Grootbos Nature Reserve

distinctive Camp | Hermanus / Gansbaai, South Africa

(5.00)

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Grootbos Private Nature Reserve conjures impressions of a mythic setting, ensconced among ancient milkwood forests and their gnarly trees, endemic flora most visitors have never laid eyes on, and huge whales basking in the teal waters within full view. Just two hours from Cape Town, the reserve is perched like a kingdom above Walker Bay, spanning 6,000 acres of hills and valleys and overlooking the stunning Kleinrivier Mountains rising to the west. Enjoy nature walks, horseback riding, scenic drives and land-based whale watching.

Our Expert Says

Grootbos offers a ton of activities. Garden Lodge is ideal for families while Forest Lodge is for adults only. A great experience is a stay at the reserve combined with a couple of nights in Cape Town, and while Grootbos is not a primary wildlife destination, the marine life and endemic flora offer a complementary experience to a classic Big Five safari.

– Greg Courter

The Lodge

Location: Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, Gansbaai, South Africa
Number of Suites: 11 (Garden Lodge), 16 (Forest Lodge), 6 (Villa)

Grootbos Private Nature Reserve incorporates two separate lodges as well as a six-bedroom private villa, all overlooking seasonal whale watching in Walker Bay. Garden Lodge, surrounded by lush gardens, is built from stone, wood and traditional thatch and features 11 one- and two-bedroom suites, easily catering to families with children. The main dining room and lounge are lined with windows that offer panoramic view. Neighboring Forest Lodge, built of stone and wood, features more modern lines and offers 16 one-bedroom luxury suites. Forest Lodge is built at the edge of a milkwood forest, each suite perched with views of the reserve and bay. The Villa is privately staffed and ideal for private groups of up to 12 guests, offering the utmost in luxury and seclusion. The Growing the Future project, part of the Grootbos Foundation, provides organic eggs, herbs, honey, pork, vegetables and fruit to the lodge, and all fish is freshly caught from the Hermanus and Gansbaai harbors nearby.

Facilities & Amenities

En suite bathroom with tub and shower (Classic Suite has shower only)
Additional bathroom with shower in one-bedroom suites
Shampoo, soap and lotion
Hair dryer
Air conditioning
Fireplace
Mini bar
Tea/coffee in room
Satellite television/ DVD
220v charging outlets in room
In-room safe
Private plunge pool in Pool Suites at Forest Lodge
Central pool
Spa (extra cost)
Wi-Fi in room and main area
Laundry (extra cost)
Credit cards accepted (Visa and MasterCard)

Wildlife Viewing & Activities

The 6,100-acre reserve showcases the best of the Cape Floral Kingdom, with rolling hills covered in a variety of endemic fynbos, as well as afromontane and ancient milkwood forests. Over 765 flowers can be found here. Activities on the reserve include guided exploration on foot of the flora and forests that make this area so special, as well as nature, marine and coastal drives including Walker Bay Nature Reserve, where southern right whales calve between June and December, De Kelders cliff walk, Klipgat Cave and seasonal land-based whale-watching. Bird watching and horseback riding are also included. Occasionally small antelope may be seen in the reserve. Additional activities that may be booked at extra cost are whale boat trips, great white shark cage diving, horseback riding on the beach, boat trips to Dyer Island, scenic flights, regional wine tours, and day trips to Cape Agulhas, the most southern tip of Africa.

The Western Cape showcases some of Africa’s best marine wildlife. Migrating southern right whales gather in Walker Bay between the seaside towns of Hermanus and Gansbaai from June to December to mate and calve. The land-based whale watching is some of the best in the world. Gansbaai is also the “great white shark capital” of the world, with 2,000 of the planet’s 5,000 great whites found in South Africa. Shark viewing and cage diving takes place by boat near Dyer Island and Shark Bay, and nearby Geyser Rock is home to a colony of nearly 60,000 Cape fur seals. Endangered African penguins can be seen in various colonies of the Western Cape, and bottlenose and highly endangered humpback dolphins can often be seen on boat trips.

Country	Park/Reserve	African Penguin	Bottlenose Dolphin	Cape Fur Seal	Great White Shark	Humpback Dolphin	S. Right Whale
South Africa	Hermanus / Gansbaai

Usually viewed

Frequently viewed

Occasionally viewed

Sporadically viewed

Rarely to never viewed

Climate

Month	Max	Min	Rainfall
January	82° F	61° F	0.3 in
	27° C	16° C	8 mm
February	82° F	61° F	0.6 in
	27° C	16° C	15 mm
March	80° F	59° F	0.75 in
	26° C	15° C	19 mm
April	75° F	54° F	2.02 in
	23° C	12° C	51 mm
May	70° F	50° F	2.54 in
	21° C	10° C	65 mm
June	66° F	46° F	3.02 in
	18° C	7° C	77 mm
July	65° F	45° F	3.26 in
	18° C	7° C	83 mm
August	66° F	46° F	2.67 in
	18° C	7° C	68 mm
September	68° F	49° F	1.56 in
	20° C	9° C	40 mm
October	73° F	52° F	1.33 in
	22° C	11° C	34 mm
November	76° F	56° F	1.0 in
	24° C	13° C	25 mm
December	79° F	60° F	0.7 in
	26° C	15° C	18 mm

Conservation

The Grootbos Foundation has a number of ongoing projects. The Green Futures Horticulture and Life Skills College educates eight to 12 unemployed young adults annually with the goal of giving them the skills and confidence to be employable. The course is fully accredited and teaches various finance and business skills as well as conservation and horticulture. More than 110 people have graduated the course, and more than 90 percent were employed upon completion. The foundation has a plethora of other projects such as the Football Foundation, promoting integration in the Gansbaai region using sports as a vehicle for change. About 2,000 kids each week play soccer at the FIFA standard artificial soccer pitch, sponsored by the English Premier League. The center also runs programs focused on HIV education, environmental education, female empowerment, enterprise development, proper nutrition and social integration. Grootbos also has a number of organic farming initiatives built around teaching skills in organic agriculture, beekeeping, and sustainable animal husbandry to local community members, especially women.