Agulhas National Park: everything you need to know

​By Roxanne Reid
Stand at the southernmost tip of Africa where two oceans meet, explore the Cape of Storms, see shipwrecks, a historic lighthouse and Khoi fish traps. Go hiking among colourful fynbos and birds, discover beaches, salt pans and farmland. Find out more in this guide to Agulhas National Park and everything you need to know before you plan your visit. 

​Despite what many people think, Cape Agulhas – and not Cape Point – is the southernmost point of Africa and where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet. Here, you’ll find Agulhas National Park where there’s a whole bunch of cool things to do – I’ve listed 20 of them further down.

Where is it?
Agulhas National Park is 210km south-east of Cape Town. The nearest towns are L’Agulhas 3-4km away and the fishing village of Struisbaai 5km away. From the park it’s 36km to Bredasdorp and about 115km to Swellendam.

Sunrise near Cape Agulhas lighthouse

​Getting around
A network of tarred and gravel roads connects the rest camps, monuments and salt pans in the park, but you won’t need a 4x4 for any of them, although a high clearance vehicle is not a bad idea for getting to the farmland cottages (see Agulhas accommodation at the end of this post).

Best time to visit
The park has a Mediterranean climate so summers are hot and dry while some 400-600mm of rain falls mostly between May and October. Temperatures in summer are usually in the low to mid-20s Celsius, while they can fall as low as 7 degrees in winter. Sea temperatures are around 21 degrees Celsius in summer and 14 in winter. South-easterly summer winds have the advantage of cooling things down, but can be tiring when they continue for days on end, as they can along the coast here.

A boardwalk connects the lighthouse and the monument at the southern tip of Africa

Facilities
There are no facilities like shops, restaurants, banks or fuel stations inside the park, but you can find all these in the towns of L’Agulhas and Struisbaai virtually on the park’s doorstep, or at Bredasdorp a 36km drive away. For Agulhas National Park accommodation options and how to book, scroll to the end of this post.

Things to do in Agulhas National Park

​1. Climb to the top of the lighthouse 

Cape Agulhas lighthouse was built in 1848 from locally quarried limestone and is the second oldest in Southern Africa. The three-towered design was based on the ancient Pharos of Alexandria in Egypt, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Climb the 71 steps to the top to take in the views from the tower. There’s also a small museum at ground level, which gives some info about lighthouses along the South African coast, the architectural inspiration and history of the Agulhas lighthouse, and displays a couple of old lanterns. There’s a small fee to enter the museum.
Read more about the lighthouse

2. Stand on the tip of Africa 

The GPS co-ordinates of 34° 49’ 58" south and 20° 00’ 12’’ east is where you’ll find a stone cairn that marks both the southernmost tip of Africa and the place where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. It’s a popular place for photos, often with your one foot on the Atlantic side, your other on the Indian side. There’s a boardwalk to a huge Map of Africa sculpture that was unveiled in 2019. The circular area has the continent of Africa as its centrepiece. Geographical elements like Table Mountain, Kilimanjaro, Victoria Falls and the Nile River are presented in relief. Four steel sheets mark the points of the compass.

3. Travel back in time
The Agulhas area has a rich cultural heritage, and archaeologists have unearthed stone hearths, pottery and shell middens of ancient KhoiSan hunter-gatherer settlements. When the tide goes out, it reveals cleverly built Stone Age Khoi tidal fish traps. They are made by constructing dams across shallow gullies to strand the fish as the tide goes out. If you want to see them up close, some of the most accessible are about 1.5 km from the starting point of the Rasperpunt Trail (see point 5 below). Plan your walk for low tide.

4. Explore a ship’s graveyard ​

There have been about 250 shipwrecks in this area over the centuries. The Meisho Maru wreck of 1982 near the southernmost point monument is what’s left of a Japanese tuna ship that went aground in 1982, when all 17 crew members swam safely to shore. It’s probably the most obvious of the wrecks, but others like the early 19th century Arniston and Birkenhead lie all along this dangerous coastline. (For more about shipwrecks, visit the Shipwreck Museum in Bredasdorp – see point 5 in ‘Other things to do in the area outside the park’ below.)

5. Go hiking
There are two trails inside the park.
The Two Oceans Trail is a 10.5km circular trail with shorter options of 3km or 4.5km. Its name is inspired by a viewpoint at the top of the Sandberg, from where you can see both the Atlantic and Indian oceans. It’s generally a fairly flat trail through indigenous fynbos, with just one section where you need to climb but the view from the top is worth the effort. The trail starts at the Agulhas Rest Camp. Get a map and info brochure from the park’s reception office opposite the lighthouse. The brochure details points of interest, such as the remains of a Late Stone Age Khoi shellfish kitchen, various fynbos species and viewpoints. Don’t forget to pile on the sunscreen and take a hat, sunglasses and lots of drinking water as there’s none along the trail.​ ​

The Rasperpunt Trail is a 5.5km circular trail that starts and ends near the Meisho Maru shipwreck. The route takes you over sand, stones and steep inclines so you need to be fairly fit. Get an info brochure with a map of the trail from the park’s reception office on your right before you get to the lighthouse. It highlights points of interest, such as well-preserved Stone Age Khoi fish traps that you can see at low tide, some interesting fynbos plants, a Khoi shell midden and points where it’s worth stopping to enjoy the view. Use insect repellant to foil ticks and stinging flies in summer, and bring lots of drinking water. Don’t forget a hat and sunscreen too.

6. Go bird watching
If you’re a keen birder, you’ll love the Agulhas National Park and its surrounding areas. Look for the Cape sugarbird and sunbirds in the coastal fynbos, Damara terns along the Struisbaai boardwalk, Hottentot buttonquail in patches of renosterveld, as well as Denham’s bustard and blue crane on open grassland. For water birds like flamingos, visit Springfield salt pan (see point 7 below). Raptors in the area include lanner falcon, African marsh-harrier, martial eagle, African fish-eagle and jackal buzzard.

7. Explore the wetlands and salt pans ​

A variety of wetlands in the area means a diversity of wetland plants, birds and aquatic invertebrates. You might find the Cape platanna and the micro frog, as well as thousands of water birds like the African black oystercatcher. Salt was extracted at the Springfield pan from the early 1900s until about 1950 and you can still see the remains of the concentration and crystallisation ponds, as well as the old factory. The pans host hundreds of greater and lesser flamingo each year, as well as waders like chestnut-banded plover, little stint and curlew sandpiper.

8. Look for wildlife
The Agulhas Plain isn’t most famous for its land animals, but you might spot the Cape grysbok or other small creatures like mongoose, shrews or hares along your walks. Other mammals in the area include porcupine, genet and otter. Marine wildlife includes whales, dolphins and seals (see point 9 below).

9. Go whale watching
Look out for southern right whales spy-hopping, breaching or lobtailing in the ocean if you visit between July and November, when they visit these waters to breed. You may spot Cape fur seals, dolphins and porpoises at any time of year.

10. Smell the flowers ​

The Agulhas area is home to an abundance of limestone fynbos species. Most of them bloom from May to September, though there are at least some flowers at any time of year. The species diversity here is said to equal that of tropical rain forests, with some 2000 species of plants, including proteas, leucodendrons, watsonias and restios. About 100 plants are endemic (confined to this area) and 110 are threatened Red Data Book species.

Other things to do in the area outside the park

​1. Explore the Cape Agulhas Wine Route 
Sprawling between Gansbaai and l’Agulhas, the Cape Agulhas wine route is South Africa’s most southerly wine route. Go wine tasting at some of the wine farms in the area and maybe buy a few bottles to take home. Try Lomond Wine Estate on the Agulhas Plain 8km from Gansbaai, The Berrio or Black Oystercatcher off the R43 between Elim and Bredasdorp, or Strandveld Vineyards on the R317. Do check their tasting hours before you go. Some of the wine farms offer walking and mountain biking trails too.

2. Visit Struisbaai ​

Just 5km from the entrance to Agulhas National Park is the fishing village of Struisbaai with its long coastline and white sand beaches perfect for early morning or late afternoon walks. One of the most popular things to do in Struisbaai is to visit the jetty to see the fishing boats and perhaps spot a stingray in the shallow blue waters. There’s safe swimming at the beach. There are a couple of little coffee shops and restaurants for when you get hungry.

3. Go fishing
Another one of the things to do in Struisbaai is to get a fishing permit at the Struisbaai post office and enjoy a day of fishing from the rocks or the jetty. Bring lots of drinking water, a hat and sunscreen. Deep-sea fishing is also a possibility from one of the boats anchored at Struisbaai.

4. Discover art and history at Hotagtersklip ​

Just outside the village of Struisbaai is Hotagterklip, part of an old fishing village founded in the mid 1800s. Explore the thatched and whitewashed fisherman’s cottages, all national monuments. Cross the road to chat to Thapelo from Matatiele in the Eastern Cape, who will be busy making or painting plaster of Paris models of the nearby Agulhas lighthouse or typical Hotagterklip houses. These, he told us, are much in demand with tourists, especially foreigners, who buy them as reminders of their trip to the Strandveld. He’ll take commissions for custom designs as well, email thapelo2@gmail.com.

5. Get moving
There are plenty of things to do in Struisbaai and the L’Agulhas area that will get you moving and give you a bit of a workout. These include kayaking, mountain biking and horse riding on the beach at Struisbaai. Or walk the 4km Spookdraai (Ghost Corner) Trail that starts in L’Agulhas and lets you explore fynbos, birdlife and historical points of interest along the coastline. As always, take a hat, sunscreen and drinking water. Get an info brochure and map of the trail for a small fee from the info centre at the Caltex Fuel Station on the main road in Struisbaai. This is also the place to ask about other activities like kayaking, etc; tel 028 436-6700.
Read more about the ghosts of the area

6. Enjoy a day on the beach
Spend a day on the beach at Struisbaai or L'Agulhas beach, swim in the shallows or explore the rock pools to see what marine animals are lurking there.

7. Visit the Shipwreck Museum 

The whole Agulhas area is known as the Cape of Storms and the Ships’ Graveyard. To get a deeper understanding of the wrecks that litter the coastline here – and learn about some 250 ships and 2 500 people lost in its waters over the centuries – don’t miss a visit to the small Shipwreck Museum in Bredasdorp about 36km from L’Agulhas. It’s the only shipwreck museum in South Africa.
Read more about the Shipwreck Museum

8. Visit a Moravian mission village ​

Visit the peaceful village of Elim about 45km from the park. Established in 1824 as a Moravian mission village, it has colourful 19th century thatched cottages lining the main road. See the church with its working clock tower, explore the old water mill and church werf. Elim is the only place in South Africa with a monument celebrating the abolition of slavery in 1834.

9. Go shark cage diving or boat-based whale watching
Gansbaai some 88km north-west of the park is home to Fair Trade Tourism-certified companies like Marine Dynamics and Dyer Island Cruises, which offer responsible whale and shark experiences. They don’t get too close for the animals’ comfort and actively contribute to research and conservation of whales, great white sharks and African penguins. The best months for seeing southern right whales are June to November, though Bryde’s and humpback whales are around all year.
Read about other things to do in and around Gansbaai

10. Explore De Hoop Nature Reserve ​

The De Hoop Nature and Marine Reserve is about 85km north-east of Agulhas National Park, a good place for a day trip or dedicated visit. There’s lots of wildlife and birds, as well as whale watching between July and November. Perhaps my favourite thing to do here is a guided marine walk to discover fascinating creatures that inhabit the rock pools at low tide. I’d suggest you book ahead with Cape Nature, reservation.alert@capenature.co.za or phone 087 087-8250; if that’s engaged try the park direct, tel 028 542-1114.
Read about other things to do at De Hoop

Agulhas National Park accommodation

​Agulhas Rest Camp 

This Cape Agulhas accommodation is just over 10km from the Cape Agulhas lighthouse. The wooden, thatched roof chalets are lovely, with decks that look out onto fynbos and the sea – a great place to have a late afternoon braai when it’s not windy (though luckily there’s a sheltered braai area at the back as well). You’ll find two- to four-bed units with en suite bathrooms, an open plan sitting area and kitchen that’s well equipped and has both a two-plate hob and microwave. There’s a closed fireplace with chimney in the sitting room that’s perfect for cold winters. You can buy wood from the office (and charcoal for the closed braai on the deck) from the reception office.

The chalets nestle among fynbos-covered dunes a hop, skip and jump from the sea and are my favourite Agulhas National Park accommodation. Perched on stilts for minimum impact on the dunes, their elevated position allows you to experience the various faces of the park – either howling with wind, or clear and still with the only sounds being the rhythm of the waves and the call of birds.

Lagoon House ​

This historic house in the greater Agulhas Rest Camp area hunkers down on the rocks very near the sea. The original part goes back to 1898 but has been carefully restored.  There are four bedrooms, two with separate external entrances and their own en suite bathrooms. The other two in the house share a bathroom. There’s also a living room and well equipped kitchen with everything you need to self cater for a few days; just bring your food and drink. Lagoon House makes a wonderful place for a get-together of family or friends and its best feature is the 270-degree view of the sea from the house.

Rietfontein Guest Cottages
If you’re looking for something different from the seaside Agulhas Rest Camp (see above), consider booking at Rietfontein, an 18th century Strandveld farm. Fire destroyed the historic homestead called Langhuis (or long house) in 2003, but it has been rebuilt. There are four two-bed units, each with kitchen (gas fridge, geyser and two-plate gas stove), toilet and shower. Lighting is solar. You can hire the units separately or all together for an eight-person self-catering getaway into the Agulhas farmlands.

Book in and get your key at the main park reception near the Cape Agulhas lighthouse. From there it’s about 63km to Rietfontein, including 40km on gravel – it’s best to have a 4x4 or high-clearance vehicle. Travel time will be slow once you hit the gravel so allow at least an hour for the trip after booking in.

Rhenosterkop Rest Camp 

The name of the Rhenosterkop cottages originates from the skull of a black rhino found in this area many years ago. Choose from two-bed or four-bed cottages, both with small kitchen, toilet and shower. There’s no electricity, but solar panels for lights and gas for cooking, the fridge and geyser. Each self-catering cottage has a small shade tree so you can be cool while you sit around the braai fire at lunchtime. The thick walls and thatch roofs of the cottages also make good insulation in hot weather.

About 31km from the Cape Agulhas lighthouse, Rhenosterkop’s cottages lie on one of the oldest farms in the Strandveld and they are national monuments. The oldest buildings date back to the mid-18th century but have been carefully restored for use farm-style modern as guest cottages. The last 18km of road is gravel and although you don’t need a 4x4, high clearance would be a good idea when it gets wet from June to August. Book in and get a gate key from the main park reception office opposite the lighthouse; from there it should take about another 45 minutes to get to your cottage.
Read more about Rhenosterkop

Bergplaas Guest House
Bergplaas in the foothills of Soetanysberg was a stock post in the 1860s but the first house was only built in the 1950s. Fire destroyed it in 1979, after which it was rebuilt to be more modern, with views of the surrounding countryside and a relaxed country vibe. It has five bedrooms, four of them with an en suite bathroom. There’s also a large living room with easy chairs and a ten-seater dining table, and a kitchen well equipped for self catering.

Bergplaas lies 36km from the park reception office opposite the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, where you need to book in. The last 26km are gravel. Although you don’t need a 4x4, high clearance would be a good idea from June to August when it gets wet. Leave plenty of time – about an hour – to get there from where you book in.

Camping
There is no campsite inside the park, but if you really love to camp you can try the campsites at L’Agulhas or Struisbaai nearby. Just understand that you won’t be surrounded by nature because both are in small towns 3-5km away from the park.

Need to know
SANParks central reservations (for rates and bookings)
Tel +27 (0) 12 428-9111
Email reservations@sanparks.org
https://www.sanparks.org

Agulhas National Park
Tel +27 (0) 28 435 6078
https://www.sanparks.org/parks/agulhas/

You may also enjoy
17 things to do in Hermanus on the Cape Whale Coast
17 things to do in Stanford in the Overberg
Why to visit the Moravian mission village of Elim, Western Cape
20 things to do in Malgas in the Overberg
​
Like it? Pin this image! 

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