Chapman’s Peak Drive winds it way between Noordhoek and Hout Bay. Situated on the Atlantic Coast, at the south-western tip of South Africa, it is one of the most spectacular marine drives anywhere in the world.
The 9km route, with its 114 curves, skirts the rocky coastline of Chapman's Peak, the 593m high southerly extension of Constantia Berg. The drive offers stunning 180° views with many areas along the route where you can stop and take in the scenery or sit down for a relaxing picnic.
Chapman’s Peak and the surrounding areas offer local and foreign visitors a myriad of things to do. It also offers business people an alternative and convenient access route between Cape Town and the South Peninsula, saving the commuter up to 20 minutes in peak traffic. In short, it forms the gateway between Cape Town and the South Peninsula.
Initially constructed during the First World War, this 9km route with its 114 curves skirts Chapman Peak, the 593m high southerly extension of Constantia Berg, and follows the rocky coastline to unfold breathtaking views in both directions.
The route starts at the picturesque fishing harbour of Hout Bay and the climb winds steeply up to Chapman's Point, revealing breathtaking views of the sandy bays down below, until the road reaches lower levels again at Noordhoek.
Toll road: Chapman’s Peak Drive is operated as a toll-road. Regular road users with class 1 vehicles (motor cycles) and class 2 vehicles (passenger cars) are invited to take advantage of various frequent user discounts. The amount of discount depends on the frequency of usage.
Safety and security: Advanced security equipment and surveillance cameras monitor conditions on the route. The route is also patrolled regularly.
Route direction, North to South: In the interest of safety, tour buses may only travel in one direction – from Hout Bay to Noordhoek .
Chapman's Peak Drive was the brain child of Sir Frederic de Waal, the first administrator of the Cape Province. De Waal Drive, in Cape Town, was named after him.
Work on the road began in 1915 after engineers, geologists and surveyors determined the best route along the soft band of shale between the mountain’s granite base and the overlying sandstone. This stretch was blasted into the mountain side and is a masterpiece of road construction. The route was formally opened in 1922.
Rock falls were a constant threat and a series of unfortunate events lead to the closing of Chapman’s Peak Drive in January 2000.
While closed, this spectacular roadway denied the traveler some of the best scenery in the Cape Peninsula. Its closure had a severe impact on the economy of the South Peninsula and had a serious impact on the productivity of all who did business and/or lived in the area.
Due to its sensitive location within the Cape Peninsula National Park and the provisions of Sections 23 and 24 of the National Environmental Management Act, No 107 of 1998, an integrated environmental approach to the rehabilitation and upgrading of Chapman's Peak Drive was warranted.
This turnkey project was carried out by the Chapman’s Peak Construction Joint Venture. This joint-venture R145 million project was overseen by Entilini Concessions, the special-purpose company established by the consortium of Concor Holdings, Haw & Inglis and Marib Holdings. The project has been undertaken with full participation of the local authorities and communities.
The reopening of Chapman’s Peak Drive is the culmination of one of the most innovative road engineering projects ever to be undertaken in South Africa. The upgrading (or rather reconstruction) of Chapman’s Peak Drive is indeed an engineering feat that will for many years be regarded as one of the top road engineering projects in the country.
Chapman’s Peak Drive was re-opened as a toll road in December 2003. The rock-fall protection measures implemented at Chapman’s Peak Drive were selected on the basis of what is considered to be best international practice and consist of a half tunnel, catch fences, slope stabilisation and canopy structures. In 2004, Chapman’s Peak Drive received an excellence award for rock fall protection.
