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The Cape Recife Nature Reserve offers Marine Safari Excursions and Birding and Botanical Tours, allowing visitors to explore the marine wildlife and scenery of Cape Recife by vehicle, bike, or foot.
Best Activities in and Around Cape Recife Lighthouse
Activities around Cape Recife Lighthouse are just a taste of what the Eastern Cape offers. With its mild climate, renowned beauty, and natural biodiversity, the region is an outstanding destination rich with potential. Some 15 kilometres south of the pretty coastal city of Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), at the southern point of Algoa Bay, is the 366 ha (900 acre) Cape Recife Nature Reserve, proclaimed in 1973. Untouched and little-known, the Reserve is an extraordinarily beautiful and elemental stretch of wild coastal space.
√ Sweet indulgence
Treat yourself to the most delicious home-made cakes and coffees at Marize’s Cupcakes, housed in a unique setting – the engine room of the Cape Recife Lighthouse itself. Our latest taste adventure enhances the Gqeberha visitor experience with sweet treats, smoothies, milkshakes, quality coffee and more.
√ Historical discoveries
Gqeberha, and in particular Cape Recife, is steeped in historical significance. It is a little known fact that this strategic lookout point played a key role in protecting South Africa’s coastline during the second World War. The self-guided Roseate tern trail, suitable for all ages and fitness levels, leads to to the remnants of WW2 observation posts and barracks. Not only is the story behind these structures fascinating, the view across Algoa Bay is exceptional as well.
√ Cape Recife COASTAL MARINE SAFARIS
Three hour tours are open to day trippers and include either a delicious beach breakfast (morning), or an evening drive culminating in a sundowner stop with snacks and drinks from a magnificent viewpoint.
This unique destination is accessible through trips by vehicle on tracks behind the dune cordon and include stretches of walking on dunes, beach and rocks. The coastal safari is a perfect way for families to enjoy and appreciate a breathtaking part of South Africa’s coastline, in the company of whales, dolphins and so much more.
07h00 – 10h00
Morning Marine Safari including light breakfast snacks
R1500 per person.
15h00 – 18h30
Sunset Marine Safari including sundowners
R1500 per person.
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√ The Cape Recife Lighthouse Tour
We offer the possibility of a glimpse into another world with our tours of this fabulous piece of infrastructure.
Lighthouses encompass an aura of romance, danger and legend – oh the stories they could tell!
Be swept up in the drama, relive the history and feel the significance that this beacon has held for so many whose lives are spent on the ocean.
07h00 – 10h00
R100 per person.
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√ Cape Recife Coastal Birding Hikes
Keen bird watchers already know the avian specials that this coastline offers, with Cape Recife being regarded as one of Port Elizabeth’s/ Gqeberha’s prime birding spots.
Novices will be blown away by the diversity! Four bird categories are prevalent here: pelagic, coastal, bush and freshwater birds. Specials include the Roseate tern – after which a 9km trail is named.
Our great birding guides tailor birding walks, trips to the estuary and visits to bird hides and will do their utmost to help you find those lifers!
07h00 – 10h00
R1300 per person.
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√ Botanical Tours around Cape Recife
With the highly diverse flora native to this coastline, botanical tours are a sought-after speciality, and our well-trained gurus cannot wait to reveal to visitors the unique and miraculous plant life in this region.
Cape Recife Nature Reserve is part of a greater conservancy that protects globally important plants like St Francis dune fynbos, thicket mosaic vegetation, and endemic coastal fynbos. If you aren’t already a plant fundi – this tour will show you a new world of pleasure and nature appreciation.
07h00 – 10h00
R975 per person.
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