About Charles Darwin’s Rocks

Look out to sea over the edge of Sea Point’s promenade, on the south end of Queens Beach, and you will see a group of immediately striking, oddly striated rocks. They are known as Darwin’s Rocks - not because he discovered them, that honour belongs to Clark Abel who described them in 1818 - but because he visited them on his world-wide journey in 1836.

Did you know? The group of rocks are a geological wonder, a ‘contact’ between granite and the sedimentary rock that forms Signal Hill.

And why would a group of rocks entice Charles Darwin? The evolution theorist saw a sharp contrast between igneous and sedimentary rocks, proof that rocks can form from molten materials. Interestingly his stop at the Cape of Good Hope was the longest of all his stops, besides the Galapagos Islands (the fascination of which one can well understand), on the five-year voyage he made on the HMS Beagle.

Geologists describe how important these rocks are, for they are an example of how hot magma (a high-temperature fluid substance that is a mixture of molten or semi-molten rock, found beneath the Earth’s surface) intruded into and ‘baked’ the sedimentary rock and then cooled into granite.

They are proof that rocks can form from molten material from beneath the Earth, contradicting the ‘Neptunist’ geologists who believe that all rocks occurred under water.

There is a plaque at the site of the Darwin’s Rocks explaining the geology. Find the rocks at the parking lot on the south end of Queens Beach, near the intersection of Alexander and Beach roads.

Need to Know

WhereAt the parking lot on the south end of Queens Beach, near the intersection of Alexander and Beach roads, Sea Point, Atlantic Seaboard, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

WhenBest during daylight hours.

OvernightStay in Sea Point Accommodation, Cape Town

Disclaimer

Please note, business details can change. While we endeavour to ensure all information provided by the service provider is correct at the time of publication, we do not assume any liability caused by errors or changes, such as price, cost, time, and location. Please check with the provider that the activity/business is still offered as described, before making any travel plans.

Feedback?

If this is your attraction, you can let us know if anything on this page is outdated or contains inaccuracies, by email. We regret, we do not have any other information, please contact the provider if you have questions.

In the vicinity

Hotels & other accommodation options in Sea Point

Things to do in the area

Accommodation convenient to Charles Darwin’s Rocks

FIND / South Africa Accommodation / Western Cape Accommodation / Cape Town Accommodation / Atlantic Seaboard Accommodation / Sea Point Accommodation

Sea Point as a destination

Want to stay overnight?

Dates

When would you like to stay?
Choose dates

Number of Guests

Why book with SA-Venues.com
  • Your card is safe with us; strictest card verification in the industry and we don't store card numbers.
  • No airy fairy service fees; you save!
  • We care. Service with integrity.
  • Multiple payment methods:
    credit card, SID instant EFT, bank transfer.
  • All Sea Point property owners / managers are verified (our experience protects you from online fraud).
  • Secure your booking
Our Payment Protection Guarantee only applies if your deposit payment is made via SA-Venues.com
South Africa. Explore. Experience. Stay

SA-Venues.com® has been assisting travellers with their South Africa travel plans since 1999, and is the largest, independent online travel guide for South Africa available in both English and German.