Hike Gansbaai harbour to Klipgat cave

A beautiful and fairly easy trail to do while in the Gansbaai area is the 7.7 km Gansbaai Harbour to Klipgat route. It starts from the Gansbaai harbour which is home to the local fishing fleet with its canning factory. 

It starts with a relatively easy and wide path, with the rocky shoreline on the left. Many bird species can be found here like cormorants, gulls, Oyster Catchers. Also look out for dassies or hydrax.

The trail passes through limestone-rock vegetation and past several larger and smaller caves and coves. Bridges have been built for ease over the many gullies. The trail boasts rock pools, stunning ocean views and the rare fynbos of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest of the worlds six floral kingdoms.

The name De Kelders means “the caves” and describes the many limestone caves along the Walker Bay coast. A stop at just over half way at Coffee on the Rocks to enjoy spectacular views and some refreshments is also recommended.

Along the way, you will pass a circular stone wall, protecting a deep hole formed by the collapse of the cave ceiling. Look down and you will see the waves rolling in and out. Cool air coming out of the hole can also be felt. A fresh water fountain surfaces on the beach below the cave. 

At the end of the trail you find the best known of the caves, Klipgat, which was named for its remarkable window-like openings that offer spectacular views of the bay and sea

Klipgat Cave was home to humans some 70 000 years ago. Klipgat Cave is an archaeological site of world importance and experts believe that it would qualify as a World Heritage Site. Excavations have discovered Stone Age artefacts, tools and human teeth, which give clues to the ways our early ancestors lived and worked.

The archaeological excavation of Klipgat Cave has come to an end for the time being, but plans that will enable the public to visit the cave are still underway