Vogelgat Nature Reserve is perfect for the avid hiker, camper and photographer due to its waterfalls and unique vistas, as well as many other beautiful attractions. The late Dr. Ion Williams bought the property in 1969 and had the vision to restore this alien vegetation-ridden fynbos land into its former beauty. After copious amounts of hard work and dedication, his team restored the 600 ha reserve to its former glory, with Fynbos populations growing every year. 35 km of this reserve is allocated to some breath-taking hiking trails, with vistas of Walker Bay and Kleinmond, waterfalls, plunge pools, majestic gorges and awesome Cape Fold Mountains. Over 900 plant species can be found here, with around 17 of them being endangered.
As well as the different animals found within the reserve, about 110 bird species have been also recorded. There are many species of bird that are now considered rare, such as the Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus), Forest Buzzard (Buteo oreophilus), Black Harrier (Circusmaurus maurus), Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) and the Victorin’s Warbler (Bradypterus victorini). There are also several species of rare mammals, amphibians and insects, all of which can be found on the Kogelberg site.
For those who wish to enjoy the reserve at a leisurely pace, there are four overnight huts that are both secluded from the world and from each other, making it the perfect getaway during which you can enjoy nature at its finest. Although rustic, the huts are equipped with the basics: gas cookers, beds, mattresses and cutlery and crockery, making packing for the trip that much easier.
The reserve is relatively alien free, due to the hard efforts of “hackers” that cleared the dense patches of aliens in the reserve in its early years and who have continued to do so until the present. Invasive aliens are considered a threat to the fynbos of the reserve and are to be eradicated where ever possible. There are very small- scattered alien individuals that are found in inaccessible areas and a team of well equipped ardent mountain climbers will clear these individuals quickly. To help the eradication of alien plant life, different and natural effects have been introduced. These include the “Mud Clod” creating weevil for Port Jacksons and the leaf-mining moth that helps to control Leptospermum laevigatum.