Wonderful Western Cape
Whilst many will choose to fly into Cape Town from the UK and travel eastwards along the Western Cape, often finishing in Port Elizabeth for their flight home, we were already in Johannesburg visiting Family and so we drove down over two days, visiting Kimberley and The Big Hole along the way. It was absolutely fascinating to see the turquoise water in The Big Hole, from a very high viewing platform (!) and to walk through the underground mining shafts, not for the faint-hearted! Our overnight stop was spent in the middle of The Karoo, a semi-desert region, and very sparsely populated. The Karoo is home to a range of xerophytic vegetation, and Karoo Lamb is much famed for its flavour. At night, whilst sat enjoying a cold beer and a braai (a barbeque using wood or coals) the night sky was simply mesmerising – the stars were so large that they looked as though one could simply pluck them from the sky!
For part of our two-week trip we were based in Gansbaai, a small fishing town that is also the centre of South Africa’s cage diving industry. The waters off Dyer Island near Gansbaai are aptly named Shark Alley and are known for their exceptional Great White Shark populations. Shark Alley is a deep underwater channel and is where Great Whites have been pictured propelling themselves out of the water! The sharks are attracted by the massive 60,000 strong Cape Fur Seal colony which inhabits the smaller island of Geyser Rock.
My mother-in-law and I had booked to go cage diving whilst we were here and wow, what an experience it was! Sat on top of the boat having our safety briefing whilst two giant Great Whites swam around us was an incredible feeling, you don't appreciate just how big they are until you see them in person. Once we had donned our wetsuits (the water here is cold even in the summer months), the anticipation was building, until finally it was our turn to climb down into the cage suspended alongside the boat. Having wanted to experience this for over 10 years, I was not disappointed! It was amazing to be so close to such awesome apex predators.
The rest of our trip was a lot more sedate, whilst no less fantastic. We drove along the coast to Hermanus, an old fishing village that comes alive around June – November when Southern Right Whales come here to breed and calf. The whales can be spotted just off-shore and are easily viewable from the cliffs. However, if you’re feeling more adventurous you can take part in a guided kayak tour or a scenic flight. Halfway between Gansbaai and Hermanus is The Sir Robert Stanford Estate, a beautiful winery and distillery where you can enjoy a delicious meal made from home-grown produce, take a tram ride through their grounds or simply sit and watch the sun go down over the lake. I couldn’t resist bringing home a few choice bottles! Top restaurant tip for Gansbaai: The Blue Goose.
Just along the coast from Gansbaai is Cape Agulhas, the geographic southern tip of Africa and the beginning of the dividing line between The Atlantic and Indian Oceans. There is a boardwalk going down to the point and you can enjoy a nice walk along the coast but be sure to pack a mac as it can get rather breezy here, even in the height of summer. On your way to/from Cape Agulhas there is another lovely winery to stop at along the way - The Black Oystercatcher - lunch here is superb and not to be missed.
We spent some time in Cape Town during our trip, and what a fabulous place “The Mother City” is; full of culture and with a great food & drink scene, I think I could have easily spent a week here! We enjoyed a leisurely stroll around the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, where there is a large variety of restaurants to chose from, many serving delicious freshly-caught seafood. A visit to Cape Town would not be the same without taking the cable car up to the top of Table Mountain. Make sure you book your tickets in advance, as the queue can be incredibly long, and rather unbearable under the African sun. Aim to be there relatively early in the morning as the mountain can get shrouded in fog, this way you have a better chance of seeing the stunning views out across the city and over to Robben Island. The red hop on hop off bus is an inexpensive and convenient way to see the city; explore different neighbourhoods and listen to the interesting commentary from the guide (it includes a stop at Table Mountain).
The drive through Stellenbosch, to visit family in Wellington, is particularly beautiful as this region is renowned for its beautiful Cape Dutch homesteads, picturesque scenery and wineries. Wellington is surrounded by fruit orchards, wine estates, buchu plantations and olive groves. In addition, its vine-cutting nurseries produce approximately 85% of the country’s vine root stock for the wine industry.
Continuing our journey, we headed towards the coast, north of Cape Town, and spent several days exploring the wonderful beaches in the area. Two favourites were Melkbosstrand and Blouberg Sands, the white sand beaches and stunning views across to Table Mountain were breath-taking. Despite being the Christmas period, and height of tourist season, the beaches were very quiet as this area is off the main tourist route. All the better for us!
That rounds off another fabulous trip to South Africa! Stay posted for more blogs on my travels to this amazing country, as I have decided for ease to break them into geographical areas.