South African Attractions

South African Wine Routes

Tulbagh
Tulbagh boasts some of the most beautiful examples of early Cape architecture. Church Street is the only street in South Africa where every single building has been declared a National Monument.

Take time out to enjoy the hiking routes, mountain bike routes, horse riding and fishing. Visit the Owl Rehabilitation Sanctuary or go fruit picking or pop into Paddagang Restaurant and Wine House, originally built as a wine cellar in 1809. It is open seven days a week for breakfast, tea, lunch, wine tasting and wine sales. Alternatively, you could take the Trans-Karoo Express which meanders through the winelands to Tulbagh. You can also stop off en route at Boontjiesrivier Pottery farm and the Bianco wine and olive estate. Lunch at a restaurant in historic Church Street and return by bus via scenic Bainskloof Pass to be dropped off back in the city.

The Hermanus circuit
Either go from Cape Town on the N2 over Sir Lowry's Pass to Hermanus and return via Betty's Bay and Gordon's Bay, or the other way round. You can stop for lunch in Hermanus or en route, or picnic. You can easily stretch this trip to two days, particularly if you're in whale season when the Southern Right whales return to the bay to mate and calve. You can go beyond Hermanus to De Kelders or to other land-based whale-watching spots which are by all accounts the world's best. Every spring some 250 000 visitors descend upon Hermanus during the 10-day Whale Festival.

In Hermanus you can also visit the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, walk on the cliffs overlooking the sea, or visit Whalehaven Winery or the estates of Hamilton-Russell and Bouchard-Finlayson. The Walker Bay area produces some of South Africa's premier wines.

On route you can enjoy the Gordon's Bay to Rooi Els section of the coast. In Betty's Bay you can visit the Harold Porter Nature Reserve and even hope to spot a leopard. Some of the best fishing in South Africa, both spear and line, is on this coast, but remember that this can be a dangerous coast.

The West Coast
Head up to Langebaan and enjoy the lagoon or the nature reserve where, especially in wildflower season, you may want to stay overnight. Leave the city at 10h00, enjoy a picnic on the train, a show at the Perron and return to the city by 18h00. The city of Darling hosts the annual Wildflower Show in September.

Somerset West
Historians will enjoy scouting around the town's many historical buildings and national monuments of which there are plenty.

For the eco-tourist there's the Helderberg Nature Reserve where you'll find a variety of protea species and mountain fynbos , several species of buck and nearly 170 species of birds including three species of red-chested flufftail, found only in this area. You can also take e a number of walking and hiking trails in the Helderberg which range from a gentle amble to more challenging trails for serious climbers. Your next stop will have to be the Helderberg Wine Route where you'll find, amongst other things, the largest private port producer in the world. You will find that most of the estates offer wine tastings and all of them sell directly to the public.

Vergelegen, with the spectacular Hottentots Holland Mountains as a backdrop, is a must for visitors to the area. You can take a stroll through the Octagonal and Rose Gardens, take a look at the ancient Camphor Trees which were declared national monuments in 1942, then stop off at the Lady Phillips Tea Garden.

The Stellenbosch Wine Route
Stellenbosch is the second oldest town in South Africa is known for its stately oaks and gracefully proportioned Cape Dutch homesteads. Wear your comfortable shoes and prepare yourself for a leisurely walk around the many museums and galleries. Take a break for lunch at one of the many restaurants housed in historical buildings, where traditional Cape fare is on the menu.

The Stellenbosch Wine Route was the first in South Africa and all the estates along the route are within a 12km radius of the town. All are open Monday to Saturday with only a few opening on Sundays. They offer wine tastings and sell directly to the public and a number of the estates offer light meals.

If you are feeling adventurous take on of the various nature walks on the Helderberg Farm Hiking Trail. You can also join one of the Horse Trails or explore the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. Make time for some game viewing at Wiesenhof Game Reserve where you could spot wildebeest, zebra, gemsbok, eland, ostrich and cheetah. The best time to visit is around 11h00 which is feeding time for the cheetahs.

Paarl Wine Route
30 minutes drive (56km) from Cape Town, you will find Paarl lying in the Berg River Valley at the foot of the scenic Du Toitskloof Mountains.

Attractions of Paarl are the Heen en Weer ostrich farm, a snake park, a crocodile farm and the largest butterfly park in South Africa where the butterflies fly freely in a covered garden. You can visit the only Lion Park in the Western Cape which is just 20 minutes outside Paarl. For birdwatchers there are over 140 species in the Paarl area including Black Eagles and Peregrine Falcons. And at the lkwezi Centre, you can buy ethnic rugs and tapestries of the Bhabhathane Weavers.

The Paarl wine region is home to Paarl Vintners. Established in 1996 it has already founded a wine route with lots of well sign-posted participants. Visit Fairview Estate where you can taste not only their wines but also their wide variety of cheeses.