Robberg Nature Reserve, Nature reserve near Plettenberg Bay, South Africa
Robberg Nature Reserve is a protected area on a long peninsula near Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route in South Africa. The peninsula is made up of old rocks, cliffs, sand dunes, and a coastline where land meets the open ocean.
Nelson Bay Cave, on the eastern side of the Robberg peninsula, has yielded Middle and Later Stone Age artefacts, including stone tools and shell midden, showing repeated occupation of the coast. The cave also records the drowning of the former land bridge to the Robberg peninsula as sea levels rose after the last ice age.
The reserve has three trails of different lengths, all starting from the same entry point near the parking area. It is best to go early in the day, as the wind can pick up and the sun on the open terrain is strong; bring sturdy shoes and enough water.
The peninsula's rocks are about 120 million years old, among the oldest formations on this coast. Offshore lies a seal colony, and the sharks seen from the cliffs are drawn by it. The reserve is also a South African National Parks site, and the name Robberg means 'seal mountain'.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,677 contributors worldwide.
