Callum Evans
Tokai, Western Cape
IG: @callumswildlifephotography
• Table Mountain, West Coast & Garden Route national parks sanparks.org.za • Stony Point, Kogelberg, Grootvadersbosch & Cederberg
capenature.coza
It always amazes me that you can find such a range of landscapes and biodiversity in an area as small as the Cape Peninsula. That’s why Table Mountain National Park is my favourite place in the province. I’ve hiked up Skeleton Gorge to look for orchids on top of the mountain, and I’ve done the Cape of Good Hope Hiking Trail which is completely out of sight of the city. I’ve photographed the critically endangered Table Mountain ghost frog and had special encounters with baboons, klipspringer and even an otter.
And that’s just on land! The marine protected areas surrounding the Cape Peninsula support kelp forests teeming with life. If you’re a scuba-diver or snorkeller, there are some fantastic dive sites to explore, like Duiker Island, Windmill Beach, Miller’s Point and Castle Rock, where I’ve seen pyjama sharks, short-tailed stingrays, spotted gully sharks, Cape fur seals and octopus.
Further up the coast, there’s always something special to see in the West Coast National Park – I saw my first caracal there… Not only do the spring flowers blow you away every time, but huge flocks of flamingos, avocets and other wading birds crowd the lagoon and make visiting the bird hides worthwhile.
In the Garden Route National Park, I enjoy hiking in the Wilderness and Nature’s Valley sections to search for rare forest birds like white-starred robin, lemon dove and the nearmystical narina trogon. The wetlands in Wilderness and Sedgefield are full of waterbirds, and I’ve seen enormous pods of dolphins surfing the waves just offshore.
The Cape’s smaller reserves can hold just as much magic as the national parks. Stony Point Nature Reserve in Betty’s Bay has a huge breeding colony of African penguins. Near Betty’s, Kogelberg Nature Reserve is one of my favourite places to go hiking, especially along the Palmiet River.
Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve (between Swellendam and Riversdale) is a perfect place to camp, and I love the hiking trails that take you deep into the indigenous forest.
Then there’s the Cederberg Wilderness Area, which fills me with wonder every time I go there. It feels like it would be so easy to get lost in the mountains. I’ve hiked up the Wolfberg Arch and watched Verreaux’s eagles soaring over the cliffs. A special moment was when I saw leopard tracks – a reminder that the Western Cape is still a very wild place.