Event information
This tree-lined riverside route is a popular destination for walkers, joggers and cyclists seeking green space close to the city centre. The pathway follows the Liesbeek River through Observatory, offering a traffic-free alternative for daily exercise and commuting. There is even an outdoor trim park along the route.
The trail passes the entrance to the South African Astronomical Observatory (est.1820) and winds alongside the Raapenberg Bird Sanctuary, where walkers can observe water birds including sacred ibis, Egyptian geese, herons and various duck species. Seasonal flooding creates wetlands during winter months that attract additional waterfowl and wading birds.
This section forms part of the historic Two Rivers Urban Park at the confluence of the Liesbeek and Black Rivers. The river corridor represents one of the oldest urbanised river valleys in South Africa, historically one of the first sites of Khoikhoi resistance against colonial forces. The Friends of the Liesbeek maintains the walking paths and coordinates river rehabilitation efforts.
Observatory Station provides convenient public transport access, located adjacent to the river walk starting point on Station Road. The trail connects to broader walking routes extending through Newlands toward Kirstenbosch.