Full-Day Birding Trips Around the World: 15 to Book

Cape Town: Cape of Good Hope & Penguins Day Tour with Pickup

1.Cape of Good Hope & Penguins Day Tour with Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 3,362 reviews · 10 hours · from $52Our pick

Spend a full day exploring Cape Town’s coast in a small group, with hotel pickup, a modern Sprinter, and an English-speaking guide. You’ll stop at Maiden’s Cove, Hout Bay, Chapman’s Peak, Cape Point, Boulders Beach, Simon’s Town, Muizenberg, and Bo-Kaap. Guides such as Sylvie, Gordon, Talent, and Isaac are praised for clear stories and careful timing.

“Our guide Nathan was very knowledgeable, thank you for him for a incredible journey.”

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Cape Point and Boulder’s Penguins Full Day Tour

2.Cape Point and Boulder’s Penguins Full Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,118 reviews · from $34Best reviewed

Travel from Cape Town by air-conditioned coach to Boulders Beach and Cape Point. You’ll see African penguins, ostrich, zebra, baboons, antelope, and perhaps seals or whales, with time for the lighthouse, Cape of Good Hope, and an optional hike. Guides such as Paul, Horea, Mark, and Brahm are known for lively local commentary.

“They packed a lot into one day! It was a larger bus tour than I’m used to? But for the price and the amount of sites we got to see, it was definitely a great value and well worth my time. Our guide was very knowledgeable and kind and accommodating to everyone with different mobility abilities. I was grateful to have a chunk of time at each location to explore on my own. Would happily do again”

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Cape of Good Hope & Boulder Penguins Full-Day Tour from Cape Town

3.Cape of Good Hope & Boulder Penguins Full-Day Tour from Cape Town

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,347 reviews · from $48

Spend about nine hours touring the Cape Peninsula in an air-conditioned minivan with Cape Town hotel pickup. Visit Bo-Kaap, Camps Bay, Hout Bay, Chapman’s Peak, Cape Point, Simon’s Town, and Boulders Beach. Guides such as Rodney, Candy, Candice, Mabee, and Nana add history, humor, and practical help. Optional seal cruise and funicular cost extra.

“A well organized Tour with an outstanding tour guide. A safe driver and very well in explaining what we will visit. The car has been exzellent. Very clean and convenience.”

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Phillip Island Penguins & Wildlife Day Tour from Melbourne

4.Phillip Island Penguins & Wildlife Day Tour from Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 867 reviews · from $111

Travel from Melbourne in a small group of up to 24 people with a guide such as Michael, Bluey, David or Reuben. Visit Moonlit Sanctuary, Cape Woolamai and the Nobbies before watching little penguins return to Summerland Beach. The day lasts 12 to 14 hours, so bring warm layers, snacks and patience for the late return.

“Awesome experience seeing some sights and wildlife with an awesome guide. Bus was on time and comfortable, the tour wasn't rushed and enjoyed some beautiful beaches and learning about and seeing the penguins in the wild. Highly recommend!”

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Full-Day Phillip Island Tour with Kangaroo, Koala and Penguin Parade

5.Full-Day Phillip Island Tour with Kangaroo, Koala and Penguin Parade

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 658 reviews · from $104

Spend about 10 hours exploring Phillip Island from Melbourne with stops at Moonlit Sanctuary, Woolamai Beach, Cowes and the Nobbies. Your day ends at the famous Penguin Parade. Guides such as Luke, Steve, John and James add local stories, but expect a large group, long bus rides and a cold evening. Bring layers, water and patience.

“It was a fun day out. The sights were beautiful. Our guide Luke was a real character. He educated us, entertained us and got us all around the different places safely. Unfortunately for us not alot of Penguins came in that night but they had the previous night. We would definitely do another tour with this company next time we are in Melbourne.”

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Phillip Island: Penguins and Wildlife Full-Day Tour

6.Penguins and Wildlife Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 642 reviews · 10 hours · from $109

Travel from Melbourne to Phillip Island by air-conditioned bus with an English-speaking local guide such as Fiona, Joe, or Ben. Visit the Koala Conservation Reserve, The Nobbies, Woolamai Beach, Cowes, and the Penguin Parade. The day lasts about 10 hours, with audio translations available in 10 languages.

“Excellent trip. Definitely upgrade for penguin plus. If you’re general admission, you better bring your binoculars. Koala reserve was great and plenty of time to explore. Overall, 10/10.”

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Cape Town: Penguins & Cape of Good Hope Day Tour with Pickup

7.Penguins & Cape of Good Hope Day Tour with Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 581 reviews · 10 hours · from $29Cheapest here

Spend 10 hours with a guide such as Mike, Togeda, or Pamela on Cape Town’s scenic peninsula. You’ll visit Boulders Beach, Cape Point, and the Cape of Good Hope, with an optional Duiker Island seal cruise, hotel pickup, and a small air-conditioned minibus. Bring money for entrance fees and lunch.

“Highly recommend this tour! Everything was so smooth. Was a perfect day and a highlight of the travel. Our guide T shared a lot of information and she was so friendly. They stopped at all good photo spot and were very patient. Never rushing through sights. They also slowed down whenever there was an animal to see. We have seen so much from Cape Town. Great tour!”

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Cape Town: Cape Point and Penguin Colony Full Day Tour

8.Cape Point and Penguin Colony Full Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 519 reviews · from $115

Spend a full day circling the Cape Peninsula in an air-conditioned vehicle with hotel pickup, a registered guide, and Cape Point entry included. You will see Clifton, Camps Bay, Hout Bay, Seal Island, Cape Point, Simon’s Town, and the Boulders penguin colony, with optional stops at extra cost. Guides such as Bruce, Chris, Ivan, and Cornelia are praised for strong local insight.

“Excellent trip to see the entire cape peninsula! Keeps you moving and on schedule to fit it into one day!”

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Cape Town: Penguin Watching at Boulders Beach Half Day Tour

9.Penguin Watching at Boulders Beach Half Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 388 reviews · 5 hours · from $37

Travel from Cape Town by air-conditioned minivan with an English-speaking guide such as Bizo, Yves, Coco, or Patrick. Stop at Maiden's Cove and Chapman's Peak before spending about two hours at Boulders Beach, where you can watch penguins, visit the viewing boardwalk, and swim if conditions suit. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

“Patrick (Mr P) was an amazing guide, very knowledgeable and great fun! We would highly recommend this tour ☺️”

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Phillip Island Day Trip from Melbourne with Penguin Plus Viewing Platform

10.Phillip Island Day Trip from Melbourne with Penguin Plus Viewing Platform

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 383 reviews · from $172

Travel from Melbourne to Phillip Island by air-conditioned coach, with stops at the Koala Conservation Reserve, Cowes, and The Nobbies. Your evening ends at the Little Penguin Parade with Penguin Plus access. Guides such as Fiona, Craig, Vicky, and Ben may lead the day, which runs about 9.5 hours.

“Wonderful experience. I wasn't excited about the penguins until I saw the penguins. Now I'm glad I did it. The koalas were their cute, lazy selves. Lots of Insta-ready spots. Even though I was solo traveling, people were happy to take my photo. If you do the Immigration Museum as the pickup spot, it is on the side of the building.”

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From Melbourne: Penguins and Wildlife Nature Day Tour

11.Penguins and Wildlife Nature Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 380 reviews · 12 hours · from $105

Spend 12 hours with an English-speaking guide visiting Moonlit Sanctuary, The Nobbies, and Phillip Island’s Penguin Parade. You can feed wallabies for a small extra fee, spot koalas and Tasmanian devils, and watch little penguins return to shore at sunset. Guides such as Gary, Gina, Alan, and LeeLee are known for lively local commentary.

“We met up with our guide and driver, Alan, he was amazing throughout the whole trip, ensuring that we were comfortable on a hot day. Great commentary along our journey and food recommendations to ensure we didn’t have to wait in long lines.”

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Cape Town: Cape of Good Hope & Penguins Full-Day Guided Tour

12.Cape of Good Hope & Penguins Full-Day Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 348 reviews · 9 hours · from $45

Spend nine hours exploring the Cape Peninsula by air-conditioned minibus, with hotel pickup, a bilingual English-speaking guide, and stops at Camps Bay, Hout Bay, Chapman’s Peak, Cape Point, Boulders Beach, Muizenberg, and Bo-Kaap. Guides such as Armando, Albert, Elie, and Nuria are known for lively stories and flexible pacing. Optional boat and funicular rides cost extra.

“Wonderful Day. Nuria was a fantastic guide. Really informative and friendly. Perfect amount of time at each location and booked us in to a great restaurant for lunch. Would definitely recommend. 5 star guide & tour. Thank you so much. Coles & O’Connors x”

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Cape Town: Cape of Good Hope, Seals and Penguins Day Tour

13.Cape of Good Hope, Seals and Penguins Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 327 reviews · 10 hours · from $39

Spend 10 hours touring Cape Town’s Cape Peninsula with an English-speaking guide such as Gabriel, Armando, Albert or Leticia. Visit Cape Point, Boulders Beach and Bo-Kaap, with optional seal and funicular rides. Hotel pickup, drop-off, Chapman’s Peak entry and water are included, but park and penguin fees cost extra.

“Our tour with Francis was one for the memory books. He was a wonderful guide who provided so much insightful information throughout the day and who made the transition between all of the sites on a jam-packed itinerary seamless and easy. The small group setting made the tour even better and we enjoyed getting to know our fellow tour mates. Overall we had a wonderful time and would recommend this tour to anyone hoping to see as much of Cape Town’s surroundings in one day as they can!”

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Punta Arenas: Full-Day Whales, Penguins, and Glaciers Tour

14.Full-Day Whales, Penguins, and Glaciers Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 325 reviews · 14 hours · from $365

Travel by coach from Punta Arenas to the Strait of Magellan, then spend about 12 hours aboard a comfortable vessel near Cape Froward and Francisco Coloane Marine Park. Watch for humpback whales, Magellanic penguins, sea lions, dolphins, birds, waterfalls, and glaciers. English and Spanish guides, meals, snacks, and hot drinks are included.

“Wonderful experience, the boat was super comfortable with heating on. The food was okay. The experience and the views are just incredible!”

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Cape Town: Penguins & Cape of Good Hope Half-Day Tour

15.Penguins & Cape of Good Hope Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 324 reviews · 4 hours · from $33

Travel by car from Cape Town along False Bay to Muizenberg, St. James, Boulders Beach, Cape Point, and the Cape of Good Hope. You’ll have a guide-driver, bottled water, and English or French commentary. Guides such as Yannick, Isidore, Leon, and Elda have led highly praised outings, though entrance fees are extra.