Grootbos Fynbos & Whale Coast Escape
Three nights at Grootbos above Walker Bay: flower safaris, the milkwood forest, horses on the beach and whales from the boat, with a private car from Cape Town
Overview
Grootbos sits on a hill of fynbos above Gansbaai, with an old milkwood forest at its back and the whole of Walker Bay laid out in front. This is a three-night stay built the way we would book it for our own family: a private car out of Cape Town along the coast road, a suite at Forest Lodge or Garden Lodge, and three days shaped around flowers, forest, horses and the sea. In whale season the boat goes out from Kleinbaai or Hermanus and the southern right whales come close enough to hear.
Most of what you will want to do at Grootbos is already in the rate. Every meal, soft drinks and the minibar, the 4x4 flower safaris with a botanist-guide, walks through the milkwoods, horse rides along the dunes, the coastal caves at Klipgat and the Foundation's farm and gardens. A personal guide meets you on arrival and works the days out with you. We add the marine trip (a Marine Big Five boat out to Dyer Island in the morning is the one we rate most highly) and the transfers both ways, so you only have to look up.
Who It's For
Made for couples and honeymooners who want sea, flowers and a very fine lodge rather than a Big Five game drive, for families who book Garden Lodge for its kids' programme, and for anyone spending a week in Cape Town who wants three slow nights somewhere quieter. If you want lions and elephants too, see our ten-day Cape Town, Grootbos and Sabi Sand journey.
Package Highlights
4x4 Flower Safaris
Out in an open vehicle with a guide who knows the reserve's 765 plant species, six of them first described here
The Milkwood Forest
Walk under milkwood trees that have stood on this hill for hundreds of years, and some are thought to be close to a thousand
Whales in Walker Bay
From June to November southern right whales come into the bay to calve; the boat takes you out among them
Dyer Island & the Marine Big Five
Cape fur seals on Geyser Rock, African penguins, dolphins and, in season, whales and sharks on one morning boat trip
Horses on the Beach
Ride out through the fynbos and down onto the dunes at Walker Bay, with beginners and experienced riders both catered for
The Grootbos Foundation
See the farm, the nursery and the training college that make Grootbos one of the most respected conservation stays in the country
Day-by-Day Itinerary
We collect you from your Cape Town hotel or the airport and take the coast road over Sir Lowry's Pass and round through Hermanus, stopping on the cliffs if the whales are in. You reach Grootbos in time for lunch on the deck. Your guide sits down with you in the afternoon to plan the next two days, and the first evening is for the sunset over the bay.
🏨 Accommodation: Grootbos Forest Lodge or Garden Lodge
🍽️ Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Your Route
Tap a marker to see each stop on your journey.
Featured Lodges & Accommodation
Grootbos Forest Lodge
📍 Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, Gansbaai
Sixteen free-standing glass-and-stone suites set in and around an old milkwood forest, each looking down over the fynbos to Walker Bay. Adults and children from twelve. Full board, with a personal guide who plans each day around you.
From $940 per person per night
Grootbos Garden Lodge
📍 Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, Gansbaai
The original Grootbos lodge, rebuilt from the ground up and reopened in 2022: eleven suites with fireplaces and garden decks, a heated pool and a playroom. The family choice: children of every age are welcome.
From $940 per person per night
Grootbos Private Villas
📍 Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, Gansbaai
Two exclusive-use houses on the reserve, each with its own pool, chef, butler and guide. Built for families and friends who want the whole place to themselves.
From $4,200 per person per night
Pricing & Options
All prices per person sharing. Customize any tier to your preferences.
Signature
(~$1,067/night)
Three nights in a Garden Lodge or Forest Lodge luxury suite, full board, private return transfers from Cape Town and a shared Marine Big Five boat trip
Get QuoteLuxury
(~$1,433/night)
Peak-season dates or a Forest Lodge suite with the best bay view, private transfers, a private whale boat and a spa treatment each
Get QuoteUltra-Luxury
(~$2,967/night)
A Grootbos private villa for your party, with chef, butler, guide and vehicle, a helicopter transfer from Cape Town and a private marine charter
Get QuoteAbout this price
The figure above is a real guide price per person — a solid starting point, not a fixed quote. What you finally pay comes down to your travel dates, the lodges you choose and how many of you are travelling. We cost every trip by hand and send a full breakdown, so you see exactly where your money goes. No blank “price on application”, no surprise extras.
What's Included & Excluded
✓ Included
- ✓ 3 nights at Grootbos Private Nature Reserve (Forest Lodge or Garden Lodge)
- ✓ All meals, soft drinks and minibar at the lodge
- ✓ Your own Grootbos guide, planning each day with you
- ✓ 4x4 flower safaris, guided forest and fynbos walks, and Klipgat Caves
- ✓ Horse riding at Grootbos (rider weight limit applies)
- ✓ Grootbos Foundation farm and gardens visit
- ✓ One Marine Big Five boat trip from Kleinbaai
- ✓ Grootbos conservation levy
- ✓ Private road transfers from and back to Cape Town
✗ Excluded
- ✗ International flights
- ✗ Travel insurance (medical cover recommended)
- ✗ Visa fees where applicable
- ✗ Gratuities for guides, drivers and lodge staff
- ✗ Alcoholic drinks at Grootbos, spa treatments and laundry
- ✗ Personal expenses and curio purchases
Photo Gallery
Best Time to Travel
Grootbos is good all year. July to November is the whale window in Walker Bay, and late winter into spring brings the fynbos into its richest flower. December to March is warm and dry for beach rides and boat trips. May and June are the quietest and wettest months, with the lowest rates.
Why Choose This Package
We are two hours down the road
We are a Cape Town house. We know the coast road, the boat skippers at Kleinbaai and which suites at Grootbos look straight down the bay.
Transfers and the boat handled
The car, the levy and the marine trip are in the price, so the only decisions left are flowers, forest or horses.
Honest advice on Forest vs Garden
Couples usually want Forest Lodge, families need Garden Lodge, larger groups want a villa. We will tell you straight which suits you.
Easy to join to a Big Five safari
Grootbos is not a Big Five reserve. We add the Sabi Sand, Kruger or a malaria-free Eastern Cape reserve on the end and run the whole trip as one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Experience the Grootbos Fynbos & Whale Coast Escape?
From $3,200 per person | 4 Days / 3 Nights
⚡ Limited availability for peak season 2026 — book early to secure your dates
One consultant. Your whole journey, handled by name.
Tell us roughly what you have in mind and one named consultant takes it from there — the lodges worth the money, the camps to skip, the right months, the drive times. The same person from your first email to the day you fly home.
Or reach us directly — WhatsApp +27 78 471 4852 · res@privatetourscapetown.com