West Coast National Park

Exciting outdoor activities on golden beaches, turquoise stretches of warm water, cool picnic spots near scenic rock pools, vibrant wildflower fields, and majestic whales… does this sound like a dream? Spot on! The West Coast National Park spreads over 360 square kilometres with the Atlantic Ocean as its western boundary over a length of 30 kilometres. The azure waters of the Langebaan Lagoon in the north are the perfect spot for all your watersports, while scenic trails and landscapes await you inland. And all this, at just 1,5 hours from Cape Town!

Whales and flowers

Imagine standing on a field full of thousand-coloured wildflowers, while watching out over the ocean where gigantic whales breach the water and flap their tails. From August until early October, West Coast National Park is THE spot to be in the middle of this miracle of nature, as southern right and humpback whales pass by, while on land wildflowers bloom into vibrant patchworks. A unique spectacle that you might not find anywhere else on this planet…!  

Flying, walking and swimming animals!

It’s true that you won’t see the Big Five in this national park, but that lack is amply compensated by the chance to see the above-mentioned giants of the ocean. Together with playful dolphins and sea lions they truly give you something to look out for.

And even land-based game drives are far from boring, as you can spot anything from reptile species to the twisted horned eland, and from tiny duikers to majestic mountain zebras. Besides,  smaller predators like the African wildcat, the caracal, and the bat-eared fox might show their noses. And pay attention when on the road, because angular tortoises are often seen crossing! 

Bird lovers are not forgotten either, with four hides and plenty of hotspots inviting you to admire more than 250 species of birds, including curlew sandpipers, sanderlings, flamingos, ostriches and black harriers.

A plethora of outdoor activities

And West Coast National Park gives more than just a feast for the eyes, as this is a place where you can get out of the car and be active! The Langebaan Lagoon is well-known for its crosswinds, making it the perfect place to windsurf, wakeboard, waterski, kayak and kitesurf. And if watersports are not your thing, you can also stroll along pristine beaches, organise a picnic in one of many scenic spots, or hike, cycle or mountain bike through the park’s breathtaking landscapes.

Eve’s footprint

For an insight into the cultural and architectural history, visit the Geelbek Information Centre. This beautifully restored Cape Dutch building contains a wide range of information and photographs of the fauna and flora of the park, as well as a replica of Eve’s footprints, engraved in cemented sand. These three footprints are said to have belonged to a young woman who lived 117,000 years ago. If you enjoy walking, you can even go on a wonderful scenic two-and-a-half-day hike of 30 kilometres to where Eve’s footprints were found a few decades ago. 

Activities

• Hiking/trail walking
• Cycling/mountain biking
• Watersports (kite-surfing, waterskiing, SUPing, snorkelling, kayaking, swimming, fishing, angling and boating)
• Sailing
• Organising a braai = barbeque picnic
• Hiking on Eve’s footprint trail
• Visiting Geelbek visitor’s centre
• Birdwatching
• Game drive

How to get there

By car: The park’s entrance is 100 kilometres and a 1.5-hour drive from Cape Town.
By plane: The closest airport is Cape Town International Airport.

Climate

The West Coast National Park is located in a semi-arid, Mediterranean climate. It is quite mild, with no extremes but you can experience strong seasonal winds. Most of the rainfall occurs during the winter months, from May to August. In terms of temperature, summers (from November to February) can warm up to 25 to 30°C, whereas the temperature of the coldest months June, July and August, drops to 7 to 12°C.

The best time to visit

Without a doubt: August and September! That way, you will be right on time for the whale’s appointment with the flowers. But don’t worry if you come in other months – this park is great to visit at any time of the year, with plenty of activities, animals and beautiful scenery.