21 things to do in Kleinmond in the Cape Overberg

​By Roxanne Reid
This patch of unspoilt Cape coastline draws lovers of the outdoors from all over South Africa, looking to get close to nature and enjoy activities like hiking, birding, whalewatching and river-rafting. Here’s my pick of some of the best things to do in Kleinmond in the Overberg.

​You’ll find Kleinmond about 110km southeast of Cape Town, a scenic 90-minute drive. The area has a past that includes shipwrecks, strandlopers, swashbuckling pirates, crafty cattle rustlers and even runaway slaves. Today, though, Kleinmond is a holiday destination on the Atlantic Ocean with lots to keep you busy for a week or more.

The town is also part of the world-famous Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, which is managed in line with international principles that combine conservation with sustainable use of natural resources and aim to stem rampant overdevelopment.

1. See wild horses at Rooisand Nature Reserve 

See if you can spot some of Rooisand Nature Reserve’s free-roaming horses among the wetlands or sandy dunes. You’ll find the reserve 5km east of Kleinmond, towards the Bot River Lagoon. Turn onto the dirt road and drive all the way to the end. Park and set out on foot along the boardwalk. You might only see tracks in the mud along the water’s edge, or you may spot the Kleinmond wild horses in the distance. These are South Africa’s only wild horses that live in a wetland.

There are some theories about how they got here. One is that after World War II British soldiers left their horses behind and the officers tasked with killing them didn’t have the heart so set them free instead. Another is that two farmers got locked in a dispute about whether the horses were included in the sale of land; the owner chased them off his land rather than surrender them to the new owner. Whichever is true, they have adapted very well to their environment.

South Africa’s has another population of wild horses at Kaapsehoop in Mpumalanga.

2. Go birdwatching at Rooisand 

Even if you don’t manage to get a glimpse of the wild horses, Rooisand is well worth a visit for its birdwatching if you remember to take your binos. From the boardwalk and bird hide you’ll be able to see flamingos, black-winged stilt, herons, ducks, sacred ibis and other water birds on the Bot River estuary. If it's bush birds you're looking for, Kogelberg Nature Reserve (see point 3) is the place to be.

3. Visit the Kogelberg Nature Reserve 

When you’re planning what to do in Kleinmond, don’t miss the Kogelberg Nature Reserve. Since 1998, it has been part of South Africa’s first UNESCO-recognised biosphere reserve. CapeNature is pretty proud of that, at least partly because it shows that people can live in harmony with nature. The biosphere reserve comprises 70 000ha of land and 30 000ha of marine reserve. Fondly called ‘the heart of the Cape floral kingdom’, it is home to nearly 1800 different plant species, 150 of them found nowhere else in the world. Activities in the nature reserve include hiking to enjoy its unique fynbos, birdwatching, kayaking, blackwater tubing and mountain biking. Look out for the rare strawberry rain frog, the endangered Cape platanna or even the micro frog in the estuaries and marshlands.

​4. Hike the Palmiet River Trail 

The Palmiet River Trail is one of the most popular hikes in the Kogelberg Nature Reserve (see point 3). The 10km (3-4 hour) trail follows the river where you can swim in some of the pools. Enjoy wonderful mountain and river scenery and colourful fynbos. Take your swimming gear, camera and binos to make the most of your spectacular surroundings. Don’t forget your sunscreen and plenty of drinking water.

​5. Go rafting or tubing on the Palmiet River
If water sports are your thing, you’ll be excited to know that there are river activities in the Kogelberg Nature Reserve (see point 3), depending on when you visit. You can go rafting from June to September with Gravity Adventures. For tubing, the months to visit are September to mid-January and April to June. At medium and high water levels, choose white water rafting in two-person inflatable ‘crocodiles’ or four-man rafts; at low levels experience an inflatable ‘geko’ to tackle small rapids or simply to drift along the water channels.  There are trips for all ages and skills levels and they're guided by experienced river rats. Book ahead.

9. Stroll the Cliff Walk 

You’ll love walking a few kilometres in the bracing sea air along the Cliff Walk at Kleinmond, which gives wonderful views over the rocks below and out to sea. It’s also a good place to look for whales between June and November (see point 14). You can access the path from a multitude of places including the beach, Beach Road and even the harbour.

7. See the crosses on Palmiet Beach
Walk up a small dune from Palmiet Beach in Kleinmond to see three wooden crosses commemorating the wreck of Norwegian ship, the Gustav Adolf, in 1902. The ship was on its way from Australia to Cape Town with a cargo of jarrah-wood logs for the South African Railways when it was wrecked here in an intense storm. The jarrah-wood crosses were erected in memory those who didn’t make it safely to shore.

8. Go canoeing on Kleinmond Lagoon 

Hire a canoe or kayak and paddle around the Kleinmond Lagoon, which is fed by the Palmiet River. Or travel further east and paddle along the Bot River Estuary for a chance to see some water birds like flamingos.

9. Swim at Kleinmond Beach​
​Swim at the blue flag Kleinmond Beach at the mouth of the Kleinmond Lagoon. Anglers can find some good spots along the rocks nearby while the rest of the family relaxes on the soft sand. Perhaps the most soulful activity is to walk on the beach at first light to enjoy the dawn colours over the sea and make the first footprints in the sand on the outgoing tide.

10. See DF Malberbe’s house on Beach Road 

If you have an interest in Afrikaans literature, you might want to walk past the beach house where DF Malherbe used to stay when he visited Kleinmond between the 1920s and his death in 1969. A fierce defender of Afrikaans language and culture, he wrote what pundits consider the first Afrikaans novel of artistic merit. Today the house is a guesthouse, but there’s a plaque on the garden fence commemorating the author who used to stay here.

11. Explore Harbour Road
The Harbour Road development on the western edge of Kleinmond comprises an interesting and attractive range of shops selling crafts, curios, restaurants and galleries above the harbour, so the sea views are good. The best way to explore is to park your car wherever you can find a spot and set out on foot.

12. Eat out at Kleinmond restaurants

The courtyard at Bistro 14

There are a number of Kleinmond restaurants and coffee shops where you can relax and soak up the chilled local atmosphere while resting between your adventures. Two popular restaurants on Harbour Road (see point 11) are KabelJoe’s for seafood (there’s a sea view from the top terrace too) and Bistro 14 in a pretty courtyard, where we’ve enjoyed bistro fare like salads and burgers.

13. Go shopping 

Vic’s Trading Co for secondhand furniture, books and bric a brac

There’s a wide variety of shops in Kleinmond that are perfect if you’re self catering, allowing you fulfill all your food and drink needs. You can even browse and shop for the more fun things in life. Two of my favourites are the Bee Things shop in Harbour Road (see point 11) for a delicious selection of honey and honey products, and Vic’s Trading Co at 175 Main Road for a collection of secondhand furniture, antiques, books and crafts that can keep you browsing for ages.

14. Go whalewatching
Kleinmond is part of the Cape Whale Coast, where southern right whales come to breed between June and November each year. The beach (see point 6) and Cliff Walk (see point 9) are great places from which to look for the aerial ‘blows’ that indicate the presence of these giants. You might even be lucky enough to see one of them breaching (lifting its whole body clear of the water), spyhopping (poking its head vertically out of the water) or lobtailing (beating the surface of the water with its flukes). Look out too for pods of dolphins all year round.

15. Ride a horse on the beach 

Feel the wind in your hair on a beach outride with Overstrand Equestrian Centre – perfect for beginners or advanced riders. Just remember to book ahead. These folk can also take you riding at Rooisand (see point 1) where you might be lucky enough to spot the legendary wild horses.

16. Go wine tasting 

The winetasting room at Iona

If you’re a wine lover, you’ll no doubt want to make the most of wine tasting opportunities at wine farms in the area. These include Benguela Cove on the Bot River Lagoon (10km away from Kleinmond), Rivendell (14km), Iona (8km), Almenkerk (14km) and Oneiric (12km). Get serious over a wine tasting to discover the diversity each estate offers, or simply order a bottle and while away a few hours in gorgeous surroundings. Some of the estates also have restaurants.

17. Stay over in Kleinmond accommodation 

Oudebosch eco-chalet, Kogelberg Nature Reserve

There’s a host of places to stay in the town, making it easy to spend a few days while you experience some of the activities in the area. My favourite Kleinmond accommodation is surrounded by nature inside the Kogelberg Nature Reserve (see point 3) – the lovely self-catering Oudebosch eco-cabins. Sadly, the fabulous Kleinmond Hotel burnt down in 2006 and was never rebuilt, but those looking for five-star accommodation might enjoy the Arabella Hotel (see point 18). For more modest budgets, there are lots of guesthouses, B&Bs and self-catering places as well as a popular campsite close to the beach.

18. Play a round of golf or visit a spa 
Book ahead to play 18 holes at Arabella Country Estate’s world-class golf course and you’ll be joining a list of celebs like Ernie Els and Gary Player who have played here. Just 13km east of Kleinmond, the estate also includes the five-star Arabella Hotel and spa, where you can spoil yourself with lunch, high tea or a relaxing massage or spa treatment after your game.

19. Picnic at Harold Porter Botanical Garden 

If you have an interest in plants, birds or hiking, don’t miss a visit to the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden in Betty’s Bay, 12km west of Kleinmond. Rich in coastal fynbos, it’s a festival of mountain slopes and gorges, with many restios, sedges and bulbs. Pack a picnic to enjoy on the lawns, buy fynbos plants at the nursery or hike along the trails to the waterfalls.

20. Go sand boarding
If sliding down high sand dunes sounds like your kind of fun, go sandboarding at Blesberg near Betty’s Bay. The dune is 230m high for those in search of an adrenalin rush, but of course you don’t need to start right at the top. It doesn’t matter if you sit or stand, as long as you have fun.

21. Visit the Stony Point penguins 

The Stony Point penguin colony near Betty’s Bay is one of only two shore-based breeding colonies of the African penguin in the country. (The other is at Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town, and you can read my post about it here.) Stony Point lies on the site of an old whaling station. A boardwalk takes you close to the penguins so you can watch their interactions. Just don’t be daft and get too close because they can inflict a painful bite if they feel threatened. Expect to spot lots of cormorants and gulls, maybe even a dassie or two.

​You may also enjoy
Kogelberg Nature Reserve: a botanical wonderland
Things to do in Botrivier in the Overberg
15 things to do in Hermanus on the Cape Whale Coast

Like it? Pin this image! 

Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from roxannereid.co.za