The Hottentots Holland mountains border the western Overberg and are traversed, via Sir Lowry’s Pass, by the N2 national road. The pass is legendary in birding circles for the numerous fynbos specials that are easily accessible just a short walk from the highway. The site is close to Cape Town and can easily be tackled in a morning out of the city. Just to the south is a spectacular coastal drive winding along the eastern coast of False Bay and through the coastal villages of Rooi Els and Betty’s Bay, where further fynbos and coastal specials are on offer.

Although all the sites described in this chapter are manageable in a long day trip out of Cape Town, a more extensive two- to three-day loop would be more relaxing and productive for those with the time to spare. A good three-day loop might begin at Sir Lowry’s Pass before continuing east, along the N2, to the town of Swellendam, at the foot of the Langeberg mountain range. From here, you can make an eastwards loop to Grootvadersbosch, the Langeberg’s largest afromontane forest, for the best diversity of forest birds reasonably close to Cape Town. Returning to Swellendam, where a good variety of accommodation is available, you can strike south through the wheatlands in search of the localized and recently split Agulhas Long-billed Lark (see p.73). The agricultural lands also offer numerous other sought-after species, which are surprisingly accessible in this highly transformed landscape. Nearing the coast of the Indian Ocean, one can enjoy some excellent birding at Potberg mountain in the De Hoop Nature Reserve, before perhaps continuing southwestwards to De Mond, just east of the rather anticlimactic southernmost point of the African continent, at Cape Agulhas. De Mond is noted for its breeding colony of Damara Tern (p.68), a highly threatened, diminutive and attractive species endemic to the South African and Namibian coasts.

Returning towards Cape Town, you might consider visiting Cape Agulhas and, further west, the resort town and harbour of Hermanus. This is one of the most famous whale-watching localities on earth and home to the world’s only whale-crier, who wields a kelp-horn to inform one of the whales’ appearances. Southern Right Whales (Eubalaena australis) are the most common species, and from July to November you can be sure to see impressive numbers especially close inshore. On your way back to Cape Town, you may wish to visit Betty’s Bay and Harold Porter before setting off on the scenic drive that twists along the coast to rejoin the N2 national road at Somerset West.