Coastal dunes surround an inland lake that is home to hippos, huge carp and barbels. A host of other rare fauna and flora dwell here in an ecologically unique paradise for nature lovers, budding botanists, fishing fanatics and bird-watchers alike.
You’d be forgiven for thinking this describes some coastal haven in northern KwaZulu-Natal when in fact all of the above exists a mere 20 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of central Cape Town at Imvubu in the Rondevlei Nature Reserve.
Home to 232 species of birds, the only population of hippo in the Western Cape and plants found nowhere else on Earth, Imvubu, meaning hippopotamus in Xhosa and Zulu, offers guests a completely different take on the Cape.
It was established as a community-based tourism company in April 2002, and is responsible for all tourism-related activities in the Rondevlei reserve.
And it is now a registered Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) trademark user, demonstrating its commitment to responsible tourism.
The FTTSA trademark is the first in the world to endorse fair and responsible tourism practice. It is awarded to tourism businesses that adhere to Fair Trade criteria such as fair wages and working conditions, fairness in operations, purchasing and distribution of benefits, ethical business practice, and respect for human rights, culture and the environment.
Everyone at Imvubu, including co-owners Joy Bennet and Graeme Arendse come from the local communities that border the reserve.
Bennet is a qualified horticulturalist with specialist knowledge of the botanical diversity of the Ronde-vlei area and the Cape Peninsula in particular. She has worked at some of the most celebrated botanical gardens in the world, including the Royal Horticultural Society Gardens in Wisley, Britain, and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town.
She is justifiably proud of what has been achieved at Imvubu.
”We decided from the start to focus on the domestic market for our guests,” says Bennet. ”It seems to be paying off, as the majority of our guests are coming back for return visits. It’s a wonderful venue for families as well, and being so close to town it’s a great opportunity to escape the city and get back in touch with nature. And, believe it or not, we are becoming a popular wedding venue. We can cater for functions of up to 100 people in our conference and lecture centre.”
For Arendse the reserve was his playground, and the place where he honed his love of nature, turning it into a career as a dedicated, self-taught naturalist. His absolute passion is for the smaller things in life, the little things that are often overlooked on nature walks.
He is equally passionate about Imvubu’s FTTSA trademark award. ”From its inception Imvubu has operated under Fair Trade principles. We are now delighted to be recognised and certified as part of FTTSA branding,” he says.
Imvubu’s host is Randal Cato, who also doubles as captain on the reserve’s guided boat trips. Cato grew up in Grassy Park, a suburb bordering the reserve, and worked for the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) as well as volunteering for the Zeekoevlei Environmental Education Programme.
Imvubu offers guests a host of options from guided tours and boat cruises to conference facilities, as well as secluded overnight accommodation at the rustic Island Bush Camp, located on a small island in Rondevlei. The camp can accommodate up to 12 adults on a self- catering basis.
Fishing at Rondevlei is done on a catch- and release-policy. The average carp catch is over 10kg.
The reserve itself is rare sand-plain fynbos. This is unique to the Cape and is home to many endangered plant species. As its name implies, the vegetation in this ecosystem has adapted to living in a sandy soil environment and represents the three main components of fynbos vegetation: the protea, erica and restio plant species.
Guests on guided walks learn about the medicinal value of this fynbos and even have the chance to sample tasty fynbos treats prepared by a local community-based catering company.