon and the territory, together with the cape, went to France.

The Cape of Good Hope disappeared on the world map in 1796. This year Great Britain drove out the French, and the cape became known as the "Provincial Colony of Good Hope". Later, these territories will become part of the Union of South Africa.

The British managed to find gold deposits near the cape and organize diamond mines, to which adventure seekers from all over the world rushed. Cape Town became the main city in Africa. Only in 1961, the Cape of Good Hope, as part of the Union, becomes the independent Republic of South Africa (South Africa) and regains its name.

Climatic conditions

The climate at the Cape of Good Hope is subtropical maritime. The peninsula got its name from the Cape of Storms for a reason. The wind blows strong here and does not stop throughout the year. In summer, the wind is southeast, and in winter, it is northwest. The best time for exploring the Cape of Good Hope, spring is considered tourists.

In the southern hemisphere, it occurs in September-November. In the spring, the cape begins to be covered with greenery, there is little rainfall and the temperature regime allows you to enjoy a walk along the cape.

In summer, the Cape of Good Hope is heated by the warm currents of the Indian Ocean. It is a hot and dry season with little rainfall. Summer at the cape lasts from December to March. The average temperature in summer is 25 ° С, but in some years the temperature exceeded 40 ° С - this is the absolute temperature maximum.

Autumn at the Cape of Good Hope occurs between April and May. This is a pleasant and not hot time to travel. At this time, you can fully appreciate the beauty of the local nature.

The largest number precipitation on the cape falls in winter in June-August. In June last year, 122 mm Hg fell. Art.

It is the rainiest and most cloudy month of the year. The wind, which already blows on the headland, increases constantly during the rainy season, remaining warm as before.

Average temperature over the last 3 years:

Flora and fauna

The Cape of Good Hope on the world map does not have the best location. But from the point of view natural map the world, this area is unique.

Only here there are signs warning car owners: "When starting the car, make sure that there are no penguins under it."

It's hard to believe, but on such a small piece of land, animals peacefully coexist, whose habitats are hundreds of kilometers from each other. Only at the Cape of Good Hope you can meet monkeys, zebras, penguins and ostriches in one place in just a few hours of walking. 5% of all species of animals and plants on the planet can be seen in South Africa.

The most frequent guests of the cape are Marine life... On the shores of the Cape of Good Hope, you can meet whole colonies of fur seals, see sharks and whales swimming by. Since the cape goes deep into the sea, its coast becomes an excellent viewing platform for observing these amazing sea ​​creatures.

Seals are one of the symbols of the cape. These are small pinnipeds of black or brown color. Not far from Cape Town you can see the island of fur seals. According to various estimates, from 50 to 70 thousand seals live on it. The island looks more like flat stones sticking out from the waters, on which seals live. Previously, poachers caught seals for the production of fur coats, now it is officially prohibited and the animals are under the protection of the South African authorities.

The family of monkeys on the island is represented by baboons, who are so used to living among people that they are not afraid of their presence. Tourists often try to feed the animals, so the South African authorities were forced to hang up signs with the following content: "Baboons are wild and dangerous animals."

There are even employees on the island who use sticks to drive animals away from tourists. Baboons belong to the monkey family, outwardly they are very similar. The growth of baboons reaches 75 cm. The usual habitat of baboons is East and Middle Africa.

On the way to the cape, you can meet elephants and herds of antelopes, which still live in the Republic of South Africa. African ostriches can be found not only on special farms, but also in the wild. These are the only remaining members of the ostrich family in South Africa. The growth of birds can reach more than 2.5 m, and the weight can exceed 150 kg.

Meeting an ostrich can be dangerous for a tourist. In total, about 850 species of birds live permanently on the territory of South Africa and the Cape of Good Hope. On the cape, you can easily find nests of some of them.

Penguins are the favorites of tourists. Their population on the coast of the Indian Ocean is plentiful. They scurry about everywhere, their main habitat is Boulders Beach.

Local authorities decided to give the beach to the full disposal of the penguins. Spectacled penguins, which are listed in the International Red Book, live on the cape. These penguins are also called donkeys because of their ability to make sounds similar to the donkey "eeyore".

The flora of the Cape of Good Hope for 2/3 consists of rare plant species that cannot be found in any other corner of the world. Most of The cape is occupied by the Finbosh biome, which consists mainly of rare species of shrubs. There are about 9 thousand species of them here.

Nature Reserve of Good Hope

The reserve is considered not only the main attraction of the cape, but also of South Africa itself. Its area is more than 7 hectares of land. You can get to the reserve from Cape Town by car or rent a bike. The journey by car will take about 1.5 hours. The road to the Cape of Good Hope is laid through the territory of the reserve. There is an ostrich farm nearby.

The Cape of Good Hope remains the most unique point on the world map in terms of the number of unique animal species. Not so long ago, scientists from the UK proved this. All animals and plants living in the Cape Peninsula and in South Africa are represented in the reserve.

The history of the reserve began recently, in 1938. By that time, more than 1000 people had already lived on the territory of the reserve. different types animals and several thousand plants.

In this place, there are rare species of animals that are found only on the territory of the reserve and animals brought from all over South Africa. Hyenas, rhinos, ostriches, crocodiles, penguins, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, elephants - all of them can be found in the reserve.

The reserve is open daily for tourists, the only limitation is the poor weather... During storms and storms, tourists are prohibited from visiting the park and the Cape of Good Hope. The most popular among tourists are seals and penguins, who take pictures with pleasure and are not afraid of humans.

Cape beaches

During the swimming season, when on the coast good weather tourists are allowed to swim on the beaches of the cape and sunbathe. The swimming season lasts from September to May.

It is worth remembering that the cape is washed on two sides by different oceans, so the temperature in the western part is always slightly lower, but there are sandy entry into the water and the waves are calm.

East coast warmer, but at the same time gusty winds are constantly blowing there and large waves are formed. The beaches in this part are more suitable for walking and contemplating the ocean.

There are no blank spots on the world map thanks to people like Bartolomeu Dias, who have spent their entire lives for one discovery. Cape of Good Hope - extraordinary a nice place filled with the romance of wanderings. The end of the earth that everyone should see.

Article formatting: Mila Friedan

Cape of Good Hope video

Penguins in Africa:

Cape of Good Hope(Cape of Good Hope) is famous for being long considered the southernmost point of Africa... Then they calculated that the southernmost point of the continent is Cape Agulhas, located 150 miles from the Cape of Good Hope to the southeast.

But no one knows Cape Agulhas, and the Cape of Good Hope was included in all school geography textbooks, it is associated with the era of the Great Geographic Discovery, it is it that hundreds of thousands of tourists and travelers from all over the world strive to see.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 06.04.2016 08:56

It is known that the first European saw this African Cape of Good Hope in 1488, Bartolomeo Dias, the famous Portuguese commander of the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries.

Expedition Bartolomeo Dias was tasked with finding a sea route to India around Africa. Diash did not reach India, but became the first European to circumnavigate Africa from the south. Indirectly, he was helped in this by terrible storms that rattled his ships for several days. When the storms subsided, the disoriented Dias headed north and on February 3, 1488, buried himself in the coast, which "turned" to the northeast.

So the way to the Indian Ocean was opened. Dias was forced to give in to the demands of the mutinous team and did not go further. On the way back, he saw this cape protruding into the sea, which he called for himself the Cape of Storms, for in this place fierce storms constantly raged.

This "working" title was announced by Dias upon his return to Portugal in his report to King João II. But His Majesty was wise and far-sighted. He decided that it was not good to leave such a harsh name for the turning point, beyond which a direct sea road to India opens. And he suggested calling this place the Cape of Good Hope. Or in Portuguese Cabo de Boa Esperanca.

The cape lives up to its name. In 1497, the Vasco da Gama Expedition rounded the Cape of Good Hope and reached the coveted shores of India!

Sasha Mitrakhovich 06.04.2016 09:01

Today it is the territory of the Cape Province of South Africa. Nearest Big city Cape Town. The Cape of Good Hope itself is a national pride and tourist attraction in South Africa. It organically fits into the national park or reserve with the same name "Cape of Good Hope" or in English "Cape of Good Hope".

As already mentioned, the Cape of Good Hope is not only not the southernmost, but also not the most southwestern point of Africa. The most southwestern point is the completely inconspicuous Cape Point protrusion located fifty meters to the north. And it is on it that a lighthouse with the name "Cape of Good Hope" is installed. And the observation deck, from where all the tourists take their memorable pictures.

And at the Cape of Good Hope there is a shield with the name and exact coordinates and the inscription "the most southwestern point of Africa."

The location of the Cape of Good Hope on the world map:

Sasha Mitrakhovich 06.04.2016 09:04

You can get to the Cape of Good Hope, located on the Cape Peninsula, from Cape Town. The journey by car will take about four hours. Time will pass imperceptibly, because on the way you will come across a very beautiful area: savannah, on which ostriches, antelopes, baboons and other animals roam, mountains, a nature reserve.

The Cape of Good Hope is the most extreme southwestern point of Africa. It is impossible to make a mistake, since this fact is confirmed by both scientists and the inscription with the exact coordinates installed on the site in front of the cape. But the Cape Peninsula at this place reaches its very south point and, going north, it is cut off by Cape Point.

Excursions to the Cape of Good Hope

Usually excursions to the Cape of Good Hope include a visit to the reserve, as well as the coast with the penguin shelter. We will tell you about a few more places worth seeing. On the coast of False Bay, or "False Bay", a winding road is laid through the mountains. On it you can get to the town of Simonstown, where the British Royal Navy used to be based.

The coast of the Cape of Good Hope itself has its own characteristics. For example, on the western side, the climate is milder, there are beaches, sandy shores, the atmosphere of peace and quiet. It is warmer in the east, but they blow strong winds that make it difficult to swim and enjoy the scenery. On this part of the coast, not everyone risks swimming; tourists prefer to just sit on the shore and breathe the air of the ocean.

The island of fur seals is of great interest to travelers. Its area is only 4 square kilometers - small for an island, and it has a turbulent history dating back to the 17th century. The fact is that for three centuries there was a prison here, military base and a hospital. And it was on this island that the freedom fighter and future president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, was serving his sentence. In 1999, the island became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A museum has opened here, telling about the history of the country. Tourists can visit the prison courtyard and cells.

You can get to the island by ferry, which leaves the Waterfront every day until 15:00. On average, the excursion is designed for 3.5-4 hours.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 06.04.2016 09:25