Fernkloof Nature Reserve, Nature reserve in Western Cape, South Africa

Fernkloof Nature Reserve covers 1,800 hectares of the Kleinrivier Mountains above Hermanus, from sea level up to 842 metres. It protects several types of fynbos, the shrub vegetation of the Cape Floral Kingdom, and holds a botanical garden with a sample of local fynbos species plus several well-marked trails.

Fernkloof was proclaimed a nature reserve in 1957, protecting mountain fynbos on the slopes of the Kleinrivier Mountains above Hermanus. The reserve has since been enlarged to about 1,800 hectares, and its plant list now records 1,474 species of plants and animals, including 24 endemic plants.

The reserve protects several types of fynbos, the shrubland of the Cape Floral Kingdom. Its botanical garden shows a sample of these plants, and the protea and erica (heath) genera are especially diverse. Nectar-feeding birds such as Promerops cafer, endemic to southern Africa, visit the proteas and leucadendrons.

The reserve has a wide network of trails in varying difficulty levels, from easy to challenging routes. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes and be prepared for changing weather, as mountain conditions can shift quickly.

The park holds a striking concentration of plant species from the Cape Floral Kingdom in a relatively compact area. This makes it a place where rare and local species grow close together in a small space.