Attractions
Photo by: Lloyd Koppel (Overlandy Tours) The Gansbaai area consists of many opportunities for cyclists, get your blood pumping with any one of these astonishing cycling experiences. From leisure rides for the beginner to strenuous technical routes for the more experienced. Take a fat bike…
Photo by: African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary Dyer Island Conservation Trust has built a world-class seabird sanctuary in Gansbaai, a first for the Overberg. The African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary (APSS) officially opened on the 26th of February 2015. Set up to assist the endangered…
Photo by: Dyer Island Cruises The magnificent Southern Right Whales spend the summer months feeding around Antarctica and then migrate thousands of kilometres to the sheltered bays of South Africa to mate and calve. They can be seen along the peaceful Walker Bay coast between…
Photo by: Veronica Du Plessis (Key Photography) Nestled in a fertile valley 25 km from Gansbaai you find one of the Western Capeâs most undisturbed, and original best kept secrets â the picturesque village of Baardskeerdersbos (Baardscheerders Bosch)BâBos as it commonly is known is surrounded…
Photo by: Gansbaai & Pearly Beach Horse Trails Twenty-one km from Gansbaai on the R43 lies the sleepy little village of Pearly Beach which as its name suggests boasts one of the most amazing beaches. Walk for hours along the white, sandy expanses, explore the…
Photo by: Marine Dynamics The Dyer Island Group consisting of Dyer and Geyser Island is only 8 km offshore from Gansbaai and is home to about 50´000 cape fur seals, 900 breeding pairs of the flightless African Penguin, and uncountable other seabird species. It is…
Photo by: Veronica Du Plessis (Key Photography) Gansbaai Harbour: The point of gravity set in the heart of Gansbaai a fascinating cove turned into a harbour. This is where it all started, the day Johannes Wesselâs set foot in the bay and erected the first…
Photo by: Lloyd Koppel (Overlandy Tours) The Gansbaai area is a hikerâs heaven, from guided hiking or slack-packing through ancient forests or along the shoreline, to self-guided trails through magnificent heritage sites or indigenous milkwood forests, or you can leisurely strolling along stretches of sandy…
Photo by: Henry Stock Nine kilometres from the village of Gansbaai on a scenic route along the coast of the Birkenhead Peninsula you will find the historic Danger Point Lighthouse. The lighthouse was commissioned on 1 January 1895 after the tragic sinking of the HMS…
Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary is a non-profit organisation which provides a forever home to rescued big cats. Our beautiful pride consists of white and brown lions, tigers, leopards, a cheetah, caracals, and a jackal. We are a true sanctuary,…
The varying terroir, moderate climate, and talented winemakers are certainly putting Stanfordâs wines on the map. From vineyards set on sandy dunes, rocky mountain slopes and fertile lands, wine makers are producing top quality wines that are winning awards and accolades amongst those in the…
One of the âmust-dosâ when in Stanford is the Stanford Walking Trail (Wandelpad) which winds its way along the banks of the Klein River and through the town. It offers visitors some wonderful glimpses of the many birds in the area, including the Blue Crane,…
Stanford boasts its own unique Saturday Morning Markets along Queen Victoria Street from 09H00-12H00 on the stoep of the historic Stanford Hotel and the Junktique in the Tourism Courtyard. Fresh produce from local farmers, and local crafts are offered, as well as delicious home-made and…
Stanford boasts the title of third most preserved heritage village in the Western Cape. The âHistorical Stanford on footâ brochure, available from the Stanford Tourism Office in the high street, takes one on a journey back in time as you navigate the villages historical journey…
A walking tour around Stanford Village will reveal a wide variety of bird habitats right on its doorstep, offering those with a sense of curiosity in nature, a diverse and rewarding birding experience. Prime areas within the village confines are the Willem Appel Dam and…
Abalone tour: R100. Duration: 35 minutes. Meet up with your tour guide at the Heart Shed in the New Harbour of Hermanus. Sit back and relax while you learn about the history of abalone in South African and Hermanusâ Walker Bay area and the biology…
The South African National Space Agencyâs Space Science facility in Hermanus used to be called the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory. The facilityâs functions have expanded to include the monitoring of space weather in addition to scientists monitoring Earthâs fluctuating electromagnetic field. They do fascinating work, and…
Rotary Drive takes visitors to a lookout point which provides panoramic views of Hermanus, surrounding villages and the Walker Bay expanse. The turnoff to Rotary Drive is well marked on the side of Mount Pleasant where a tarmac road leads up to the top of…
Hermanus First Friday Art Walk is part of a worldwide initiative to make art and art galleries more accessible to the public. On the First Friday of every month (except the 3 winter months June, July and August) more than 20 diverse galleries opens to…
Hoyâs Koppie â Residents and visitors to Hermanus have long enjoyed walking the paths on Hoyâs Koppie and recent improvements to the paths by the Cliff Path Management Group and the Municipality have made the outing even more enjoyable. Since 2008 the main contour path…
Grotto Blue Flag Beach â Grotto Beach in Hermanus is four designated Blue Flag beaches in Walker Bay. Grottoâs unspoiled coastline and first-rate amenities make it a popular destination with the âbucket-and-spade brigadeâ, sun seekers, and those for whom long, bare-foot walks along the beach…
Hermanus Wine Route â The Hermanus Wine Route can be found along the Walker Bay Wine Districtâs famous R320 and meanders through the picturesque area known as the Hemel-en-Aarde Area. Our route unites the passion and reputation of fifteen wineries, each growing small volumes of…
Fernkloof Nature Reserve â Fernkloof Nature Reserve covers 1800 ha in the Kleinrivier Mountains above Hermanus and ranges in altitude from sea level to 842 m. In late 1957, the Reserve was proclaimed by the Provincial Council of the Cape. There is no other place…
THE CLIFF PATH IN HERMANUS IS UNIQUE! Where else can you traverse an entire town along its coast? With its extraordinary diversity of scenery, rocky coves, sandy beaches and secluded forest glades, the Cliff Path is unequalled anywhere. The conservation value of the coastal area…
De Wetâs Huis Photo Museum â De Wetâs Huis Photo Museum has a collection of black and white photos and furniture from the townâs booming fishing days, housed in a historic schoolhouse. The building was originally the Dutch Reformed Church Sunday school building and it…
Whale Museum â Where do the whales that visit Hermanus come from? What do they eat? How do they reproduce and where do they disappear to during our summer months? What is spy hopping? The mysteries of these magnificent marine mammals are revealed at the…
Old Harbour Museum â The present museum is made up of two sections: the Historical Old Fishing Harbour and Fishermanâs Village. The indoor displays include items used in the fishing industry during the earlier part of the 20th century, the âSelkirk Collectionâ (a collection from…
The Klein River is one of the most beautiful stretches of flat water river paddling in South Africa. In summer it is safe, sheltered from the wind and boasts a feast of bird watching. There are three river boat operators that offer cruises along the…
As the vlei is also a birding paradise, one can combine horse-and bird watching. In summer one often sees the white cattle egrets riding piggyback on the horses. Hangklip-Kleinmond boasts many other beautiful and quiet places in which a wide variety of birdlife abounds. Seashore,…
This lovely garden is situated in the centre of the coastal fynbos where the flora is at its richest. It encompasses mountain slopes with wind-clipped heathlands, deep gorges with relict forests, flats and marshes with restios, sedges and bulbs, as well as dunes adjacent to…
Considered by many to be the most beautiful of CapeNatureâs protected areas, Kogelberg Nature Reserve earns that reputation largely to the fact that it occupies an area with minimal human interference. Its exceptional diversity and quality of fynbos means it is considered the heart of…
Located at the edge of the Kogelberg biosphere, nestled between the Hottentots Holland mountain range and the Atlantic Ocean, Kleinmond Golf Course provides a scenic challenge against a backdrop of spectacular fynbos. Witness Southern Right Wales in season from any of the T-boxes and, with…
For as long as the older Kleinmond residents can remember, there have been Wild Horses in the vlei (wetlands) between the present parking area in the Rooisand Reserve and the river mouth at Kleinmond. This is a distance of about 6kms and the group of…
Stony Point Nature Reserve is home to one of the largest successful breeding colonies of African Penguin in the world. Located in the quaint coastal town of Bettyâs Bay in the Overberg, the Stony Point Nature Reserve is home to a unique colony of African…