Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve

Activities

• Cape Canopy Tour

  

  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

  • Please be sure to bring warm clothes — weather in the Cape can be unpredictable, especially up in the mountains
  • Comfortable shoes to walk in
  • Rain gear will be provided in wet weather

   

  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.

  Click here to make a booking with Cape Canopy Tour.Book
  now

• Swimming

  

  Visitors will discover a number of clear natural pools hidden in the mountain. They offer a refreshing respite from the searing heat during summer months, although the daring may plunge into the pools in winter too!

• Mountain biking

  

  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 (open from November - April)

  

  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.

• Hiking and Walking

  

  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

  • Wear comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen and a hat.
  • Do not hike alone.
  • Carry enough food and water with you.
  • Make sure you know what the weather conditions are before you depart.
  • Take a warm jacket/raincoat in winter.
  • Make sure you have a relevant map of the area.
  • Take a field medical kit with you for emergencies.
  • Obey all signage.
  • Stay in a group and on the trails.

  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. All trails start and end at the parking area next to the 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.