Walker Bay · South Africa
Grootbos Private Nature Reserve
Suites in ancient milkwood forest above Walker Bay, with whales below in season
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Grootbos spreads across a large tract of coastal fynbos and ancient milkwood forest on the hills above Gansbaai, roughly two hours from Cape Town. Accommodation is split between Garden Lodge, which suits families, and the more adult-oriented Forest Lodge, with glass-fronted suites stepping down the slope towards Walker Bay.
The reserve is as much a conservation project as a hotel. Botanists on staff lead flower walks through one of the richest fynbos communities on earth, and the property's foundation runs long-running social and ecological programmes in the surrounding communities.
Activities lean marine: boat-based whale watching in season, cage diving with white sharks out of Gansbaai, and trips to the seal colony at Dyer Island. Horse riding, forest walking and 4x4 fynbos drives fill the rest. Most of these are included in the nightly rate.
At a glance
What to expect
- Private suite pools
- Spa
- Whale watching boat trips
- Fynbos and flower walks
- Horse riding
- Milkwood forest trails
- Conservation programmes
- Wi-Fi
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