Free entry to Cape Town nature reserves this weekend

Cape Town locals urged to join 2025 Nature Challenge

Cape Town is set to take part in the upcoming City Nature Challenge from Friday, 25 April to Monday, 28 April, 2025.

As part of the event, the City will be opening its nature reserves to the public free of charge throughout the weekend, encouraging residents to explore and engage with local biodiversity.

What is the City Nature Challenge?

The City Nature Challenge is a yearly international event that invites the public to photograph local wildlife and plant species in their city’s nature reserves and share their findings by uploading them to the iNaturalist app.

“This is the 10th anniversary of the City Nature Challenge, and the theme for 2025 is ‘Bring the Globe Together for Biodiversity’. This challenge is about documenting the wildlife in our city. All that is required of residents when contributing an observation is to take a photo and upload it onto the iNaturalist app.” the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews said.

Participants can download the free iNaturalist app from the Play Store (Android) or App Store (iPhone) and sign up via this link: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2025-city-of-cape-town.

Which nature reserves are open to visitors?

The following Cape Town nature reserves will offer free entry from 25 to 28 April:

• 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