Western Cape, South Africa
Experience the Western Cape
The two main icons of the Western Cape are Cape Town itself and the Garden Route. Cape Town’s dominant icon is Table Mountain, which has an extraordinary ability to catch a cloud and send it flowing from the summit like a tablecloth being drawn down. Most people enjoy the views from the top of the mountain by using the cable car, but the energetic can climb up one of the 350 paths to the summit. Cape Town has recently been voted as one of the top five cities in the world to visit, and first and return visitors will soon understand why. Since it’s founding in 1580 its unique position has been a haven for travellers from around the world. There is a vibrant shopping centre at the V & A, some great restaurants dotted around the city and adjoining areas such as Camps Bay, beaches with easy access to the city and a relaxed atmosphere, which all contribute to the feel of Cape Town.
The Garden Route, stretching from Cape Town to Storms River, epitomises some of the finest coastal scenery anywhere in the world and the province has much to explore. Knysna, at the heart of the Garden Route, forms an ideal base to explore the many interesting and exciting facets of this spectacular route.
Key things to do during your visit to the Western Cape:
1. Explore Cape Town.
2. Visit Cape Point.
3. Climb Table Mountain.
4. Make a point of visiting the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, one of the world’s finest botanical gardens on the outskirts of Cape Town.
5. Visit Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of the world.
6. Visit Hermanus, for the best land based whale watching in the world.
7. Visit the wine lands, where some of South Africa’s finest wines are produced.
8. Visit the Klein and central Karoo, under the shadow of the Swartberg Mountain ranges and whilst there visit the nearby Cango Caves, with their breathtaking stalactite and stalagmite rock formation.
9. Cape Agulhas, the most southerly tip of Africa and the meeting of the cold Atlantic and the tropical Indian Ocean.
