Free access to City nature reserves over Heritage weekend
21 September 2026
Cape Town residents are invited to explore the city’s natural heritage, with free entry to the City’s nature reserves from Thursday, 24 September to Sunday, 27 September 2026. Residents can walk and hike, enjoy some of the spring blooms, go birdwatching or make use of picnic areas for a family outing.
The Heritage Month offer provides an opportunity for residents and visitors to spend time outdoors, enjoy the spring landscape and discover a nature reserve they may not have visited before.
The free-entry offer applies to Blaauwberg; Helderberg; Table Bay and Tygerberg nature reserves which usually charge entrance fees.
In addition, the City manages a network of nature reserves and conservation areas across Cape Town that residents can ordinarily visit free of charge.
These areas protect Cape Town’s biodiversity while giving residents access to places for walking, hiking, birdwatching, picnicking and other nature-based activities.
‘This Heritage Month we want to celebrate Cape Town’s natural heritage. These reserves protect extraordinary landscapes and biodiversity, and they are also places that residents can experience and enjoy. We encourage Capetonians to use the Heritage Day weekend to visit their local nature reserve or discover one they have not explored before. Take a walk in nature, enjoy a family picnic, go birdwatching or simply spend some time outdoors,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
Residents could, for example, explore the coastline at Blaauwberg Nature Reserve; walk or hike at Tygerberg Nature Reserve; visit the wetlands at Zandvlei, False Bay or Table Bay nature reserves; or discover the Schapenberg Nature Reserve in Somerset West, one of the newest additions to the City’s conservation network.
Choose a City nature reserve to explore:
Blaauwberg Nature Reserve
Location: Eerste Steen Resort, Otto du Plessis Drive (M14), north of Bloubergstrand
Bothasig Fynbos Nature Reserve
Location: Border of Visserhof, Bosmansdam and Potsdam roads, Bothasig
Botterblom Nature Reserve
Location: Botterblom Road, Vierlanden, Durbanville
Bracken Nature Reserve
Location: 2 Reservoir Road, Brackenfell
Durbanville Nature Reserve
Location: Racecourse Road, Durbanville
Edith Stephens Nature Reserve
Location: Govan Mbeki Road, Philippi (off Jakes Gerwel Drive)
False Bay Nature Reserve
Location: Rondevlei Section: Corner of Perth Road and Fisherman’s Walk, Grassy Park / Zeekoevlei
Location: Zeekoevlei Section: 01 Shoreline Drive, Zeekoevlei
Harmony Flats Nature Reserve
Location: 11th Avenue, Strand
Helderberg Nature Reserve
Location: Verster Avenue, Somerset West
Paardevlei Nature Reserve
Location: De Beers Avenue, Paardevlei
Schapenberg Nature Reserve
Location: Romulus Street, Rome Glen, Somerset West
Steenbras Nature Reserve
Location: Faure Marine Drive (R44), about 9 km from Gordon's Bay
Table Bay Nature Reserve
Location: Main entrance is at the southern end of Grey Avenue, Table View (Rietvlei Section)
Tygerberg Nature Reserve
Location: Totius Street, Welgemoed
Uitkamp Wetland Nature Reserve
Location: Mosselbank Road, Durbanville
Witzands Aquifer Nature Reserve
Location: Atlantis Dunes, Dassenberg Drive (R307), Atlantis
Wolfgat Nature Reserve
Location: Baden Powell Drive, Mitchells Plain
Location: 5 Pyrenees Road, Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain (Wolfgat Multipurpose Environmental Education Centre)
Zandvlei Nature Reserve
Location: Coniston Avenue, Marina Da Gama, Steenberg
Please note that normal charges will still apply to other permitted recreational activities at the reserves such as water sports.
For more information about the City’s nature reserves, facilities and attractions, visit the City's website.