A guide to Spring in the West Coast, South Africa
Here are some things to know
For this trip, you will need your own car so head over to the car rental section at the Airport and pick up your pre-booked vehicle. In South Africa, we drive on the left side of the road. It is safe to road trip through South Africa so no need to worry about that and all our accommodation recommendations will be in safe areas. The weather this time of the year can be a bit unpredictable, there can be some cold and rainy days and sunny days.
So, what do we have planned for our Spring trip through the West coast in South Africa? It is flower season and whale season this time of the year so you are in for a treat! We will be visiting 2 locations: West Coast National Park and Hermanus.
West Coast National Park
This is one of the most beautiful places in the Western Cape, with so much to offer. My recommendation would be to spend 2 nights here, enjoying the hiking trails, nature and
Where to stay
Activities
Hiking trails
There are 6 different hikes available in the park, you can also mountain bike if that is your preference. All the information for the hiking trails can be found on this PDF provided on West coast national park website.
Flower gazing
August and September are the months for flowers in the Western Cape. It is truly stunning to drive through the park and see beds of flowers everywhere. You can drive through the top section of the National Park, Postberg, which is only opened up to the public for the flower season. As you drive through, there is plenty of animals around to see like: Buck, Ostrich, and Zebras.
Eve's Footprint
Footprints of a women who lives 117 000 years ago were found in Kraalbaai in 1995. Although the original footprint is now in Iziko South African museum in Cape Town , you can view the replica in the visitors centre and be in the same place where the footprint was found.
Whale watching
Have a picnic by the beach and gaze at the ocean looking for whales. Spring is whale season and the park offers a few spots which are perfect try spot some whales.
Where to eat
If you are staying in the National park, you will need to bring your own food for the self catering accommodation. I would recommend stopping at a Woolworths or Checkers to pick up food supplies for self catering in Cape Town before you start your drive or stop in Langebaan.
Farm stalls:
Here are 2 great farm stall stops on the way to the national park to pick up a snack or a drinks on your way to the national park:
Restaurants:
Here are a few options for restaurants in Langebaan:
Hermanus
This is our second location for the trip, a small town on the West Coast and a perfect place to spot a whale, soak up the South African culture and enjoy the beach.
Hermanus is about a 3 hour drive from the West Coast National Park. You drive past Cape Town, which makes it a perfect opportunity to spot over for 2 nights to explore the bug city. You can check out my 2 Day guide to Cape Town in the link below.
Where to stay
Activities
Where to eat
Thanks for reading, I hope my guide helps! Have an amazing trip and welcome to the Western Cape ❤️
The home for unique & authentic travel
