Intaka Island

Intaka Island, photo courtesy Ian Junor

The word “intaka”, which means “bird” in isiXhosa, is a fitting name for an island that offers a safe haven to many feathered species. This 16ha wetland lies in the middle of Century City, a retail, residential, office and leisure hub 7km to the east of Cape Town’s centre.

Attracting the birds
The first man-made islands were constructed in 2001 in an effort to encourage birds to roost and breed. Intaka Island holds more than aesthetic appeal; the birds and wetland ecology have also contributed to the purification of the canal water.

Getting to the island
Visitors reach the island via a bridge across the circular canal. A family ticket (two adults and three children) costs R20, adults pay R8, children and pensioners pay R4.

Boat Rides
There are also boat rides available. A family ticket (two adults and three children) costs R115, adults pay R55, children (aged 3-12) pay R25 and pensioners pay R30.

Flora and fauna
Of the 120 birds found on the island, open-water species include the white-breasted cormorant, reed cormorant, red-knobbed coot, winged stilt and blacksmith plover. There are 177 species of indigenous plants, 10 of which are rare and threatened with extinction. Tours may be conducted by visitors or with a guide. Enquire at the reception hut.

Walking in Cape Town

Many visitors want to explore nature on higher ground as soon as they arrive in Cape Town and with Lion’s Head and Table Mountain beckoning, many do get to experience the local flora and fauna on foot. However, the entire peninsula can be enjoyed by avid walkers. From Blouberg Beach, with its picture perfect views from its sandy shores, to the more adventurous guided Hoerikwaggo Trails along the spine of Table Mountain, visitors have an expanse of ground to cover.

St James

Just a little further on from Cape Town’s well-known Muizenberg beach (with its ubiquitous Victorian bathing boxes) is St James.

African Wildlife

Although Cape Town and the Western Cape are probably not the best places to experience a safari (Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces are better known for that), it is possible to have an encounter with South Africa’s big game not far from the Mother City.

Llandudno and Sandy Bay

Only 18km from the Cape Town city centre, an arc of fine white sand gives away the secluded location of one of Cape Town’s most beautiful beaches, Llandudno.

Macassar Dunes Project

The Macassar Dunes Project is located on the Cape Town coast adjacent to Macassar and Khayelitsha and is bounded by the Eerste River, Baden Powell Drive and False Bay.

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