Seldom visited as it sits too far for a day trip from Cape Town but too close for an overnight stop on the Garden Route, De Hoop is a unique offering, even for South Africa, and now a World Heritage Site.
The Potsberg mountains in the north, the rolling hills and wetlands in the centre, the cliff tops to the south and then the marine section in the bay contain 90 different endangered mammal species (including Cape mountain zebra), 250 fish species in its protected coastal zone and another 260 bird species including the rare Cape vulture.
It’s hard to overstate the significance of the place but to get to grips with it, we’d definitely suggest taking at least one of their guided activities, either the Vulture Experience, Marine Walk or Eco Boat Trip all of which are guided by local people trained on the reserve.
It’s possible to stay in the reserve in many different types, styles and standards of accommodation and also take part in the multi-day hike The Whale Trail.