Garden Route Unearthed

Robberg Peninsula voted 27th best hike in the world.

Robberg Peninsula is located 8kms south of Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route and has always been a favourite hiking trail amongst those living in and visiting the Garden Route.

Recently, Explore! wrote an article listing the 35 best hikes in the world (that anyone can do), based on recommendations from a number of authoritative travel blogs, and users of AllTrails and Komoot. Robberg Peninsula came in at the 27th best hike in the world.

So, what is so special about Robberg Peninsula?

Well, to start with Robberg Peninsula is part of the Robberg Nature Reserve and the Robberg Marine Protected Area, which is managed by Cape Nature and extends 1.8kms offshore.

It is also a World Heritage Site and a National Monument with a huge diversity of fynbos, flora and marine life, as well as pre-historic rocks and Stone Age artefacts.

Add to all of that the spectacular landscapes and panoramas, gorgeous sandy beaches, 3-circular hiking trails, plus dolphins, whales and the resident seal colony, (in fact, the Afrikaans word “Robberg” translates to “Seal Mountain” in English) and you can see why Robberg Peninsula is something special.

Bryan and I have hiked two of the three circular hiking trails a number of times, but have not yet completed the third and longest hike.

The shortest hiking trail is The Gap Circuit. This is a 2.1km trail that takes about 30 minutes to complete. If you do not have much time and wish to just have a quick visit and a stretch of the legs, or if a 2.1km hike is enough for you, then the Gap Circuit will give you some stunning views of the Robberg Peninsula and the island adjacent to it.

The Witsand Circuit is the mid-length hike at 5.5kms in length. This hike takes you along the northern ridge of the peninsula, past the resident seal colony (which I promise, you will smell and hear, before you see it), to the white sand of Witsand.

Parts of the trail are quite steep, but there are stones steps, which help your ascent and there are a few areas for you to catch your breath and enjoy the views. And I highly recommend you do stop and admire the views. They are truly breathtaking.

At Witsand you can either run, slide or stumble down the sandy dune to the beach, known as Tombola beach.

Tombola beach is a great spot for a picnic, or a swim, although always be aware of strong currents and tides along the Garden Route coast.

As you descend Witsand dune, you will see on your left-hand side, a wooden hut which you can rent out for a night or two.

The island adjacent to Tombola Beach has a wooden boardwalk round it which is well worth exploring.

Keep an eye out for the many lizards basking in the sun and the large number of seagulls perched on the ridges of the cliffs.

Spend a few minutes relaxing on one of the benches found along the boardwalk and just listen to the crashing of the waves on the rocks below.

Stop, breath and just listen to the sounds of nature all around you.

They are worth soaking up and taking note of.

From Tombola beach, follow the hiking trail back over and up the rocks, where you will meet up with the Gap Circuit and the path back to the carpark.

There are some steep steps in this section, so take your time.

The third and longest hiking trail is the Point Circuit. As I mentioned earlier in this post, Bryan and I have not hiked this route yet, so I cannot give you my personal opinion on this trail.

What I can tell you, however, is that it is apparently 9.2kms long and is quite a strenuous and challenging hike that takes about 4 hours to complete.

The Point Circuit trail starts by heading along the northern ridge and past the resident seal colony, then it continues past Witsand to the end point of the Peninsula and returns along the southern, rocky shoreline, to Tombola beach and the island. From there you take the same hiking path back to the car park as the Witsand Circuit.

The entrance gate to Robberg Nature Reserve has the following opening and closing times:

1st October – 30th April: 07h00 to 20h00

1st May – 30th September : 07h00 to 18h00

The entrance fee for Day Visitors is:

Adults is R60

Children is R40.

If you have a Wild Card, entrance is free.

There is amble parking space in the carpark found once you have entered the Nature Reserve. There are also picnic tables and braai spots by the parking area, so you can definitely make a full day of your trip to Robberg Nature Reserve.

If you would like to subscribe to my website and receive an email when new posts are published, please complete the subscription below: