Exploring the Western Cape: Robberg Hiking Trail
Keep an eye out for these route markers
When looking for the best nature in the very south of South Africa, consider the Western Cape your ultimate utopia. Stretching across the bottom of this beautiful country, its rugged coastline dotted with quirky towns, you could stride across sandy beaches and through lush, green forest for an eternity. Near the town of Plettenberg Bay, you’ll find the Robberg Point hike. Set against the backdrop of the beautiful bay itself, with towering mountains behind that reach as far as the eye can see, this hike offers endless visual reward.
The vast Plettenberg Bay
Reaching Robberg Hiking Trail
The start of the hike is easily accessible by car. Simply turn off the N2 from Cape Town and head straight up the hill. The Robberg Point Nature Reserve is well signposted, so you can’t miss it. Upon your arrival, you’ll need to pay the conservation fee: 65 Rands for adults and 45 Rands for children - a small price to pay for the beauty you’re about to behold!
Much of the terrain is rocky and uneven
The Robberg Point Hike - choosing your route
Once you’ve entered the nature reserve and parked your car (be aware, the car park does get quite busy, so be prepared to park somewhere along the road once you’re in), you have a choice of three hikes, of varying difficulty. All three feature some quite steep inclines and declines, as well as rocky terrain, so good hiking shoes are a must.
All three feature beautiful scenery, too!
Hike 1 - The Gap: 2km
A short circular walk which takes you clockwise around the west side of the reserve, before cutting through the eponymous gap and back to the car park. A great option if you have younger children and want to get a good view of Plettenberg Bay, the fynbos and the coast.
The gap
Hike 2 - Witsand: 5.5km
The mid-length trail takes you further along the coast until you reach white sandy dunes, which lead to your right, down to the beach and “the island” or left, on to the point. This trail features the most rewarding scenery and a great view of a colony of cape fur seals! One third of the world’s cape fur seals live on the coasts of South Africa.
Phone photos don’t do them justice, but they’re there! You’ll smell them before you see them
Look down the cliff face and you’ll see hundreds and hundreds of them, basking in the sunshine or larking about in the water. You can’t get close, but even to admire them from afar is breathtaking. Once you’ve seen your fill of the seals, head around to the beach for a dip in the ocean or a nap on the sand.
The pathway back from the Island
Hike 3 - The Point: 9km
To get the full experience of the Robberg hike, you can make your way all the way out to the point and back. The hike winds its way up and down both sides of the headland and is quite challenging. Despite being a relatively moderate 9km, the terrain is rocky, with several sections involving some scrambling over loose rocks and boulders.
Adding the the cairn at the end of the earth
It was quite striking to look out from the far end of the point in the knowledge that, if we were to sail for the horizon, the next piece of land we’d come across is Antarctica.
A moment’s rest at the point
The Island in sight at last!
By the time we rounded the point, scrambled over long rocky stretches and reached the Island, we were exhausted! The island itself features a boardwalk that takes you up for a beautiful view of the reserve and of the ocean, before winding back around to the beach.
Looking back at the reserve from the Island boardwalk
Once we descended from the island, despite not bringing swimming gear, we threw off our clothes (remaining decent) and collapsed into the sea, desperate to cool off. On a roasting hot day, on which we forgot to bring hats for the first time ever (always bring hats), this was one of the best feelings ever. Cool and refreshing, the water recuperated our bodies and reset us mentally before the climb back up to the car park.
We couldn’t wait to dive in
With most of the hike done, this final climb wasn’t too strenuous, with stable pathways and even a boardwalk on some sections. The ascent went quickly and before we knew it, we were back in the car park - wet, sandy and parched. (as a side note, bring lots of water when you go! You will need it.) There’s a shop at the top which sells snacks and drinks, as well as a picnic area for if you’ve brought your own food and drink.
We felt very accomplished, considering how far we’d come
All things considered, this is a fantastic hike - so worth doing whether you’re an enthusiast or not. Once we were done, we ate lunch and, a short ten-minute drive later, we were relaxing on the beach in Plettenberg Bay. What a day!
Warm sands and a cool breeze were just what we needed
Have you ever hiked Robberg Nature Reserve? If so, let us know which trail you did and whether you enjoyed it! We can’t recommend it enough, although it is on the tougher side of hikes we’ve done. Did you find it tricky? In the meantime, if you’d like to support the site, you can buy us our next coffee at the link below. Cheers!