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✧ WILD HORSES • LAGOON LIFE • WHALE WATCHING • NATURE & WILDLIFE • WINE EXPERIENCES • ADVENTURES • OUR PICKS ✧
Fisherhaven · Hermanus · Overberg
Our Picks — Things to Do from MBIZI
The personal recommendations of the MBIZI lagoon house owners: the excursions, spots and experiences we love most in this extraordinary corner of the Overberg.
This is not a tourist brochure. It is the list we genuinely give to guests when they ask us what to do, where to go, and what not to miss. Some of these places are famous. Some you will only find if someone tells you about them. All of them have one thing in common: we keep going back.
We have divided them into three groups — what is right here at your doorstep, what is a short drive away in and around Hermanus, and what is worth a full day on the road.
Angela & Christian
At Your Doorstep
The things we love most about MBIZI require no car at all. Step outside — and the Overberg begins.
WILDLIFE · FREE
The Wild Horses at Dawn
Set an alarm for first light. The wild horses of Kleinrivier Lagoon often appear at the water's edge in the early morning — sometimes within metres of the garden gate. There is nothing quite like watching a herd of horses wade into a lagoon as the sun rises over the mountains. No guide required. Just patience and quiet. Tipp: Early morning is best. They tend to move away from the lagoon as the day warms up. We have seen them from the pool terrace with coffee in hand.
ACTIVE · 5 MIN DRIVE
Kayak the Kleinrivier Lagoon
Paddling on the lagoon is one of those experiences that feels completely different from looking at it. The water is calm, the birdlife is extraordinary, and the reflections of the Overberg mountains make every paddle stroke feel worthwhile. Walker Bay Adventures runs guided sea kayak trips from the Hermanus Old Harbour, but the lagoon itself is one of the finest paddles in the Overberg. Tipp: Go early morning for the calmest water and the best birdwatching. In whale season (June– November) you may have a Southern Right Whale as company.
BIRDWATCHING · FREE
Birdwatching on the Lagoon
Kleinrivier Lagoon regularly hosts over 200 bird species — and many of the most spectacular ones are visible right from the garden. Greater flamingos in pink formation. Pied kingfishers hovering over the shallows. African fish eagles calling across the water. African spoonbills, pelicans, herons. For serious birders, this lagoon is a destination in its own right. For everyone else, it is a daily surprise. Tipp: Keep binoculars near the terrace. The light is best for photography in the first and last hour of the day.
A Short Drive Away
Hermanus and Stanford are both under half an hour from MBIZI — and between them they cover everything from world-class whale watching to one of the best Saturday markets in the Western Cape.
WALK · HERMANUS · 12 KM
The Hermanus Cliff Path
The 12-kilometre cliff path along the top of the Walker Bay cliffs is genuinely one of the great coastal walks in South Africa — and during whale season it becomes something else entirely. You look straight down at Southern Right Whales in the water below. Breaching, breathing, nursing calves in the kelp beds. No boat required, and no crowds if you go before 9am. Tipp: Walk from east to west (from the Old Harbour end) in the morning — the sun is behind you and the light on the cliffs is perfect. Allow 3–4 hours for the full path.
HIKING · HERMANUS · 12 KM
Fernkloof Nature Reserve
More than 60 kilometres of hiking trails through pristine fynbos, with views over the lagoon, the ocean and the mountains that stop you in your tracks. Fernkloof is one of the most biodiverse nature reserves in the Overberg — home to over 1,400 plant species — and almost nobody outside Hermanus talks about it. We love the ridge trail for the panorama. Take water, wear layers, and expect to see things that don't exist anywhere else on Earth. Tipp: The morning mist on the mountains clears by 9–10am and reveals the best views. Download the trail map from the Hermanus Tourism website before you go.
WINE · OVERBERG · 20 KM
Ataraxia & the Walker Bay Estates
The Walker Bay wine region produces some of South Africa's finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir — a direct result of the cool maritime climate that also brings the whales. Ataraxia is our personal favourite: a small, serious estate making precise, elegant wines in a stunning setting. Hamilton Russell Vineyards and Bouchard Finlayson are the other names to know. An afternoon on the wine route is one of the great luxuries of staying in this part of the Overberg. Tipp: Most estates are open Tuesday–Sunday. Book a tasting in advance at Ataraxia — it books out in peak season. Combine with the Stanford market if you're going on a Saturday.
Our recommendation: Hermanus Meter Taxis will be happy to drive you to Ataraxia and all the other wine estates in the Hemel & Aarde Valley.
VILLAGE · STANFORD · 15 KM
Stanford Village & Saturday Market
Stanford is one of those rare South African villages that time has treated kindly. Victorian cottages, the slow curve of the Klein River, a handful of excellent restaurants and craft studios, and on Saturday morning — one of the best small markets in the Western Cape. Fresh produce, local cheese, handmade ceramics, flowers. We go most weekends when we are at MBIZI. Take your time. Have coffee at the river. There is no hurry here. Tipp: The Saturday market runs from about 8am. Arrive early for the best produce. The Stanford Hotel does excellent long lunches on the veranda.
Day Trips We Love
When you want to explore further — these are the destinations we recommend without hesitation. Each one is worth a full day.
WILDLIFE & MARINE · GANSBAAI · 40 KM
Gansbaai: Sharks, Whales & Penguins
Gansbaai is about 40 minutes from MBIZI and packs an extraordinary amount into a single day. Great white shark cage diving is the headline — Marine Dynamics runs an outstanding operation led by marine biologists. But Gansbaai also offers whale watching tours, De Kelders sea caves (one of the most intimate whale watching spots on the coast), and easy access to Stony Point in Betty's Bay — home to one of only two mainland African penguin colonies in South Africa. Tipp: Combine shark cage diving in the morning (departs early from Kleinbaai) with the penguin colony at Stony Point on the way back. It is a genuinely extraordinary day.
LANDMARK · CAPE AGULHAS · 90 KM
Cape Agulhas — The Southern Tip of Africa
The southernmost point of the African continent is just 90 minutes from MBIZI — and it is one of those places that genuinely earns the adjective "epic." Two oceans officially meet here: the Indian and the Atlantic. The lighthouse is South Africa's second oldest. The fynbos stretches to the cliff edge. And on a clear day, you can feel the full exposure of a continent ending at the sea. The village of Arniston, 30 km further along the coast, is one of the most atmospheric fishing villages in the Western Cape. Tipp: Drive via the inland route through Caledon and return along the coast through Arniston and Gansbaai — it makes a beautiful circular day trip through the full breadth of the Overberg.