Cape Town Opens Nature Reserves for Free During Great Southern Bioblitz, Inviting All to Celebrate B
The City of Cape Town is offering an exciting invitation to both nature enthusiasts and aspiring citizen scientists: free entry to all city-managed nature reserves from Friday, 24 October to Monday, 27 October 2025. This initiative is part of the Great Southern Bioblitz 2025, an annual event that mobilizes cities across the southern hemisphere in a friendly, high-impact competition to document and showcase local biodiversity.
For four days, Capetonians and visitors alike can immerse themselves in the city’s abundant natural treasures without any entry fee, making it easier than ever to explore, learn, and contribute to conservation efforts. Whether your passion lies in botany, birdwatching, insect-spotting, or marine life, the Bioblitz offers the perfect platform to engage with Cape Town’s rich ecosystems and play an active role in protecting them.
The Bioblitz is much more than a recreational challenge—it’s a collaborative scientific endeavor. The event encourages participants to record their sightings of local plants, insects, birds, mammals, and marine species by uploading observations to the widely used iNaturalist app or website. Every sighting made during the challenge period is automatically included in the Cape Town Bioblitz project, creating a powerful, crowd-sourced dataset that helps scientists, researchers, and conservationists better understand—and safeguard—the region’s unique natural heritage.
“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. 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,” said Alderman Eddie Andrews, Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment.
This open-door policy extends only to entry for the Bioblitz event; any additional recreational activities or paid services within the reserves will remain subject to the usual charges. However, the core experience is free: the chance to walk Cape Town’s fynbos trails, coastal dunes, wetlands, and forests while joining a global community of nature lovers contributing vital data to science.
The Bioblitz format is designed for every skill level. Whether you’re an experienced birder with a life list, a student learning about local wildlife, a keen photographer, or someone simply curious about the world outside your doorstep, there’s a place for you. This event also presents an excellent opportunity for families, school groups, and eco-conscious travelers to connect with nature, learn about endemic species, and see firsthand what makes Cape Town’s biodiversity so special.
Participation is simple:
- Download the iNaturalist app or visit the iNaturalist website
- Join the Cape Town project page
- Upload your plant and animal sightings between 24 and 27 October 2025
The Great Southern Bioblitz is about more than competition—it’s about community, education, and stewardship. Every observation shared through iNaturalist becomes part of a larger scientific effort to map species distributions, monitor ecosystem health, and inform policy decisions. The collective data generated not only aids local conservation strategies but also strengthens Cape Town’s position as a global leader in urban biodiversity research and management.
This year’s Bioblitz comes at a crucial time for urban conservation across Africa. As cities expand and habitats face mounting pressure, initiatives like this highlight the importance of public engagement in science and the value of accessible, protected green spaces. For Africa’s travel sector, Cape Town’s commitment to celebrating biodiversity and encouraging local participation offers a model for other destinations looking to blend eco-tourism, community outreach, and real-world conservation action.
For travel professionals, the Bioblitz also presents a unique opportunity to highlight Cape Town’s natural assets to both domestic and international visitors. By promoting the event and encouraging guests to participate, hotels, tour operators, and guides can help foster an appreciation for the city’s flora and fauna and position Cape Town as a destination where responsible travel and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.
As the Bioblitz approaches, Capetonians and visitors alike are encouraged to step outside, explore the city’s wild spaces, and contribute to a global movement for biodiversity awareness. With free entry to nature reserves and a chance to make a difference, Cape Town’s celebration of the Great Southern Bioblitz promises to inspire, educate, and unite the community in the shared goal of preserving the natural world for generations to come.
