Travel information on the Western Cape, South Africa


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From the Cederberg Mountains to the wild Agulhas coast to the great Winelands and the glorious Garden Route, the Western Cape is a province of extraordinary diversity. Between Lambert’s Bay and Plettenberg Bay, sweeping stretches of sand are punctuated by rocky promontories, fishing villages and holiday resorts.

Apart from the scenic beauty and the endless rhythm of the waves, the coast provides ideal conditions for anglers. Solitude is easy to find and fish are abundant in great variety.

In the Boland and further afield, golden wheat fields and fragrant orchards abound, and gracious, gabled Cape Dutch mansions set among manicured vineyards, enhance a peerless setting. Towering indigo mountains provide a fitting backdrop for the loveliness of the landscape.

The lakes and forests of the Garden Route are also bordered by impressive mountain ranges, and the interior is reached via a number magnificent passes. North of the mountains, the Klein Karoo is characterized by wide open spaces, undulating hills and enormous Ostrich farms.

Every season has its own enchantment : the flowers of spring, the ripening orchards of summer, the red and golden shades of autumn and the snow capped mountain peaks of winter.

The Cape Malays of the Western Cape

In the early days of European settlement in South Africa, groups of Malays were brought to the Cape by the Dutch East India Company. Among a great many talents, they brought with them exceptional cooking skills, and their rich culinary tradition has had considerable influence on the cuisine of the Western Cape.

Over the past 340 years, their lifestyle has become a unique blend of East and West, but much of their mystique remains, as Malay culture is firmly rooted in the Muslim religion. They obey the call to prayer five times a day ; they fast and feast at times ; they follow strict Islamic dietary laws and, whenever possible, they make the costly pilgrimage to Mecca to follow in the footsteps of the prophet Mohammed.

Although Malays are found throughout the Western Cape, the area on the lower slopes of Signal Hill known as the Bo-Kaap is the place most closely identified with Malay culture.

The Western Cape is sub-divided into various tourist regions.

The Coast line is divided into the West Coast, the Atlantic Coast, the Cape Peninsula, the Whale Route and the Garden Route.

The interior of the Western Cape is divided into the Cape Winelands, the Cederberg, the Great and Small Karoo.

Cape Town, the mother city has some of the most beautiful scenery in Africa. Table mountain, the Castle, the V&A Waterfront with the two oceans aquarium and Robin Island, where our President Nelson Mandela was incarcerated, have proved to be favorite tourist attractions.

The West Coast is perhaps the most rugged stretch of coast line in the world.

The rugged beauty of the West Coast is complimented by the West Coast National Park, the Postberg Nature Reserve, the Tienie Versveld Flower Reserve, world renowned for is wild flowers in Spring from August to September , and the Great Winterhoek Wilderness Area.

Towards the interior of the West Coast we have the Cederberg. The Cederberg Mountains are separated from the coastal region by the Winelands in the valleys.

The Atlantic Coast, a rather small piece of coastline barely 20 km long, the jet set coast line of the Cape, stretching from Green Point to Kommetjie has picturesque scenery and stunning beaches.

The Winelands, a must for all tourists has the famous " wine route " and the recent addition of the " Brandy route " as it’s main attractions.

The Whale Route starting in False Bay and stretching up the coast to Still Bay West is an eco-tourist Mecca.

Hermanus with its spectacular vistas of mountain, sparkling sea and famous for their Whale Crier, the only Whale crier in the world, and Whale sighting has so called champagne air, with balmy days and late afternoon sea mists.

Gansbaai, the home of Great White cage diving and where people swim with whales, begins to portray the absolute stunning beauty this section of South Africa’s coastline has to offer.

Wilderness National Park, Knysna National Lake Area and the Tsitsikamma National Park are the nature reserves in this area.

Many backpackers and tourists take the steam train from George to Knysna or vise versa.

In land we have Winelands, Oudtshoorn with its Ostrich farms and the Cango Caves, the Small or Klein-Karoo and Great or Groot-Karoo.

In the heart of the Great Karoo lies Beaufort West - the centre of the worlds largest plateau outside of Asia.

The history of the earth’s development over the last 280 million years is clearly captured in the rocks of this ancient area, a wonder of the world of science and one of the worlds richest stone age sites.

Just South of the town is the Karoo National Park proclaimed in 1979 to protect the ecology.

It covers three important ecological areas - the plains, the middle plateau and the upper plateau. The Park has breeding programs for two of South Africa’s most highly endangered species - the riverine rabbit and the black rhino.

There are more tortoises than in any other conservation area in the world as well as a wide variety of bird life and Karoo game to be found in the park.

A Fossil trail, a Bossie route, day walks and three day hikes, two interesting drives and an excellent education centre explaining the theory of the Gondwamaland, ensure that there is plenty to see and do.

Beaufort West most famous son, heart surgeon Chris Barnard is honored in three historical buildings - All national monuments which make up Beaufort West Museum.

Visit his humble home, the church in which his father preached and where his mother played the organ. All gifts, awards and presentations made to professor Barnard are on display in the old town hall.

Generally, backpackers have flown directly to Cape Town and make their way to Johannesburg via the Coast to Durban and then either via the Drakensberg to Johannesburg or via Zululand, Swaziland and then to Johannesburg.

If one has already been along the coastal route, you may go directly to Johannesburg via Beaufort West, Kimberly or Bloemfontein to Johannesburg. This Route is well serviced by transport and tour operators.

Most transport operators offer complete trips up the coast from Cape Town to Johannesburg with a jump on and off as many times as you wish as long as you continue in the same direction on the Route. Almost all transport is door to door.

Detailed
Map of the

Western

Cape

Backpacker Associations
| BAI - BackPack Africa International | BTSA | HISA |

Backpacker Travel Guides
| Lonely Planet | Rough Guide | Lets Go |

Tourism Associations
| Gauteng Tourism Association |