After a few very busy months, we were looking for a lovely place where we could just rest and relax. Where we could spend hours doing nothing but taking in the surroundings and eating good food. While looking for a spot we came across a special on Secret Getaway – a flash sale travel website – with a fantastic special on De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Overberg region.
We’ve been to this region before on trip to visit De Mond Nature Reserve, Cape Agulhas and Arniston. All were lovely stops to explore caves, shipwrecks and pristine beaches around the Southernmost Tip of Africa.
De Hoop Nature Reserve – the jewel of the cape – is a World heritage site located in the Overberg region of the Western Cape. Small towns around it include Bredasdorp, Arniston, and Swellendam. It is about three hours’ drive from Cape Town. De Hoop has 70 km of pristine coastline and a 17km vlei that stretched across the reserve. The reserve is home is to various mammal, marine wildlife and over 259 species of birds.
Accommodation at De Hoop Nature Reserve
There are various options for accommodation at De Hoop Nature Reserve and they can be found under De Hoop Collection online. There are catered options, self-catering and campsite rondawels. You could also book out one of the larger cottages for family or group travel. We stayed at the Opstal Suites that included an en suite room, breakfast and dinner. The room which was originally a stable is very spacious and beautifully decorated. The bathroom had a massive bath in the centre and stable windows. A large stable door opened up onto a grassy area overlooking the vlei. We had sundowners while buck happy grazed or ran across. It was idyllic.
Our meals were at the Fig Restaurant which was on the other side of the courtyard from us. It has a large lounge area with a fire place, books and well stocked wine cellar in what used to be a grain silo. While you can go for a swim at the beach, there is a pool area next to the Restaurant. Our main aim was to unwind, so we enjoyed some drinks, reading and napping by the pool.
Land based whale watching at Koppie Alleen
The Southern Right whales come here yearly to breed. Being a marine reserve and world heritage site, the reserve creates a safe space for these pods and they come very close to shore. This gives you the opportunity to just sit on the unspoilt dunes and watch them put on a spectacular show.
Honestly, this was more fun that I thought it would be. Although I’m often tasked as “the spotter” on game drives, I’m notoriously bad at spotting wildlife. I thought land based whale watching would be a lot like that, me standing on the shore shouting “over there” to my husband only to find it’s just the tip of a wave. So, I was very chuffed when I could see the whales before I even reached the rocky shore.
We spent a very long time looking out into the ocean and following whales and their calves in the ocean. There weren’t many people around. The only sounds were birds, water crashing against the rocks and the calming rhythm of the ocean. I joked that we were inside the calm app.
Best time for whale watching? End of May through to November. In season 500-600 whales will call De Hoop home. Sightings of 50-75 during height of season.
Things to do in De Hoop Nature Reserve
- Guided Bird Tour
- Interpretive Marine Walk
- Guided Mountain Bike Walk
- Mountain Bike Hire
- Eco Boat Cruise on the De Hoop Vlei
- Nature Drive Experience
- Vulture Experience
There are over 86 species of mammals here. So, driving around, you will likely see the more common ones such as eland, bontebok, baboon, Cape, mountain zebra, duiker, steenbok and ostriches. (And of course whales).
Wine Tasting in the Overberg
The vineyards in this area grow in a unique setting. Being at the southernmost tip of the continent, south-easterly wind and the south-westerly wind blow through the area without many buffers. This, coupled with a distinct soil type and marine coastal climate, make for a very intense grape. The cooler climate white white wine in this ‘Agulhas Wine Triangle’ is good and growing in popularity with various boutique wineries in the area.
On our way from Cape Town to De Hoop, we stopped at the Black Oyster Catcher for wine tasting and lunch. The restaurant only have pizza on the menu and it was so worth it. We ordered the Maggie which had prosciutto, mushroom, aubergine, artichoke and feta. I honestly think this might have been the best pizza we’ve had in the longest time yet. After lunch we popped into their deli for some local goodies to eat on out picnic the next day. The staff here were so friendly and since it was a quiet day, we got to have long chat about life in the area, tourism and of course wine making.
Note: The reserve gates close overnight. So, make sure to check the website first .The closing time was 6pm when we went in August 2022. There is a Conservation Fee of R50.00 per person, R30.00 per child. This applies to day visitors and overnight guests.