Cape town: Cape Town residents and visitors will have free access to selected city nature reserves over the Heritage Day weekend, providing an opportunity to explore the city's natural heritage and enjoy its spring landscape.
According to South African Government News Agency, the City of Cape Town said the free-entry offer will run from Thursday, 24 September to Sunday, 27 September 2026, covering Blaauwberg, Helderberg, Table Bay, and Tygerberg nature reserves, which usually charge entrance fees. Visitors can use the reserves for walking and hiking, birdwatching, and picnicking, while taking in the spring blooms and natural landscapes.
The city mentioned that the initiative forms part of its Heritage Month programme, aimed at encouraging residents to spend time outdoors and discover nature reserves they may not have visited before. Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment Alderman Eddie Andrews emphasized the significance of celebrating Cape Town's natural heritage, highlighting that these reserves protect landscapes and biodiversity while offering enjoyable outdoor experiences.
Andrews added that the city manages a network of nature reserves and conservation areas across Cape Town, many of which are ordinarily free to visit. These areas protect the city's biodiversity while providing spaces for walking, hiking, birdwatching, picnicking, and other nature-based activities.
Among the options available to visitors are exploring the coastline at Blaauwberg Nature Reserve, hiking at Tygerberg Nature Reserve, visiting the wetlands at Zandvlei, False Bay, or Table Bay nature reserves, or discovering Schapenberg Nature Reserve in Somerset West, one of the newer additions to the city's conservation network. Other city-managed reserves include Bothasig Fynbos, Botterblom, Bracken, Durbanville, Edith Stephens, Harmony Flats, Paardevlei, Steenbras, Uitkamp Wetland, Witzands Aquifer, and Wolfgat nature reserves.
The city stated that normal charges will continue to apply to other permitted recreational activities at the reserves, including water sports.
