De Hoop Nature Reserve

A Component Of The UNESCO Cape Floral Region Protected Areas Inscription (2004) And One Of The Largest Marine Protected Areas In Africa: Southern Right Whales Calving A Few Hundred Metres Off An Empty Shore, A White Dune Field Running For Kilometres, A Vlei Full Of Waterbirds, Cape Vultures Breeding On The Potberg Cliffs, And The Five Day Whale Trail Booked A Year Ahead · Bredasdorp, Western Cape

De Hoop is what the whale coast looks like without a town on it. Three hours east of Cape Town on the Overberg coast, a reserve runs along thirty-odd kilometres of shore where southern right whales come in to calve between roughly June and November - and because there is nothing built here, you watch them from an empty dune or a limestone cliff with nobody else in sight. Behind the shore is a white dune field running for kilometres, inland a long vlei full of waterbirds, and on the Potberg cliffs the last breeding colony of Cape vultures in the Western Cape. It is a component of the Cape Floral Region World Heritage inscription and one of the largest marine protected areas in Africa. The five-day Whale Trail along the cliffs is the best coastal walk in the country and is booked about a year in advance. There is no shop, no fuel and no town - bring everything you intend to eat, drink or cook with.

On the Overberg coast 60 km east of Bredasdorp, between Arniston and the Breede River mouth, Bredasdorp, Western Cape, South Africa

The reserve keeps daylight hours with a conservation fee at the gate and self-catering accommodation inside, and the gate closes before dusk - get the time there. THERE IS NO SHOP, NO FUEL AND NO RESTAURANT inside, so bring all food and fill up at Bredasdorp or Swellendam. THE FIVE-DAY WHALE TRAIL IS BOOKED ABOUT A YEAR AHEAD through CapeNature and is limited to one group of twelve at a time, which is why it is as good as it is. Whale season is roughly June to November with the peak in September and October, as at Hermanus. THE POTBERG VULTURE SECTION HAS ITS OWN RESTRICTED ACCESS and is a separate entrance from the main reserve. The vlei has bird hides. Swimming in the marine protected area is restricted and fishing is prohibited throughout. The last stretch of road in is gravel. It is MALARIA-FREE.

De Hoop Nature Reserve on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos