The Whale Trail – a 55km, multi-day hiking trail stretching along the coastline of the Western Cape’s De Hoop Nature Reserve – has undergone a facelift in time for the start of peak whale watching season.
Provincial conservation authority CapeNature embarked on various upgrades as part of a short to medium-term strategy developed in response to visitor concerns about poor maintenance.
The trail was closed for 10 days to allow for repainting of overnight huts, bathroom upgrades and structural reinforcements of various visitor facilities.
CapeNature has additionally appointed the original engineers of the trail’s water reticulation system to design a more efficient and robust system for uninterrupted water supply to facilities.
“These comprehensive upgrades have helped futureproof the Whale Trail’s infrastructure and elevate the overall visitor experience,” Cape Nature said in a statement.
The authority is also taking action on the spread of alien invasive plant species through the use of biological control agents.
A two-month closure for more extensive upgrades is planned in May 2026.
CapeNature pointed out that the Whale Trail is one of the provincial authority’s flagship tourist attractions with around 60 hikers on the trail at any given time. Stretching across various coastal marine habitats in the De Hoop Marine Protected Area, the trail is particularly renowned for land-based whale watching from June to November.
