For us, the hike in the Robberg Nature Reserve is by far one of the most beautiful hikes in South Africa. The coastal conservation area is located on a peninsula near Plettenberg Bay, directly on the popular Garden Route, and is therefore ideal for a multi-day stopover.

Spectacular scenery, breathtaking views, beautiful beaches, and a huge seal colony await you in the Robberg Nature Reserve. In the following article, we will introduce you to the possible hiking routes on the peninsula and reveal which highlights you absolutely should not miss. Enjoy browsing!

• 1. General information about the Robberg Nature Reserve
• 2. Hiking routes in the Robberg Nature Reserve
• 3. Our hike around the peninsula
• 4. Conclusion on the hike in the Robberg Nature Reserve
• 5. Entrance fees and opening times
• 6. Parking in the Robberg Nature Reserve
• 7. Packing list and tips for your hike

1. General information about the Robberg Nature Reserve

The Robberg Nature Reserve is located 8 km south of Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route and has been a nature reserve since 1998. It was also declared a World Heritage Site because evidence of settlement in the Middle and Late Stone Age was found in some caves along the peninsula (visit to the Nelson Bay Cave). The peninsula is approx. 3.5 km long and at its widest point almost 800 meters wide (with “Die Eiland” even 1.3 km wide).

2. Hiking routes in the Robberg Nature Reserve

There are three great circular hiking routes that lead through the Robberg Nature Reserve. This way, you can decide for yourself which distance and duration you want for your day trip. The longer the hike, the more challenging the trail becomes. If you don’t have much time, you should choose Route 1 and/or Route 2.

It’s important to note, however, that the terrain is very rocky, with steep climbs and descents in many places. You’ll also come across steep wooden stairs every now and then. Accordingly, the reserve is not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs. At the entrance, you’ll receive an overview map showing all the routes and highlights.

• Route 1 | The Gap (2.1 kilometers) – approx. 30 minutes to 1 hour
• Route 2 | Witsand (5.5 kilometers) – approx. 2 hours to 3 hours
• Route 3 | The Point (9.2 kilometers) – approx. 4 to 5 hours

Route 1 – The Gap

“The Gap” is the shortest and easiest hike in the Robberg Nature Reserve. Along the way, you’ll enjoy some breathtaking views as well as the beautiful beach. Plan approximately 60 minutes for this short hike. The view is particularly beautiful at the last point, just before the parking lot.

Route 2 – Witsand

The “Witsand” route is a combination of routes 1 and 2. It leads along the northern ridge of the peninsula to the large seal colony. Here, too, you will be rewarded with numerous fantastic views and might even spot whales and dolphins in the sea if you are there at the right time (May – October). Later, the hike descends to the Witsand Sand Dune, continues to the beautiful beach in front of “Die Eiland,” and returns to the parking lot via Route 1. Plan approximately 2 to 3 hours for this hike.

Route 3 – The Point

On the “The Point” circular hike, you combine routes 1, 2, and 3 and circumnavigate the entire peninsula. It is a physically strenuous hike and not necessarily suitable for small children (unless they are used to long hikes). The trail leads over the northern ridge along the rocky coast, past the seals, to the tip of the peninsula “The Point.”

At the right time (especially in winter), hundreds of gannets, cormorants, and terns gather at the point. From there, hike along the rocky and stony coast until you reach the Witsand Dune. After a short swim, continue along Route 1 back to the parking lot. Plan approximately 4 to 5 hours for this hike.

3. Our Hike Around the Peninsula

To experience the Robberg Nature Reserve in its entirety, we opted for the longest and most strenuous hike (Route 3 – The Point). We originally planned to start the hike at 7:00 a.m., but thick fog thwarted our plans. So we drove back to our accommodation and waited for about three hours. Around 10:30 a.m., we were able to begin our day trip under a bright blue sky and plenty of sunshine.

Route 1 – Starting the Hike at the Parking Lot

After paying the entrance fee (65 Rand for adults), we drove about 400 meters to the parking lot. There were already numerous cars parked there, which wasn’t surprising given the beautiful weather. We strapped on our backpacks, packed plenty of drinks and swimwear, and set off. Route 1 (The Gap) starts right at the parking lot, offering views of the ocean and the beautiful, long Robberg Beach.

Even within the first few meters, we had so many great views and couldn’t get enough. The path led along the ridge over quite stony and rocky terrain. Luckily, we both wore hats, as the sun beat down on us mercilessly. You should know that there is hardly any shade on the entire peninsula. After just a few minutes, we reached “The Gap” and the long staircase leading down to the beach. At this point, Route 1 leads back to the parking lot on the other side.

Since we knew we’d have to climb these stairs at the end of the hike anyway, we continued on Route 2 toward the seal colony. The paths up to that point were very well secured and maintained, so it was virtually impossible to get lost. At times we could hold on to a railing, at times the path led over wooden walkways. For the first two hours, you always have the turquoise sea to your left, with the lush, rocky peninsula behind you and in front of you. It wasn’t long before we could smell and hear the seals. Small wooden signs with a seal symbol showed us the way to the seal colony.

Route 2 – The Seal Colony of Robberg Nature Reserve

Along the entire coast to the end of the peninsula, up to 8,000 fur seals frolic. During our hike, we were able to observe them from high above. Don’t forget your binoculars*! There is no path leading directly down to the seals, which is a good thing in our opinion. The animals should remain undisturbed. There are a few beautiful vantage points from where you have a great view down to the seals. It’s truly amazing how much you can smell and hear the seals from so high above. Take your first short hiking break and enjoy the scenery!

With a view of the sea and the many seals, we hiked to the point where Route 2 would now lead back to the parking lot on the other side. At this point, we walk behind the huge sand dune (“Witsand”) to the beach and the small offshore island (“Die Eiland”). It is recommended not to hike further from this point towards “The Point” after 2 p.m. It was only just before 12 p.m., so we continued hiking along the rocky coast to the tip of the peninsula.

Route 3 – The end of the peninsula at “The Point”

The closer we got to the end of the peninsula, the more rugged the scenery became. The hiking trail now led down to the sea, where we spotted a few seals in the water right in front of us. We took a short break before continuing our hike over large stones and rocky terrain, watching the sea crash against the huge boulders a little further away. It’s important to stay on the marked path here and not try to take any shortcuts (not a good idea at high tide anyway). Stay as high up as possible, as the water can come dangerously close at high tide.

In some places, steep wooden steps led up and in others down. These were all very safe and in good condition. We also passed some great natural pools, although they were inaccessible. But even the view was very cool, especially when a few seals were swimming around in it. We really liked the rugged side of the peninsula and it showed us once again how many facets South Africa has to offer. Even at that point, we knew that this was definitely the most beautiful hike along the Garden Route.

Back on the other side

From now on, it became really strenuous, as we already had quite a few kilometers under our belts. And so, we had to take short breaks more and more often. We also passed the small “Fountain Shack,” the only accommodation directly within the reserve. It can accommodate up to 8 people (more info here). The hiking trail is marked by signs featuring a seal. Follow these signs so you don’t get lost. Generally speaking, as already mentioned, you can’t really get lost.

After about 3 hours, we finally saw the beach and the small offshore island “Die Eiland” in the distance. We definitely wanted to take a swim here. This stretch to the beach took an extremely long time, and the beach just wouldn’t get any closer. Maybe it just seemed that way to us. Again and again, we descended over wooden walkways and climbed steep steps. But the stunningly beautiful scenery made up for all the effort and exertion.

Swimming break at The Island Beach

After 3.5 hours, we finally reached the enormous sand dunes and the beautiful beach in front of the small offshore island. You can also explore this island via great wooden walkways, as long as it is accessible at high tide. We scrambled up the dune with all our might to get a great view of the beach and the small island. Wow!

Afterwards we went down to the beach, where we jumped into the ice-cold water to cool off. The water there isn’t supposed to be that cold, but on this day it was truly ICY!

Back to the starting point

After a longer swim and snack break, we continued the hike on Route 2. This last section is particularly beautiful, as you now hike directly along the coast again. Once again, we crossed wooden walkways and stairs before reaching the beautiful smaller beach, which we had already seen from above at the beginning of the hike (Route 1 – The Gap).

We already mentioned at the beginning that there were a lot of cars in the parking lot that day. However, we didn’t notice any of this in the reserve itself, as the visitors were very well spread out along the beaches and hiking trails. Most only hiked Route 1 and/or 2 anyway.

We enjoyed the view of the beach for a while and then climbed the steps to the spot where we had stood almost 4.5 hours earlier. From there, the hiking trail (“The Gap”) led steeply uphill again and gave us one last stunningly beautiful view before we reached the parking lot again.

After around 5 hours, we returned to our car and were visibly happy to have made it. Happy and satisfied, we drove back to our accommodation, took a shower, and enjoyed our evening with a delicious dinner at the restaurant “The Fat Fish” in Plettenberg Bay.

4. Conclusion on the hike in the Robberg Nature Reserve

We can highly recommend a hike in the Robberg Nature Reserve in South Africa. We have rarely undertaken such a varied hike that surprised us with so many stunningly beautiful scenery. Even if you “only” hike the 1st and 2nd routes, you’ll pass so many great viewpoints and highlights.

We only recommend the long circular hike to the end of the peninsula (“The Point”) if you’re sure-footed, not afraid of heights, and reasonably physically fit. You should also be willing to exert yourself a bit. Thinking back to all the hikes we’ve done along the Garden Route so far, this was definitely the most spectacular hike!

5. Entrance Fee and Opening Hours

At the gate of the Robberg Nature Reserve, the entrance fee is currently 65 Rand per person (children only 45 Rand). You can pay by credit card or cash. However, we always recommend cash, as you never know if there might be another power outage or if the staff on site won’t have reception for the card reader. If you also have a Wild Card, you don’t have to pay any entrance fee (more information here).

Robberg Nature Reserve Opening Hours:

• Summer: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (October 1 to April 30)
• Winter: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (May 1 to September 30)

6. Parking in Robberg Nature Reserve

Just under 400 meters behind the gatehouse is a fairly large parking lot with restrooms, a small food truck, and information boards. Parking is free in Robberg Nature Reserve. When we arrived around 10:30 a.m., we just managed to snag the last free space (January 2023).

Cars that arrived after us were simply parked on the side of the road. That doesn’t seem to be a problem. However, if the gate is completely full at some point, you’ll have to park in front of the gate and walk the 400 to 500 meters to the starting point.

7. Packing List and Tips for Your Hike

There are a few things you absolutely shouldn’t forget on this hike. Below, we’ve provided links to our hiking packing list for the Robberg Nature Reserve. Also, save the following numbers in your phone: South African Police Services (10111), National Sea Rescue Institute (082 990 5975), and Metro Rescue Services (044 805 5070 / 10177). Never hike alone and check the current weather conditions before your hike.

• Comfortable and sturdy hiking boots*
• Pack enough water (at least 2 liters per person) and food
• A light windbreaker* (or rain jacket)
• Sunglasses*, UV 50 sunscreen
• Headwear* (cap, hat, or scarf)
• Pack binoculars*
• Emergency phone with emergency numbers
• Pay attention to the tides (important for the long circular hike)