Morukuru Family De Hoop

09/09/2026

Nearly 600 southern right whales (296 mothers and calves, some solitary adults) and most of them are gathered in the sheltered waters between Struisbaai and De Hoop Nature Reserve. That’s the news from the first aerial survey of the year by the University of Pretoria’s Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit. Our blog shares more of their critical work and the incredible journeys these whales follow before returning to our shores.

Peak whale season runs from August through October, with sightings continuing until November, and there is no better vantage point than the cliffs and beaches of De Hoop Nature Reserve.

At Morukuru Family De Hoop, this is the season we love, and we have front row seats.

Nearly 600 southern right whales (296 mothers and calves, and some solitary adults) and most of them gathered in the sheltered waters between Struisbaai and De Hoop Nature Reserve, home to Morukuru Family.

07/09/2026

There's science behind what you feel at Morukuru Family De Hoop.

Studies consistently show that time spent in nature lowers stress, sharpens focus, eases anxiety, and lifts the spirit. The reserve simply makes it effortless with fresh air and the space to just be together.

Disconnect from everything else. Reconnect with each other.

04/09/2026

At Morukuru Family De Hoop, the finest ingredients meet the finest view. Every meal is crafted with care and served where the Indian Ocean does what it always does: makes everything better.

When your surroundings are this beautiful, dining becomes something else entirely.

02/09/2026

Spring has arrived at Morukuru Family De Hoop, and the fynbos is proof of that. The blooms are opening and the pollinators (sunbirds, bees, butterflies) are making the most of every warmer hour.

De Hoop Nature Reserve sits within one of only six Floral Kingdoms on earth, and right now, it's putting on a show.

Read more about the remarkable world of the reserve's pollinators here: https://morukuru.com/news/discover-the-fynbos-pollinators-in-de-hoop-nature-reserve/

31/08/2026

Some news worth toasting to! 🥂 Morukuru Fynbos Gin has been awarded Gold at the 2026 Vine & Spirit Awards.

Crafted by Tahlia Farm using botanicals from the Cape’s fynbos, it’s made for slow sundowners, good company and those moments you’re happy to linger over.

Now with a Gold award to its name, there’s even more reason to have another.

31/08/2026

Two spectacular properties on one of Africa's most extraordinary coastlines. Here's how to find your fit.

Morukuru Beach Lodge — for couples, honeymooners, and small families seeking an oceanfront escape with a social heartbeat. Five beautifully appointed en-suite bedrooms, each a generous 90m², with floor-to-ceiling glass doors, king beds, fireplaces, and views of the Indian Ocean or the fynbos-covered dunes. Accommodates up to 14 guests. Two guided activities daily are included (marine walks, fynbos hikes, sandboarding, nature drives and more) alongside all meals, drinks, and full use of snorkelling and beach equipment. Bites Beach Café is nearby for African-themed dinner evenings. A rooftop terrace, swimming pool, hot tub, and an outdoor sunken lounge with fire pit round it all out. Fully off-grid & solar-powered.

Morukuru Ocean House — for families and groups who want the whole house to themselves, entirely on their own terms. Four ocean view spacious en-suite bedrooms, a fifth bedroom en-suite, a kids' room, a wine cellar, a hot tub with ocean views, a 10-metre private pool, and a viewing deck for stargazing. Accommodates up to 12 guests (max 10 adults, 2 children under 16). Eight dedicated staff (private guide, chef, host, butler, housekeeping) attend to everything. The Morukuru Freedom Concept applies in full: no fixed schedules, no set mealtimes, no compromise. Your holiday, your rhythm, entirely. Also, fully solar-powered.

Both properties sit within the De Hoop Nature Reserve, a Marine Protected Area and World Heritage Site, approximately 1km apart along the same pristine stretch of coastline.

To enquire or book: [email protected]

28/08/2026

The dunes will take your breath away, and the whales will stop you mid-sentence. But spend a little time here and it's the small things that really stay with you.

The Morukuru Family De Hoop team has a gift for finding the magic in the margins, both inside the properties and out.

It's the kind of thing you can't manufacture. You either feel it or you don't - and here, you feel it.

27/08/2026

Walk into the refreshed Morukuru Ocean House and you feel it immediately – presence, space, and stillness. The palette is soft and unhurried – gentle beiges and blues that mirror the beach outside and the ocean beyond it.

The interiors have been entirely reimagined by Guus and Fenny Koevoets of Vervoort Living, a Netherlands-based design studio with an international portfolio spanning hotels and restaurants across the world. We’ve also added a fifth bedroom, a west facing terrace for those sundowner moments, and an expansive TV lounge for winding down at the end of the day.

Morukuru Ocean House has simply become more. More space, more beauty, more freedom, and more opportunities for quality time together that families and friends will remember and cherish for years.

Read more in our latest blog.

Morukuru Ocean House in De Hoop Nature Reserve has simply become more. More space, more beauty, more freedom, and more opportunities for quality time together that families and friends will remember and cherish for years.

26/08/2026

We appreciate the latest ‘flipper-tastic’ news from the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation team on our satellite tag turtles Nori and Kai!

Nori has travelled an incredible 11 500km in 271 days since her release, averaging 42.4km per day and currently between Guinea-Bissau and Brazil with a few options for her next direction. Cabo Verde, 1300km northeast, is an important foraging area for green turtles. Guinea-Bissau, 1800km east, supports nesting and foraging and Northern Brazil, around 1200km west, also offers great foraging. What a journey!

It's been 101 days of swimming in the big blue and Kai has covered 5000kms - that's 49.5kms per day. He is enjoying the warm waters of the Southwest Indian Ocean following the fast-flowing Agulhas Current’s retroflection that offers productive feeding. Bheni also made use of this warm ocean highway. According to the Turtle Conservation Centre team, following the current’s retroflection is very natural turtle behaviour, and something research has observed across different turtle species and life stages.

You can read more here: https://www.aquarium.co.za/foundation/news/tracking-our-turtles-twirling-travels-with-nori-and-kai

26/08/2026

Grab a mask and a pair of fins. Rockpools teeming with more life than you'd expect await...

Snorkelling at the reserve is best around low tide, when the water settles and the residents come out: limpets gripping the rocks, sea urchins wedged into crevices, starfish sprawled without a care, kelp swaying in the current, and (if you're patient and a little lucky) an octopus going about its very private business. An experience that is simultaneously calm and astonishing.

Snorkelling equipment is included for all guests.