On this, our first hike, we chose the Vista Trail. It lives up to its name with superb views over Franschhoek and beyond. Thankfully it was not crowded as most of the hiking venues around Cape Town are these days. The path is in good condition with some signage missing towards the top of the path but its no big deal. One can easily find the way down or further to link up with other trails if youve made good time. Not much in the way of birdlife on this trail but plenty of indigenous flora to admire this time of year.

Located a short drive up and out of Franschhoek this reserve is top notch. There are around 5 well marked hiking routes ranging from 2 hours to 9 hours, on circular routes. The routes themselves are well marked and easy to follow. Adult entrance fee is R50, with bathroom facilities and parking at the entrance. A great spot for some great hiking

A nice private nature reserve with some very scenic hikes. We have done the Perdekop Trail which if you do the loop version is quite tough and takes over 6hrs- it can also be really cold at the top, so have warm clothes with you. Today we did the Uitkyk trail, which is an easy 7km out and back trail to a viewpoint. In the winter you can see snow here and the views are stunning. You need to pay to enter, it’s R50 (about $3 per person) and you can pay with card on the way out. For parking, it’s normally fine to park near the entrance, but when there is snow, you need to get there early and rather park near the main road.

Mont Rochelle is a pleasant and secure hiking spot. Various hiking routes to suit your fitness level from beginner to advanced. Beautiful views points. There is an entrance fee payable at the gate or online. Well worth it.

Absolutely amazing view! Good, well marked trails.Lots of routes to choose from with varying degrees of difficulty.There is an entrance fee, but if you arrive before the staff you can pay after your hike.The breakfast rock and vista trails are not too difficult, there are some steep bits and one or two areas where you might have to use your hands to assist, but nothing hectic.

We hiked the Uitkyk route on a sunny winters day with kids from age 4 to age 12 and (reasonably fit) grandma aged 70. We started at 11h30 which was still a good time to get going in winter. Although everyone enjoyed the hike, for the little ones below 10 it was a challenge even though they are all quite fit! We carried the 4 year old for the last few hundred meters of the uphill. But the viewpoint is definitely worth the effort. It took us 4 hours there and back with a proper 30min rest halfway. Mountain stream on the way to fill up water bottles. Entrance fee can be paid by credit card. Almost no shade on the route. Recommend lots of snacks, water, hat and proper walking shoes.

Wow did not know you could view snow so close to home and get to enjoy some amazing views

Popular, well maintained trails of varying difficulty. Fabulous flowers and bird life. Family friendly.

We are truly just blessed with hiking trials all around... went snow hunting... what an experience!!!

Beautiful scenery especially when there were snow on the tops. Definitely seeing me again when it is less busy

Winter wonder land, amazing outing a stone through from the city

If you love nature, mountains and peaceful serenity then Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve is a must. Pick your breakfast spot and enjoy your peanut butter and jam sandwiches

What a beautiful reserve, just outside of Franschoek. Even the drive up is lovely. The R50 permit fee is well worth it. Trails are well maintained and marked.We did the uitkyk trail. Just under 2h30m, a lovely walk. The views at the end were truly incredible. Its do worth the walkIts really stunning.I will be back to explore some more. I highly recommend

This is not a beginner hike but dwfinately one you must do. Had some spring water and it was amazing

Beautiful hike, went in search of snow and sunsets

Great hiking routes available. Overall the reserve is in a good condition. Theyve added extra toilets at the entrance, which is great as previously it became very unhygienic over busy weekends.

Awesome & so amazing blessing to walk in Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve! Paths are marked clearly & we did a circle route! Which was an absolute blessing to see all of the fynbos along the routes!

Is this a view. Omg.. You can walk for miles and miles and the views will continue take your breath away... so does the hike... Literally. If ever you visit Franschhoek and you love nature, this will be the place. You do need a permit though but you can buy it online or at the gate before you enter. Worth 50 bucks. Its one permit and you have 5 view points that you can take. They range from about a 1 hour hike up to 5 hours long. If your a first timer, the breakfast hike view would be best as it is the shortest. You can complete that walk in about 30 mins - 1 hour depending on your hike speed.

Mont Rochelle is a beautiful place to hike! We did the Uitkyk route and were spoiled with beautiful views of the snow - capped mountains.

Beautiful walks with breathtaking scenery. A must do if you are in or around Franschhoek

Awesome trails for beginner and intermediate hiking. Clearly marked routes and stunning views. If you are in the area go visit and enjoy some time in nature

I am not a pro hiker, but I try to hike once in a while. Me and my friends came across Mont Rochelle when searching for a beautiful but safe place to hike as we are only girls together. I loved every moment of hiking in this BEAUTIFUL place. I felt safe the whole time, and other hikers were so friendly. We even stopped a few times to have a chat with other hikers. They have different hiking trials depending on your fitness or how often you hike. We took the easiest one, which was still a challenge. There was also a tour group with a guide, so it seems like you can book guided hike tours as well. I am definitely going back to try the other trials, and I do recommend Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve for an incredible hiking experience with perfect views. 😁

Stunning views all year round.

An excellent hiking area not to far out of Cape Town. One feels like one is deep in the mountains. Pack lots of water warm cloths, good hiking shoes, some food and snacks, and make sure you apply lots of sunscreen. The parking can fill up quickly but dont let this put you off as the mountains are big and wont feel busy at all. You need a permit which you can pay for at the gate with snapscan, cash, or online. More information can be found online about the different routes.

Beautiful and accessible mountain hikes. Particularly stunning in the winter when there is snow

Such a wonderful mountainous area in which to hike. We walked up past Vista and Breakfast Rock all the way to Du Toits Kop Peak. Spectacular views all morning long. Then came down to the viewpoint, and back to the cars via the easy valley path.Enjoyed the 6 hours weve spend here. A great view or a moment of wow-ness awaited us after every bend in the trail.I will mist definitely be back again, as there are much more to explore here.

Walks available for all levels of moderate fitness and up with amazing views and if you are looking with little gems to be seen all over.

The nature reserve itself is clean and absolutely beautiful 😍If you hike up perdekop on certain days you can find snow!Ps. Go to the loo before you go! But there is one Porta potty without toilet paper and quite dirty.:)

Excellent place for a hike or trail run.

Amazing place! Awesome Hiking, Beautiful view of valley... If the weather cold, you can see the snow. On my last visit, I encountered snow.

Great hike , with snow

Beautiful views and great hiking trails. Fauna and Flora are stunning!!

Amazing hike. Very clean and well maintained. Would definitely recommend this hiking trail.

It is the most beautiful place to walk with flowers all around. Will be back.

This is a fabulous place to hike. The views are stunning!

We walked in the snow. It was lovely

Great hike with excellent views but a bit challenging at times! We did the 6.8 km Uitkyk trail. Highly recommended if one wants to get in touch with nature!

It is a priviledge to be able to watch the African Penguin at such close quarters. The conservation society has done a good job.

Go for a sunset hike.Start at main entrance 5:30pm hike for 30min.Wait until the sun hide behind the mountainYou want regret it!

10 different trails to choose from ranging from 1 hour to a full day hike. Panoramic views over Franschhoek, Wemmershoek Valley and Wemmershoek Dam.

Glorious sunset, though the wind was high and chill as ice and likely to knock you over were you the least bit unsteady on your feet. The saturated hot colours of the setting sun bled the rest of the landscape dry. Not that you had eyes for anything else as it filled the sky.

Absolutely amazing. A medium to intense hike. Need to be fairly fit for it. Be well prepared with enough water and warm clothes for the summit.

Beautiful hiking trails which can lead you straight to the snow... Its always a great time to get a little bit of sun and relax there...

Amazing hiking trails.. no network reception. Wish we had trails like this in jozi

Pure nature at its best! Walk from parking area to Uitkyk took us 4 hours and was about 9 kms. Beautiful stream on the way there. Uitkyk had phenomenal views, rivalling Switzerland Id say. You can see Wemmershoek Dam from there as well. Great place to rest and eat your packed goodies before hiking back. R50 entry fee or R300 for 12 months.

On the day it was very crowded. But it was in the context of snow. Otherwise it is a nice place to visit and spend time as a family

Will go there all the time its a very relaxing atmosphere. Loved it

Hiking at Mont Rochelle was spectacular. In my opinion the best route is to Uitkyk via Du Toitskop. This is a 9.5 km circular route. The view from Du Toitskop cannot be compared with that from Uitkyk, it is simply breathtaking! The circuit can be completed within 3 to 3.5 hours depending on your fitness. The first half up to Du Toitskop is all uphill and can be a bit strenuous, but thereafter all is downhill and relatively easy.Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, take along drinking water and some snacks to replenish your enery at the peak. Remember to put on sufficient sunscreen, with the cold wind, you might not realise sunburn until you have returned.Well worth the R50 p/p entry fee.

Amazing hike in winter snow, mostly incline so a little challenging for some, but the beauty is well worth the effort 👌

The scene is nice however there is a R50 entrance fee for adults,Kids are allowed to enter free.

A few high and long hiking trails. Close to Theewaterskloof dam for fishing. Amazing scenery and wildlife is plentiful

We love this park. Only tried the shorter trails so far.Well maintained and great personnel.

Stunning hiking terrain. Amazing vistas. Just take care of weather. It can become berg not in summer and theres not many shady spots in the reserve.

Fantastic reserve to visit with kids especially during the snow season.

Snow and snow snow was spectacular views for first time in 5 years

What a great reserve on the top of Franschoek Pass, Western Cape. Its a private reserve with awesome day hikes. You have a choice of about 6 routes, ranging from 2 to 8 hours. We did the Uitkyk trail and what a view from there. It took us just over an hour half to walk to the top.Take with you: water, warm top, sunblock and a good lunch pack. Entrance R50 per person for a day pass. No evernight hikes.

Absolutely stunning hike! We took the Uitkyk (outlook) hike, and the top is definitely worth it! :D

So so beautiful. Definitely worth a visit.

Any route with a toilet at the start deserves 5 stars. Spectacular views.

Great trails with various degrees of difficulty. Very busy on snow days. R50 per day or R300 for a years access, SnapScan/Materpass payment confirmed by showing payment confirmation on phone. Credit card and cash also accepted.

The best views ever - can see Helderberg and Table Mountain on a clear day.

Absolutely loved it, snow dusting the paths when we arrived this morning, and hiked up to fluffy piles of snow.

Postcard worthy views in every direction

An amazing walk... Just steep enough to give you a workout 🏃‍♀️ and some beautiful small colorful flowers and the best were the King Proteas 🌷

Amazing views...clearly marked foot paths and absolutely peaceful....loved all of it.

We did the uitkuik trail and the views were beautiful

Very well maintained trails....Amazing views. Well worth a visit.

Amazing views of the area

We actually went here for the wine and tastings and not the walking. The scenery is breathtaking beeing surrounded by mountains.

Some of the most spectacular views I have seen, especially with the snow capped mountains in the background!

There are various hikes you can do , start with the short trails and work your way up

A nice hiking trail for those who like the outdoors. There are several different routes that require different fitness levels. We walked to Breakfast rock and continued to Uitkyk which gives you a nice view of the Wemmershoek dam and the surrounding mountains. We had a 65 year old lady with us and she did the entire trail to Uitkyk and back in just over 5hours. Be sure to pack enough snacks, water, sunblock and proper shoes. A hiking stick will also help a whole lot. If you intend to rest for a while at Uitkyk, pack a light jacket just in case.

Great place and fantastic scenery

Most reflective as one looks to the horizon for the future while grounded by ons love for the land in which we all shall rest from all our labour and the politics of our dayes on this earth.

We did the uitkyk trail. It was spectacular. The entire hike had spectacular views which culminated in a spectacular view of the mountains. The bathrooms at the beginning need some work, but all in all a good experience.

Chillax vibe loved it!

The view is incredible!! Wine is great and food in amazing.

Fabulous....words are not enough. Go check it out for yourself. Various hikes for most abilities. Friendly staff at the gate.

Beautiful hiking trails for all levels of hikers

What a nice and peaceful walk. Loved it so much and will do it again...

Lovely trail. Beautiful landscape ... nature at its best ...

Breathtakingly beatutiful! Would recommend it to anyone looking for a enjoyable walk in nature

Cant wait to go again.

Gorgeous but strenuous

Mountains displays and symbolize such strength and like them I wish to stand as a monument of great strength and wisdom.

Sir Richard Branson little gem in FranschoekMade want to experience the rest of his resortsWe had a lunch date and the views are so incredible we had a mini photo shoot and the waiter didnt mind taking pictures

Great walk on the circular route. Trial is well maintained.Best down load a map via View Ranger as the guy working at the gate house was not very useful.

Lovely hike to perdekop peak.

Do no attempt if your idea of hiking is a stroll in the woods.🤣

Absolutely beautiful sunset captured in the mids of winter. The climb up to the top was a wonder experience.

Mont Rochelle delivers.. Every time!

Just beautiful views.

Wonderful relaxing place

What an absolute beauty.. will definitely visit again soon.

Fantastic hiking spot!! Everything you need. Beautiful location, jaw dropping scenery.

BEAUTIFUL OPEN NATURE, VARIOUS BUSH AND PLANT SPECIES

Great place.....great scenery ...great food and wine

Some of the best hiking and running trails in the western cape

Views at the top feels like youve climbed into another world. Took a backpack with picnic items and found a quiet spot overlooking the valley. Didnt want to leave. The whole area is gorgeous. Even the drive is beautiful. We saw some kids who were fascinated when their parents told them they could drink the water right from the stream :D

It was nice, really breath taking view