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Agulhas
National Park includes the Agulhas Plain - a very
important component of the
Cape Floral Kingdom which is the smallest and richest of
the world's six plant kingdoms. The plant
biodiversity makes Agulhas Plain of international
importance, with 2,000 indigenous plants, 100 of
which are unique to South Africa.
The wide variety of
wetlands support a high diversity of wetland
plants and aquatic invertebrates. It is also home to
the endangered Cape platanna frog. The wetlands
attract a multitude of water birds, with over 21,000
migrant and resident wetland birds in the area
annually.
The coastline
supports a rich marine and intertidal life,
including breeding sites of rare coastal birds such
as the African black oystercatcher.
In spring and early
summer southern right whales frequent the coastal
waters.
In addition
to its ecological importance, the park has a
rich cultural heritage. The discovery of
stone hearths and pottery, together with
shell middens (where debris from eating
shellfish and other food has accumulated
over time), link the archaeological deposits
with the era of Khoisan migration and
settlements.
South African National Parks does not run any
accommodation in this park, although there is
privately run accommodation in towns such as
L’Agulhas, Struisbaai and Elim. We recommend a day
trip to the park.
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Related pages
Beaufort West, Bellville, Bredasdorp,
Caledon, Cape Town, Ceres,
Clanwilliam, George, Knysna, Malmesbury,
Mossel Bay, Oudtshoom, Paarl, Riversdale,
Swellendam, Vrendenburg, Worcester
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The Agulhas
National park also provides history of a
different kind – numerous shipwrecks of the
early explorers attempting to conquer the
wild seas off the southern tip of Africa dot
the coastline.
The park includes the southern-most tip of
Africa – a cairn marks the exact location,
34° 49’ 58" south and 20° 00’ 12’’ east. It
is at this longitudinal point that the
Atlantic and Indian oceans officially meet.
Many national
monuments are found in the area, such as the
historical Cape Agulhas lighthouse, which
has been in operation since 1849. Historical
buildings such as the Elim water mill and
some early homesteads reflect the European
influence of the past.
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