Cape Town’s nature lovers have a reason to get outdoors this weekend as the City of Cape Town is offering free entry to all municipal nature reserves.
From Friday, 24 October to Monday, 27 October 2025, city nature reserves will open their doors as part of the Great Southern Bioblitz.
The annual event is a southern hemisphere biodiversity challenge that calls on residents to record and identify local wildlife using the iNaturalist app. Cities across the region compete to log the most species over the four-day period, creating a snapshot of the natural world around them.
Great Southern Bioblitz takes place this weekend
“Each year, cities across the southern hemisphere go head-to-head to see who can capture the widest range of plant and animal species, and Cape Town is always in the running to lead the way,” Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews, said.
“Once again, we’re opening our nature reserves to residents, free of charge, so that everyone can join in the fun of discovering and recording our city’s incredible biodiversity. I have no doubt that Cape Town will shine, and I encourage residents to bring their smartphones or cameras and help showcase the unique wildlife that makes our city so extraordinary.” Andrews added.
Where can you visit?
The following Cape Town nature reserves will offer free access this weekend:
- Blaauwberg Nature Reserve
- Bothasig Fynbos Nature Reserve
- Botterblom Nature Reserve
- Bracken Nature Reserve
- Durbanville Nature Reserve
- Edith Stephens Nature Reserve
- False Bay Nature Reserve
- Harmony Flats Nature Reserve
- Helderberg Nature Reserve
- Steenbras Nature Reserve
- Table Bay Nature Reserve
- Tygerberg Nature Reserve
- Uitkamp Wetland Nature Reserve
- Witzands Aquifer Nature Reserve
- Wolfgat Nature Reserve
- Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve
While entry to the reserves is free during the Bioblitz, normal fees apply for recreational or permitted activities such as picnicking or guided tours.
How to participate
- Download the iNaturalist app or visit the website.
- Photograph or record any plants, insects, birds, or animals you spot between 24 and 27 October.
- Upload your observations — they’ll automatically count toward Cape Town’s tally in the Bioblitz.
Residents can track the city’s progress in real time via the Cape Town project page on iNaturalist.
