South Africa’s mother city at Africa’s southern tip is a place of unions. Two of the world’s great oceans surge together off its shores. Primal weather systems swirl northwards, bringing the climatic conditions for the globally unique Cape Floral Kingdom, one of six worldwide floral kingdoms. More than that, Cape Town is a confluence of cultures, with a thriving economy and a vibrant, diverse society.

If you’re in the mood for sipping world-class wine and enjoying fine dining as the sun sets over the ocean, revelling in the natural splendour of Table Mountain and Cape Point, enjoying a round of golf on one of the many championship city courses, partying with the beautiful people or maxing out your credit card with retail therapy, Cape Town is your destination.

MAMRE AND DARLING

Wander through the Werf at Mamre and enjoy the atmosphere of a two-hundred year old Moravian Mission complete with authentic Cape Dutch buildings still in use by the Moravian community, dating back to the eighteenth century. Contrast this pious experience with a good cappuccino and some theatre amid vineyards and wheatfields in the nearby charming hamlet of Darling which combines thespian sophistication and a warm rural welcome.

THE FOSSIL PARK AND THE WEST COAST NATIONAL PARK

It took 20 million years to form, so expect something special. With dinosaur fossils to fire the imagination, discover the ancient natural history of this land forged in fire and water. Close by the breathtaking variety of coastal fynbos (fine bush) plants cradled in a narrow strip of land between the Langebaan Lagoon and the restless waters of the South Atlantic showcase some of the greatest botanical diversity on earth together with a variety of wildlife endemic to the region.

THE CEDERBERG AND GROOT WINTERHOEK WILDERNESS

With its rugged landscapes, gnarled rock formations and the famed Maltese Cross and Wolfberg Arch and Crack formations, this area of sweeping mountains, wide open spaces and clean mountain air is a favourite for hikers, birders and those seeking the peace and solitude of this remote wilderness. This spectacular range of mountains, often blanketed in snow during the winter months, forms a formidable barrier between the coast and the wide-open plains of the Great Karoo.

THE KOUE BOKKEVELD

Travel up the Gydo Pass from South Africa’s premier fruit growing valley around Ceres towards Citrusdal and you enter a high plateau cradled between high mountain peaks and the blue sweep of the African sky. Great country hospitality and the absence of bigcity distractions provides time to ponder the ancient Bushman rock paintings in the area and to savour the crisp mountain air of this spectacular corner of the Western Cape.

WINE ROUTES

Sip a fine West Coast wine and enjoy some excellent home grown cheese and olives at a variety of wine estates along the Swartland, Darling and Oliphants River wine routes. The warm climate and almost continuous sunshine ensures excellent quality cellar door experiences and the opportunity to sample some of the local specialities of the area including waterblommetjies, preserves, home baked breads and fine table grapes.

ENDLESS BEACHES AND SEAFOOD DELIGHTS

Dazzling white sandy beaches, endless sunshine and the cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean set the scene for a perfect beach break. Couple these obvious pleasures with the prospect of the West Coast’s seafood bounty and your pleasure is complete. Quaint seaside villages such as Yzerfontein, Paternoster, St Helena Bay, Elandsbaai and Lamberts Bay provide the perfect venue for a seaside experience and a variety of traditional seafood restaurants on the beach provide a unique and unusual culinary experience.

HISTORIC TOWNS AND VILLAGES

Journey over the Pakhuis Pass to the picturesque village of Wupperthal lying in the shadow of the Cederberg mountains in the remote Tra Tra Valley and sample fine local Rooibos tea and enjoy a visit to the velskoen (skin shoes) factory. Take a stroll along the tree lined streets of Clanwilliam and enjoy the hustle and bustle of village life whilst you savour a local bobotie washed down with a fine local wine. The serenity of these villages and others in the Cape West Coast can be deceptive as a little exploration will reveal a quiet renaissance underway with artists and crafters breathing new life into traditional cottage industries.

CENTURIES-OLD ROCK ART

Explore a multitude of fascinating Bushman Rock Art sites in the Cederberg Mountains and other areas of the Cape West Coast. Catch a glimpse into the ancient customs and religious beliefs of South Africa’s first people depicted in the paintings in the remote caves which provided shelter from the elements. Understand the amazing harmony with nature and the environment that these vanished people achieved and ponder how far we have wandered from their example.

FLOWER POWER

With the sun at your back take a drive through the countryside in Spring, when the rain falls, and marvel at the spectacle of millions of wild flowers which carpet the landscape in vivid shades of yellow, orange and purple. Take a walk in the foothills of the Cederberg and the Groot Winterhoek mountains and enjoy the variety of multiple species of fynbos plants which cover the hills and valleys in riotous splendour or get down to earth with the tiny succulents of the Knersvlakte near Vanrhynsdorp which have adapted themselves to survival in the harshest climatic conditions.