Gansbaai Sights: Klipgat, Cliffs, Lighthouse
Walker Bay Nature Reserve and Klipgat Cave
The CapeNature reserve at De Kelders is the best-known sight on this stretch of coast. Gates are open from 07:00 to 19:00, and the reserve has gates at De Kelders, Uilkraalsmond and Stanford. The De Kelders gate is the one for Klipgat Cave. Day access is from R70 for an adult and R50 for a child aged 4 to 17. Since 2 February 2026 payment is cashless, so pay by card or mobile payment, or pre-book on capenature.co.za, because the gate does not take cash.
Klipgat Cave has two chambers and is reached by a boardwalk with some rock-hopping, so wear shoes with grip. People lived here in the Middle Stone Age, with estimates from about 65,000 to 85,000 years ago, and a later layer from Khoe herders is 1,600 to 2,000 years old. Estimates for the older layer vary between sources.
The De Kelders Cliff Path
The cliff path above the village is free. From roughly June to November, southern right whales come close to the cliffs, and some operators say they stay into December. Walker Bay Nature Reserve reports offshore sightings from about August to November. Bring binoculars and be patient, because whales are not on a timetable.
Danger Point Lighthouse
The lighthouse was built in 1895 and is an 18 m octagonal tower with 99 steps. It is open only on scheduled open days or weekends, not on a standing weekday timetable. Recent open days ran from 10:00 to 14:45. Entry is R20 for adults aged 18 and over, R10 for ages 10 to 17 and free for under 10s, with donations welcome and payment by cash or EFT. Call Gansbaai Tourism on 072 291 5564 to confirm a date before you drive out.
Danger Point is also where HMS Birkenhead struck Birkenhead Rock on 26 February 1852. More than 400 people lost their lives in the sinking. It is a sombre place, and the reefs and rips off Danger Point are dangerous today, so stay back from the rocks.
Dyer Island and Geyser Rock
From Kleinbaai you can see both islands, about 8 km offshore, only from a licensed boat. They are provincial nature reserves with no public landing. Geyser Rock holds tens of thousands of seals, and the channel between the islands is Shark Alley.
Cape Agulhas
Cape Agulhas is about 110 km and 2 hours from Gansbaai by sealed road. The 1848 lighthouse stands in a precinct that reopened in April 2026. Check the fee and opening hours with SANParks before you go. The gravel route through Elim is slower, so use the sealed road if time is short.
Read more: Gansbaai walking tours for coastal trails, or day trips for places further out.
See the official CapeNature Walker Bay page and the lighthouse open-days notice , and compare local tours on GetYourGuide .