Located on South Africa's southern coast, De Hoop Nature Reserve offers a memorable conservation experience that many travelers don't know existed. Lesser known than Kruger National Park or Table Mountain National Park, this 140-square-mile reserve near Cape Town protects a diverse range of ecosystems and wildlife. A walk along the marine trail reveals vibrant rock pools filled with anemones, mussels and colorful starfish. Herds of Bontebog antelope roam on land, while rare Cape eagles soar over the mountains in their fynbos capes. De Hoop is a nature lover's paradise.
This protected marine area offers some of the best land-based whale watching in South Africa. Every year from June to November, Southern Right Whales migrate to protected bays along the coastline, with De Hoop home to one of the largest pods of 300 to 500 whales. Hidden worlds are revealed through guided interpretive rock pool walks for up-close encounters with marine life.
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The reserve also provides habitat for a variety of wildlife, including Bontebok antelope and Cape mountain zebra, as well as greater antelope and gray antelope, baboons and yellow mongoose. A unique offering is the Vulture Experience, a guided hike to the Vulture Deck on Potberg Mountain. Here guests can watch these magnificent birds soar and soar.
With its rugged coastline, wetlands and fynbos-covered peaks, the reserve offers a variety of hiking trails. A new guided hike, De Hoop Trail: Vlei to Whales, is a 23-mile hike from wetlands (vlei) to the ocean where you can see numerous whales. During the walk, travelers can discover the natural and cultural history of the reserve while observing a variety of marine and wildlife species.
The main accommodation for the Vlei to Whale experience is De Mond Villa, the newest addition to the De Hoop Collection, which manages tourist activities and accommodation within the reserve. Located on the edge of a Ramsar-listed wetland, this recently restored five-bedroom villa is a self-contained blend of authenticity, luxury and comfort. It also offers Wi-Fi, a private outdoor area with braai facilities (fire pit, etc.), a swimming pool and stunning views.
Opened in 2014, the four-bedroom Morukuru Ocean House is a fully self-contained property that relies on solar power and borehole water. Photo credit: Morukuru family
For those looking to take conservation to the next level, Morukuru Family’s Coastal Conservation with a Purpose package offers immersive sustainability activities. Guests can help remove invasive plants, learn about independent operations, and visit Two Oceans Aquarium's turtle rescue program. Starting in 2022, Morukuru will work with the aquarium to establish De Hoop as an official turtle release site. Travelers can also experience rehabilitation first-hand and assist with release. In addition to educational activities, these packages focus on immersing guests in the local ecology through guided fynbos walks, marine expeditions and whale watching.
For discerning travelers seeking a vacation with a purpose, the Purposeful Coastal Preservation add-on provides a meaningful way to engage with and support De Hoop’s legacy. Combining luxury accommodation and conservation activities, this package offers an impactful southern African escape.
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Morukuru follows a “low impact, high return” principle with strict building regulations. The four-bedroom Morukuru Ocean House opened in 2014, and the five-suite Morukuru Beach Lodge opened in 2018. Both fully self-contained buildings rely on solar power and borehole water. Local materials were used, including fynbos, which were removed from the surrounding area and replanted on the roof of the Ocean House. When designing Beach Lodge, the architects worked around protected milkwood trees that could not be cut down or damaged.
But beautiful scenery and remote accommodations aren't the only attractions at De Hoop. This January, the reserve unveiled the ‘Origins of Early Southern Sapiens Behavior’ exhibition, curated by Craig Foster, star of the Oscar-winning 2021 best documentary film ‘My Octopus Teacher’. Showcasing discoveries such as the Blombos Cave, which was inhabited by humans 100,000 years ago, the exhibition highlights the archaeological heritage of the reserve and its links to its ancient past. The exhibition, which will be managed and maintained by the De Hoop Collections team for an initial three years, is available free of charge to De Hoop guests. Same-day visitors must pay a $10 admission fee.
Whether travelers want sweeping coastal vistas, up-close encounters with wildlife, or the opportunity to explore the origins of humanity, De Hoop offers an impressive escape. Travelers will be immersed in this untamed landscape and understand why early humans chose to settle this diverse paradise over 100,000 years ago.
