Brazil
Argentina
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Guyana
French Guiana
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela
Germany
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Denmark
Spain
Finland
France
Greece
the Netherlands
Hungary
Ireland
Iceland
Italy
Luxembourg
Norway
Poland
Portugal
the United Kingdom
the Czech Republic
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Mexico
the Dominican Republic
Fiji
Geographic marker · L'Agulhas, Cabo Ocidental
Southernmost Tip of Africa
Marker at Cape Agulhas, in Agulhas National Park, indicating Africa's southernmost point and the conventional boundary between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Southernmost Tip of Africa
Cape Agulhas is the southern tip of the African continent, about 1 km southwest of the L'Agulhas lighthouse. By the convention of the International Hydrographic Organization, it is where the Atlantic Ocean ends and the Indian Ocean begins. It lies roughly half a degree of latitude, or about 55 km, further south than the Cape of Good Hope.
The point is marked by a stone monument and a large ground sculpture with a map of Africa, and a double plaque indicates the Atlantic on one side and the Indian Ocean on the other. A wooden boardwalk links the parking area to the marker, passing over the rocks.
The name was given by Portuguese navigators at the end of the 15th century: cabo das Agulhas, because there the compass needle pointed to true north, without magnetic deviation. The shallow waters of the Agulhas bank, rich in fish, caused many shipwrecks; near the shore the rusted hull of the Japanese fishing vessel Meisho Maru 38, stranded in 1982, can still be seen.
The area is part of Agulhas National Park, created to protect the fynbos of the coastal plain.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
30 minutes to 1 hour.
Best time
Early morning or late afternoon, with fewer people on the boardwalk. The wind is usually strong—bring a jacket.
How to get there
It is about 2 km from the center of L'Agulhas, beyond the lighthouse, via the Agulhas National Park road, by car or on foot along the coastal boardwalk.
Tip
Walk from the lighthouse to the marker along the coastal boardwalk and return by the road.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Southernmost Tip of Africa
Is the marker of Africa's southernmost point open?
Yes, it is inside Agulhas National Park, with a boardwalk from the parking area.
Why is the cape called Agulhas?
Portuguese navigators observed that there the compass needle pointed to true north.
How much further south is Cape Agulhas than the Cape of Good Hope?
About 55 km, or half a degree of latitude.