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. Whether it’s your first visit or a long-overdue return, Access Week offers the perfect opportunity to reconnect with the tranquility and inspiration that nature provides.
The Entity will again host nature-based programmes for community groups. These guided experiences follow a five-step approach that helps individuals and families strengthen their connection to the natural world. They’re not only educational, but are often deeply restorative, healing, and even life changing.
Over the past decade, many of the groups hosted through this initiative may not have otherwise had the means to visit, enjoy, or build a bond with the environment. CapeNature recognises that it is vital for communities living near provincial reserves to benefit from and experience their surroundings. Access Week makes this possible by developing a stronger relationship with nature and inspiring a deeper commitment to caring for and conserving it.
We don’t just open the gates. We create lasting pathways to nature. Our guided programmes during Access Week take participants on a journey that leaves them feeling seen, grounded, and reconnected. It’s about building a society that doesn’t just visit nature but understands that they’re part of it every day.
To encourage public participation in the spirit of reflection and creativity, CapeNature has partnered with The Papery to host a social media competition inspired by the values of the Access Week programme. For 11 days—one for each year of the event—a daily online giveaway will take place, celebrating the journey of shared connection with the environment.
Each day, one participant will win a beautiful fynbos-themed stationery prize. The grand prize, which will be awarded on the final day, is a Fynbos Jam Packed Stationery Box from The Papery, a celebration of the textures, tones, and tranquility of the Cape’s iconic biodiversity.
To enter, visit CapeNature and The Papery’s social media pages between 19 and 29 September. Like and share the competition post, then describe, in 11 words or less, how nature makes you feel, or where you feel most connected to it. 11 Years. 11 Words. Journal the Place That Moves You—and Win!
At The Papery we believe in creativity as a form of connection. Partnering with CapeNature on this competition allows us to combine the expressive power of journaling with the grounding energy of nature. The 11-word challenge is a simple concept but with people sharing how they value the natural world on an emotional level, it evolves the deep connectivity that is actually quite complex.
The following CapeNature reserves will be participating in the 11th annual Access Week:
WEST COAST: Groot Winterhoek, Bird Island, Matjiesrivier, Rocherpan
WINELANDS: Hottentots Holland, Jonkershoek, Assegaaibosch (picnic area), Vrolijkheid, Limietberg (hiking only)
OVERBERG: Kogelberg, De Mond, De Hoop, Marloth, Grootvadersbosch, Walker Bay, Geelkrans, Stony Point
GARDEN ROUTE: Robberg, Keurbooms River, Goukamma, Outeniqua
KAROO: Swartberg, Gamkaberg, Anysberg
Important information for visitors:
- Free access is only applicable during regular reserve operating hours and only at CapeNature reserve gates.
- No free access will be granted to bookings made through the contact centre.
- Pre-bookings are not required; however, access is subject to daily visitor limits.
- The free access covers general conservation fees including hiking, mountain biking, and other permitted day activities.
- The offer excludes the Whale Trail, selected landowners, partners, and concessions.
- Certain areas within reserves may be temporarily closed and visitors are encouraged to check availability before arriving.
Groups interested in facilitated access programmes can contact the Learning and Awareness team at learning@capenature.co.za. For more information, visit www.capenature.co.za. To explore The Papery’s Jam Packed Box, visit their social media pages or click here.
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