The famous Hermanus Cliff Path Walk

The Hermanus cliff path hugs the coastline and offers a 12km path for walkers and hikers alike. Start near the new harbour and enjoy a visual journey along the beautiful rugged coastline to Grotto beach, this path offers many benches to sit and watch the whales or to enjoy ocean views.

The entire cliff path is protected within the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, proclaimed in 2000, in a bid to protect the fragile ecosystem alongside Walker Bay.

This famous cliff path was Originally built by the Hermanus Botanical Society, but today this cliff path is looked after by a voluntary group of local residents, known as the Cliff Path Management Group.

If you park your car at The New Harbour side of the cliff path, you can walk the roughly 3 km towards Gearing's Point close to the town centre of Hermanus. On this route, you will pass famous spots like Rietfontein, Tamatiebank, Dreunklrans, Fick's Pool and Gearing's Pont.

In Whale Season (from June till December) you can spot whales along the cliff path, famous whale watching spots are Gearings Point, Old harbour, Roman Rock, Mickey, Kraal Rock, Silver's Point and down to the beaches of Kwaaiwater, Voëlklip and Grotto Beach.

Wheelchair friendly sections have been created wherever possible for the benefit of the disabled, elderly and infants in strollers and prams.

Notably, over 9 km in all are accessible to wheelchairs.  The areas are:

• the entire Westcliff and village seafront sections from the New Harbour to Protea Road
• Mollergren to Kwaaiwater
• Voëlklip to Grotto
• Hoy’s Koppie contour paths

Not only is Hermanus known as the best whale watching spot in the world, but this popular seaside town is also renowned for its Fynbos.  Visit the Fernkloof Nature Reserve Website for more information.

The Cliff Path attracts thousands of whale-watchers every year for the best shore-based whale-watching in the world; but not only whale-watching may be enjoyed on the Cliff Path – it is also a nature-lover’s paradise.