WHAT TO DO

icon/bouldering_greenicon/bouldering_blueBoulderingBouldering
icon/swimming_greenicon/swimming_blueSwimmingSwimming
icon/fishing_greenicon/fishing_blueRecreational fishingRecreational fishing
icon/whalewatching_blueWhale watchingWhale watching
icon/birdwatching_greenicon/birdwatching_blueBirdwatchingBirdwatching
icon/hiking_greenHikingHiking
icon/cycling_greenicon/cycling_blueMountain biking and cyclingMountain biking and cycling
icon/gameviewing_greenicon/gameviewing_blueWildlife ViewingWildlife Viewing
Dont Be Trashy campaign fights waste on land and sea in Western Cape Blog Image
4 Sep 2025
Don’t Be Trashy campaign fights waste on land and sea in Western Cape

CapeNature, in partnership with Soapbox and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP), is working on the “Don’t Be Trashy” Drive to address the growing threat of waste to ecosystems across the province.

CN Access Week Mobile Blog Post
1 Sep 2025
Celebrate the 11th annual Access Week and grab your chance to experience nature for free!

Rediscover the beauty of the Western Cape’s protected areas during the 11th annual Access Week, taking place from 20 to 26 September 2025. CapeNature is celebrating over a decade of breaking down barriers to the Western Cape’s natural spaces, with free day visitor entry to selected reserves across the province. 

Caucasian male fishing in a pond surrounded by tall green water reeds Med
26 Aug 2025
Catch and release helps to conserve the Western Cape’s indigenous fish

Freshwater ecosystems across the Western Cape are rich in biodiversity, supporting a variety of indigenous fish. However, these species are increasingly threatened by the spread of invasive alien fish species, that prey on indigenous species and compete with them for food, space, and breeding grounds.

Abseiling Activity
26 Aug 2025
Concessionaire opportunities for activity based operators

CapeNature invites prospective parties, specialising in adventure, cultural and heritage, and events sectors, to submit detailed business proposals.

Cape Nature Green Noise Blog Image with Julia Louw from Wesgro Tourism and Itumeleng Pooe
19 Aug 2025
Celebrating innovative, resilient women in tourism

Women are thriving in tourism and wielding influence from the boardroom to hiking trails, where they beat a pathway for others to follow. They occupy 70% of the tourism workforce in South Africa, and their voices are being amplified in the sector now more than ever. A powerful yet often overlooked statistic that underscores their vital role in the sector.

Klein Estuary Image 1
15 Aug 2025 by Pierre de Villiers
Rivers, Watersheds, and the Klein Estuary: A 2025 Natural Breach Event

Over millions of years, South Africa’s rivers and watersheds have evolved through the forces of erosion, rainfall, and shifting geology. A river catchment, or watershed, is an area of land where all surface water flows toward a single river, stream, or channel, eventually reaching the sea.

Conservation in action

Albino Honey Badger De Hoop 1021
Albino Honey Badger Spotted at De Hoop

CapeNature granted BirdLife South Africa and Panthera a research permit to undertake a camera trap survey at De Hoop Nature Reserve. Among the images captured was an extremely rare albino honey badger (Mellivora capensis), which is the first record of this condition for this species in scientific literature

Mirriam Plaatjies
Celebrating gender equality in conservation

There is a number of women working at CapeNature in so-called non-conventional roles. The entity is known for creating an enabling environment where women employees can thrive and progress. 

IFSMFN
Groenvlei Carp Project

The Invasive Fish Species Management Non Profit Company (IFSM) consists of a group of volunteers that approached CapeNature in 2018 to remove invasive carp from Groenvlei lake by means of fishing bows.

5.1.3.2. Landscape South fauna image_Great White Shark Hennie Otto
Monitoring the Great White Shark

The waters around Dyer Island are an important seasonal feeding ground for great white sharks. Researchers working through Dyer Island Conservation Trust have demonstrated a decrease in white shark sightings around the island since 2017. 

Fig 2 The Brenton Blue butterfly Orachrysops niobe a Male Photo credit A Coetzer
Possibly extinct Brenton blue butterfly

Of the two localities at which it is known to have occurred, the Brenton blue butterfly is now extinct at one (Nature’s Valley) and possibly extinct at the other (the Brenton Blue Butterfly Reserve near Knysna).


Berg River Redfin
Conservation of Barrydale redfin

The tiny Critically Endangered Barrydale redfin, for example, is limited to just 40 km2 in the Tradouw catchment where it is threatened by water abstraction, pollution and alien fish.

Events Calendar
MPA Day Image for Website Event 1
21 Jul 2025 - 15 Aug 2025
MPA Day 2025
MPA Day 2025
CMZ Foal 2 310125 WEB
31 Jan 2025
International Zebra Day
International Zebra Day
Conservation Review 2024
27 Jun 2024 - 28 Jun 2024
CapeNature Conservation Review 2024
CapeNature Conservation Review 2024

Featured accommodation

Cederberg Algeria new cottages 1

Algeria - Cottages

Cederberg Wilderness Area
Blacktail Chalet

Blacktail Cottage

Goukamma Nature Reserve
CN ROCH Moorhen LR 9918

Coot, Moorhen, Egret and Shoveler

Rocherpan Nature Reserve

Reviews

Exceptionally clean with friendly staff and we had a lovely experience. Thank you so much.
Marina Knight 13 Jun 2024
Everything was superb, the Pamiet Honeymoon suite was a highlight. Good value for money and on same level as private luxury accommodation at double the price per night.
Chris Meiring 13 Jun 2024
We had a wonderful time at Tierkloof lodge at Gamkaberg. Staff was a wonderful host and made us feel so welcome. Everything at the camp was superb. The tents, the cleanliness of the kitchen/boma/bathrooms. We had a wonderful time with friends. Staff is really going the extra mile!
Joalitha van Zyl 13 Jun 2024

Featured reserves

Goukamma Nature Reserve copyright Cape Nature 7 2
Goukamma Nature Reserve

We recommend that you use a vehicle with a high ground clearance when traversing on reserve.

Goukamma Nature and Marine Reserve was proclaimed a marine protected area in 1990 and it is heralded as one of the country’s conservation success stories. The reserve stretches along 16.5km of the coastline between Buffalo Bay and Platbank, and 2 500 hectares inland.

Fact

Buffalo Valley’s three self-catering timber lodges are fully equipped and sleep between four to six people. 

Fact

Buffalo Valley is a large conservation area  two kilometres from the warm Indian Ocean. 

Marloth Watervalkloof
Marloth Nature Reserve

Marloth Nature Reserve is hidden away in the imposing Swellendam Mountains, between Swellendam, Ashton, Barrydale and Suurbraak. The peaceful reserve, which is 14 123 hectares in size, is managed together with 16 532 hectares of privately owned land, and is a World Heritage Site.

Explore beautiful fynbos with patches of forest
Over 25 species of erica flowers found here