An adventure-lover’s playground in the heart of a World Heritage Site
Please note that, due to Alert Level 3 National Lockdown regulations, only cycling on Groenlandberg is open. Daily capacities are in place and we strongly recommend that visitors check with our Contact Centre by phone: 087 087 8250, email: reservation.alert@capenature.co.za or make an online booking on booking.capenature.co.za. All kloofing routes and overnight accommodation are currently closed. For all the details on what is permitted and what is not at CapeNature reserves under Alert Level 3 restrictions, please click here.
This nature reserve lies in the majestic Hottentots Holland Mountains, about 90km south-east of Cape Town. The 70 000-hectare reserve stretches from Elgin in the south to beyond Villiersdorp in the north, and from the Stellenbosch Mountains in the west, eastwards to the Groenland Mountains, and is a World Heritage Site.
The rocky mountains, bright wildflowers and still natural pools make the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve perfect for challenging hikes, pulse-racing kloofing and the new Cape Canopy Tour zipline adventure.
The reserve’s mountainous terrain ranges between altitudes of 500m and 1 590m. Summers are generally hot and dry, while winters are cold with annual rainfall as high as 3 300mm on the Dwarsberg plateau. Weather conditions in the mountains can be unpredictable and dangerous.
The entrance to the reserve is at Nuweberg, high in Viljoen’s Pass between Grabouw and Villiersdorp. To find out more, download the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve brochure and map.
How to get there
Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve is about an hour’s drive from Cape Town. Take the N2 over Sir Lowry’s Pass, turn left on the R321, go through Grabouw and on towards Villiersdorp. Up in Viljoen’s Pass, watch out for Nuweberg and the reserve entrance signposted on your left.
GPS: 34 4 26.64 S 19 3 42.41 E
Office hours: 07:30–16:00
Please report to reception on arrival. Check-in times, strictly: 08h00 to 13h00. Note that the Covid-19 related check–in takes at least 15 minutes per guest group.
Tel: +27 (0)28 841 4301/02
Emergency tel: +27 (0)82 413 5258
Accommodation and permit bookings Tel: 087 087 8250
Overnight huts are available at Landroskop, Shamrock, Aloe Ridge and Boesmanskloof. Each hut sleeps 30 people. The huts have four rooms that may be booked separately. Bunk beds, mattresses, wood and water are provided.
Electricity: No
Bedding: No
Fireplace: Wood is available at the huts, a wood tariff is charged.
Situated in the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve, CapeNature has partnered with Cape Canopy Tour to take you into a previously inaccessible and pristine part of this amazing World Heritage Site. Only one hour from Cape Town, we offer a fully guided adventure activity for nature enthusiasts of ages 5 to 75!
Current tour departure times are on the hour from 8am to 2pm, and each tour lasts approximately 4 hours.
WHAT TO EXPECT
After a safety briefing and kitting up at the reception, guests will be transported by 4×4 high into the mountain range: this is where the fun begins!
Two professional guides will accompany each small group, ensuring strict safety standards all the while providing an enlightening and educational experience, providing interesting facts about the nature and geology of this interesting area.
Slide along steel cables from platform to platform, taking you past waterfalls and through valleys, enjoying all that mother nature has to offer. With 13 platforms and slides up to 320m long, both nature and adventure enthusiasts will be sure to come back for more!
After a short walk back to the vehicle, we transport you back down to enjoy a light meal together.
WHAT TO BRING
Cost: R895 per person per Canopy Tour. R40 discount (R855 total) for Wild Card holders.
For more information, and to book, head to the Cape Canopy Tours website.
The reserve’s mountain bike trail winds up to Groenlandberg. The Groenland trail offers stunning panoramic views of the sea, nearby farms and even Hermanus on a clear day and is approximately 34km there and back. It’s a moderate out-and-back route that allows bikers to enjoy the reserve’s wealth of fynbos.
Kloofing is an adrenaline-pumping way to explore the Hottentots Holland and its clear mountain pools. Suicide Gorge is a popular route, involving a combination of hiking, leaping off cliffs into deep pools and swimming through mountain streams. Kloofing is not for the faint-hearted. This is best done with an experienced kloofer who has done the route before. * Please note that due to the imposition of Alert Level 3 restrictions, kloofing is suspended until further notice.
Suicide Gorge Kloofing Trail
Distance: Trail in: 8.4 km, Kloofing: 1.3km, Trail out: 6.5km, Total: 16.2km
Estimated time: 10-12 hours
This kloofing route is not for the faint-hearted! More of a swim than a hike, Suicide Gorge takes you through spectacular canyon scenery and beautiful waterfalls. The highest jump is a pulse-racing 14m. Certain daring leaps down waterfalls cannot be avoided, so make sure you are not afraid of heights and are willing to swim in cold water. Remember, once you’re in, the only way to get out of this section of the Riviersonderend Mountains is through some gravity-defying jumps and scrambles. Hikers should be fit, experienced and in good health. Light footwear is advisable, as well as a wetsuit. Use a waterproof bag. The route can be dangerous in extreme weather conditions.
When kloofing at Suicide Gorge, hikers must be accompanied by someone who has previous experience of the trail. The name and contact details of your guide must be provided when making your booking. The cost is R325 per person.
Please note: This route is only open from 1 November to 30 April.
Riviersonderend Kloofing Trail
Distance: Trail in: 4.7 km, Kloofing: 6.1km, Trail out: 3.6km, Total: 14.4km
Estimated time: 7-8 hours
This route is a better option for nervous beginners wanting to avoid Suicide Gorge. It lies lower down the same river as Suicide Gorge, but you can avoid most of the jumps or do them from a low spot. The highest jump on this circular route is 7m. Kloofers should be reasonably fit, willing to swim in cold water and not afraid of heights. Light footwear is advisable, as well as a wetsuit. Use a waterproof bag. The route can be dangerous in extreme weather conditions.
Please note: This route is only open from 1 November to 30 April.
*Please note that the Suicide Gorge and Riviersonderend Route kloofing trails may be closed at any time at the discretion of the reserve staff, in the event of inclement weather or any other unsafe conditions.
Enjoy the stunning scenery and variety of fynbos as you wind your way across the undulating Hottentots Holland Mountains. Birders should be on the lookout for the 110 species in the area.
Hiking trails
Hikes range from day excursions to overnight experiences on the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve.
Huts
Overnight huts are available at Landroskop and Boesmanskloof. Each hut sleeps 30 people in four rooms that can be booked separately. Bunk beds, mattresses and water are supplied. Wood is available to purchase at the entrance gate to the nature reserve
Help us protect nature
No pets/no firearms/ no picking of flowers or collection of seeds/ fires only in designated areas.
Permits
Day hiking permits may be purchased at the reserve office but overnight hiking permits must be booked through the CapeNature Contact Centre before arrival at the reserve.
Trail preparation
Palmiet Trail
Trail distance: 6km
Estimated time: 2 hours
This easy, circular route is perfect for families. Please note that hikers will not be allowed to start hiking this route later than 2pm, in order to ensure that they are back safely before night fall.
Multi-day hiking
Please note that the overnight trails are currently closed due to storm damage sustained by the huts. Once renovations are completed the huts will re-open.
Trail distances:
Nuweberg to Landdroskop Hut (Sphinx Route): 12km, 3-4 hours (moderate). Please note that hikers will not be allowed to start hiking this route later than 1pm, in order to ensure that they are finished safely before night fall.
Nuweberg to Boesmanskloof Hut (Orchard route): 14km, 4-5 hours (moderate). Please note that hikers will not be allowed to start hiking this route later than 12:00 noon, in order to ensure that they are finished safely before night fall.
The overnight hiking trail winds through the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve. The trail has two overnight sites, one with two huts and another with one hut. Hikers can choose various routes, varying between one and three days. Ensure that your route choice starts and ends at the Nuweberg offices. Hikers should be fit, experienced and well-equipped for extreme weather. The route may close temporarily in extreme weather conditions. Please note that fires and braais are allowed only in demarcated sites.
The reserve conserves the area’s mountain fynbos. About 1 300 species occur here, including several rare and endemic plants. The Hottentots Holland is also home to grey rhebok, klipspringer, duiker and grysbok. Leopards live in the mountains, but they are a rare sight. About 110 bird species are found on the reserve, including several raptors.
The reserve is also historically significant. Jan Joubert’s Gat Bridge, which forms part of the Franschhoek Pass, was one of the first bridges built in South Africa. The ox-wagon spore and cannons in the Gantouws Pass above Sir Lowry’s Pass are also national monuments.
There are various filming options in the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve, including:
[…] Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve […]
[…] options, including via telephone, email or using the online booking portal. Visit the CapeNature website for more information. There are two overnight huts that can be booked. The first is the Landroskop […]
[…] the farm stall is the entrance to the Cape Canopy Adventure, where we did ziplining through the Hottentot-Holland Mountains Nature Reserve. These unique mountains reminded me of the Scottish Highlands, with its rocky yet green mountains […]
[…] people, especially if you consider what they do in their spare time… Ziplining! The Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve is less than an hour’s drive from Cape Town and the Cape Canopy Tour zipline company operates […]
What a beautiful amazing Therapeutic experience :) Loved every moment !!! Super magical weekend we had at Hottentots Holland Landdroskop! And the gorgeous loving husky dog that hiked with us made the experience super special! Thank you!!! Ill definitely do it again
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How do you want to get involved?
Bookings are processed through our Call Centre during office hours Monday to Friday 07h30 to 16h30 and Saturday 08h00 until 12h00 noon (CAT).
Our friendly tourism booking officers will take you through the booking process and answer all enquiries.