Cape Agulhas - the southernmost point of Africa

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Cape Agulhas in South Africa is Africa's southernmost point. This rocky headland, located in the Western Cape, is also the traditional dividing line between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

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Cape Agulhas in South Africa

The Cape of Good Hope is sometimes mistaken for the southernmost point of Africa. The Cape of Good Hope is indeed far south, but Cape Agulhas is half a degree, or 55 kilometres, further south, making it the southernmost point on the African continent.

Cape Agulhas is located at the small town of L'Agulhas, 224 kilometres southeast of Cape Town.

Africa's southernmost point

It was Portuguese navigators who named the cape around 1500. They discovered that the direction of the site coincided with magnetic north and named it 'Cabo das Agulhas' (Needle Cape) in reference to the compass needle.

Throughout history, the place has been famous among sailors because of the dangers posed by the route past the headland. The place is also famous because two oceans are traditionally considered to meet here - the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. In addition, Agulhas is known for its good fishing opportunities.

Getting to Cape Agulhas

The easiest way to get to Cape Agulhas is by car. We drove from Mossel Bay, which took us about three hours. If you drive from Cape Town, it takes almost the same amount of time, or possibly slightly faster. Once there, you go through the small town of L'Agulhas, and then you arrive at the coast and the area here, which is also a national park.

Visiting Cape Agulhas

So what is it like to visit Cape Agulhas? For starters, it's a bit charming to see the pretty white houses with thatched roofs, of which there are plenty in L'Agulhas.

It is also wonderful to see the coastline and the sea, to walk or hike, to see the local vegetation called the fynbosor perhaps bird watching. However, the main goal for most people is to visit what is considered the southernmost point of Africa.

At the site there is a stone map of Africa lying on the ground. There is also a monument marking the exact location, indicating the dividing line between the two oceans: the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

Right next to the monuments you will also find the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, which is the second oldest working lighthouse in South Africa. The lighthouse was first lit in 1849, and is iconic in photos of the headland.

So, how does it feel to be here? And is it really worth the long journey? For us, it was almost on the road between Mossel Bay and Hermanus, but it was still an hour and a half detour.

We like to discover these kind of "extreme places", which somehow tickle the imagination and feel a little bit dizzy, and were therefore super happy with our detour. At the same time, it has to be said that we didn't do much here, apart from checking out Africa's southernmost point, getting wind in our hair and taking some photos.

More extreme points in South Africa

Do you like to scout the 'extremes'? Then you can also visit Cape St Francis, Africa's south-easternmost headland, and Godahoppsudden, Africa's south-westernmost headland.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

So, what is there to do in the neighbourhood? If you're travelling east, we can recommend visits to the beautiful Mossel Bay. If you're travelling west, we can recommend some great places to visit. Hermanus, the glorious wine region of Stellenbosch and, of course, fantastic Cape Town.

Have you visited the southernmost point of Africa?

Have you visited the southernmost point of Africa? Or perhaps you have visited some other extreme place in the world? Please tell us!

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