Up at Dawn
Guided Day Hikes · Southern Peninsula

Up at Dawn

Relaxed day hikes at an easy pace, on the trails of the southern Cape Peninsula.

Selected Days on the Trail

Portfolio

Real days out across the southern Cape Peninsula — from Silvermine's waterfalls to the Cape of Good Hope.

Silvermine waterfall in flow, southern Cape Peninsula day hike
Silvermine Waterfall
In full flow after the rains
View over Simon's Town and False Bay from a Cape Peninsula peak
Over Simon's Town
False Bay from the ridge
Noordhoek Long Beach seen from Chapman's Peak, Cape Town
Chapman's Peak
Above Noordhoek's Long Beach
Hout Bay and the Sentinel from the mountain slopes, Cape Peninsula
Above Hout Bay
The Sentinel from the slopes
Cape sugarbird on a protea in flowering fynbos, Table Mountain National Park
Fynbos in Bloom
Proteas and a Cape sugarbird
Sunrise over a fynbos trail descending to the Atlantic, southern Cape Peninsula
First Light on the Trail
Heading down to the sea
Fynbos valley and False Bay under cloud, Silvermine, Cape Town
Silvermine Valley
Fynbos under a moody sky
Eland grazing on dunes at the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Peninsula
Cape of Good Hope
Eland on the dunes
About

A lifetime on these trails, at an easy pace.

I'm Rich — a mountaineer and certified guide based in Cape Town. After years of walking the southern Peninsula in every kind of weather, I lead relaxed day hikes to the places that made me fall for these mountains in the first place.

For me it's about showing off the beauty of the south, not just ticking off another mountain. No rush, no crowds. I keep groups small and the pace comfortable, with plenty of time to take in the fynbos, the views over False Bay and the odd cave along the way. I guide in English, Afrikaans and German, so you're never short of a word for what you're looking at.

My days run on mountain time: an early start to beat the heat and the crowds, and a high point as the sun comes up. Whether it's a first-timer's sunrise walk or a full-day route, the priority is the same — a well-run, safe day out with the mountain at its best.

Credentials
Certified Mountain Guide
Mountain safety & navigation
CATHSSETA Certified
Accredited guide, South Africa
MCSA Member
Mountain Club of South Africa, Western Cape
Multilingual
English · Afrikaans · German
Southern Peninsula Specialist
Silvermine to Cape Point
Emergency Care Level 1
PEC — Basic Emergency First Aid Responder
Guide for Hire
Private tours, plus tour operators & groups needing a hiking guide
Where I Guide

The terrain

From gentle dawn walks to full-day routes — day hikes across the southern Peninsula, matched to your pace and experience.

› Silvermine › Elephant's Eye › Kalk Bay Peak › Echo Valley › Muizenberg Peak › Noordhoek Peak › Constantiaberg › Chapman's Peak › Fish Hoek › Cape Point
Let's Hike
Plan a day out

A sunrise walk, a family hike, or a full-day route on the southern Peninsula — send me a note with what you have in mind and I'll come back to you.

Email me

richardvanrooyen@outlook.com