by Penguin Trail | Sep 25, 2026 | Uncategorized
The Cape coast is a place where land and sea meet in a constantly changing landscape of rocky shores, sandy beaches, tidal pools, estuaries, lagoons and coastal wetlands. These habitats support an extraordinary variety of birdlife. Among the most familiar species are...
by Penguin Trail | Sep 11, 2026 | Uncategorized
Penguin Trail hikers can enjoy a variety of shorebirds on the trail. Among the most familiar are the Kelp Gull, Common Tern and Cape Cormorant. Although they share the same coastal environment, each has developed its own distinctive way of feeding, nesting and...
by Penguin Trail | Aug 28, 2026 | Uncategorized
High on the slopes and in the sheltered valleys of the Kogelberg, where steep mountains meet the moist coastal climate of the southern Cape, small patches of indigenous forest form some of the region’s most remarkable natural communities. These Afromontane forests are...
by Penguin Trail | Aug 22, 2026 | Uncategorized
Nestled between the rugged mountains and pristine coastline of the Western Cape, the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve is celebrated as the heart of the Cape Floristic Region. While the spectacular proteas, colourful ericas, and graceful restios often steal the spotlight,...
by Penguin Trail | Aug 15, 2026 | Uncategorized
The Kogelberg Biosphere is one of the world’s great centres of plant diversity. Its fynbos is famous for proteas and ericas, but beneath the better-known shrubs lies an extraordinary collection of bulbous plants. Among the most spectacular are watsonias, irises and...
by Penguin Trail | Aug 7, 2026 | Uncategorized
Among the many botanical treasures of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, few plants capture the unique character of the Cape Floristic Region as beautifully as the restios. Often overlooked in favour of the spectacular proteas or colourful ericas, these graceful...
by Penguin Trail | Aug 1, 2026 | Uncategorized
The Kogelberg is widely regarded as the heart of South Africa’s Cape Floral Kingdom. This extraordinary wilderness boasts the greatest concentration of plant species of any temperate region on Earth. While proteas often steal the spotlight, another remarkable...
by Penguin Trail | Jul 24, 2026 | Uncategorized
The Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve is often described as the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom. Among its greatest botanical treasures are the proteas — striking flowering shrubs that have become symbols of South Africa’s extraordinary biodiversity. Hikers walking the...
by Penguin Trail | Jul 17, 2026 | Uncategorized
Our Penguin Trail comprises a mix of coastal and mountain hikes, affording Penguin Trail hikers the opportunity to enjoy our beautiful Kogelberg fynbos. The Kogelberg is often described as the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom, and with good reason. Stretching from the...
by Penguin Trail | Jul 10, 2026 | Uncategorized
Our hike on day one of our Penguin Trail starts at Moonlight Bay and takes us around Cape Hangklip. Rising dramatically from the sea on the eastern side of False Bay, Cape Hangklip has long been one of the most feared stretches of coastline in South Africa. The...
