The Cape Clawless Otter

Just around the corner from Simon’s Town lies Boulders Beach, a sheltered cove of soft white sand, massive granite boulders and icy cold water. Boulders Beach is the home to a colony of thousands of African penguins. Here you will see them go about their daily business: preening and sunning themselves, guarding a nest, waddling along the sand and sliding into the water.

The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the southern end of South Africa’s Cape Peninsula. Throughout history, the Cape of Good Hope has been historically significant to sailors and explorers. Bartolomeu Dias, the 15th century Portuguese explorer, was the first officially recorded person to have successfully navigated these turbulent waters and was instrumental in setting up trade routes between Europe and the Far East. From various lookouts points you will see sweeping views of the lighthouses, coastlines and pristine scenery.

The R44 south from Gordon’s Bay to Kleinmond is the start of the Whale Route and one the most beautiful scenic drives in the Western Cape: Clarence Drive. It will bring you along the magnificent Hottentots Hollands Mountains on one side and the ocean coming ashore in False Bay.

There are plenty of parking spots on the road to give you photo opportunities. You can be lucky spotting whales (in the season) but especially the dolphins who seem to reside in Gordon’s Bay, can give you unforgettable moments to enjoy.

The Hermanus Cliff Path is definitely a must see! This coastal path traverses alongside the coast and the entire town of Hermanus. With its extraordinary diversity of scenery, rocky coves, sandy beaches and secluded forest glades, the Cliff Path is unequalled anywhere. It is also one of the best shore-based whale watching spots in the world!

The Robberg Hiking Trail is probably one of the most scenic trails along the Garden Route. The route is a circular trail along the Robberg peninsula with two shorter variations available ranging from easy to moderate. You can spot Cape fur seals, turtles, dolphins and whales from the peninsula.

A visit to Tsitsikamma National Park offers an unforgettable adventure amidst lush forests, rugged coastlines, and pristine rivers. As part of the Garden Route National Park, Tsitsikamma is renowned for its diverse flora and fauna, stunning ocean views, and thrilling activities such as hiking, canopy tours, and kayaking. The suspension bridge over the Storms River provides breathtaking perspectives of the ocean and the park's natural beauty. Whether you're exploring the ancient trees or spotting dolphins and whales along the coast, Tsitsikamma promises a scenic escape into nature.

West Coast National Park lies stretched along the coast, just an hour's drive from Cape Town. This pristine nature reserve offers an array of activities such as bird watching, game sighting and whale spotting. In terms of mammals you can spot eland, springbok, ostrich, kudu, gemsbok and the rare mountain zebra. In summer, hundreds of tortoises patrol the flowering land, while in winter you will be amazed by a myriad of colourful flowers.