St Francis Hiking and nature walks
Experience the natural beauty of Cape St Francis and the surrounding area via stunning reserve and coastal walks
Cape St Francis is home to no less than five beautiful nature reserves, Cape St Francis Nature Reserve, Seal Point Nature Reserve, Seal Bay Nature Reserve, St Francis Field Nature Reserve and Irma Booysen Flora Reserve.
These reserves offer a wide variety of walks suitable for all levels of fitness and experience. These walks, hikes and trails take you through natural coastal lands filled with indigenous plant and wild life.
What is so special about these areas?
South Africa is extraordinarily rich in plant and animal life and scientists have classified the different kinds of vegetation across the land. The southwestern Cape region is especially blessed in plant species, so much so that it is recognized as one of only six Plant or Floral Kingdoms in the world. Known as the Cape Floral Kingdom, it extends roughly from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town and inland, covering about 90,000 km2 and is home to 9,000 plant species, 70% of which grow nowhere else in the world (i.e. endemic to the Cape).
These plants are not scattered randomly across the landscape. Instead, from one hill to the next, different plant species grow together in their own communities. This means that the entire region is divided into these vegetation types, comprising plant species that grow in their particular area and nowhere else.
Our local vegetation type is the St Francis Fynbos/Thicket Mosaic and only grows on the lime-rich coastal sandy sites scattered between Tsitisikamma in the west and Port Elizabeth in the east. The conditions under which this vegetation type can grow is a relatively small area comprising 0.2% of the Cape region. Botanists from all over the world have visited the area discovering new species of plant life that are only found in this area.
Keep those eyes peeled for wild life
Look out for bushbuck, grysbok, common duiker, bushpig, porcupine, vervet monkey, caracal, yellow and grey mongoose and otters. You can sometimes see the rare African black oystercatcher and occasionally an endangered Jackass penguin. Bottlenose and common dolphins are often seen offshore and, from August to December, southern right whales may be spotted.
Experience the area with a 4 day/3night Chokka Trail
Downloads of the walks and Nature Reserves around Cape St Francis
Get in Touch
| | anita@capestfrancisresort.co.za |
| | +27 (0) 42 298 0054 |
| | +27 (0) 82 494 3755 |
| | +27 (0) 86 412 3764 |
| | Da Gama Way, Cape St Francis, 6313 |
| | 34 11’ 56.39" S | 24 49’ 53.04" E |
our Mozambique Resort
The waters warm, the sand is golden... and just a stone's throw away from your accommodation. Offering 3 stunning beach villas, swimming pool and the ultimate in beach living, Casa Malcampo based in the small fishing village of Tofo, is your ideal Mozambique holiday destination. For more information visit the Casa Malcampo website today! If a European holiday is what you’re looking for then why not check out our stunning 5 bed Croatian Villa perched on the ocean’s edge set on the island of Lastovo.
