Robberg Nature Reserve

What Robberg is

Robberg Nature Reserve is a rocky peninsula eight kilometres south of Plettenberg Bay, managed by CapeNature. It is part of a World Heritage Site and its waters are a Marine Protected Area reaching 1.8 kilometres offshore. People come for the cliff-top hiking, the views of the bay, and the Cape fur seal colony below the trail.

The rocks are about 120 million years old and date from the break-up of Gondwana. Caves on the peninsula hold Middle and Later Stone Age remains, and there is an interpretive centre at Nelson Bay Cave.

The three hiking circuits

All three start at the car park. Most people walk them clockwise, which puts the seal colony in the first half and the wilder southern shore in the second.

Seeing the seals from the trail

On the Witsand and Point circuits the path runs along the cliff directly above the colony. Bring binoculars. From up here you see the whole raft of seals in the water as well as the ones on the rocks, and in clear water you can sometimes watch sharks and rays pass below.

What you cannot do from the trail is see a seal’s face. For that, come round by sea on a seal viewing trip or get in the water on a seal swim. A morning boat trip and an afternoon hike is a full Robberg day.

Fees and opening hours

CapeNature lists the day conservation fee as R75 per adult and R55 per child aged 4 to 17, paid at the gate. Wild Cards are accepted.

The gate opens at 07:00. The seasonal listing gives 07:00 to 18:00 with no entry after 17:00. Start the Point circuit before midday so you are not racing the light.

Fees and hours as listed by CapeNature on 10 October 2026. They change from time to time, so check the reserve page before you go.

Wildlife to look for

• Cape fur seals below the northern cliffs, all year.
• Southern right whales from the cliffs, June to November. Humpbacks pass on migration too.
• Dolphins in the bay on most days.
• Blue duiker, the Western Cape’s smallest antelope.
• Seabirds: a kelp gull nursery, and gannets, cormorants and terns at the Point.

What to bring and when to go

• Closed shoes with grip. The rock is slippery when wet.
• At least a litre of water per person. There is none on the trail.
• Sun protection and a windproof layer. The peninsula is exposed.
• Cash or card for the conservation fee, or your Wild Card.

Go early. The car park is small and fills on summer mornings, and the light on the northern cliffs is best before ten. Check the tide if you plan to cross to The Island.

Getting there

From Plettenberg Bay, take Robberg Road towards the airport for about four kilometres, then turn left at the Robberg sign and follow the road to the reserve gate. It is about eight kilometres from the centre of town. It is a 15 minute drive from Central Beach, where the seal boats launch.

Sources

• CapeNature: Robberg Nature Reserve
• Huisamen et al. 2011, Recolonisation of the Robberg Peninsula by Cape fur seals

Last checked 10 October 2026.