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| Attractions |
Nature Reserves
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Situated on the scenic Cape South - Eastern Coast. The reserve lies north of Jeffreys Bay, on the seaside of the R102. The nature reserve comprises of an area of about 250ha & includes parts of the Kabeljous River & estuary, with a coastline of 2.5km. It has beautiful sand dunes covered in natural vegetation, wetlands & valley bushveld, with Euphorbia forest. The climate: Kabeljous lies between the winter & summer rainfall areas, with an average temperature of 17 degrees & rainfall of 450-599mm per year. There is no clear wet or dry season, although most of the rain falls spring & autumn. The weather can also be unpredictable. The vegetation consists of Dune Thicket, Valley Bushveld & wetlands. Bushbuck, blue duiker, bush pig, grysbok, porcupine, rooikat, mongoose & large spotted genet are some of the animal species. The area is rich in bird life & 100 species have been identified. A pair of fish eagle is often seen. There is a hiking trail of 3-7km depending on the options taken. It has two starting points, from the R102 just across the bridge on the northern side of the Kabeljous River you will find a gate & signboard, or from the picnic area at the Kabeljous Estuary until you reach the dunes. Look for a signboard & A path through the dunes. No dogs, hunting or fires are allowed in the reserve. No plants or animals may be disturbed or removed.
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| Noorsekloof Nature Reserve |
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Noorsekloof Nature reserve was proclaimed as a local nature reserve in 1984. The reserve comprises of 28.7 ha stretching from near the beach up the valley through Wavecrest. The giant Euphorbia Triangularus gives its name to the kloof & is naturally the predominant tree. - the tallest is approximately 10 meters high. The Milkwood is the second most common tree. The vegetation in the kloof is an excellent example of Valley Bushveld, the broad term given to the subtropical transitional thickets of the Eastern Cape. It occurs mostly in the hot, dry valleys of rivers. It is characterised by dense, sometimes impenetrable of thorny or succulent shrubs. Unlike fynbos, valley bushveld so far has not received much publicity & barely 1.2% of the total extent of Valley Bushveld is currently conserved.
The reserve is only about 200m wide at its narrowest & increases to about 400m at its wider parts. The narrowness of the reserve & the fact that the kloof is bordered on both sides by residential development, places the reserve under constant threat.
More than 50 bird species have been observed with specials including the Knysna Loerie & the Knysna Woodpecker. Paradise flycatchers tend to be very tame & can offer some very enjoyable moments as they flutter around, busily catching insects. Small buck species are frequents to the kloof, but they are not often seen. A 3km trail meanders up the kloof along the stream & offers visitors the opportunity to experience this little piece of haven in an otherwise build-up environment. The trail starts at the entrance to Kloof in Eland street, & end in Dogwood circle. As in any Nature Reserve, you are kindly requested to stay on the hiking trail & leave only your footprints. Fires, hunting, camping & dogs are prohibited from the kloof.
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| Oyster Bay Lodge Hiking Trails |
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Beach & bushtrails on this private coastal reserve with a sandy beachfront of more than 3.5 km. There are four trails from 3-15km. Trails go through unspoilt nature of Oyster Bay Lodge. Picninc baskets on Outlookpoints are available on request. Only 2km from Oyster Bay Lodge. Bookings essential.
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Situated on the scenic Cape South - Eastern Cape. It lies between the coastal villages of Aston Bay & Paradise Beach, approximately 5km south of Jeffreys Bay, along the N2. The nature reserves comprises of an area of about 66ha at the confluence of the Seekoei & Swart Rivers, where it forms an estuary. The bulk of the reserve is only accessible by way of a small pontoon. Large populations of birds also frequent the estuary. This nature reserve lies between the winter & summer rainfall areas. The average temperature is 17 degrees & the avarage rainfall is 490mm. There is no clear wet or dry season, although most of the rain falls in spring & autumn. The weather can be unpredictable with some warm days in winter & some cold days in summer. The nature reserve is mainly Kaffrarian Thicket which consists of non-succulent subtropical transitional thicket communities. It is a tall, closed, large leaved ( semi succulent) shrub land with ouy- layers in rivers & coastal foreland. The most common trees are ghwarrie, Boer boon, milkwood, sage wood, bitou & aloes. There are also patches of coastal fynbos with Erica, PAsserine & Metalasia species. Bushbick, grysbok, blue duiker, bush pig, porcupine, caracal, yellow & grey mongoose & large spotted genet are some of the species that occur. You are almost certain to see an ungulate tortoise or two. Fish Eagles may be heard calling & flamingoes may be seen if the conditions are right. Thousands of red knobbed coots also nest on the lagoon. 120 Different bird species have so far been identified.
There is a 3km hiking trail that can be reached by crossing the river or pontoon. A short 1km hike runs through the northern section of the reserve & passes thed bird hide where birds can be viewed from the bank of the estuary. A braai place in the form a lapa is available for organised groups. Penguins can be seen at the Penguin Rehab Centre, where they recover after treatment from pollution & exhaustion. No fishing, canoes or boats are allowed on the estuary or in the nature reserve. No dogs are allowed & no animals may be disturbed or plants may be removed. No fires.
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