Great Western Cape Itinerary in South Africa

QUICK VIEW:
A tour of the Western Cape should be on everyone's bucket list! Itinerary highlights include Cape Town, Cape Point, Robben Island, The Garden Route, Penguin Town, the Helderberg Region, the Elgin Valley, and Route 62.

At Hacking the Road, we are dedicated to finding ways to help people live a Better Life ... on the Road! We are full-time travelers and experience seekers, and we want to share our journey with you. We believe that travel opens hearts and minds, and makes the world a better place. Join us as we explore each new destination.

SOUTH AFRICA is located on the southernmost tip of the African continent.

This Blog is part of a travel series covering the Road Hackers' three month visit to the Western Cape in 2022. We are planning a Northeastern Game Reserves itinerary for a future South African adventure.

The Western Cape is jam-packed with lots of interesting places and great experiences: stunning coastal drives, quaint seaside villages, diverse flora and fauna, rich cultural history, intimate wineland tours, fascinating roadside stops, warm mineral baths, adventure sports, and nature reserves. The tour was a slow travel along the length and breadth of this coastal paradise.

Many tourists may be most familiar with the beauty of the setting in Cape Town. Unfortunately, most tours of South Africa only have time to hit the highlights that include the Cape Town area, the wine country, the Garden Route, and, maybe, Kruger National Park. But, wait... there's a whole lot more!

The Western Cape is a diamond in the rough for tourists with an adventurous spirit! You will need access to a reliable vehicle to fully enjoy the experience. If you can't do it yourself, then join us vicariously as we explore the nooks and crannies that make up this jewel of South Africa...

Highlights of our exploration of the Western Cape include:

But first, let's take a look at 10 Interesting Facts about the Western Cape...

Travel accompanied by knowing something about the local historical, cultural, and geographical context adds a sense of magic that can enrich each travel experience.

Knowledge of the ghosts of eras past, the secret ingredients of the national foods, the rhythm of the local music, the wildlife inhabitants, and the historic battles that shaped the area--can all have profound influences on how you perceive your visit, and what you take away from it. 

We learned some key background information that we found helpful in painting a more complete picture of the Western Cape, and in better appreciating our experience: 

Flying Into the Western Cape
Closest Major Airport: Cape Town (CPT) is served by major airlines and is fairly central to most of the Western Cape attractions.

Alternate South African Airport: Oliver Tambo International (JNB) is served by major airlines, but the city is approximately 870miles/1,400 km from Cape Town. This is a good alternative for tourists exploring the northern Nature Reserves.

Traveling by Bus Around the Western Cape
Bus travel is not generally recommended in the Western Cape.

Traveling by Train Around the Western Cape and Beyond
According to Seat61.com, tourists should be selective when traveling by train in South Africa. Most long-range trains are quite safe, including: Shosholoza Meyl linking Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, and Johannesburg ($50); Premier Classe linking Cape Town and Johannesburg ($235); Blue Train (luxury) linking Cape Town and Pretoria ($1,300); Rovos Rail (luxury) linking Cape Town and the Victoria Falls. Shorter Metro-Suburban trains are safe between Cape Town and Stellenbosch, Cape Town, and Paarl, and Cape Town and Simon's Town. Be sure to choose 1st class if available.

Car Rental in the Western Cape Area
Rental car reviews on Kayak.com recommend Hertz and 1first Car Rental. Keep in mind that South Africa requires you to drive on the left, like Australia and Britain.

Arriving in the Western Cape by Cruise Ship
Major Western Cape Port: Cape Town

Major Cruise Lines Docking in Cape Town: Azamara, Cunard, Holland America, MSC, Norwegian, Oceana, and Silver Sea.

Rainman actually grew up in South Africa, so this was a homecoming of sorts.

This trip was going to be our first extended international visit in more than 20 years. Unfortunately, it came as the Omicron COVID variant was wreaking havoc across the globe in 2021.

To make things worse, Omicron was first identified by a South African Lab, which made South Africa quite the pariah internationally. Family in South Africa assured us that the severity of Omicron was being overblown by the media.

The U.S. State Department was strongly warning against travel to South Africa. However, we felt comfortable continuing with our travel plans, having both been vaccinated and boosted before departing.

Thanks to our travel insurance with World Nomads, we also had some peace of mind in case of unexpected cancellations. 

Social media was full of horror stories of people being turned away at the gate because results had not arrived by the time of departure. Sadly, we actually saw this happen at our gate in Newark, New Jersey.

With that in mind, we weren't going to take any chances. So we did our homework, and following our test, camped out at the Lab to make sure that every requirement was met. What a relief when we got our results:

 NEGATIVE!

Things were looking up!

Other than having to wear our face masks for about 15 hours straight, everything went perfectly on our flight direct from Newark to Cape Town (EWR - CPT). Once we arrived in the Cape Town airport, we breezed through the COVID, Immigration, and Customs control points. 

Coming from the cold of the northern hemisphere, it was wonderful to walk out into the warm air of a summer evening again! We were greeted by a big crew of excited family, who we hadn't seen in person since our last visit in 2016.

After greetings and hugs, we headed to Gordon's Bay.

Here's a quick orientation to the Helderberg area and our Gordon's Bay home base.

Most international tourists arrive at the Cape Town airport (CPT) when touring the Western Cape. It's only natural for these tourists to choose Cape Town as their place to stay.

Cape Town is a modern, cosmopolitan gem, and definitely worth exploring, but it would be a mistake to venture no further.

The Helderberg area is only 28 miles/45 km from Cape Town on the N2 highway. The area is dramatically framed by the Hottentots Holland mountain range and the iconic Helderberg Mountain. 

Having a base in the Helderberg communities has several advantages:

That list could go on and on ... but you get the picture.

Gordon's Bay is the smallest of the three Helderberg towns, and the furthest from Cape Town.

The village literally lies at the base of the Hottentots Holland mountain range, which makes for a stunning backdrop as you approach. Many of the houses are built up against the mountain, with spectacular views of False Bay.

The South African Naval College is headquartered in Gordon's Bay.The original village developed around the old harbor and yacht club area, which are quite close to Gordon's Bay's Blue Flag Bikini Beach. 

More recent development has focused on the area near the Gordon's Bay Main Beach. 

The Harbor Island development is the latest residential expansion.

This private marina estate was built less than 30 years ago. The man-made marina has more than 500 residential units, many with their own dedicated marina moorings. The community is designed around a series of canals and waterways, with protected access to to the ocean.

Harbor Island rentals can be found on AirBnB once in a while, but they tend to be snapped up rather quickly, and with good reason. The private-access amenities and walkable proximity to grocery stores, restaurants, and the luxuries of 4-star Krystal Beach Hotel all make Harbor Island the place to be in Gordon's Bay!

The Krystal Beach Hotel has 112 luxury suites with fantastic ocean and mountain views. The hotel also offers a world class Conference Center, an amazing spa (Krystal Comfort), two high-end restaurants (Krystal Restaurant and The Captain's Table), and a lively cocktail bar (Oh La La Bar). The hotel's ndiza Art Gallery is definitely worth a visit, and was our favorite part of the hotel.

Now, let's take a look at our accommodations. 

Rainman's sister, Jane, booked us into a one-bedroom self-catering apartment on the second floor of the beautiful Boardwalk Accommodation.

 Located right next to the Krystal Beach Hotel, it offered the same fantastic ocean and mountain views, with our apartment overlooking the Harbor Island Boardwalk and Marina.

Fortunately for us, we were able to take advantage of deeply-discounted Covid rates for our three-month stay. Our monthly rate was very reasonable at about $880 (depending on the exchange rate).

We had seen the online pictures of our apartment, and wondered if they were too good to be true--but instead they turned out to be as advertised, and proved to be even better in person!

The apartment was well equipped, and included everything we needed to make it our three-month home:

Walking through the apartment, we knew we had made the right choice. The place was beautifully appointed, with modern upgrades throughout.

The balcony was something special, with  with spectacular views.  The yachts and sail boats of the marina were only 50 feet away!

We couldn't wait to open the curtains each day, as the balcony gave us a front row seat on an ever-changing panorama of beauty.

 The Marina was always busy with yachts, fishing boats and people walking along the boardwalk. The sunsets were unbelievable, revealing a colorful painted sky every evening.

The set of binoculars we brought came in handy to watch the wildlife right outside our door. We couldn't believe our eyes when one morning we saw a couple dolphins surfing the waves just beyond the harbor break wall! 

We were especially delighted to discover that the Marina had five resident Cape Fur Seals.

They would effortlessly hoist themselves onto the boat moorings, enjoy a sometimes lengthy siesta in the sun, and then slink back down into the water when they needed to cool off. Soon we gave them names based on their identifying sizes and markings.

As we always do when arriving in a new country, we immediately set about organizing our nest for the three-month stay.

A number of practical matters needed to be addressed so we could be fully functional--unpacking, getting acquainted with our surroundings, and grocery shopping. But our first, biggest priority was getting our tech connected.

Our dual voltage Echo Dots, Fire Stick, and power bank would need electrical adapters. South Africa uses C, D, M, and N plugs. U.S. plugs are usually A or B. We found that the South African Type-C plug worked for all our dual voltage devices. 

In the U.S., our electrical plugs mostly operate on 110V, while South African plugs operate on 230 volts. Luckily, almost all of our devices are rated as dual voltage (110 - 240 volts). In other words, they can operate anywhere in the dual voltage range.

Next, we had to make sure we had cell phone reception, and that Google Fi would work in South Africa. Google Fi connected immediately, giving us all the functionality we depended on for phone, text, maps, and data. 

Google Fi is great because you can keep your phone number while traveling the world, and it doesn't cost a fortune. It actually turned out to be much more affordable than the the cell plan we had back home. 

Unfortunately, we knew this wouldn't last. Google Fi is designed for primary use in the United States. After about four months of international use, data is cut off. The good news is that phone and text functions still continue to be supported.

Setting up our WiFi connection was relatively easy across all our devices: iPhones, MacBooks, Kindle, Amazon Echo Dots, and our Amazon Fire TV Stick. The signal was strong and consistent.

Media connections were next on the agenda. We were anxious to see if we would be able to have our beloved Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Music, and Netflix while in South Africa.

The Amazon Fire Stick connected to Amazon just fine, but we had only very limited access to our favorite movies and TV shows. Better news on the Amazon Music front though, since we had full access to all of our Playlists!

Another positive revelation: Netflix worked perfectly, with no noticeable difference. A few sitcoms weren't available to the South African market, but just about everything else seemed accessible.

At this point, we thought we had solved all our electrical and connection issues, but there was one more hitch.

Welcome to load shedding! 

The major South African electric company, ESKOM, was having difficulties managing the increasing demand for electricity during peak hours. This meant daily black-out hours. 

The load shedding schedule was very random--different days and times each week.

No electricity meant no lights, no internet, no fans or air conditioning, and no functioning street lights! The Boardwalk provided each apartment unit with a portable light that could be recharged. Luckily, water pumps were not run by electricity in our apartments, so access to water was never a problem. 

Needless to say, we stocked up on candles and flashlights, and made sure our power banks and phones were fully charged.

Our vote for the worst time for the outages was between 6 pm and 10 pm. Luckily, most restaurants and stores had generators so they could still operate, but functioning credit card machines were not a given.

With all the electrical and connectivity issues addressed, we were ready to stock up on all our grocery staples. Our accommodation was fully equipped, allowing us to be self-sufficient when it came to meals. We always do a lot of home cooking on the road.

Anyone for burgers?

How about pizza? Try homestyle!

Off to the grocery stores! After checking out a lot of the local stores quite thoroughly, we quickly decided on our favorites:

Food Lover's Market was really our favorite store by far! In some ways, their mission and layout reminded us of our favorite Aldi grocery store in the United States. They are committed to responsible environmental practices like fair trade, organic farming, free range meats, and locally produced sustainable production.

The fresh fruit and vegetables were of the highest quality, with row upon row of colorful choices at very reasonable prices--about 40% less than in the U.S..  It didn't hurt that they also had a very talented bakery staff! 

Food Lover's also had an amazing sit-down restaurant attached to their Seattle Coffee shop. We regularly stopped in for the steak special, a  7 oz/200 gram steak with either a fresh salad or a generous helping of fries. 

Those delicious steaks were much bigger than advertised, more like 10.5 oz/300grams. You're not going to believe the price--$3.85 for the steak special and about $4.33 for the hake special! Beats fast food!

Of course, we also had to check out the local restaurant scene. A few favorites emerged as we regularly sampled the contenders.

By far, our favorite restaurant was Pajamas & Jam in the next town over. Where to start? Bring your camera and a big appetite!

When we first arrived at Pajamas & Jam, we weren't sure we were in the right place. The restaurant was tucked away in the heart of the industrial area, right next to an old scrap metal outlet. And there was a full-sized helicopter displayed on the roof! 

Entering the front door, we couldn't believe our eyes! Picture an upscale, ultra-cool bakery and restaurant, with heavy steam punk, antique, and industrial accents, in a garden-like setting!

All kinds of repurposed retro artifacts were scattered throughout the restaurant. Bicycles, antique dresses, old jars, dusty old books, and old leather works decorated the walls and ceiling.

As we walked past the front register, our senses were assaulted by the huge selection of freshly baked cakes, cookies, and desserts on display. Visions of sweet treats danced in our heads...

The place was packed, and we saw why there was so much hype about this special place. You couldn't go there just once, there were just too many amazing options to try! The coffee was freshly ground and freshly brewed, and smelled incredible.

The breakfast and lunch menus are creatively engineered to reflect the beautiful imaginations of the people who put this place together. Apparently, the offerings change regularly depending on what fresh local ingredients are in season.

Pajamas & Jam is absolutely a feast for the eyes, the nose, the mind, the spirit, and, of course, the hungry stomach!

After your appetite is satisfied, wander next door to their attached Wonderland Costumes Shop. It was chock full of old fashioned clothing, accessories, and masks. Browse the racks to put together a no-one-else-has-this outfit for your next costume party!

Another favorite restaurant was Im Eimer in Somerset West, located quite some distance away from the town's commercial center. This establishment is owned by the Hucke family, who have taken great care to craft a special experience for their patrons since opening in 2011. 

Driving up to the entrance, the initial impression wasn't all that positive. The parking lot and restaurant entrance were quite dimly lit. We weren't sure they were even open.

From the outside, Im Eimer looked a lot like some of the dusty old cowboy bars we'd visited in the southwestern United States.

Entering the building, we realized that the dim lighting was an intentional part of the appeal of this unique restaurant. The set-up is very casual, with long wooden tables for a family style atmosphere.

The Hucke family has slowly accumulated hundreds of antique odds and ends that are displayed in creative ways all over the restaurant. The ceilings and walls have become exhibiting spaces for these artifacts of bygone years.

The name "Im Eimer" is symbolic of their mission to recreate value and meaning out of our past. "Im Eimer" means literally "in the bucket."

The story goes that when things are used up and no longer useful, they are placed in the bucket, a symbolic story from the old days. The Hucke family proudly resurrects and showcases pieces from the "bucket!"

The star menu item of the night would be the Eisbein, a traditional Bayerische Schweinhaxe! We'd never heard of an Eisbein before that night, and the description didn't sound that appealing. But everyone in the family was raving about  about the experience.

The Schweinshaxe is actually a traditional German pickled ham hock. The Bayrische version of the ham hock is slow cooked for almost four hours until the crackling skin is perfectly crispy, with the meat still moist and juicy! Our mouths water just thinking back on that night.

As the restaurant recommended, we had placed our Eisbein orders much earlier in the day to make sure we wouldn't have a long wait. This was sound advice for our large group of 10 adults and two children.

The restaurant offers two sizes of Eisbein: the full Eisbein (about $11) or the Ladies Eisbein (about $6.50). Rainman was game to opt for the full version portion. 

When the Eisbeins first arrived, it was overwhelming. What do you eat first--the crackling or the meat or the sauerkraut? So much good on that plate. Every bite was as advertised. Delicious! Delicious! Delicious! 

In hindsight, though, we could have been perfectly happy with the Ladies Eisbein. Doggie bags were in order!

All we can say is that, if you every come to the Helderberg area, you simply MUST get an Eisbein at Im Eimer! It is a special menu item at a one-of-a-kind restaurant. We can't say enough about the place.

Switching gears, another of our favorite restaurants actually isn't really a restaurant at all--it's a coffee shop!

Heartlands Baby Sanctuary is in Somerset West, about 8 miles/13 km southwest of Gordon's Bay. The store and coffee shop proceeds support the local Heartlands Baby Sanctuary that looks after abused or orphaned babies and children up to six years of age. They have facilities for up to 25 children.

The Heartlands store carries a wide selection of low-priced, second-hand items that are donated. You'll find clothing, household items, and odds and ends. Their specialty, however, is gently used items for babies and children. Parents can find clothing, toys, high chairs, and car seats, all for reasonable low prices.

The attached coffee shop has a simple breakfast and lunch menu, with two seating areas. Their freshly made salad with roasted seasonal vegetables, goat cheese, and grilled chicken strips was our favorite. It was a big portion for only $5! They also had yummy homemade cakes and muffins for dessert. 

Another favorite eatery that gave us shelter on load shedding evenings was Bossa Goodtimes Restaurant in the Strand, located about 5 miles/8 km from Gordon's Bay.

Bossa has a huge steakhouse menu, but their wide selection of outstanding gourmet burgers appears to be most popular.  Oh, and did we mention that the restaurant has a 270 degree ocean view!

On Monday evenings, Bossa runs a burger special that is just unbeatable. Patrons can sink their teeth into any of their Big Boy 7 oz/200 gram gourmet burgers for about $5, and that includes a healthy side of fries! For a small upcharge, you can choose sweet potato fries, which was always a yes for Tricia.

Here are some of the gourmet burger options we tried, because of course, someone had to do the research, and we decided to take on the task.

The rest of the Helderberg restaurant scene is so diverse and creative. We wanted to try them all!

On Wednesdays, Jane's half day off, she showed us the many cafes all along the Gordon's Bay and Strand beaches. They were often associated with second-hand shops, dedicated to worthwhile missions. We also especially enjoyed the uniquely decorated shops. 

Gordon's Bay also had its own special spots.

We would often take an early morning walk along the Gordon's Bay beachfront, enjoying the fresh ocean air and looking for shells. Sometimes, we'd find something unexpected on the beach!

On our return home, we would stop in to our favorite java house called On the Go. The cafe is located along Beach Road, in a bustling little section of town with a direct view of the ocean. The cafe offers an array of coffees and sweet. Cappuccino for Rainman and red cappuccino for Tricia ($2 each).

The red cap is made from rooibos, a native plant grown mainly in the mountainous Cederberg region of South Africa. Pronounced ROY-boss, an Afrikaans name, translates to red bush in English.

Rooibos has a delicate flavor that is sweet and aromatic. As an herbal tea, it is caffeine-free, and contains a high concentration of vitamins and polyphenols, providing innumerable health benefits. It is a popular item on menus all around the Western Cape and beyond.

One of the best experiences in the area is the Helderberg Wine Route. This special excursion merits its own blog. Be sure to check out our South Africa's Hidden Gems on the Helderberg Wine Route article. The Lourensford and Waterkloof Wine Estates are not to be missed if you love wine tours.

For those interested in watching or joining extreme sports, Helderberg offers several really thrilling opportunities. To be clear, we love watching, not participating!

Windsurfing is a hugely popular past-time in the Strand, and is really a lot of fun to watch. But, venturing away from the coast, we found two more unique and daring sports--paragliding and wake-boarding.

Sir Lowry's Pass is easily accessible on the N2 highway that winds its way up into the Hottentots Holland Mountains. The drive along this pass provides sweeping scenic views of the ocean and towns below--and great opportunities for paragliders when the winds blow in a westerly direction. 

The paragliders were assembling their rigs in a parking lot as we arrived at one of the look-out points. We quickly parked and jumped out to see if we could catch some of the action. The winds were just perfect according to the crews.

Our good timing allowed us to observe about eight paragliders going through their paces.

Some were already riding the thermals, while others were just starting to unpack and unfurl their colorful gear. We were lucky to see a group of gliders soaring above the canopy below, and several more in the early stages before taking off from the overlook. 

One of the flights involved a tandem flight of a novice paired with an expert. They were meticulous in going over their protocols as they prepared for a successful leap off the mountainside.

The visuals were amazing! One could only imagine what the gliders were experiencing!

Before we knew it, they were ready to go. The jump started with a giant leap of faith without hesitation.The tandem were perfectly synchronized as they ran to the mountain edge. Just like they'd planned it, the pair lifted off effortlessly into the air and soared away like a big colorful bird ... Wow!

You can find a video of the lift-off on our YouTube channel. Paragliding from Sir Lowry's Pass is not for the faint of heart!

Looking out over the expanse of the pass, the gliders seemed to be floating effortlessly in the sky. They were masters at finding the thermals that kept them aloft for what seemed like hours.

When all the gliders were off the mountain, we followed suit and made our descent down the steep pass. We were fortunate to witness a few of the adventurers touch safely down. Some of the early gliders were already waiting for their fellow riders.

Our next experience was just as intense watching wake-boarders going through their practice runs. 

The Blue Rock Resort lies close to the base of Sir Lowry's Pass near the N2 highway. The sizable body of blue water was quite unexpected as we came through the dense trees in the surrounding park. This must have been an old rock quarry before it was allowed to fill with water.

The deepest point at Blue Rock is around 197 ft/60 m. 

This man-made lake is outfitted with a very powerful pulley system capable of supporting several water sports, including water skiing, ziplining, and wake-boarding. We watched in anticipation as the cable system transported eight wake-boarders around the inner perimeter. You can find a video of two boarders in action on our YouTube channel.

Ramps and jumps provided the athletes with challenging obstacles to master. The skilled riders even performed side-by-side maneuvers, syncing up their jumps.

Though we didn't see the zip line in action, we read that it is over 1,300 ft/400 m long. The resort also offers training opportunities for those interested in commercial and free diving. What an ingenious use of an existing landmark, and a remarkable resource for the region--all in a fabulous venue!

With all of our local exploring done, we were itching to get back on the road and begin our broader adventure. The first big excursion would take us up the west coast for an amazing visit to the Yzerfontein-Langebaan-Mykonos corridor. Let's hit the road!

If you are interested in active travel, local culture, and natural beauty, then the Yzerfontein-Langebaan-Mykonos Corridor should be on your itinerary. The West Coast embodies all of this and more!

Reading the history of this special region had us hooked from the beginning:

Exotic accommodations in Yzerfontein ... miles and miles of Fynbos ... West Coast National Park ... Thali Thali Game Lodge ... Langebaan Kite Surfing ... Club Mykonos Resort & Casino ...

With highlights like that, who wouldn't want to visit?

Join us as we share our experience exploring this special region of South Africa!

A good friend of the family, Kelley, just happened to have a beautiful 3,500 square foot/325 square meter vacation home in Yzerfontein. We were invited to spend the weekend.

That's South African hospitality at its best! It didn't take us long to accept this generous offer, make plans, pack the car, load the trailer, and set off.

Our brother-in-law, Mauricio, graciously offered to drive. The highway was in great condition and the Friday afternoon traffic was still manageable.

Yzerfontein lies on the Atlantic coast, about 60 miles/97 km NW of Cape Town. We took the R27 all the way from Cape Town into Yzerfontein.

Population density dropped off significantly once we were about 10 miles outside Cape Town.

Surprisingly, the route did not follow the coastline. Instead, we were treated to wide open stretches of fynbos (fine bush) that seemed to go on forever. As it turns out, much of the area is protected. Fynbos is uniquely endemic to a narrow belt extending up both the eastern and western coasts.

Along the way, we passed several public and private nature reserves:

That's a lot of protected land! At one point, we even saw a camel about 200 meters from the road. Fortunately, a tall electrified fence kept the wildlife from the R27.

As we got closer to our destination, we passed row upon row of cute seaside cottages ideally nestled among the fynbos that dominates the landscape. 

Driving into Yzerfontein at dusk gave us the perfect introduction to this magical place. The early evening lighting and expansive sky cast a most romantic aura over the village.

We had heard so much about the unique decor of Kelley's refurbished home. As we entered through the foyer into the open-concept lounge-kitchen area, there was a decided Moroccan flair that made for an interesting introduction to our exotic adventure. Even the stairs had their own Morroccan-style accents!

Kelley warmly welcomed the group, and showed us around her spacious home. The colors, patterns, and eclectic pieces scattered throughout were nicely coordinated, generating a very comfortable vibe. Each of the beautifully appointed bedrooms had its own variation on the Moroccan theme. This was a special place!

The excitement of our arrival, together with all the abundant fresh air, soon took its toll, and we were off to bed in our luxurious rooms. Having heard about the spectacular sunrises, we set our alarms extra early. There was no way we were going to miss the sun rising over the fynbos!

One by one, we woke up to the unmistakeable aroma of freshly ground coffee, and the beginnings of a country breakfast. Coffee in hand, we headed for the raised wooden balcony that overlooked the expansive eco-system at the back of the home.

The setting was idyllic, with a fine mist that hovered over the fynbos and hinted of the beauty to come.

As the sun slowly pierced the mist, we were treated to the early morning sights and sounds of the local wildlife.

Several families of quail made their early morning trek through the fynbos on their way to their usual feeding spots. The playful sounds of countless bird species laid the perfect sound track for our viewing.

Our coffee tasted better with every sip. We had a front row seat on our own little piece of paradise!

Apparently, there are also many mongoose in the area, but we weren't lucky enough to see them. Tortoises, porcupine, and dune moles are also quite common. The Yzerfontein area has quite an eco-system!

After our lovely breakfast, we had time for a leisurely visit to Yzerfontein's famous 16-mile beach, the longest continuous sandy beach in South Africa. The views and the natural setting were beautiful, as advertised!

This amazing white sand beach extends north all the way to the edge of the West Coast National Park. Although we didn't partake, guided horseback rides along the beach are available at sunrise and sunset. Whale-watching is also popular here from September through November.

Fun Fact 

Yzerfontein has the distinction of being the terminal point for the West Africa Cable System (WACS) that links cable telecommunications between Europe and the African continent. The cable actually has twelve landing points in Africa, with the last being in Yzerfontein.

That afternoon after lunch, we decided to take a drive to see the West Coast National Park.

WCNP is a designated part of the Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve--an UNESCO Biosphere program.

The reserve extends all the way from Yzerfontein to the Langebaan Lagoon in the north. The area encompassing the park has been recently expanded to protect additional coastal habitats.

The present configuration of the park aims to protect the local Strandveld Vegetation, Langebaan Fynbos, and Hopefield Sand Plain Fynbos (Coastal Fynbos).

Strandveld Vegetation is mainly concentrated on the Langebaan Peninsula, just east of the Lagoon. Sand Plain Fynbos grows inland from the Lagoon. Langebaan Fynbos is quite pervasive across larger areas of the park.

These habitats are extremely important to the thousands of migrating birds that return to the park every year. Not surprisingly, the park is also recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.

Migrating birds are said to travel all the way from Central Asia and Russia! Red Knot, Eurasian Whimbrel, and Eurasian Curlew are often seen in the area.

Scores of eco-tourists descend on the park every August and September for the spectacular wildflower season.

Spring Visitors are treated to flowering fields of White Rain Daisies, Gousblom, Elandsvy, Magriet, Livingston Daisies, Sporrie, Suurvy, Bokbaai Vygie, and Wild Sorrel.

But, the park is beautiful any time of the year. Year-round flowers include Candelabra, Rooinaeltjie, Chinkerinchlee, Bruinsalie, Rooimalva, and Leonotis Leonurus.

Our drive in April  was inspirational enough, but the added wildflower cover in peak season must be quite special!

Stopping at the Geelbek Information Center, we learned of the Eve’s Footprint and Trail excursion—a big attraction for hikers.

Ancient fossilized footprints were found in the nearby rock. The prints are thought to be about 117,000 years old. The original prints are now protected at the Iziko Museum in Cape Town. A replica can still be seen at the Geelbek Center.

The hiking excursion follows Eve’s trek through the WCNP for about 30 km, exploring both the history and the natural environment of the area.

If only we had the time! There was so much to see and do. We didn’t even come close to seeing the WCNP islands just off the coast. A quarter of a million west coast birds live and breed offshore. That must be a sight!

Our WCNP tour at an end, we headed back to our nest in Yzerfontein. Our South African Feast awaited!

After our WCNP excursion, we returned to our Yzerfontein home base, ready for a hearty braai, and some great South African dessert!

Braais are essentially South Africa's version of the American barbecue. The biggest difference is that South Africans don't usually use briquettes. Instead, they create their own coals by burning good coal-producing wood. 

The coal-making process can take quite a bit of time. The traditional braai is usually a long social process, with great conversation, lots of snacking, and a fair amount of drinking.

Once the coals are hot and ready, several kinds of meats are spiced and prepared for the high heat. A typical braai might include lamb, pork, beef, boerewors (homemade seasoned sausage), chicken, and/or venison when available. Toasties--toasted cheese, tomato, and onion sandwiches--are common as well.

Then there's dessert! Two of our favorites are Melktert (Milk Tart) and Mulva Pudding!! Let's just say, our stay in South Africa was not very weight-friendly. But we really don't regret a single bite!

What a great evening ... a fine ending to a wonderful day!

The time had come for our long-awaited game reserve excursion! After a great breakfast, and a lot of excited conversation, we set off for the Thali Thali Game Lodge.

Online reviews and local recommendations all pointed to a great experience.

Thali Thali is a private, family-owned game reserve, conveniently located near Langebaan. Our drive, once again, took us through the West Coast National Park. The drive north on the R27 took 25 minutes—about 32 miles/52 km.

Exiting the highway, the excitement was building as we drove up the long dusty access road. Approaching the central lodge building, we knew we were in the right place. Safari excursion trucks and jeeps stood ready for the adventures to come.

Thali Thali has several small self-catering chalets around the property. In order to fully immerse in the game lodge experience, visitors often stay overnight in a farmhouse or in glamping tents!

The Game Lodge building had a very nice restaurant and bar. We had arrived extra early to take advantage of their farm-style breakfast—and brewed coffee, of course! The setting on the veranda was peaceful and serene.

As we enjoyed our breakfast, we were introduced to the owner and oriented to the Thali Thali story. Amalia and Thys van Niekerk were originally fruit and veg famers. The dream was to someday own a game reserve where they could share their love of nature with others.

The Thali Thali opportunity was the perfect fit for their young family. Thys loved the idea of managing wildlife and Amalia was an accomplished caterer.

The van Niekerks have built up a significant collection of wildlife on the reserve, with a well-balanced ecosystem capable of supporting the resident animals.

Thali Thali is so much more than wildlife and beautiful natural scenery! The staff wholeheartedly buys into the van Niekerk hospitality mission of providing an experience that will keep visitors coming back year after year. It worked with us—we absolutely want to return!

Toward the end of breakfast, our game ranger arrived and let us know that the game drive was ready for departure.

The ranger had been at Thali Thali for almost a year, and was very knowledgeable. He immediately put us at ease with an orientation of what we might expect on the drive.

The game drive was to be a 90-minute experience, but the ranger took his time and made sure we hit all the major viewing spots. Our drive actually took 3 hours to complete! What an amazing deal at $16 per person!

Beginning the drive, we were especially interested in seeing the Cape Buffalo and giraffe. Success! We had close encounters with both species—and so much more!

Along the way, we were privileged to see:

The Cape Buffalo arrived at Thali Thali in 2018. Approvals to add Cape Buffalo required that the van Niekerks electrify about 18 km of fencing. Preparations and permitting took about seventeen months. The initial herd was made up of five males. Today, Thali Thali has twelve Cape Buffalo—and they are spectacular!

Our encounter with the giraffe was quite memorable. Arriving at the viewing location, our ranger seemed concerned that the giraffe were too far away. He asked us to start whistling to get their attention. It worked!

Almost in slow motion, a group of five giraffe made their way up the hill to within feet of our vehicle. Giraffe are so majestic! We were so blessed.

Back at the lodge, we settled in for a special lunch experience. The veranda once again offered a most beautiful setting.

The Bison Burgers were highly touted by the staff, so there was no way we were missing that experience. Can you say delicious! These were the best burgers we’d had in years!

To top off the experience, there was a very unexpected guest. A male Fallow Deer suddenly showed in the bushes below the veranda. For about 10 minutes, he explored the area around us, possible picking up on the scent of a female deer.

Fallow Deer males grow a large rack of antlers every year, usually shedding them in April or May. Our visit was in April, so we were fortunate to see a rack of fully grown antlers on this amazing creature!

The experience at Thali Thali was truly magical. What a special place—and so close to Cape Town!

Leaving the reserve, there was no doubt we’d be spreading the word about this unique West Coast gem!

Thali Thali was quite close to the Langebaan Lagoon. The plan was to spend the rest of the afternoon watching the kite surfers at the lagoon--and eating ice cream. That's a fun afternoon!

The town of Langebaan is known as the "Jewel of the West Coast." The title is well deserved.

Langebaan Lagoon is quite unique in nature. Only three lagoons worldwide are not fed by rivers, and Langebaan is one of them! This large body of self-sustaining salt water is actually open to the Atlantic Ocean.

The lagoon is approximately 16 km long and about 3 km at its widest. This amazing salt marsh is protected as part of the West Coast National Park.

Langebaan Lagoon's natural beauty is quite the attraction, but the area is also very appealing to sports enthusiasts. We were in for quite a surprise!

Planet Windsurf rates Langebaan as one of the most wind-sure (reliable) locations in the world, especially during the warmer months from November to March. So, there's no surprise that wind surfers and kite surfers flock to the lagoon in droves.

Adding to the appeal, the lagoon has an abundance of shallow water areas, making it ideal for beginners. 

We were amazed to see hundreds of wind sails working their way across the lagoon. Even the beach was packed with kite surfers preparing for flight. The scene was electric! What an amazing photo/video opportunity.

The scene reminded us of some of the big hot air balloon rallies in Arizona and New Mexico. We sensed the same energy and excitement here at Langebaan Lagoon! It was difficult to decide where to point the camera...

After what seemed like hundred of photos and videos, we headed up to the small beach-side concession area for a much-need ice cream. Then it was back to Yzerfontein for our final evening at Kelley's home.

We were exhausted!

Our final day touring the West Coast Region began with the usual splendid early morning breakfast and a trip out to the veranda. Nature's showcase unfolded before our eyes as the dawn greeted the day. Watching the Fynbos come alive never got old!

Once again we saw the quail family trekking through the veld, apparently at the same time every morning--using the same pathways through the Fynbos. 'Very cool!

After breakfast, we set off in search of the famed Portuguese dessert, Pastéis de Nata! 

Mauricio, our Portuguese brother-in-law, had the perfect artisan bakery in mind, one he recommended from first-hand experience. 

This would be our first time sampling these delectable treats. The Pastéis de Natas were still warm and flaky as we wolfed them down in the car! Where had they been all our lives?

Mauricio had scored another gold star!

The itinerary for the day would focus on the Club Mykonos Resort and Casino--a big departure from the natural settings we had visited previously. It was time for some entertainment! 

Club Mykonos is a Greek-themed resort development built on the shores of the pristine Langebaan Lagoon. The beautiful white-washed facades of the Kalivas (condos) create the look and feel of a mini Mykonos--hence the Greek theme of the resort.

Club Mykonos has all kinds of great amenities:

Guests staying at the resort have access to all of the amenities ... at very reasonable rates! Families seemed to really enjoy the facility.

They even had a donkey available for kids rides!

Visitors also use the resort as a base for exploring the surrounding nature reserves and fossil park (Eve's Footprints). Wind sports enthusiasts love the proximity to the Lagoon.

The Mykonos Waterfront has its own attractions for foodies and music lovers. Then, of course, there's the Casino. 'Something for everyone here!

We were interested in checking out everything the place had to offer. With ice cream cones in hand, we walked the waterfront and marina, and roamed the expansive grounds.

The Cape Town Fish Market restaurant immediately caught our attention. The place was packed! It seemed the place to be on the Marina--great view and great food. Lunch anyone? Easy decision ... we were lunching at the Fish Market!

As we settled into our table overlooking the Marina, we were quite impressed with the menu. Their specialty was seafood with a Japanese theme. But, they also had a full menu for meat lovers and vegetarians.

What a beautiful setting! Be sure to get there early for lunch or dinner if you want to avoid the long waits.

After lunch, we continued our walk through the Marina. Just for interest, we stopped in at the trendy Kapstadt Brauhaus restaurant. They offered a full-fledged traditional German menu, including schnitzel, bratwurst, eisbein, pretzels, sauerkraut, and all kinds of German beers. 

The Brauhaus would have been a serious contender for our lunch dollars if we'd seen it earlier!

The visit ended with a quick stop-in at the casino. Mauricio had some good luck at the slots. The rest of us had good play, but, as usual, we left money in the machines. 'Lots of fun, though!

All in all, it was a great day of exploring the Club Mykonos Resort & Casino. The resort complex is perfectly set up for a week-long stay. We wouldn't mind a return on a future visit!

We were a little sad to leave the West Coast Region behind, but we knew this was just the beginning.

There were so many precious South African gems out there to be discovered. We would be on the hunt for every last one!

Driving home, we decided to stop at the Milnerton Flea Market near Cape Town.

Such an eclectic market, and what a backdrop! Table Mountain towers in the distance and the ocean is just yards away.

This huge market is held every weekend, and on most holidays. Our timing was good, because this was a long weekend.

Shoppers can find just about anything here, including car parts, collectible dolls, masquerade masks, tools, fruit and veg, street food, artificial flowers, fresh flowers, artisan artists, second hand clothes, and beauty products--and so much more. 

Even though we were quite tired, it was fun just looking around--especially at the folk art!

Back at our Gordon's Bay base, we enjoyed a perfect ending to our outstanding excursion, with a gorgeous sunset over the marina!

We couldn't help feeling most fortunate, and almost a little guilty for having so very many blessings...

The next week was spent simply enjoying our amazing marina apartment and spending time with family.  Jane and Tricia went for a pedicure (Tricia's first ever!), we watched our niece compete and win ribbons in an equestrian event with her horse Mambo, and brother William had the family over for octopus. We also hosted whichever family members were available that day for a homemade meal served on our balcony, a frequent occurrence that we dubbed The Lunch Club.

Finally, we were ready for Cape Town! There are those who say that Cape Town can be explored over a couple of days. To us, that's not exploring! That's what we'd call drive-by tourism. 

Our slow travel strategy allowed us to totally immerse ourselves in the Cape Town experience. To really enjoy the area, we spread our visits over several weeks, heading to Cape Town for a day or two every week over the next month. This section is an amalgam of all of those visits.

Cape Town is known as the "Mother City" because it was the location of the first European settlement in Southern Africa. This jewel is often listed among the "Top 10 cities to see before you die."

Situated at the northern end of the Cape Peninsula, Cape Town proper essentially lies between the spectacular backdrop of Table Mountain and Table Bay. The immediate suburbs extend southward from Table Bay, most notably including Camps Bay, Clifton, Sea Point, and Green Point.

The Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality actually covers the entire Cape Peninsula and extends across all the communities on either side of False Bay, which lies east of Table Mountain. Notable communities on the east side of the Cape Peninsula include Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek, and Simon's Town.

Today, Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa. The city covers an area of about 116 square miles/300 square km, and has a population of over three million people.

On our first visit to the city, we spent the day with Jane and Rochelle, seeing some of the more popular highlights. The easiest and most economical way to see these focal points is to buy a ticket on the open-top double decker CitySightSeeing red bus.

CitySightSeeing Cape Town offers open-ended one-day (Classic $17) and two-day (Premium $22) hop-on/hop-off tickets with very generous access to a wide array of sights and experiences scattered over Cape Town and its many suburbs. The Premium ticket adds access to a special Sunset Bus Tour and a Harbor or Canal Cruise. All tours include an audio narrative through free head phones, offered in 15 different languages.

The ticket offers four very entertaining tour loops:

We decided to take the very popular Red City Tour. Our plan was to cover the sights of the Blue, Yellow, and Purple Tours on our own when we had more time for in-depth exploration. On those excursions, we also hoped to add visits to Robben Island, Cape Point in Table Mountain National Park, and Seal, or Duiker, Island near Hout Bay.

We bought our CitySightSeeing tickets while visiting the Victoria & Albert (V&A) Waterfront. This major tourist attraction boasts tons of world class shopping, great hotels, all kinds of restaurants, and wonderful public art.

The area is actually part of Table Bay Harbor, which is the oldest working harbor in South Africa. You can even enjoy the view of Table Mountain while taking a harbor cruise. An adult ticket costs about $8. What a deal!

We walked all over the beautifully laid-out development on our way to boarding our first bus.

A top attraction here is the Two Oceans Aquarium, the biggest of its kind in South Africa. Highlights include an African penguin colony, a very cool shark exhibit, and a walk through the transparent tunnel under the aquarium. Adult entrance tickets cost about $14.

For those who love to visit all the big Ferris wheels of the world, the Waterfront has the Cape Wheel. Given Rainman's fear of heights, this wasn't high on our list. Adult tickets cost about $12 each.

Though we weren't in the market for adding anything to our suitcases, we didn't skip The Waterfront shopping walk. Browsing and window shopping the small artisan shops displaying arts, crafts, jewelry, clothing, ceramics, and even furniture accessories, was a feast for the eyes and the imagination. The whole zone was well laid out and quite upscale.

The wide open airy space of the V&A Food Market has a whole array of street food choices, micro-brewery options, and a variety of dessert caterers. We were temped to sample everything, but we settled for homemade cookies to tide us over until lunch later.

One of the coolest sights was the operation of the V&A Waterfront Swing Bridge. This unique engineering solution facilitates foot traffic between the Alfred and Victoria Basins, while allowing boating to continue between these waterways.

As we made our way over to the Clock Tower and the Zeitz Museum, we had the opportunity to see the bridge in action as it slowly reconnected the pathway between the basins so we could make the crossing. The bridge is 13 ft/4 m wide and about 137 ft/42 m long.

Once across the bridge, the old Clock Tower came into full view. The tower, built in 1882, was designed in period Victorian Gothic style and originally housed the Port Captain's office. The clock itself was imported from Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Passing the Clock Tower, the inspiring tall structures of the Silo District lay up ahead. The focal point of this locale is the amazing Silo Complex. The silos themselves were originally built in the 1920s to store grain before export from South Africa to foreign destinations. At the time, this was the tallest man-made structure in southern Africa.

The old silo complex was completely renovated and redeveloped with reinforced concrete, creating a giant atrium with 70 large eco-friendly glass panes and beautiful architectural designs throughout. The complex houses the world-famous Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCCA) and the Silo Hotel, with 28 lavish guest rooms.

The Zeitz Museum is the real star here. Zeitz is advertised as the biggest museum in Africa, with over 65,500 square foot/6,000 square meters of exhibit space, spread over eight floors. Zeitz regularly exhibits the works of internationally-renowned artists.

For us, the architecture alone was worth the $15 price of admission for an adult ticket. Jane and Rochelle paid the reduced admission price for South African residents, but they agreed with us!

We took the elevator to the top floor and were treated to a unique view of Table Mountain, as it peered from the impressive glass panes of the restored silo. Even better, Table Mountain was sporting a very dramatic tablecloth, the name locals call the clouds that cascade over the mountain. 

The top floor also houses an impressive restaurant and bar, strictly for those with a healthy budget! The actual floor is made of thick transparent glass. Walking across it provides a birds-eye view of the internal structure of the silos--a unique perspective to be sure, but a little scary for those of us with a heights phobia!

The museum's art exhibits on display the day we toured were quite varied and abstract.

Even the restrooms had an artistic flare!

Leaving the Silo District, we hopped back on the bus for a quick trip through downtown Cape Town. We made sure we had great seats with unobstructed views from the upper deck. Sometimes the wind was whipping, so we literally had to hang on to our hats! But the upper deck view was definitely the best way to see the sights.  

The hustle and bustle of the city came alive before us. It was fun just people watching as they all seemed in such a hurry. Like any other city worldwide, cars were double-parked, horns were honking, and pigeons were abundant!

We exited the bus, and made our way up Darling Street past the beautiful Cape Town City Hall building. Built in 1905, this Edwardian edifice was built of lime stone imported from Bath, England. In 1990, Nelson Mandela made his first free speech after being released from his Robben Island prison at this historic building.

More than 10,000 people were in attendance to hear Mandela's words, just hours after his release. The address given from the balcony began, "Comrades and fellow South Africans, I greet you all in the name of peace, democracy and freedom. I stand here before you not as a prophet, but as a humble servant of you, the people."

Across the way from City Hall, we walked past the Grand Parade plaza and its expansive open-air market. On the way to our next destination, we took a quick jaunt through the vendor stalls, with our gaze on a swivel. Art, textiles, native instruments, jewelry, handbags, and a wide array of other goods made for a colorful and eye-catching exhibit.

We finally arrived at the historic Castle of Good Hope, locally known simply as The Castle. Built by the Dutch East India Company (DEIC) between 1666 and 1679, The Castle replaced Jan van Riebeeck's original 1652 Fort de Goede Hoop. This impressive edifice is the oldest European structure in South Africa, and is also considered the best preserved fort built by the DEIC. 

The early history of South Africa is very much linked to the establishment of the Castle. Jan van Riebeeck was tasked with setting up the first permanent European settlement in Southern Africa. The Castle used a pentagonal design, including five bastions for defense. 

The DEIC wanted a replenishment station for their ships traveling between Europe and the East Indies (Indonesia). The settlement was responsible for supplying fresh water, fruit, and vegetables for these long voyages. Along the way, they discovered that the Cape was ideal for cultivating vineyards--and making wine!

When first built, the Castle foundations lay very close to the waters of Table Bay. Reclamation efforts in the 1930s and 1940s pushed the water's edge quite some distance from the fort walls. Cape Town gained approximately 0.9 square miles/2.34 square km with this impressive project. The reclaimed areas created the area known today as the Foreshore.

We couldn't help feeling somewhat nostalgic as we came upon the front entrance of The Castle. The Dutch side of Rainman's family arrived in the Cape back in 1753 and most likely walked the same grounds we were about to walk on our tour. Our original Dutch ancestor eventually became the Chief Surgeon for the Cape Town Government Hospital in 1761!

As we entered the interior courtyard of The Castle, we felt a sense of history all around us. The entrance structure dates back to about 1682. The substantial tower above the entry gate was added in 1684. A bell, cast in Amsterdam and weighing about 660 lbs/300 kg, was added to the tower in 1697. The tolling of the bell could be heard 6 miles/10 km away, and was regularly used to warn the locals of impending dangers.

To our left lay the towering Buuren and Katzenellenbogen Bastions, originally situated on the Cape Town coastline before reclamation. We imagined it must have been quite a sight looking out from the Bastion walls.

Originally, access to The Castle was via a water entrance called Waterpoort. Located between the Buuren and Katzenellenbogen Bastions, the entrance was frequently inaccessible due to high and spring tides.  Interestingly, the land-side bastions were built a bit higher than the seaward-side bastions so that the land-side cannons could fire over the seaward bastions in case of a sea attack.

Back in the early days, The Castle housed a thriving hub of activity that included a church, kitchens, living quarters for the officials, a garrison, all kinds of supply shops, artisan workshops, and cells used to hold important prisoners. We were struck by the magnificent views of Table Mountain that community members must have experienced firsthand.

We entered the lower buildings and began to wander through the various ground-floor and subterranean rooms. We soon realized that it's easy to get disoriented!  We chose to explore by ourselves, but an organized tour would give visitors a better orientation of the layout. 

Located on the lower level are the front and back courtyards. 

The front courtyard includes a look at the Governer's Quarters, the Kat Balcony, the "Kings of the Castle (four kings once imprisoned at The Castle)," the Slave Quarters, an archeological museum, and various artifact exhibitions. The slate paving and much of the cement used in construction came from Robben Island.

Due to the castle's military involvement, many prisoners were held in areas of the fortification. The back courtyard is home to the Torture Chambers, and a section of the castle named “Donker Gat" or “Dark Hole” in Dutch.  This dungeon room had no windows and was reportedly used as a torture chamber for prisoners. Legend has it that in winter, because the castle was located so close to the sea, tides would sometimes fill the dungeon with several feet of water, drowning any prisoners chained to the walls.

Next we headed up the stone stairway to the upper level. Our first stop was the Leerdam Bastion, the first one built at The Castle. This vantage point provided a great view of the city, with the moats and gardens below creating a very picturesque setting. 

From there, we made our way along the crosswalk to the Orange Bastion. Cannons from by-gone eras line the upper walks, giving us a sense of what it must have been like defending the city. On our way, we passed the old Captain's Tower.

In the distance, a clear view of Lion's Head and Signal Hill can be seen from the Oranje Bastion. Walking the upper level walkway between bastions really provides a sense of how impenetrable the walls must have been. 

The Castle, and its history, are so central to any visit to Cape Town, it's a must-see!

As we headed out of The Castle grounds and back to our Sightseeing Bus Stop, we noticed that even the tree trunks were festively decorated in Cape Town, making the city feel alive, vibrant, and colorful.

Back on the bus, we cruised through the heart of central Cape Town and started our journey to the Lower Cable Car Station of Table Mountain. We started gaining elevation, and as we left the more built-up areas, we had another great view of Signal Hill and Lion's Head. 

Signal Hill is an enticing spot for para-sailing and hang-glider launches. Both hills are popular for their hiking trails, affording amazing views of the surrounding area. 

Lion's Head offers a much more challenging hiking experience, with even better views of Table Bay and Table Mountain. The 4.3 km long hike is favored by hiking and trail-running enthusiasts. The trail winds its way around the slope as it ascends, affording the hiker a 360-view of Cape Town. Hiking Lion's Head at full-moon is a unique experience enjoyed by area climbers..

Signal Hill has the added, very accessible, tourist attraction of the Noon Gun firing. Tourists flock to Signal Hill to see, and hear, the firing at noon each day. The guns have been firing for more than two hundred years. In current day, the firing is the responsibility of the South African Navy. Historically, Signal Hill was used as a signaling station for ships in the bay below, using an array of flags and cannons for this purpose.

Not long after passing Lion's Head, we turned up toward the base of Table Mountain, and started gaining elevation very quickly. Our view of Table Bay and the city below was just stunning as we reached the Lower Cable Car Station. With this ground level view, we could only imagine what the view would be like at the top! 

The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway offers visitors a five-minute trek to the top of Table Mountain. About one million people a year take the  ride, making it one of Cape Town's most popular tourist attractions. Tickets ($17 for an adults) can be bought as part of the bus tour or directly from the cable car station. We recommend waiting to buy tickets directly at the station, because everything does close suddenly when the wind increases beyond a safety threshold.

Luckily, the winds were cooperating for us, and the station was operational that day. We joined the line, anxiously anticipating our turn up the mountain. Of course, Rainman's adrenaline was on overdrive with his fear of heights, but he felt the experience, and the view, would be worth the discomfort.

The cable car whisked us up the mountain with very little effort. Occasionally, a wind gust swayed the car just enough to get our attention! Once at the top, we got our first glimpses of the views to come...

Table Mountain is a little over a kilometer above sea level. Believe it or not, thousands of people hike to the top of the mountain every year. All kinds of trails criss-cross the mountain's face. And thrill-seeker alert! Table Mountain is said to have the world's highest commercial abseil experience, which is basically rappelling down the mountain. 

For those who just want an awesome view without summiting, there's The Pipe Track trail. For those interested in attempting the steep summit, try the very popular Platteklip Gorge route. There are a number of other trails to choose from, depending on your interests and fitness level.

According to hikers, the summit trails are significantly more difficult than the Lion's Head route. Hikers are strongly urged to be aware of the rapidly changing weather during a climb, since conditions can change in an instant! Come prepared.

We took the safer option, and took a free guided tour. This was the perfect orientation to get a better sense of what we were seeing below, and included a great overview of the flora and fauna on the mountain.

As we explored, we seemed to attract some local wildlife. The Cape rock hyrax, commonly known as a dassie or rock rabbit, is a stocky, squat mammal that looks similar to a guinea pig. It was surprising to see them in such numbers at this high elevation.

We were astonished to learn that this rodent is considered to be the closest living relative of the planet's largest land mammal, the African elephant!  In spite of the size difference, this close evolutionary tie is due to similarities in the structure of their feet and teeth. 

Before long, it was time for a snack at the Cableway WiFi Lounge. We learned that visitors can even enjoy a high-tea in the afternoons, at the adult ticket price of $22. We'd already eaten, so just opted for a small snack and a hot chocolate.

We may have been experiencing summer temperatures before we ascended, but cooler weather prevailed on the summit, especially when the breeze picked up.

As we boarded the cable car to head back down, the weather was changing rapidly. Wind gusts were increasing, and the cloud cover was just beginning to cascade over the edge of the mountain. Mother Nature was once again draping the tablecloth on Table Mountain.

Once back at the base station, we jumped on the bus and headed back into the city center. Our Sightseeing Bus tour would continue on another day, as daylight was beginning to wane. 

With our appetites ramping up, it was time for an authentic local culinary experience at the much-hyped Eastern Food Bazaar (EFB). This is a stop that just has to be on your itinerary as you explore Cape Town. 

EFB is housed in a long hall, with at least ten different kitchens. With something for everyone, they offer a huge selection of Chinese, Turkish, Malaysian, Indonesian, and Indian dishes. Take-out and sit-down options are available, and menus include plenty of Halaal and Vegetarian options. EFB takes street food to a whole new, delicious, level! 

The lunch-time and the early evening meal times are pure chaos! The jostling, the shouting, the sounds of aggressive chefs in action, and the exotic smells all added up to an indescribable sensory-overload experience. We loved every minute--it felt so alive!

Unless you're a local, it's a bit of a challenge to figure out how to place an order and pay. Luckily our locals filled us in. Payment is centralized at a few kiosks scattered up and down the hall, so the best strategy is to figure out what you want before heading to the long queue where payment is due. Once you have your order ticket, head back to the kitchen of your choice for order placement. It's not an intuitive process, but the resulting food is delectable!

Our choices settled on yellow curry and rice--one dish with chicken and the other with only vegetables. In addition to the main course, the order came with dhal (a tasty lentil sauce) and several small enticing salads. The dishes left us sweating and our taste buds hoping we'd come back soon. Needless to say, we did return a couple weeks later for an encore that was as satisfying as the first time around.

We strolled leisurely back to the car, taking in more sights, sounds, and smells of the bustling city. We stumbled on a quaint small Ethiopian restaurant called Madam Tatou that was so unique, we just had to step in to take a look around. As we entered, we were immediately transported to an unexpected exotic world--a cross between a scene from the movie "Avatar" and a middle eastern curio shop. 

Every table had its own unique ambience and decor, with private and cozy seating. The decorator used a rich mix of carpets, pillows, cloth throws, exotic art pieces, artificial trees and plants, books, and lighting to create this mystical place. To top it off, the menu looked quite inspired. What a delightful and unexpected way to end the perfect day in Cape Town.

A couple weeks later we were back to Cape Town, and hopping on our now-familiar SightSeeing Bus. This time, our plan was to continue the Red Line Tour over to the western side of the Cape Peninsula.

Our bus headed up Kloofnek Road and we passed Signal Hill and Lion's Head. Now, instead of taking the turn-off to the cable station, we continued around Table Mountain on Camps Bay Drive. We were headed to the western coastal suburbs of Camps Bay, Clifton, and Sea Point.

These communities tend to be quite upscale and expensive--a bit out of our budget comfort zone. But the drive itself is not to be missed if you're exploring Cape Town.

The stunning roadway that runs between Camps Bay and Sea Point is called Victoria Road, originally named in honor of Queen Victoria. The road was built in an effort to improve access to the beautiful coastline of the western side of the peninsula. 

As we started our descent down to the coast, the panorama of Camps Bay and its white beaches came into full view. Camps Bay Beach is one of the more popular Blue Flag beaches in South Africa, with one of the most beautiful natural rock pools in the country.

As we continued our coastal drive, we rose above Camps Bay and were treated to amazing views as we reached an overlook high above the beaches.

Next up was the beach community of Clifton. Again, the views on the ride were stunning. It's no surprise that Clifton has some of the most expensive real estate in South Africa. Clifton has a couple of Blue Flag beaches that are very well regarded internationally, and is often rated as a Top 10 Beach Destination in major travel magazines. 

On to Sea Point! As we approached, it was clear why this is one of Cape Town's most densely populated suburbs. This area is home to more high rise development, as Sea Point is only a few kilometers from the Cape Town Central Business District.

The promenade is one of the most popular outdoor spots in Sea Point, and a favorite gathering spot for young and old. 

The Sea Point shoreline is much more craggy and rocky than we saw in Clifton and Camps Bay. The ruggedness of the coastline has caused its share of shipwrecks over the years. Most vessels entering Table Bay from the east coast have to round this treacherous coast.

We really liked Sea Point for its jagged coastline and proximity to a major city. We would definitely like to return here for a more in-depth exploration at some point.

After Sea Point, we headed back to central Cape Town, and today's tour was at an end. Though we had seen so much, we left knowing that we had only just scratched the surface.

Next up would be our tour of the eastern Cape Peninsula coastal communities. We were excited to remember that we still had another nine weeks left in South Africa!

A visit to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens was high on our South Africa bucket list. So we didn't hesitate when our brother, William and his fiancé, Kate offered to host us for a long weekend at her home in Kenilworth--the closest Cape Town suburb to the Gardens.

We arrived in Kenilworth early on Friday evening. Our hosts didn't waste any time getting a head-start on their weekend itinerary. We almost immediately headed off for a lovely dinner at one of their favorite local artisan breweries. The food, and the company, was fabulous. We were off to a great start!

The next morning, we started with some coffee on their peaceful back garden patio, followed by a delicious country breakfast. Time to take the dogs for a walk, and do a little exploring of the local neighborhood.

The Kenilworth area actually began as a sizable estate that belonged to the van der Stel family. Simon van der Stel was the first Governor of the Dutch Cape Colony. The estate was known as Stellenberg.

The estate was originally granted to a friend of Governor Van der Stel in 1697, and then almost immediately, conveyed to one of van der Stel's sons. The conveyance was quite controversial because The DEIC frowned on grants to family members.

The Cape Dutch-style homestead and its beautifully sculpted gardens are open to the public today. Lord Somerset, another Governor of the Cape, also had a farm in the northern part of Kenilworth. 

Kenilworth, as a Cape Town suburb, really took off after the Kenilworth Racecourse was built in 1882. This racecourse has the distinction of being the oldest horse racing course in South Africa. Today, Kenilworth is a well-established part of the Cape Town landscape.

Back home, we grabbed our hats to head off on the day's excursion. The excitement was building as we drove to our first-ever visit to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

The Gardens lie at the base of the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, and are part of the Table Mountain National Park. The Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens were established in 1913, and is one of the 10 National Botanical Gardens in South Africa. In 2004, the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and the Cape Floristic Region were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This area of the Table Mountain National Park was originally used for timber harvesting by the early Dutch settlers. A gentleman by the name of J. F. Kirsten is said to be the namesake of the gardens--but we can't be sure. He was an influential manager of the land for much of the 18th Century. 

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens has a strong mission and focus to cultivate and preserve indigenous South African plants. Kirstenbosch houses a large conservatory displaying a variety of plants from the various regions in the country. However, the outdoor gardens are primarily reserved for plants and trees native to the Cape region.

As we entered the parking lot, the familiar red SightSeeing Bus was dropping off a sizable group of tourists.  Adult admission tickets cost about $15 each, and ours were paid for by our generous and gracious hosts. 

The first exhibit before entering into the actual gardens was a display of well-established bonsai trees. This was an assembly of elders, with one of the trees clocking in at more than 160 years old!

As we headed up the pathway into the outdoor gardens, we stopped to read the many informational plaques scattered around the grounds. We were very interested to learn more about the early years of the gardens.

The initial iteration of the gardens took about 15 years to set up. That time was largely spent eradicating alien plants and over-grown weeds. Wild pigs roamed all over the area and had to be driven off. Of course, pathways had to be created for visitors to roam the ground. Some of that original paving is still in place today!

The work of the first 50 years was mostly done manually with mules, carts, and trolleys. The steep landscape, although beautifully set against Table Mountain, came with many challenges, but a lot of potential.

The first section of the garden has an impressive diversity of proteas, leucadendrons and serrurias. As we made our way around more gardens, we were impressed by how seamlessly the creators were able to blend the flora into the natural settings on the mountain slopes. 

Advancing further along the pathway, we arrived at the clearly very popular spots at Main Pond and Main Lawn areas. Several families and small groups were enjoying picnics in this idyllic setting.

The Main Pond is perfectly situated in the middle of the open space. All kinds of lilies and water plants such as the Cape Pond Weed add to the beauty of the area. Guinea Fowls, Egyptian Geese, Cape Francolin, and Marsh Terrapin are often seen around the water.

Along the way, we encountered several sculptures sitting atop the stone walls or on tree stumps. These works of art added another layer of interest to the paths and our journey through the gardens

We made our way to Matthew's Rockery. This zone is dedicated to xerophytic plants, which are basically succulents that are well-adapted for survival in arid regions. The Rockery was one of the earliest gardens planted by the first Kirstenbosch Gardens curator, Joseph Matthews (1913 - 1936). 

The Rockery is covered in a wide variety of beautiful aloe plants and other succulents--some we hadn't seen anywhere else. The ideal time to see them in their full glory bloom is between May and October. The Candelabra trees were remarkably big and odd-looking. They looked like they came from another planet!

Once through the Rockery, we headed to the famous Van Riebeeck's Hedge area.  Jan Van Riebeeck was the first Dutch East India Company (DEIC) leader of the initial Dutch settlement at the Cape. Van Riebeeck was tasked to establish a refreshment station for DEIC sailors en route to the Spice Islands of Indonesia. 

This first European settlement clashed with the indigenous Khoikhoi over grazing rights. The Khoikhoi lands extended all along the base of Table Mountain, and through today's Kirstenbosch Gardens.

Van Riebeeck built fortifications and wooden fences across the area to set a defensive boundary. Indigenous wild almond trees were planted to create hedges to impede the grazing cattle. Sections of the original 1660 hedge can still be seen in this area of the Kirstenbosch Gardens.

Next, we made our way to the Arboretum and the amazing Tree Canopy Walkway. The walkway is nicknamed "Boomslang" because it winds and twists its way through the tree canopy like a snake. "Slang" is Afrikaans for "snake" and is an apt descriptor for the meandering pathway.  

The Arboretum zone is filled with 450 South African sub-tropical tree species. Here, we walked among the tree tops of White Stinkwood, Cape Saffron, Mountain Hard Pear, and Coral Trees.

The walk through the canopy felt a bit foreign, like we were crashing a party reserved strictly for the lucky creatures who naturally reach these heights. Add to that the soundtrack created by the many winged residents who make this expansive space home. The bird-watching, and listening, is a delight all on its own!  The views of the surrounding hills and mountains added to this rich ambience.

As we dropped back down to the Arboretum forrest floor, we encountered one of the strangest trees of the visit--the Aloe Tree (Aloe Barberae). It was so unexpected in the middle of the sub-tropical forest.

The base trunk looked like any other tree, but the branches and leaves that extend upward from the trunk resemble the lower-lying Aloe plant. This particular tree towered over much of the forest--over 57 feet/18 meters tall! The tree is said to be spectacular in June when it flowers.

Moving along, we passed the Colonel's Bird Bath area. Deputy Colonial Secretary Christopher Bird built this bird-shaped pool in 1811, long before the establishment of the gardens.

The Colonel's Bird Bath was originally designed to collect and clarify natural spring water for consumption in his home. The spring is fed by the Table Mountain aquifer, flowing at a rate of 72 liters per minute! The stone masonry surrounding the spring blends seamlessly with its terrain. The overflow feeds all the surrounding ponds in the Dell.

As we continued to move deeper into the gardens, we reached the natural Cycad Amphitheatre zone. Cycads are a distinct plant family that has many of the characteristics of ferns, palms, and conifers, but these beauties are quite ancient!

Cycads can live for centuries and are either male of female. The Wood's Cycad in the garden is a clone of the last-surviving Wood's Cycad found in nature, extinct in the wild since 1916. A few hundred survive in botanical gardens, but they are all male copies, and will never naturally replicate in the wild.

The Wood's Cycad population was decimated because people believed the bark had powerful medicinal properties. The stripping of the bark made the plants more prone to disease, hence their demise.

Kirstenbosch has a very active propagation program to ensure the Cycad population is sustained in South Africa. The metal cage around the base protects the plant in service of their mission. The Cycad Living Collection was the first compilation of plants to be established in the gardens. They now have 37 of the 40+ Cycad species known to exist in South Africa. Cycads are heavily protected and regulated today.

Beyond the Cycad zone, we began a leisurely stroll along the Fynbos Walk. About 68% of the Fynbos species found here are endemic, or unique, to the Cape Floral Kingdom. Interestingly, there are over 8,500 difference species of Fynbos. Because of this huge number of species, the Fynbos of the Western Cape is considered more bio-diverse than even the Amazon Rainforest!

The significant bio-diversity of the Fynbos low-lying shrubbery also lends itself to a spectacular flowering season, which occurs largely between July and December. The Fynbos biome is considered endangered and has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

As we progressed along the Fynbos Walk, we were immediately drawn to the Protea bushes along the way. The main Protea Garden was one of the first plots to be created in the Kirstenbosch Gardens. The garden boasts an impressive diversity of proteas, also known as sugarbushes due to the excessive amount of nectar the flowers produce.

Proteas are part of the Proteaceae plant family, considered quite ancient in the botanical kingdom. Fossil pollen traces their beginnings to the Upper Cretaceous period 75-80 million years ago! Some say the Protea could be as old as 300 million years, making them one of the oldest flowering plants on the planet. 

About 92% of the Protea species are found only in the Cape Floristic Region. There are currently 112 species within the Protea genus. The plants tend to do very well in Mediterranean and sub-tropical zones. They are said to have tremendous recuperative ability after being devastated by fire. 

The King Protea, or Protea Cynaroides, is the most identifiable and iconic South African Protea. Named South Africa's national flower in 1976, the bloom appears on South African birth certificates and passports.  The Proteas, South Africa’s cricket team, also took its name from the genus.

As a cultivate, proteas are low-maintenance, and known for attracting a variety of bird species. Blooming is best seen May to October. Our March visit was sadly a bit too early to witness what must be a dazzling explosion of color.

Other famous Fynbos are the Buchu, Rooibos, and Restios Reeds. Parts of the Buchu plant are used to create anti-inflammation medications. Rooibos is brewed as an anti-oxidant tea. Restios Reeds have been widely used across the world for roof thatching.

The shrubbery of the fynbos is home to a significant number and diversity of birds: Orange-Breasted, Malachite, Double-Collared, Sugar Birds, and Dikkop birds are known to inhabit this zone. Undoubtedly, they play an important symbiotic role in the health and balance of the ecosystem. 

Leaving the Fynbos Walk and Fynbos Garden, we passed through the beautiful Erica Garden. These beds feature a collection of more than 700 species of Erica, all from Southern Africa. More commonly, people refer to these species as heathers or heaths. Ericas are beautiful year-round, but the peak blooming period is August through February.

Erica flowers come in all colors and shapes. The tubular blossoms are most popular with sun birds mining their nectar. The urn- and bell-shaped flowers also tend to attract bees and insects.

We slowly wound our way back to the main Gardens entrance, where we opted for a welcome stop at the Moyo Restaurant. We shared a pitcher of refreshing iced tea, rooibos style, and a delectable little dessert called a Florentine--a crispy round with a dark chocolate base, topped with almond slices and dried fruit, and a honey glaze. So decadent and yummy!

Reminiscing about our walking tour, we all agreed that we could spend at least two more days exploring all the garden has to offer. There's no doubt the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens should be on every bucket list tour of the Cape. Kirstenbosch ranks as one of the best botanical gardens we've ever visited--worldwide!

That evening we spent some quality time swapping stories about our travels and getting to know Kate better. It seems we all had the travel bug real bad! Heading to bed with dreams of adventure in our heads, it was time to catch some z's.

The next day would see us heading to the iconic wine estate of Groot Constantia.

Our first stop the next morning was at the local Ferndale Nursery in Kenilworth to score a couple of additions to Kate's backyard patio garden. Everywhere we looked, the nursery was exploding with blooms and a rainbow of colors painting the landscape.

Too much to choose from, but two winners made it into the back of the car ... a fern for the shade garden, and a bougainvillea in a soft peachy shade destined to climb a bare wall. What a charming start to a Sunday morning!

The Groot Constantia Wine Estate is considered the ultimate South African wine experience for international tourists.

This didn't happen overnight. Groot Constantia's history and reputation has been earned over centuries.

Take a look at this impressive pedigree:

Given such a great resume, the Groot Constantia Wine Estate should be on your Cape Town itinerary. We were excited to add it to ours!

Groot Constantia, here we come...

A visit to the Groot Constantia Wine Estate was on our South Africa bucket list. We didn't hesitate when our brother, William, and his fiancé, Kate, offered to host us for a long weekend at her home in Kenilworth.

Kenilworth is one of the closest Cape Town suburbs to Groot Constantia.

The wine estate lies on the southeastern side of Table Mountain, about a 15-minute drive (4 miles/7 km) from the center of Cape Town.

Our home base was in Gordon's Bay, so we had a bit of extra driving along the N2 (31 miles/50 km further).

Once in Cape Town, we headed south on the M3 highway. As we drove, Table Mountain lay before us. That view never gets old!

Skirting the Table Mountain National Park, we drove through several very affluent suburbs. Rondebosch, Claremont, Kenilworth, Wynberg, and Constantia, all lie within a few kilometers of the Groot Constantia Wine Estate.

The area southeast of Table Mountain was highly coveted by the early Dutch officials and elite.

The original Groot Constantia farm lies just to the south of Kenilworth. The original land grant that created Groot Constantia was given to Simon van der Stel in 1685. At that time, van der Stel was the sitting Governor of the Cape of Good Hope.

Simon van der Stel had a lot of viticulture experience before arriving in Southern Africa. Back in The Netherlands, van der Stel's vineyards were known for producing excellent wines and brandies.

Apparently, van der Stel was very selective in choosing the location for his future vineyards in the Cape.

Soon after arriving, he started sending scouts out to bring back soil samples. Soil from the southern slopes of Table Mountain had all the attributes for a successful venture.

Van der Stel was granted 763 hectares of land in 1685. One hectare equals about 100 acres. That's a lot of land!

According to the Groot Contantia Estate Trust, Simon van der Stel cultivated more than 70,000 vines on the farm by 1709, and was producing more than 5,000 liters of wine per year!

The original farm was called Constantia. Two years after van der Stel's death in 1714, the property was sold at auction and sub-divided into three major sub-divisions:

Today, Groot Constantia is South Africa's oldest wine estate--and still functions as a working wine estate.

Driving south along the M3, we were treated to panoramic coastal views with the stunning backdrop of Table Mountain National Park. Signs for several smaller wine estates started popping up. Groot Constantia was close!

The Groot Contantia Wine Estate is a national monument, and now belongs to the Groot Constantia Trust.

As we entered the grounds, we were impressed by how well the premises have been preserved and restored over the years. Extensive vineyards still extend from the main buildings in every direction. 

It's such a beautiful setting! We'd be regular Sunday Brunch patrons if we lived within driving distance.

The walk up to the Great Manor was beautifully lined by grand old oak trees. Some of the original tree stumps from the 1600s are still preserved on the property. 

The original Great Manor house had to be completely rebuilt in 1925 after a devastating fire destroyed the older structures. There's no mistaking the picture-perfect Cape Dutch architecture--beautiful white gabled buildings with neatly thatched roofing.

The Cloete family acquired the farm in 1778, and held the estate for five generations.

On our tour of the Great Manor, we were able to see a wide array of original Cape Dutch artifacts and household belongings--most likely belonging to the Cloete family. 

Several of the rooms were decorated with elaborate period furnishings. One could picture life in the Great Manor.

One of the Great Manor exhibits described how European royalty and nobility regularly bought Constantia wines. The most notable consumers were Napoleon, the King of Prussia, and Louis Phillipe of France.

Napoleon Bonaparte had the most interesting Constantia story!

Napoleon's final exile was on Saint Helena Island, an isolated island about 1,200 miles/2,000 km off the African coast. His favorite wine during exile was allegedly Grand Constance. This was one of Constantia's most celebrated wine labels produced for French and European markets.

Grand Constance wines were also highly sought after at European wine auction houses, and very popular with the aristocratic classes.

Leaving the Great Manor, we walked next door to the famous Cloete Cellar. These were the very same cellars that produced the original Grand Constance wines. One could feel the history here!

A walk through the exhibit located in the Cellar includes:

The grounds and buildings of Groot Constantia are steeped in South African history. Even though the estate was packed with tourists, everyone seemed to have a decided reverence and respect for this special place.

With our estate tour completed, we'd worked up quite an appetite!

Groot Constantia has one of the most charming outdoor restaurants in the Cape. With Cape Dutch architecture on one side, and grand old oak trees on the other, they have the perfect setting for a heavenly brunch!

We were treated to a hearty meal, with a lovely view of the vineyards and a rugged mountain backdrop.

Groot Constantia is a must for setting the tone for any tour of South African wine estates. Luckily, we had plenty of time to explore the area wine farms over the next seven weeks. We couldn't wait!

With our Kenilworth adventure coming to an end, we were so grateful to William and Kate for being our tour guides to this previously unexplored area.

Next up on our itinerary was a visit to Simon's Town Penguin Sanctuary at Boulder's Beach. Simon's Town is a perfect half-day excursion, leaving plenty of time for lunch and sightseeing in Kalk Bay (just up the coast).

Pro Tip: Before you head to Simon's Town, be sure to watch the Penguin Town docu-series on Netflix. This charming series documents the quirky life of penguins living in the Simon's Town penguin sanctuary.

It's hard not to like a place that protects penguins!

Join us as we share our experience exploring this special seaside town in South Africa.

After watching the Penguin Town documentary, we were excited to see Simon's Town for ourselves. What a treat! 

As we set off, there was a lot of excited talk about the stars of the Penguin Town series--the Bougainvilleas, the Culverts, Mrs. Wheelbarrow, the Courtyards, and the Car Park Gang. Would we actually have a sighting?

Simon's Town is on the southeastern side of the Cape Peninsula, about a 40-minute drive (23 miles/37 km) from the center of Cape Town.

Our home base was in Gordon's Bay, so we had a bit of extra driving along the N2 (31 miles/50 km further).

Once in Cape Town, we took the M3 highway all the way to Westlake. From there, we merged onto the M75 and headed over to Muizenberg Beach.

Driving south along the coast, we passed through the beautiful seaside villages of St. James and Kalk Bay. After Kalk Bay, we changed over to the M4 for the final stretch through Fishhoek, Glencairn, and Dido Valley.

The excitement grew as we passed the Simon's Town Naval Base--the largest naval base in South Africa.

Arriving in the parking lot closest to Boulders Beach, we knew we were in the right place! 

Hawkers were everywhere selling their wares to any tourist that would listen. The parking lots were full of tour buses.

Our little group was ready for the Penguin Town experience!

The original Simon's Town settlement was established by the Dutch East India Company (DEIC) in 1743, and it just so happens that our family shares some notable history with the town.

So, this was a home-coming of sorts!

Our great ... great ... great ... great grandfather emigrated from Bergen op Zoom (Netherlands) in the early 1750s. As an employee of the DEIC, he began his service as the official Simon's Town Surgeon in 1753. He later became the DEIC Chief Surgeon for the Cape in 1761.

The DEIC and the Dutch colonists dominated the Cape Colony all the way through 1795. The British took over at the end end of that year and immediately began fortifying the coastline--including Simon's Town.

Between 1795 and 1796, the British navy built a Martello (a defensive tower) to help with the defense of Simon's Town against possible Dutch and French attacks.

The Martello was also used as a navigational marker for ships entering the bay. The tower was more than 26 feet/8 meters high, 42 feet/13 meters wide, with walls about 6 feet/1.8 meters thick.

The British Royal Navy controlled the naval base until South Africa became a Union in 1910. The South African Navy operated the base from that point.

Only seventeen penguin species are left in the world today. The penguins that choose to live in Simon's Town are African Penguins and are unique to Southern Africa. 

South Africa has classified the African Penguin as a protected species.

Conservationists estimate that there were approximately 1.5 million penguins nesting in Southern Africa at the turn of the 19th Century. Today, only about 10% of that number has survived.

The African Penguin diet consists primarily of sardines, anchovies, and the occasional squid. Unfortunately, sardine numbers are in decline, which severely impacts the fat content in the penguin's local diet. This environmental change has limited the health and growth of the penguin colonies.

Other factors have also impacted their survival odds, including climate change, refuse in the ocean, and oil spills.

A factor contributing to their survival is the family dynamic. African Penguins are monogamous once they mate, and return to the same nesting area annually once they reach maturity. 

After their chicks are born, African Penguin parents can consume 2.2 lbs/1 kg each day. This requires that they regularly swim up to 12 miles/20 km offshore in search of food for their growing offspring. That is committed parenting!

After their chicks are born, African Penguin parents can consume 2.2 lbs/1 kg each day. This requires that they regularly swim up to 12 miles/20 km offshore in search of food for their growing offspring. That's dedication!

There are only two major penguin colonies on the South African mainland:

Another sixteen African Penguin colonies survive on islands just off the South African coast.

Back to our Penguin Town excursion ...

The Penguin Town series wasn't actually filmed in Simon's Town. The community around Boulders Beach (a few kilometers south) was used as the backdrop for our favorite characters.

The area around Boulders Beach is part of the protected Table Mountain National Park system.

Boulders Beach gets its name from the massive boulders that shelter the beach from the pesky Cape winds. These boulders are said to be over 500 million years old!

This is a great swimming beach, because the waters are quite calm and the beautiful white-sand beach extends for almost a kilometer. There aren't many penguins on the Boulders Beach side of the bay. Most of the penguins live and breed in a nearby cove called Foxy Beach.

According to conservationists, penguin nesting in the Foxy Beach area really didn't start in earnest until after 1982. The arrival of the penguins coincided with the ban on commercial pelagic trawling in False Bay. This prohibition helped to stabilize and grow the local sardine and anchovy stock in the area.

Wildlife experts speculate that the penguins may have seen the human community as a safeguard against many of their natural predators. The penguins regularly use the surrounding human infrastructure as part of their eco-system.

Boulders Beach is connected to Foxy Beach by a narrow frontage street called Kleintuin Road. The penguins of Penguin Town were often filmed on their way to Foxy Beach on this road. They had figured out that the roadways were the most efficient way to get around.

We were happy to take the same route!

Once at the park entrance, we paid our $5 entrance fee (adult), and made our way toward Foxy Beach along the handsomely landscaped wooden ramp that meanders through the coastal shrubbery.

Our group was happy to see that the ramp was well-constructed and wide enough for wheelchair disability vehicle access.

As we made our way down the ramp, we wandered through the low-lying trees and shrubs that hug the shoreline.

Along the way, we saw sections where the park has set up artificial habitats for the penguins to use. They are basically sheltered nests, impervious to weather, providing stable homes for the residents.

Getting closer to the waterfront, we started to see more natural nests, with penguins sitting on their eggs! The nests were scattered all over the beachfront, scattered amongst the shrubbery.

The Penguin Town series mostly focused on the penguins that nested away from the shorefront, embedded in the human community. According to the producer, they followed about 80 different nesting families.

The show filmed and tracked the nesting families from the time they established their nests all the way through the period after the hatchlings were ready to fend for themselves. 

Only five families made the final cut for the series. But what brilliant selections they were!

The soap operas that played out over the eight episodes of Penguin Town kept everyone riveted.

Who can forget the entertaining Bougainvillea family, the Car Park Gang, Mr. and Mrs. Culvert, and Lord & Lady Courtyard? We were rooting for them all! ... well, except maybe not for that naughty Car Park Gang!

Our first view of the ocean in the distance revealed a few lone penguins making their way back from the water. We watched as they waddled through the white sands looking for their nests, and possibly predators. They seemed not to notice us in the least. We were simply a non-threatening part of the scenery!

As we reached the first look-out over Foxy Beach, we were pleasantly surprised to see hundreds of penguins below us! They all seemed to be socializing and enjoying their time on the beach.

The park suggests that the optimal time to visit is usually early morning or late afternoon. These windows provide the best chances to see the penguins as they migrate to, and back from, their  treks to the ocean.

The African Penguin is also known as the Jackass Penguin because of the donkey sounds they make as they socialize. The air was filled with all kinds of penguin noise as we stood there. They did, indeed, sound like braying donkeys!

Today, there are over 1,200 breading pairs in and around the Foxy Beach area.

The park had a second lookout point on the far side of Foxy Beach. From there, we were able to get a better view of the penguins as they fought the waves entering and exiting the ocean. 

It was really fun to see them navigating their way through the rough shoreline waves. Some were more elegant than others. A few had clearly mastered the art of surfing, and some still needed practice!

The youngsters seemed to struggle the most.

Returning back up the wooden walkway, we again saw a few penguins returning to their nests. The waddling of the fledglings was especially humorous. Sometimes they just fell over for no apparent reason. They looked like Charlie Chaplin in a penguin suit. Nature's comedy at its best!

The young chicks are fully fledged after about 70 to 90 days. At this point, they are ready to head out to sea, and won't return to the nesting colony for another 12 to 22 months. We were seeing them toward the end of the breeding season, so their sea adventure was about to begin.

As we continued our walk up the wooden board walk, we noticed that some of the penguins didn't have the distinctive black and white coloring. Apparently, all penguins go through an annual process of molting, as they lose their old feathers and replace them with an entirely new set.

Nearing the Visitors' Center, we were greeted by a pair of Dassies (Rock Hyrax). We observed them from a safe distance. What a fitting end to our wonderful excursion! Nature was all around us--and thriving!

As we drove home, we shared our best penguin pics and videos, and reminisced about our experience. Everyone marveled at the ability of nature to adapt to human encroachment.

What a fun day, and a privilege to see a huge colony of penguins in their natural habitat. It was an unforgettable experience, especially after seeing the Penguin Town documentary!

Needless to say, we strongly recommend the Penguin Town experience to anyone touring South Africa's Western Cape!

Close to Kalk Bay, we noticed that the rail line runs all along the waterfront. We learned that visitors can catch the train from Cape Town central station all the way to Simon's Town, passing through Kalk Bay on the way. This train option from Cape Town would be a great way to experience the eastern Cape Peninsula coastal view. We decided to keep this new knowledge in mind for another time. For today, we were committed to our ambitious one-day itinerary.

Kalk Bay gets its name from the Afrikaans and Dutch word for lime: kalk. The area has massive deposits of mussel shells, which were often burned to create lime for construction in the area.

We were excited to start our day in picturesque Kalk Bay. This small neighborhood town has been recognized as one of the "... 12 coolest neighborhoods in the world." As we drove into the main drag, it was easy to see why Kalk Bay had earned this designation.

The heart of Kalk Bay is lined with clothing boutiques, cozy restaurants and cafes, quirky curio stores, antique hide-outs, and eclectic art studios. There was just so much to browse, we could easily have spent the day wandering through all these interesting Kalk Bay offerings. 

First up was breakfast. Our cafe, like most in Kalk Bay, was right on the main street, so we had a front-row seat to people watch as Sunday rituals began.

As we were waiting for our orders to arrive, we swapped stories with our neighbors at the next table. It turns out that they were a couple of bikers from Germany who were visiting with South African friends. Kalk Bay is one of the big Sunday morning stops for the many bike clubs in the area.

The smell of freshly-ground coffee and bacon on the griddle grew stronger as the cafe began to fill. We were not disappointed when our orders arrived! Refueled by our delicious breakfast, we were ready to start today's explorations.

The focal point of Main Road is the old Kalk Bay Trading Post. It looked like a prop straight out of Raiders of the Lost Ark, or a scene stolen from Livingston's travels in Africa.

We leisurely strolled though all the storefronts, boutiques, and art showcases, drinking in the rich vibe of this really cool place.

Vendors selling touristy African artisan products were tastefully selling their wares along the sidewalks. Vivid flower displays added a colorful thread to this vibrant tapestry.

Making sure to observe every little side street as we walked the main drag, we were pulled into an intriguing alley. The sign at its entrance read in part, "A walk up Petticoat Lane will take you down Memory Lane...." Lined with murals, cleverly crafted artisan sculptures, the Sweet 'Ol Jester, and the Ink Box Gallery artwork showcase, we studied every odd and intriguing piece with delight. That one alley was a world unto itself!

Further up on a different side street, we found a richly decorated factory outlet featuring brightly colored South African textiles and leatherworks. Another notable store was a very unique second-hand and antique shop that specialized in artifacts from a bygone South African era. Several of these items brought back some long-forgotten childhood memories! 

Back to the main road and the seafront side of the road, we arrived at the famous Brass Bell Restaurants & Pubs. The complex boasts nine different restaurants and event spaces. The seafood menus are said to be superb, with a world-class sushi chef at the newly created Seaweed & Salt tapas bar. The network offers several other venues, each with their own special menu--and view. A unique dinner restaurant theater was also recently added.

The entrance to the Brass Bell complex is through an underground walkway. As we descended into the tunnel that leads to the interior, we heard upbeat music and were delighted to see a duo of musicians called Cape Minstrels (Kaapse Klopse), one strumming a banjo, the other a guitar. What fun! The subway had great acoustics, so we stopped to enjoy the unexpected festivity. 

As we emerged from the tunnel and headed upstairs, we were literally on the ocean! The Brass Bell Restaurants & Pubs are situated right next to a couple of man-made tidal pools, and have some of the best sea views in Kalk Bay that are nicely framed by the small harbor. Now we understood why The Brass Bell is famous, and such a hot item on most Kalk Bay tourist itineraries!

Versions of the lower floor have been in place for over a hundred years. Originally, this subjacent area was used as a changing station for bathers as they visited Kalk Bay. By 1939, the local City Council added a second floor and set up a European Pavilion Tea Room in an effort to promote tourism. Today, the Pavilion area is encased in a glass gazebo with inspiring panoramic views of False Bay!

Sitting on the decks of the Brass Bell, we had a front-row seat watching wave after wave crash into the cement breakwater barriers of the tidal pools. We could only imagine what this must be like when the surf runs high. Parts of the Brass Bell have been destroyed several times by massive rogue waves generated by the big storms that often hit the Cape.

One of the best seating areas is on the Oyster Deck, which is an open-air outdoor space. From here, we had a great view of the famous Kalk Bay Reef. Surfers love this spot for its amazing barrel-shaped waves.

Moving on, we headed to another must-see Kalk Bay restaurant, Cape to Cuba. This restaurant was made for Pinterest! Starting with the decor at the entrance, the beach-feel of the tables and chairs in the soft beach sand, and the turquoise color pallet distributed tastefully around the place, all the way to the Hemingway Bar, Cuban flags and pictures of Che Guevara, it was hard to decide where to point our cameras. The restaurant setting has even been used as a backdrop for fashion shoots!

This place is obviously unique, with a very trendy and interesting vibe! Cape to Cuba is a self-styled Cuban Smoke House.  They even have live music on Sundays to add to this cool atmosphere. Add to that the fantastic views, the relaxed and colorful Caribbean furnishings, and the outside garden adornments, this establishment is one of the Cape Town area's best kept secrets.

So we're in a Cuban restaurant, right? Their sign said they're famous for their cocktails... We figured that meant we just had to try their Cuba Libre cocktail, and some tasty cuban coffee for the teetotaler. With the morning's breakfast hours behind us, we also opted for a little something from their menu. Our table chose a small platter of three Cuban breads presented with salsa and lime mayo, a chicken lime soup served with avocado and Cuban bread, and jalapeño poppers. Delicious by consensus! 

With our stimulating Kalk Bay morning behind us, we headed further down the coast past Fishhoek, and then crossed the Cape Peninsula using the M6 all the way to Hout Bay. Our next adventure was about to begin!

Hout Bay village is located in a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides, with the Atlantic Ocean opening up to the south. As we drove into the valley, we headed down to the fisheries and harbor area at picturesque Mariner's Wharf.

Hout Bay was actually named by Jan van Riebeeck, the DEIC leader who established the first replenishment station at the Cape. "Hout" means wood in dutch and Afrikaans. Van Riebeeck needed a lot of wood to build his fortifications and barrier fences. In those days, the area had some of the finest forests in the region--hence the name.

Present-day Hout Bay was originally established as a fishing village in 1867. The Trautmanns and Dormans, two long-term Hout Bay families, played a considerable role in making the village a major player in South African fisheries. Several significant fishery operations are still active in Hout Bay today.

Beyond fisheries, Hout Bay is also known for two other big tourist attractions. The first is the famous big wave surfing spot at Dungeons.

In the past, Red Bull sponsored the Red Bull Big Wave Africa event at Dungeons. While the event is no longer active, surfers still continue their pursuit of the Big Wave, with some swells reaching heights of up to 47ft/14.3m! Since Dungeons is not visible from the shore, local boat operators offer excursions for a closer look at these monster waves.

As we arrived at Mariner's Wharf, we were met by a giant walrus-like creature--a Cape Fur Seal! It seems this fellow is the resident greeter to visitors arriving for a look around. 

Mariner's Wharf is a sprawling complex with everything any tourist would want in one area, including restaurants, excursion operators, a fresh fish market, a maritime antique shop, and fun entertainment.

We once again saw a troupe of Kaapse Klopse performing for the tourists. This time, it was a much bigger group in colorful costume. The energy was high and full of spirit! It was such an uplifting experience to see this artistic display live and in person. It felt like Carnival-meets-Cape Town! 

The Kaapse Klopse have a rich history in South Africa. Their performance art is very uniquely a Cape Town cultural phenomenon. The first Klopse, meaning clubs or troupes, were formed in 1887. The groups were organized to celebrate Second New Year on January 2nd, which was a widely recognized day off for the servants of Cape Town. 

The celebration started in the heart of Cape Town in the Bo Kaap district, immediately adjacent to the Cape Town Business District. Bo Kaap had a rich mix of Malaysian, Indian, Sri Lankan, Indonesian, and Madagascan residents that participated in the celebrations. 

The Second New Year tradition is as strong as ever today. More than 13,000 Kaapse Klopse gather in Cape Town on New Years Eve for a massive carnival--officially known as the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival. Thousands of domestic and international tourists line the streets to get a glimpse of these festivities.

Hout Bay's second big tourist attraction is Duiker Island, about 1 km off the coast. The island is quite small in size, at about 255 ft/77 m by 312 ft/95 m. Though commonly referred to as Seal Island, that is just a local nickname. There is an officially-named Seal Island in False Bay, located quite a distance away. Duiker Island is also home to quite a lively bird population, with at least 20 different varieties.

Tickets in hand for our Duiker Island excursion, we boarded the boat. As we approached, it was quite a sight to see! There were literally hundreds of Cape Fur Seals packed on a very small granite outcrop in the middle of the ocean. No wonder this special spot has earned its nickname.

Apparently, the waters are too cold for sharks. We were reminded of the Shark Week documentaries showing Great White Sharks attacking Cape Fur Seals off Seal Island. This meant the crew we were observing were not in danger, though the same could not be said for the actual Seal Island group many miles away further out in False Bay. 

Because sharks don't frequent this area, snorkeling with the seals is allowed on some excursions. However, the seas were much too rough that day for good visibility, so it wasn't an option for us.

The Cape Fur Seal is the biggest of the nine seal species. This breed is actually closely related to the sea lion with its external ears. 

As we headed back to Mariner's Wharf, we were treated to an amazing view of the mountains that surround Hout Bay. The steep mountainside seemed to drop straight into the ocean as it reached the bay.

Once in the car, we relived yet another one-of-a-kind experience provided by Mother Nature's creatures. We were all pretty tired driving home, but it was a good kind of exhaustion. Every ounce of energy spent was well worth it!

Next up would be our trip to Cape Point and Robben Island. But first, a week to enjoy our home base in Gordon's Bay was in order. Travel is so much more fun when you have time, and we felt fortunate to have plenty of it! Though we recognized that time flies by, much too quickly...

Feeling refueled and refreshed, we got back on the road for our next adventure. This trip to Cape Point and Robben Island would complete our tour of the Cape Town Big Six:

If you are fortunate enough to visit South Africa, we would strongly recommend the Cape Town Big Six as a foundation for an unforgettable southern African experience. If you have the budget and more time, be sure to add a tour of the wine estates between Paarl and the Elgin Valley.

Back to our day-trip! Visiting both Cape Point and Robben Island on a single day is quite ambitious, but definitely doable. We arrived in the Cape Point parking lot shortly after the opening of the park. It was a windy and cool day for late summer. Luckily, we had been warned to expect weather at the Point.

Let's get oriented to the geography of this dramatic piece of land. Cape Point on the Cape of Good Hope is the most southwestern point on the continent of Africa. However, Cape Point is frequently incorrectly referred to as the meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. In actuality, the point migrates back and forth somewhere between Cape Point and Cape Agulhas. 

Cape Agulhas, located about 105 miles/170 km southeast of Cape Town, is the official geographic divide between the two oceans. This is also the most southern tip of Africa. Technically, the oceans actually meet where the cold Atlantic Benguela and warm Mozambique-Cape Agulhas currents come together. 

Whether Cape Point is officially the meeting point between the two oceans or not, it is still well worth the visit. The dramatic views and the historical importance of the area make it a must-see for visitors. Its historical claim to fame is well documented and quite significant.

Portuguese explorer, Bartolomeu Dias, was the first European to round the Cape of Good Hope in 1488. This was quite a break-through, because Europe had finally found the sea route around the southern tip of Africa.

Dias first named this point the Cape of Storms because of the rough seas and unpredictable weather he encountered. King John II of Portugal renamed it the Cape of Good Hope to celebrate the circumnavigation of Africa and the discovery of the Cape Sea Route to the Far East.

Cape Point lies in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, which, in turn, lies within the boundaries of the extensive Table Mountain National Park. 

Adult entry tickets to Cape Point cost about $6 each. Next, we had to decide whether to take the Lost Dutchman Funicular Railway to the Old Lighthouse Lookout Point, or hike the steep gradient to the top. We thankfully opted for the funicular! Adult tickets cost another $6 each for the return trip. The fee was more than reasonable for its time-saving efficiency, and the convenience of preserving our energy for other ventures!

There's an interesting story about the Cape Point Lighthouses that needs to be shared. The 1911 sinking at Cape Point of the Portuguese ocean liner, The Lusitania, caused a re-evaluation of the placement of the lighthouse. The new lighthouse was built closer to the end of the point to enhance visibility for passing ships. The Old Lighthouse is no longer operational, but remains a huge tourist attraction.

The funicular ride took only three minutes to complete. As we exited, we could see the Old Lighthouse above us, and we determined that this was a very manageable climb. Once at the lighthouse, we were so glad we'd made the trip. The views of Cape Point and False Bay were just spectacular!

We had read quite a few really good reviews on Trip Advisor about the Two Oceans Restaurant at Cape Point. Unfortunately, they had just recently closed their doors for good! Luckily, we could still grab a cup of coffee and a quick bite at the Food Shop. Of course, we also stopped by the gift shops to buy a few Cape Point souvenirs and a couple of snacks.

Next up--the Robben Island part of our day! The ferry tour was to depart from the Nelson Mandela Gateway located at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. It took about 75 minutes to drive the 42 miles/67 km from Cape Point. Our goal was to catch the 1pm ferry and be back in Cape Town by around 5pm.

The tours, including the ferry rides, take about three and a half hours. Adult excursion tickets cost non-South Africans about $40 each. The ticket also includes the on-island escorted tour.

As we headed out into Table Bay, we knew we were in for a rough ride. Luckily, it was only a 30-minute boat ride to our landing point at Murray's Bay Harbor.

The seas around Robben Island are notoriously dangerous. More than 30 shipwrecks have been reported close to the island! Entering this area of Table Bay was so perilous that Jan van Riebeeck had huge bonfires built on the island to warn ships as they approached. Eventually, the lighthouse was built.

By the time we disembarked, we were all feeling a little queasy, but especially Tricia and her motion sickness. We walked around for several minutes to get our equilibrium back on track.

We headed for the Robben Island tour buses. We passed a few buildings that were used as reception areas for families and lawyers visiting the facility. One can only imagine what these reunions must have been like. The weight of the history on Robben Island felt like we were entering a sacred area--and rightfully so! 

An official Robben Island guide met us on the bus and provided a general orientation. As the busses drove over to the old maximum security prison, we passed the Lime and Bluestone Quarries where political prisoners were forced to labor during the Apartheid years. We also passed the Robben Island graveyard.

Robben Island actually has a lengthy history before the Apartheid era. The first European landing may have occurred as early as 1498, with European ships regularly visiting the island starting in the 16th Century. The island's name of "robben" was derived from the Dutch word for seals, which were plentiful in the area. 

The first semi-permanent structure on the island was a shed built by the early Dutch settlers in 1654. In those early days, the settlers kept their sheep there to protect them from the wild animals on the mainland. The settlers also released rabbits on the island in an effort to provide a steady meat supply for passing sailors.

Both the Dutch and British used Robben Island as a penal colony starting in the 19th Century. The island even became a leper colony from 1846 to 1931. The graveyard still has many of the leper grave sites. 

Robben Island became South Africa's maximum security prison during Apartheid, from the 1960s through early 1991. Most of the incarcerated during this period were black political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela. Robben Island was declared a national monument in 1997, and was designated a World Heritage Site in 1999. 

As the bus tour continued, we passed Robert Sobukwe’s house. Sobukwe was a high-profile anti-Apartheid prisoner who was incarcerated in solitary confinement from 1963 to 1969. The house is actually part of the complex where he was imprisoned.

At the end of the island portion of the bus tour, we were dropped off at the maximum security prison. Here, we were introduced to our new tour guide. This gentleman had been an actual prisoner in this very prison, making this part of the tour extremely personal.

Our guide described day-to-day life at the prison--how the prisoners survived, what they ate, how they exercised, and how they were punished. Prisoners were forced to shower with sea water, when they were allowed to shower at all. Hearing all of this from a former political prisoner made the experience all too real, and very emotional.

Finally, we were taken to the cell where Nelson Mandela was held. Viewing the small chamber, consisting of merely the bare necessities, was an intense moment of realization for us! Imagining the long years of his confinement in such a small depressing space left us in amazement that he re-emerged from the experience with his humanity intact.

The guide told us that Nelson Mandela never lost sight of his principles and the goals of the resistance movement. He served 18 of his 27 years of imprisonment on Robben Island. Nelson Mandela later became the President of South Africa, and received the Nobel Peace Prize.

With our Robben Island tour at an end, we felt both uplifted and drained at the same time. Even so, we wouldn't have missed the experience. There's good reason Robben Island is included in The Cape Town Big Six. The Robben Island experience is important to understanding the country that South Africa has become.

Our return voyage to the V&A Waterfront was just as rough--and queasy... But a little motion sickness wasn't about to stop us from a return outing to our favorite take-away stop in Cape Town! The Eastern Food Bazaar and our new-found favorite curry dishes was next up on the circuit.

This would be our final Cape Town visit on this itinerary. We were leaving an old friend behind, but we knew we were just days away from heading on an amazing Garden Route trip to Knysna.

The time had come to once again leave our cozy home base and head up the east coast. This extended trip took several days and covered some of the most picturesque natural vistas we'd seen on the road.

Most serious travelers to South Africa's Western Cape are aware of the awe-inspiring Garden Route. Both National Geographic and Lonely Planet have written extensive guides covering this natural treasure.

The official conception of the Garden Route starts in Mossel Bay and ends somewhere near Stormsriver, just beyond George and Knysna. This amazing stretch of coastal highway runs about 65 miles/106 km!

But, ... what if you could combine the magic of the Garden Route with the magnificent scenery between Gordon's Bay and Mossel Bay, a 310 mile/500 km roadtrip that you'll never forget?

Can you say Supersize?

Researching our expanded route revealed a long list of tantalizing experiences and sites:

 ... Stony Point Penguins ... Hermanus & Whale Watching ... Oude Post Bistro Roosterkoek ...  a Riversdale Farm Experience ... Still Bay ... Mossel Bay ... Wilderness Drive & Sedgefield ... Goukamma Nature Reserve ... Knysna & George ... and our Extra Bonus in Uniondale

Roadtrip, here we come!

There are a number of ways to get to the Garden Route from Gordon's Bay, or from Cape Town for that matter. The N2 highway is no doubt the most efficient routing. The road is in excellent condition and very well marked throughout.

Unfortunately, taking the N2 would mean missing the spectacular coastal drive along the R44 between Gordn's Bay and Hermanus. We weren't about to miss that experience.

Our chosen itinerary should take anywhere from three to eight days, depending on interests, budget, and tendency to get distracted ... and that would be very easy to do. 

There are so many captivating attractions along the way. We would have loved to explore so many of the little towns and sites along the way.

Our itinerary took four days, but, in hindsight, it would have been even more enjoyable over eight days.

Mauricio, our South African brother-in-law, picked us up bright and early and we headed out on the coastal R44 toward Hermanus.

Mauricio was intimately familiar with the coastal highways from his motorcycle club days. The R44 was a favorite challenge on weekends. The road twists and turns, hugs the coast, and delivers spectacular views of the Atlantic at every curve. Biker paradise!

Making the most of the Route 44 detour, our first stop was at the Drummond Arms restaurant in Roos Els. Wild baboons frequent this rather remote area, and we weren't disappointed. A troop of baboons were doing their rounds that morning.

Signs caution customers not to feed the baboons! We most certainly heeded the warning ... Baboons have very fierce-looking teeth!

Continuing on the R44, we saw a massive man-made tidal pool below us. We pulled off briefly to appreciate this beautiful addition to the ocean's majesty. Every bend in the road seemed to reveal another gem!

Our next stop was at the Stony Point Nature Reserve near Betty's Bay.  Stony Point has the third largest African penguin breeding colony in the world.

Though we had already visited the huge penguin colony in Simon's Town, we were inquisitive to see this sanctuary as well. The Reserve has an extensive boardwalk that took us out to the colony, similar to The Boulders but on a somewhat smaller scale.

The Stony Point Reserve is located very close to an old abandoned whaling station that had been active in the early 1900s. One can still see the cement slipway. Today, only the penguins and researchers use the ramp.

This pristine natural setting is home to other wildlife as well.

Dassies (hyraxes) and a few gull species were quite comfortable sharing the habitat with the penguins. Three different species of Cormorant breed in this area: Black-, Crowned-, and Cape Cormorant. 

Huge kelp forests provide a rich underwater environment for sea life--and plenty of food for the penguins. This was clearly a protected area.

Kleinmond would be our next destination, a small fishing village just up the road. The seas were really rough that day, and we wondered how the boats made it beyond the protected launching area.

Kleinmond lies near the mouth of the Bot River Lagoon. This area marks the beginning of a protected UNESCO-declared Biosphere that extends from Betty's Bay all the way to Hermanus.

Time to head to our lunch destination and South Africa's whale watching capital--Hermanus.

Thousands of tourists and nature lovers visit Hermanus each year. The World Wildlife Fund considers Hermanus as one of the 12-best whale watching locations in the world!

Southern Right Whales come up from the Antarctic to mate and breed in the calm waters off Hermanus. The peak whale season starts in July and goes through December.

The Hermanus Whale Festival is celebrated on the last weekend in September each year.

It was a bit of a gray day, but the setting was brilliant as we drove up to one of the most popular look-out points above the quaint little fishing harbor. We scanned the waters hoping to catch an off-season sighting, but no such luck.

Instead, the stroll along the scenic coastal path rewarded us with an unexpected surprise--a one-of-a-kind outdoor art gallery. A series of large sculptures lined the look-out point walkways. These public art sculptures blended naturally with the beautiful setting.

With our appetites well-primed, it was time to find a restaurant with a great view and an appetizing cuisine. High above the harbor tucked off a little side street, we found the perfect candidate, The Harbor Rock Restaurant.  Our table was perfectly positioned for an awesome view of the harbor below.

We both decided on the Chicken Korma, which was seasoned with a mouth-watering Indonesian curry. The order was beautifully presented with a side of perfectly cooked rice, Greek yogurt, and a couple of small salads. To accompany the meal, we opted for an Appletiser, our favorite South African beverage. Magnifique!

After lunch, we headed away from the coast on the R43 to finally join up with the N2 highway near Bot River. 

The famous Dassies Fontein road-side stop lay up ahead. 'Another shiny diversion to slow us down yet again! We had to stop for a quick perusal of its unparalleled array of goodies. 

Dassies Fontein is rather indescribable, and is better seen firsthand. People come from all over the country to for the Dassies Fontein experience.

Dassies Fontein is a combination of a Route 66 general store, an old-fashioned farm stall, a small town hardware store, an antique warehouse, and a nursery.

Get the picture?  

Dassies Fontein is both odd and fascinating at the same time. Visitors spend hours scouring the rooms looking for that unique something. They keep coming back year after year!

We made our way up and down the aisles, enjoying every unexpected trinket while trying not to linger too long. Before leaving, we decided to grab coffees for the road at their sit-down restaurant.

Their menu of South African favorites, as well as the display of fresh-baked goods, looked pretty delicious. No, we just had a big lunch!! Pulling ourselves away from the temptations, we made a b-line for the car before we changed our minds...

Dassies Fontein had one more surprise as we headed back to the N2. A giant wooden table and chairs complete with flowers and a tablecloth greet travelers as they approach Dassies Fontein. 

A small herd of donkeys grazing in the grass off to the side gave us a sense of the scale of this folk art experiment. What a strange, but interesting place! We'd be back!

Next stop was the town of Swellendam, about 76 miles/130 km away. Wheat fields covered the gently-rolling hills the whole way across to our destination--and beyond! The region around Swellendam is one of South Africa's biggest grain and canola oil producers.

Friends and family had recommended we stop at the Tredici restaurant. The Italian word literally means 13, and was purposely chosen for its meaning in baking culture--a baker's dozen.

Conveniently just off the N2, Tredeci is an all-in-one patisserie, delicatessen, boulangerie, and Italian ristorante with an artistic flair ... and it lived up to the hype!

The layout of the restaurant was strategic. Walking in, you're instantly treated to the bakery displays. No coincidence here--a great way to wake up the appetite! We climbed the stairs to find an empty table. The space was open and airy, with classic modern Italian touches. 

After perusing the menu, we ordered vegetarian pizza and decadent milkshakes all around. Tredici's beautiful presentation of the food only added to the amazing sensory experience we were about to have.

Following the tasty meal, we sampled two slices of cake--one chocolate and one carrot. The pieces were over-sized and rich! 'Good thing we only ordered two slices!

Our first overnight stay would be in the farming community of Riversdale, about 54 miles/91 km away.

But, first, another must-see stop, the famed Oude Post Bistro! 'Another legendary folksy stop just off the N2.

Enjoying the journey to your destination is half the fun of travel.

People come from far and wide to the Oude Post Bistro to try the Roosterkoek! And just what is a Roosterkoek, you might ask? (We did!) The direct translation from Afrikaans is Grill Cake. But this is by no means cake. A more accurate description is mouth-watering dough freshly baked on the grill.

Preparing the roosterkoek from dough to cooked finished product is quite a process. An outdoor kitchen was set up outside in a nook especially reserved for this operation.

The open air design of the cooking area allowed us to watch the baker as she worked through each step with practiced precision.

First she kneaded and shaped the dough into round balls of uniform size, adding just the right amount of flour for the perfect consistency. 

Next the balls were stretched into a more flattened shape and laid on the grill. While tending to the dough, the baker also had to add coals to the grill and keep the fire stoked. That's a lot to juggle!

Once on the grill, the Roosterkoek didn't linger long on the intense heat before being flipped over. This was all done by hand. 'No utensils needed here!

The baker had automated her process, seamlessly moving between kneading, dough-forming, fire tending, and flipping, to produce the perfect end result ... freshly made Roosterkoek.

The fresh bread smells got our taste buds all worked up!

Load after load of Roosterkoek made their way over to the retail counter. As they arrived, people were already lined up for the fresh delivery.

Oude Post keeps track of the Roosterkoek sales every day. A board with all the sales records stands proudly in the middle of the store. A record 2,091 Roosterkoek were sold on a single day that previous September! 

The warm breads are opened like pita pockets and filled with your choice of egg, cheese, bacon, sausage, or vegetables.

Still full after our Tredici feast, we forced ourselves to settle on sharing a standard bacon, egg, and cheese. After watching the whole cooking process, we just had to sample one for ourselves! We also ordered several more plain Roosterkoeks to take with us on the road.

As we headed back into the parking lot, we noticed that Oude Post Bistro also had a petting zoo in a lush and grassy fenced-in field across the parking lot. Mountain tortoises, deer, and plenty of noisy goats coexisted quite peacefully!

A light rain began to fall as we stood there enjoying the interactions. Most of the animals retreated to their covered shelters, except for the tortoises.  They were more than happy to enjoy nature's shower.

What a great stop off. Everyone should get to experience Oude Post Bistro!

Rainman's cousins, Gerhard and Betty, had graciously invited us to spend the weekend on their farm. It was over 50 years since he had been there as a child. This was an exciting re-visit and reunion!

As we approached Riversdale, we saw several deer and ostrich farms. Ostrich farming has some history in the area, but deer farming is growing in popularity with the health-conscious community.

Domesticated deer farming allows farmers to get production from smaller, more marginal tracts of land. Deer eat less, grow faster, and are capable of breeding for a longer period than cattle. Like ostrich, deer meat is quite lean and high in protein.

The Riversdale farming community has a proud history. Today, the area is known for growing wheat, wildflowers, thatching reeds, and honey bush (used for tea). The open ranges are ideal for raising sheep and cattle. 

Riversdale fynbos flowers are legendary in the winter months, drawing visitors from far and wide.

The base of the Langeberg Mountains came into view as we reached Riversdale. The iconic Sleeping Beauty Mountain peak stands as a guardian for all travelers to the area.

After passing through the town of Riversdale, we left the smooth N2 highway and took a well-used dirt road toward the coast. 

Our cousins focus mainly on grain production, but also farm sheep, ostrich, and thatching reeds. Farming cycles are highly dependent on the rains in any given season.

More recently, an interesting strategy has emerged for their sheep farming. Entrepreneurs have begun to provide starter sheep herds for smaller farms on a season-by-season basis.

This new opportunity is a win-win for the entrepreneur and for the farmer. The entrepreneur gets the original herd back at the end of the season, plus a guaranteed number of off-spring.

The farmer, if successful, retains the excess herd after breeding, and gets to sell the fattened lambs at the going market rate. Farmers use this process to build their own long-term herds.

Gerhard and Betty currently have a herd of about 300 sheep and have a goal to increase this base to 1,500 sheep over the next several years.

Driving up to the farmhouse, we were greeted by our cousins and immediately felt welcome.

The farmhouse was straight out of an episode of Little House on the Prairie--a classic farmhouse, but with modern WiFi and Netflix!

That first evening was spent catching up and participating in the many braai (BBQ) rituals that are a staple in South Africa. We had three different kinds of meat that night--lamb, beef, and venison. The hit of the braai had to be the tasty beef-and-venison sausage cooked to perfection on the open coal fire pit.

We didn't forget to share our Roosterkoek bounty.

The next day was spent revisiting all the old favorite spots on the surrounding farms.

We even went on a ride-along as our cousin tended to the sheep, with his two-year old grandson lending a very sweet helping hand.

Another of our cousins, Reinhard, invited us for a sundowner at his personal favorite spot on his nearby farm. The only way to get there was by rugged 4 x 4 vehicles!

About ten adults and two small children piled into the trucks, or "bakies" as they're called in South Africa. We squeezed in next to the coolers, blankets, and gear packed for the excursion. It was quite a rocky ride as we trekked along the barely visible vehicle tracks.

Arriving at the lookout, we found ourselves high up on a ridge overlooking the valley between the farming community and the town of Riversdale. In the distance, we could see the pronounced outline of Sleeping Beauty Mountain.

The show was about to start as the sun lowered in the distance. They had clearly done this before. Blankets and chairs were quickly laid out for the perfect set-up! Each of us was handed a sundowner drink infused with fresh berries.

The timing couldn't have been any better! The colors, and the panoramic views, were breathtaking! Every minute or so, we were treated to an even better color palette. Wow, now that was living in the moment!

Reinhard often comes up to this lookout with close friends or by himself. He feels strongly that places like this need to be preserved in their natural state. One could see why he was so passionately committed to conservation. Every one of us felt blessed to have experienced such an exceptional slice of heaven.

Back at the farmhouse, the braai ritual began again in earnest! The Saturday night braai would be much bigger than the previous night. 'More meat ... and more people!

This braai even included a delicious pooitjie.

A pooitjie is a three-legged caste iron bush pot used to slow-cook massive stews for hours on end.

Our pooitjie was filled with freshly-slaughtered lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions, and all kinds of other vegetables. The high heat breaks everything down into a very tasty stew-like mix. We loved it!

The braai was a huge success!

After a good night's rest, we drove to the small fishing village and resort town of Still Bay. Rainman spent many childhood summers here, so there was a lot of reminiscing.

Still Bay originally started as a favorite fishing spot for the local farmers. The area later developed into a summer get-away. In those days it was a closely guarded secret. But that secret is out!

Still Bay has now become a major holiday attraction for visitors from all over the country!

More recently, the Cape Whale Route was expanded to include Still Bay. Thousands of visitors flock to the area every July through December to catch a glimpse the whales breeding in the bay. 

The best viewing area is from the high point just above the harbor.

Still Bay has a long white sandy beach that stretches all the way to the Goukou River Estuary. Wind surfing, kite surfing, kayaking, and waterskiing, are popular in the lagoon near the entrance to the ocean. 

It was time to all go our separate ways. With lots of hugs and tears, we sadly said our goodbyes to Gerhard and Bettie.  It was time to continue our Garden Route quest!

What a fantastic weekend. Old memories were rehashed and new memories were made. We would be back!

Back on the N2, we set our GPS for Mossel Bay--about 50 miles/85 km away.

The official Garden Route begins in Mossel Bay. But, in our opinion, the real Garden Route actually starts somewhere between Riversdale and Albertinia.

Mossel Bay is steeped in South African maritime history. Interestingly, the village was the original postal exchange for Portuguese sailors making their way around the Cape of Good Hope to the East Indies. 

Legend has it that this practice started in 1500 when Pero de Ataide was stranded after losing most of his fleet in a devastating storm. Pero wrote up a report and placed it in an old shoe hung in a Milkwood tree. The report was found the following year by explorer Joao da Nova.

The tree was used as a postal exchange for many decades thereafter. Tourists can still visit the same Milkwood tree today at the Dias Museum Complex. 

The museum marks one of the few spots where Bartolomeu Dias set foot in Southern Africa during his historic voyage. Dias was the first European to round the Cape of Good Hope (1488). A replica of his ship, The Caravel, can also be seen in the complex.

Other than the obvious historical attraction, Mossel Bay has become quite a hot spot for all kinds of ocean excursions. Whale watching, wreck-diving trips, shark-cage experiences, and deep-sea fishing are hugely popular here.

Unfortunately, our aggressive Garden Route itinerary did not allow much time in Mossel Bay. An overnight would have been ideal.

From Mossel Bay, we set our sights on getting to George for the night, another 24 miles/38 km. 

Along the way, we passed two more beautiful small sea-side towns, Klein Brak River and Groot Brak River. The eco-systems around these communities are well known for the diversity of bird species they attract. Needless to say, bird watching is popular in the area.

There is no doubt that we are on the Garden Route now! The unspoiled and natural beauty of the area is mesmerizing as we drive.

Just before George, we pass Herold's Bay, a small rocky cove beautifully carved out of the shoreline. One can see why Ernie Els has his collection of golf courses between here and George.

The Outbaai Golf Estate course has been rated as one of the most beautifully designed golfing locations in the world! 'A bucket list course for golfers!

Continuing along the N2, we head inland a few miles. George is nestled in the lowlands just below the magnificent Outeniqua Mountains. This picturesque setting is a great base for exploring the best parts of the Garden Route.

George has a well-developed airport, plenty of good hotels, conference facilities, and great access to about 10 world-class golf courses.

The Outeniqua Transport Museum is a favorite with stream train enthusiasts. The Garden Route Botanical Garden also draws thousands each year to its well designed trails through the Fynbos.

Exhausted, we settle in for a well-deserved rest at an AirBnB, and begin planning our final Garden Route stretch between the Wilderness area and Knysna.

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast, we head back toward the coast and one of the most spectacular drives we've ever seen. The magic starts near the small coastal town of Wilderness.

The 14 mile/23 km drive between Wilderness and Sedgefield is impossible to describe, it must be experienced! This just had to be the heart and soul of the Garden Route. We couldn't imagine a better segment of the route.

The Wilderness-Sedgefield area has an impressive lagoon ecosystem, a stunning coastal highway, long stretches of sandy beaches, primal forests, natures reserves, lakes, and dramatic mountains.

Drives like this remind us that our natural habitats need to be protected for future generations! Attempting to capture this beauty in photographs falls far short of the actual experience.

For those wanting to get closer to nature, the area offers tremendous outdoor opportunities. Activities include hiking, camping, para-gliding, bird watching, whale watching, horse riding, fishing, and kayaking. 'Something  for everyone!

After the Wilderness-Sedgefield corridor, we entered the Goukamma Nature Reserve and Marine Protected Area. This part of the drive covers the route between Sedgefield and Buffels Bay.

The Goukamma Nature Reserve has two entrances, one past Sedgfield and another near the small seaside town of Buffels Bay.

For the first part of our drive, we had wonderful views of Lake Pleasant. This is the only fresh water lake in the area. Goukamma's four other lakes are all impacted by tidal flows from the ocean.

Arriving in Buffels Bay, we could see why this was the preferred jumping off point for a Goukamma adventure. Campsites lined the ocean front and the Goukamma River allowed canoes and paddlers easy access into the interior of the reserve.

The Goukamma Protected Marine Area extends about 4 km offshore, all the way to a protected fossilized dune. This huge (12 km long) natural reef-like structure is a natural breeding ground and teems with sea life. 

Several hiking trails are available throughout the reserve, including:

Buffels Bay juts out into the ocean on a small peninsula. The setting was idyllic with a beautiful sandy beach on one side and a very rugged rocky flank on the other. Magic! 

Campers and RVs were crammed into every available space. According to locals, pensioners (or retirees) also love to spend the cheap off-season at this location. With its dramatic and striking setting, who can blame them?

Our next stop would be the very popular town of Knysna--about 10 km away.

When the Garden Route is mentioned, most South Africans immediately suggest a visit to Knysna, also known as The Jewel of the Garden Route.

The town is built along the shores of the Knysna Lagoon--which isn't actually a classic lagoon, but rather an estuary.

Knysna is regularly voted Town of the Year in South Africa. More impressively, Trip Advisor has even rated Knysna one of the Top 100 Destinations in the World. Can you say cool vibe?

Knysna, here we come!

Getting closer to Knysna, we pass through the Seven Passes Scenic Drive and get our first glimpses of the Knysna Lagoon. 

As we look across the lagoon, the large waterway narrows between two dramatic sandstone promontories as it meets the Indian Ocean. This narrowing is appropriately called The Heads.

Arriving in Knysna, we head for the trendy marina area.

The marina is the launching point for all kinds of water adventures, including para-sailing, kayaking, kite-surfing, boating, fishing, and lagoon charters. Paddling out to explore the man-made islands around Thesen Island has become a popular kayaking excursion.

The waterfront is the perfect place to just hang out and get a sense of the town's hip vibe. They have great restaurants, art galleries, antique shops, arts & crafts shops, and plenty of hotels. 

The culinary scene is widely held to be one of the best collections of restaurants in the country. Knysna is a Foodie paradise! If only we had more time on this trip ...

Knysna is a big draw with artists from a variety of backgrounds. Public art is important here, and the galleries are filled with an eclectic mix of talent.

Surprisingly, the town is also a major center for furniture crafters. Knysna and George are surrounded by evergreen trees. Artisan furniture makers use this timber to creatively fashion beautiful one-of-a-kind pieces. Art collectors, and people looking for unique furniture pieces, are regular visitors to Knysna.

We loved going from store to store looking at all the creative furniture!

The Pezula Championship Golf Course is a must if you're into scenic golf courses. This spectacular course was built on the Knysna cliffs with out-of-this-world views of the Knysna Lagoon and the Indian Ocean! Who cares about the score!?

For the best possible sunset views, we drove up to the cliffs on the eastern side of The Heads. Wow! The lagoon ... the ocean ... The Heads ... the distant Outeniqua Mountains ... the birds! The scenes are still etched in our memories!

Sadly, the time had come to leave Knysna and head inland for an entirely different experience.

 Heading away from the Garden Route, we had one more surprise experience as we headed back home.

Mauricio's life-long friends in Uniondale had graciously invited us to stay the night in their very interesting off-the-grid home. The invitation was a unique opportunity to get a peek into rural life in the Little Karoo.

Our roadtrip continued to the north on Route 339.

Although Uniondale is only about 54 miles/86 km) from the ocean and the luscious Garden Route, it is still classified as part of the semi-arid Little Karoo zone.

Uniondale was by no means arid, with an abundance of green flora, droves of bird species, and plentiful diverse fauna. The surrounding area is considered part of the large Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve--a recognized UNESCO Biosphere.

Bird watching is a must! Members from one of the Garden Route birding clubs recently spent five days cataloguing the birds in the Uniondale area. They were performing a census for the SABAP2 Atlas Project. The group reported 150 bird species over the period, including a rare sighting of a Red Phalarope.

As we drove up the rugged dirt road to our hosts' home, we knew immediately that they meant OFF THE GRID! Somehow they had managed to carve out a special place without disturbing nature's bounty. Can you say RUSTIC?

Our hosts greeted us with genuine warmth, with the kind of sincerity that only comes from years of appreciating the struggles of natural survival. 

The orientation to their home was fascinating. They had carefully adapted to their surroundings and the available natural resources:

A short walk across the way from their home, our hosts also helped to run the local pub, Kbuku Pub & Grill. Sitting out at the back tables, patrons have the perfect panoramic view of the surrounding mountains.

The pub was a great place to relax and have a refreshing beverage after our travels. The decor was interesting and eclectic! A few of the locals were also enjoying the sunset as they slowly sipped their drinks and caught each other up on the happenings of the day. 

All was right with the world!

After sunset, we walked back over to our hosts' off-grid home. There wasn't a lot of light in the area and everything was so quiet. Nature was in control here!

Once back at the homestead, we oriented to our sleeping arrangements. Mauricio would be sleeping in a camper outside. We were given a prime spot in one of the inside bedrooms!

A focal point of the home featured a beautifully-crafted artisan bar designed and built by our hosts. Even though they had chosen to live off grid, they never lost sight of the important creature comforts. It felt like we were on an old movie set!

'Time for a delicious homemade dinner of tender lamb cooked in a rich tomato sauce, served over rice or mashed potato. Our appetites were ready for a home-cooked meal. Dinner was served on the outside deck, adding to this special meal.

The nearby Kamanassie and Kouga Mountains were surreal in the fading light! As the darkness set in, the sky above us filled with stars. The lack of light pollution made for a powerful show in the sky.

Our hosts shared they favorite local stories as we lingered on the veranda. The Uniondale Ghost legend was by far the most interesting tale.

According to the locals, there have been multiple sightings of a mysterious young female hitchhiker. These reports say the traveler disappears once she secures a ride. The hitcher ghost has been linked to a young woman killed in a car accident back in 1968. Of course, the legend has grown over the years ...

But the most unsettling story was saved for the end of the evening--just before bedtime.

Our hosts apparently had a close encounter with a Cape Cobra in this very house. After an initial sighting in the kitchen, the Cobra disappeared into the house for a whole week before being spotted again, and removed.

We checked under the bed that night just to be safe! Happily, there were no encounters that night!

After a very early breakfast the next morning, we bid our new friends farewell. The Uniondale experience had been well worth the detour!

Our extended Garden Route adventure was at an end, but our memories would be with us forever. 

Hopefully, you'll find your way to the Garden Route someday. We would recommend at least 10 days to cover the same route we completed in just 6 days.

Next, we set off on our quest to find the real Cape Route 62. 

Most serious travelers have heard of Route 66 in the United States--the nostalgic highway built in 1926 to connect Chicago with the Pacific coast in California. Thousands roadtrip this legendary route every year, coming from every corner of the globe.

But, ... have you ever heard of South Africa's Route 62?

Cape Route 62 is one of the most popular tourist-traveled roads in South Africa--for domestic tourists.

Researching this fabled route revealed a long list of tantalizing experiences and sites:

 ... Ostrich Capital of the World ... Congo Caves ... Longest Wine Route in the World ... Boutique Wine & Olive Estates ... Old Fashioned General Stores ... Ronnie's Sex Shop? ... Mineral Baths ... Perfectly Engineered Mountain Passes ...

We were all in! Roadtrip, here we come! 

Having covered most of U.S Route 66, we were itching to get on the road and see everything for ourselves.

South Africa's Route 62 actually gets its name from a smaller section of the road that extends between the towns of Montagu and Humansdorp. This section is the original Cape R62.

This modern tourist version of Route 62 follows the roads originally built as the most direct road between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth (531 miles/850 km). This includes sections of several national and regional roads--sections of N1, N2, R60. 

The tourist route links over 30 wine estates, and is claimed to be the longest wine route in the world!

Almost all of these wine estates lie on the section of Route 62 between Oudtshoorn and Paarl.

Most tourists focus on the bigger wine estates in Worcester, Robertson, and Paarl.

But ... the real Route 62 gems are really only experienced the old fashioned way ... one mile at a time. Our goal was to experience the whole route--and all its quirky road stops!

Traveling along Route 62 really gives one a sense of 1960s and 1970s South Africa. What a treat to rediscover this simplicity.

The farming communities, the old general stores, the small dusty towns, and the charming country inns all join together to form an unforgettable experience.

In hindsight, we really needed about four days to fully appreciate the rich history and culture along the route.

We had just finished a wonderful roadtrip from Cape Town all the way along the Garden Route to Knysna. Route 62 would be the perfect itinerary as we trekked back to Cape Town.

Route 62 would give us an opportunity to head inland and experience a very different part of South Africa.

Oudtshoorn, also known as the Ostrich Capital of the World, would be our first destination along this famous route. This historic town has a proud ostrich history dating all the way back to the mid 19th Century. Their zenith came in the early 1900s, when ostrich feathers became all the rage in Europe.

With its huge flocks of ostrich, Oudtshoorn took full advantage of this global trend. Unfortunately, it was just that... a trend... and the fad ended with economic collapse.

Luckily, the ostrich farming tradition survived and we got a chance to see a functioning farm in action.

Experiencing ostrich races in person and getting to know more about the farming side of the industry was well worth the stop-over.

Here are some interesting ostrich facts:

Just up the road from the ostrich farm, we stopped at a small countryside concession for refreshments.

As we relaxed drinking our cold drinks, we saw that they also offered guided camel rides. We'd never had that experience, so why not? Boy, did we regret that decision!

It seemed harmless enough. The skilled camel handlers appeared to know what they were doing. We had watched several visitors take these leisurely camel rides with no incident. But, this would not be our experience!

As Rainman began the mounting process, his camel freaked out. The handlers assured us that this was quite normal. The camel had other ideas, of course!

Rainman's camel was determined to eject his rider, bucking and violently spinning in circles! The handlers actually let go of the reigns for their own safety! 

As you can see in the following photo, Rainman had been cast off the camel's back and was desperately hanging on to avoid being trampled. Tricia's camel wasn't happy either!

The handlers were finally able to regain control of the reigns. Rainman was carried off to safety cradled like a child! Our brother-in-law, Mauricio, somehow maintained his cool through it all, and captured the drama with pics of the unexpected commotion.

Unfortunately, this anxiety also spilled over to the other camels.  

Despite the chaos, and much to everyone's surprise, the handlers decided to continue Tricia's ride! Tricia was still in shock about what had just happened.

Luckily, there was no more drama on Tricia's ride, though it seemed like it would never end!

Frazzled, but filled with adrenaline, we next headed to one of the world's greatest natural wonders, the Cango Caves. 

Beneath the nearby Swartberg Mountains lie the Cango Caves, one of the biggest tourist-accessible cave systems in the world..

The main section of the Cango Cave system is comprised of three very large caverns connected by tunnels, but only the first cavern is accessible to tourists. The scale of that cavern is truly awe inspiring!

From the informative tour, we learned the difference between stalactites and stalagmites.

Stalactites hang from the cave ceiling and are essentially mineral deposits that accumulate as water drips from above. Stalagmites, on the other hand, are just the opposite, and grow from the ground up as minerals are deposited from water dripping to the cave ceiling.

A quick caution for anyone suffering from claustrophobia, like Tricia. Some sections are a tight squeeze as you make your way to the main cavern.

After all the stress and excitement, we were ready for a late lunch. Our restaurant choice turned out to be one of our favorite stops of the whole trip: Smitswinkel Restaurant & Farm Stall.

Smitswinkel looked like it belonged on America's Route 66. The front facade had all the old General Store trappings, several old cars, old farming equipment, antique furniture, and all kinds of folk art.

Once inside, we were greeted by an eclectic mix of artifacts from a bygone South Africa. Every aisle had its own ghosts of history. Smitswinkel still had an old-fashioned deli counter. 

One part of the store was decorated with a collection of racing bike memorabilia. An old Vespa scooter and a vintage Morris Mini greeted us as we headed out to the veranda for our lunch. What a great ambience!

The outside section of the Smitswinkel restaurant had great views of their stunning gardens. We would not be dining alone! Resident cats, ducks, and a large aviary filled with colorful birds all competed for our attention. This rather unusual mix all just seemed so natural in this magical place.

Another unexpected discovery came as we reviewed the menu. Smitswinkel had its own version of Roosterkoek! We were excited to have a chance to try their version of this delicious South African bread. The egg & cheese Roosterkoek sandwiches we ordered were enormous!

As we looked across the restaurant at neighboring tables, everyone seemed to be enjoying their entrees and desserts as much as we were. Smitswinkel had captured our hearts!

After our great lunch, we left the Oudtshoorn area and continued our journey deeper into the Klein Karoo.

Calitzdorp was to be our next stop along Route 62--about 33 miles/55 km west of Oudtshoorn. The town has a beautiful setting, with mountains to the north, west, and south.

The proximity to the mountains and rivers have long made Calitzdorp a favorite destination for outdoor adventure. Visitors come from all over for bird-watching, fishing, and back-road 4-wheeling.

More recently, Calitzdorp has gained a stellar reputation for its port wines. The local micro-climate has proven to be perfect for this variety of wines. 

De Krans has been one of the pioneers of successfully introducing Portuguese vines to South Africa. They have won countless awards for their wines. De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve is considered to be one of the very best port-style wines in South Africa.

De Krans offers sampling events every day of the week, and also has the stylish De Krans Deli & Bistro if you want a quick bite to eat. Visitors can also take a 30-minute walk through the vineyards. The views of the Gamka River Valley are just lovely.

Calitzdorp has several other wineries not too far from De Krans:

There's no doubt, we would have loved to visit all of the wineries, but time was running short.

We next found ourselves on a mission to get to the most curious destination on our ambitious itinerary ... Ronnie's Sex Shop! 'Another oddity on old Route 62, but, oh, so fun!

Before you get any ideas, Ronnie's doesn't have anything to do with sex. There's a story behind the name that explains its distinctive moniker.

Ronnie's Sex Shop is located on Route 62, about 16 miles/27 km before Barrydale. You can't miss the place, it's the only white-washed building for miles. 

Ronnie's has somewhat of a cult following among the faithful. Devotees come from all over the world to have a drink with Ronnie! For some, it's a destination all on its own.

As we drove up, we saw a nondescript white-washed building with the words "Ronnie's Sex Shop" hand painted in big bold letters on the side.

Mission accomplished!

The legend had piqued our interest and we wanted to see what all the hype was about.

Now for the back story!

In the 1970s, Ronnie had a small road-side fruit and vegetable stand. "Ronnie's Shop" wasn't particularly successful, but it at least paid the bills.

The legend goes that one weekend, "friends" of Ronnie pranked him by adding the word "sex" to his sign, so it now read "Ronnie's Sex Shop."

Guess what ... people started to stop at his stall in droves, proving that sex sells, even if it's only in the name! The rest is history, as they say.

The building has two sections--a bar, and a general concession area. The Roadkill Cafe sells milkshakes and snacks. But, all the attention goes to the bar!

The bar room was rather small and cozy, with a couple smaller rooms attached on one side. The ceiling was covered in a forest of women's (and some men's) under-garments ... fittingly, given the bar's name, of course. The unmentionables were signed with all manner of messages by their former owners.

 We were fortunate to meet Ronnie and ask about the genesis of the legend.

According to Ronnie,  32 people now claim to have painted the added word. Though Ronnie says he has narrowed his suspects to two possible culprits from Cape Town, he is unwilling to name them. And so, the mystery continues ... and it's better that way! Ronnie's Shop just doesn't work anymore!

While we were there, we met people from Sweden and Germany. It seems that Ronnie's Sex Shop is now a global phenomenon. What a cool story!

As we passed through Barrydale next, we crossed through the highly productive Tradouw Valley. Barrydale is known all over South Africa for its peaches, plums, apples, and table grapes. The area is also a popular tourist destination for wildflowers in the spring and early summer.

The Langeberg Mountains were a stunning backdrop as we exited the valley and started our ascent toward the engineering marvel of the Tradouw Pass.

This is one of the 13 major passes in the southern Cape built during the 1800s by master road builder, Sir Thomas Bain. Tradouw Pass was completed in 1873. The immense scale of the pass and the expansive views made for a spectacular drive.

 Our stop for the night was to be in Montagu. The town was well known for its mineral warm baths. After days of intensive travel, it was going to be nice to settle in for a nice soak in the healing warm waters.

Montagu is one of the few hot springs destinations in South Africa. Legend has it that an injured farmer discovered the springs and was miraculously healed by the waters. The truth is that the Khoikhoi had known of these healing properties centuries earlier.

The hot springs are said to stem from caverns deep underground, possibly as much as 3 km below Montagu. The water temperature can be as high as 110 degrees F/43 degrees C when it reaches the surface.

Interestingly, the water pressure and water volume don't change at all during periods of drought.

There are a number of locations around town where the springs breach the surface. Several resorts have developed around these fissures in the earth. Montagu Springs Resort and Avalon Springs Resort are quite popular with tourists.

We chose to stay at the Montagu Springs Resort, and it was just what the doctor ordered. The rejuvenating waters worked their magic!

Montagu has a lot more to offer than just the warm baths. The next day we set off for a morning of exploration before making our way over to Robertson.

Montagu is a very pretty town with the Langeberg Mountains looming over the valley. The nearby peaks have become a favorite rock climbing destination. In town, the old Dutch and Victorian architectures added to the charm of the town.

The surrounding farms have acres and acres of fruit orchards. Montagu is known for producing peaches, apricots, apples, and pears. It is also home to a thriving dried fruit brand whose mission is to specialize in  healthy snacks, including nuts, seeds, and biltong.

 After breakfast at one of the many artisan restaurants along Main Street, we once again set off on our Route 62 expedition.

As we climbed out of town into the Langeberg Mountains, we were treated to majestic rock formations and panoramic views. The road over Kogmanskloof Pass is another of the iconic passes engineered by Thomas Baines. By this point, we were getting close to Ashton.

The setting was idyllic as we drove down from the Langeberg Mountains on the approach to the Robertson Valley. As we reached civilization, we were delighted to see Main Street lined with jacaranda trees and colorful roses, creating a charming introduction to this quaint town.

The Breede River winds its way through Robertson Valley, providing a life-sustaining source of water for the well-developed farming community in the area.

The valley is world famous for its wine, and wine estates. The Bon Courage Wine Estate and De Wetshof Wine Estate are the two major players here.

The De Wetshof Wine Estate was the first estate to introduce Burgundian grapes to South Africa. As a result, this third-generation wine estate is seen as the leading producer of fine Chardonnays in the country. 

De Wetshof recently also introduced high quality red cultivars to the Robertson Valley, hoping to emulate the family's success with the Chardonnays.

The Cellar Master, Danie De Wet, possesses excellent vintner credentials from the renowned Geisenheim Institute in Germany. 

The impressive De Wetshof Wine Estate is very popular with tourists and wine aficionados from all over the world. The estate receives guests every day of the week, hosting thousands of visitors for wine tastings and tours each year.

De Wetshof is  a must-do if you find yourself in Robertson!

The Bon Courage Wine Estate is also a third generation family-run wine estate, with a homestead that dates back to 1818. The Bruwer family has been developing the estate since 1927.

The inspiring Cape Dutch architecture of the homestead dominates the estate on the drive into the Bon Courage grounds. 

Brothers Andre and Jacques Bruwer run the estate today. Andre focuses on the viticulture, while Jacques coordinates all aspects of the Cellar.

Bon Courage and the Bruwer family have been hugely successful, especially with their Shiraz wines. They are consistent award winners in South Africa, and have been blessed to win two consecutive gold medals at the Syrah-du-Monde in France.

The Bon Courage Wine Estate offers a wide range of wines for purchase, including a uniquely South African Pinotage Rose, as well as Chardonnays, Merlots, Cabernets, Sauvignons, Shiraz, Ports, and a Blush Vin Doux Sparkling Wine.

With such variety, it would be a shame not to participate in a tasting experience!

Good news! The estate offers daily tours of the cellars and plenty of wine tasting opportunities.

The excellent Cafe Maude offers both indoor and outdoor dining. For those who need to totally immerse themselves in the Bon Courage experience, they even have cottages for over-night stays!

There are more than 50 wineries scattered across the Robertson Valley. Here are a few of the best in case you want to spend a week in Robertson:

After a splendid time in the Robertson Valley, we set off for our next big stop in Worcester--31 miles/50 km away. As we approached Worcester, it seemed like we were driving past one continuous never-ending vineyard.

The area around Worcester produces about 25% of South Africa's wine and spirits.

Driving along, we saw a very odd-looking farm machine, and just had to stop to investigate. We'd heard about mechanized grape-picking machines and wondered whether this was one of them.

Grape harvesters can cost anywhere from $300,000 to $400,000 without accessories! Of course, the labor savings end up being tremendous. The industry estimates that these machines save about 75% on labor costs.

Today, vineyards are actually designed to conform to harvester specifications. The grapes are gathered as the machine shakes both the trunk and the upper vine canopy to loosen the fruit. The grapes then efficiently fall into a catchment at the bottom of the machine. This was all new to us. Thanks, Route 62!

Worcester would be our stopover for the night. We were looking forward to a change of pace, so we headed over to the Golden Valley Casino. The casino offers 3-star accommodation within walking distance. It was time for a nice meal and bit of mindless slot machine action!

The next day would be our last on Route 62, so we planned to make the most out of our remaining time. We had wanted to visit the KWV House of Brandy, but, as it turns out, they no longer allow public tours.

Locals informed us that we would have to go about 35 miles/58 km away to the KWV House of Fire location in Paarl to access a brandy tour. That would have to wait for a later excursion.

The KWV distillery in Worcester is the biggest brandy distillery in the Southern Hemisphere. Some of the vineyards in the region grow special grapes specifically for brandy production. The distillery can yield more than 300,000 liters of wine in a single day!

South African law requires that potstill brandy be aged for three years in oak caskets. The KWV distillery has more than 120 copper potstills available for distillating.

Potstill bandy is produced using the same process as cognac, but cannot go by that name because cognac grapes are not used. We would have loved to witness this operation firsthand, and were disappointed that they no longer offer tours.

Worcester has a very rich history of wine production dating all the way back to the 1700s.

The Worcester Wine & Olive Route has 11 wine estates and two major olive producers:

Unfortunately, we only had enough time for one of the Olive estates.

The Willow Creek Olive Estate lies in the Nuy Valley just below the end of the Langeberg Mountains. The farm has been in the Rabie family since the 1700s! For the first two centuries, the farm produced wheat, grapes, and vegetables. Olive farming is a relatively new endeavor for the family.

The first olive trees were planted in 1999, with the first olives pressed three years later in 2002. Today, the Rabie family farms over 150,000 olive trees--one of the largest olive estates in Southern Africa! The estate focuses primarily on producing premium extra virgin olive oil products.

Today, Willow Creek Olive Estate controls all facets of production.

The farm has a well-developed olive tree nursery that supplies all of their own stock. 

Willow Creek ships olive trees all over South Africa. The nursery grows more than 10 different varieties, including the Kalamata olive tree, the Mission olive tree (green and black table olives), and the Croatian olive tree (best for making high quality extra virgin olive oil).

Once the olives are picked, they have their own olive processing factory and bottling facilities. The on-location factory can press up to 6.5 tons of olives per hour!

Their Willow Creek Tasting Room is a foodie's culinary delight! The tasting experience introduces participants to several of their best products, including:

 What a treat for the taste buds! The Lion Creek Estate would have to wait for another Route 62 excursion.

Continuing along the Worcester Wine & Olive Route is the Nuy Winery Estate (founded 1963).

Today the Nuy Winery produces over 17,000 tons of wine each year. They are known for their excellent Sauvignon Blanc, Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscadel and Semi-Sweet Sparkling Wines. Nuy Winery also makes its own brandy and gin.

Only 3% of the best quality wine is kept locally to be bottled under their own Nuy brand. 

The Nuy Winery is careful to choose grapes from their best vineyards in making their wines. They are also meticulous when it comes to the barrel selection for the aging process.

If you're looking for a lovely lunch, either before or after a tasting, head to their patio with beautiful views of the Langeberg Mountains. Nuy Winery also has a deli where you can get a quick bite if pressed for time.

Everything about the Nuy Winery is first class.

It was time to get back on the road and head to our home base! Our Route 62 adventure was coming to an end!

Our remaining 70 miles/120 km itinerary would take us through the Huguenot Tunnel over to Paarl, then down to Stellenbosch, then to the coast and our base home in Gordon's Bay.

The drive between Worcester and Paarl used to require passing through Du Toitskloof Pass and the Du Toitskloof Tunnel. The Huguenot Tunnel was completed in 1988 to bypass this unsafe route.

The new Huguenot Tunnel is 2.4 miles/3.9 km long, but it saves about 20 minutes compared to the old route. The tunnel seemed to go on forever, but it was beautifully engineered.

Once through the the Huguenots Tunnel, we gradually started our descent into the farming area around Paarl. The panoramic views were quite beautiful! With each twist and turn, we seemed to get a better vantage point.

The expansive fruit orchids and vineyards went on for miles and miles. Even though we weren't stopping, the drive itself was the reward enough! We hoped to save the Paarl experience for a later excursion.

Synthesizing our Route 62 experience would take some time!.

There were just too many highlights, one after the other! And to think, we had only just scratched the surface of the endless possibilities. Our itinerary could have been extended another week. But, that's the beauty of travel.

Next time, we'll discover new gems, and create new memories, as we focus on filling the gaps!

Back to our home base in Gordon's Bay for some rest and relaxation, and more treasured family time.

Time for our next road trip and the Helderberg wine estate tour! 

The South African wine industry is very well-developed by global standards. The country's wines hold their own in international competition and in the marketplace. South Africa has over 100,000 hectares under vine!

Most of the major wine estates are located in the favorable climates of the Western Cape, which is blessed with an abundance of wine routes. 

A visit to the Western Cape without a wine estate experience would be like touring Los Angeles and not completing the pilgrimage to Hollywood Boulevard.

Unfortunately, a survey of regional wine routes can be quite confusing for most tourists.

Wine route definitions and classifications are not consistent across the web. As a result, many of the smaller estates tend to get lost in this shuffle. The Helderberg Wine Route is one of the smaller wine routes that doesn't get the attention it deserves.

Before we take a closer look at the Helderberg Wine Route, let's get familiar with an overview of the wine routes scattered across the Western Cape.

In order to better understand our touring options, we put together a comprehensive listing of all the significant wine routes in the Western Cape.

The listing shows the distance from Cape Town and the size of each wine route.

That's an impressive 375+ wine estates, just in the western Cape!

The Stellenbosch Wine Route is by far the most established and most popular wine estate destination for tourists to the Western Cape. Stellenbosch was the first wine route to be organized in South Africa, starting back in 1971.

Stellenbosch, Constantia, Franschhoek, and Helderberg have the oldest estates. Some of these estates date back to Governor Simon van der Stel's early establishment of vineyards in 1685. A lot of Western Cape history revolves around wine culture.

Our home base in Gordon's Bay was closest to the Stellenbosch, Elgin, and Helderberg wine routes, with Helderberg being the closest.

On previous South Africa visits, we had focused on the Stellenbosch Wine route. We were determined to explore the wine routes less traveled this time.

Our goal was to find diamonds in the rough on the Helderberg Wine Route. What a good choice! 'An overwhelming success!

Planning our Helderberg Wine Route itinerary, we wanted to visit both a larger estate and one of the newer boutique properties. The Lourensford and Waterkloof Wine Estates were perfect for our criteria.

The Lourensford Wine Estate was originally part of the larger Vergelegen Estate.

Governor Simon van der Stel started developing the area in 1709. In those days, the farms were used for grazing sheep and growing fruit and vegetables.

Van der Stel had a great affinity for vineyards, given his experience at the Groot Constantia Estate in Cape Town. Slowly, but surely, he began the process of developing the first vineyards in the area. As they say, the rest is history.

The Lourensford Estate is situated on approximately 4,000 hectares. Much of this land is located on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain. For most of its history, the estate has been known for their extensive fruit orchards and for cultivating Protea flowers. 

Lorensford made a serious commitment to wine-making starting in 2000. Facilities for a state-of-the-art winery were completed in 2002. Today, Lourensford cultivates at least nine different types of grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, merlot, shiraz, pinot noir, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, durif, semillon, and viognier.

The long driveway to the main complex was beautifully laid out, with colorful flowers lining the avenue for as far as we could see. Arriving at the main complex, there was no doubt this was a very well-established estate. The complex was framed by several pristine white-washed Cape Dutch buildings that surrounded a perfectly manicured central garden.

Lourensford Estate is known for its family-friendly venues and tasteful garden sculptures. We wanted to throughly explore the grounds, and walking the gardens was definitely one of the highlights for us. As we strolled down the garden paths, we were delighted around every corner with life size statues, or larger than life unique and eclectic art pieces. 

We also enjoyed our tour of the Art Curator Gallery and the Karlo & Guy Antique Store. The gallery had an impressive collection of contemporary African art. The antique store displayed French furniture from 18th and 19th Centuries.

We weren't surprised to find a world-class spa in the complex.

The Lourensford Spa offers an array of beauty treatments, including signature massages and body wraps. Lourensford also has a Life Retreat Studio where they conduct a series of yoga classes: kundalini, restorative yoga, meditation, and yoga sculpt. The setting is  conducive to working on mind-body-spirit endeavors!

As we crossed the gardens, we entered the Lourensford Market area, open only on weekends. Since we were there on a weekday, we could only view the infrastructure. The Market is a big draw for locals and tourists, with over 70 permanent vendor stalls, an artisan brewery (ABRU), and a concert stage for live music.

After our extensive tour of the grounds, we made our way back to the Tasting room in the main building. Lourensford offered a number of wine tasting packages. 

The Premium Wine Tasting (featuring four wines from their Limited Release Range) ($6); Belgian Chocolate Pairing ($9); and Wedgewood Nougat Pairing ($9) Packages were most popular. 

Interestingly, they also offer a fascinating Barrel Room Tasting session that requires groups of at least eight participants. The tasting is conducted in the barrel maturation cellar.

The experience is especially recommended for corporate clients and team-building exercises. Participants are given the opportunity to taste Lourensford's more select boutique wines during this demonstration.

The Lourensford Estate excursion was such a treat. The beautiful setting on the lower slopes of Helderberg Mountain, the artfully landscaped gardens, and the living history of the estate, provided a diverse mix of elements for a comprehensive wine country experience.

Our next wine estate would have a decidedly different feel. As mentioned earlier, we also wanted to see one of the newer boutique wine estates on the Helderberg Wine Route.

An informal survey of locals almost unanimously suggested that we visit the Waterkloof Wine Estate in Somerset West. 

It would be hard to compare Lourensford and Waterkloof on most measures, as they are both special in their own categories. By their nature, boutique wine estates are quite small and tend to be more specialized.

The Waterkloof Wine Estate has two outstanding factors in its favor--an award winning view of False Bay, and a complex back-story.

The word "intentional" comes to mind as we look back on our Waterkloof experience. Everything at the Waterkloof Wine Estate is intentionally part of the experience.

These choices have their genesis in Paul Boutinot's original search for the perfect vineyard location, the perfect cultivation methods, the perfect grapes, the perfect wine-making process, the perfect view, and the perfect showcase.

When Mr. Boutinot started his search for the perfect location in 1993, most of the obvious vineyard locations were already taken or much too expensive. He was looking for a venue that could sustain naturally balanced grapes capable of producing wines "with a defining sense of origin." 

It took Boutinot ten years to find that perfect location on the southern slopes of Schapenberg (Sheep Mountain). Schapenberg lay between Helderberg Mountain and the Hottentots Holland range of mountains.

The first Waterkloof wines were finally bottled in 2005, but that was just the beginning! Over the next three years, the Boutinot team carefully analyzed the soil and began their search for just the right vine rootstock that would yield a balanced grape. They even researched trellis systems!

Cultivation methods were also important to the Boutinot experiment. The Waterkloof Wine Estate was converted into a "fully-fledged organic farm, with integrated biological farming" in 2008. Almost half of the estate was set aside to protect the local flora and fauna. 

Organic farming meant using ecological pest control techniques and biological fertilizers. Biological farming would mean working with nature to produce a balanced eco-system that wouldn't need excessive pesticides.

They also chose to use horses and oxen for tilling and maintaining the land instead of tractors and other machinery.  For all these efforts, Waterkloof was awarded Champion Status by the World Wildlife Fund's Biodiversity & Wine Initiative in 2008!

The Boutinot team was also very intentional when it came to making the wine. Boutinot did not believe in overly-interventionist wine-making techniques.

Their mantra became "honest wines, with minimal intervention and maximum care." This meant they would use wild yeast ferments and no acid additions, a genuine natural approach to wine-making.

All they needed now was a place to showcase their wines that would match the Waterkloof mission and philosophy. The Boutinot team hired a world-class Australian architecture firm to capture the Waterkloof spirit.

Waterkloof won the prestigious Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Award for Architecture and Landscapes two years in a row in 2012 & 2012.

The architecture is so unexpected as you drive up Schapenberg Hill and enter the parking lot. The iconic design presents itself in dramatic style. The inspiring building is engineered to mimic an ultra-modern arts center, which Waterkloof calls the "Cellar in the Sky."

As we walked up to the giant oak entrance doors, we were greeted by a life-size metallic tree sculpture, inspired by the neighboring countryside.

The interior was spaciously laid out for maximum luxury. A large fire pit surrounded by a massive seating area sat in front of the bar and outside the wine making room. Tasteful works of art add to this beautiful ambience. 

Then, there's the view ... the view ... the view! Somehow, all of that glass created a magnification effect that focused and accentuated our attention to the surrounding area everywhere we looked. 

We headed out to the upper balconies and outdoor decks to get an even closer view of False Bay ... what a spectacular panorama!

We had assembled family for this Waterkloof experience, and the ladies were there for some serous wine tasting!

Once ready, we were ushered into what Waterkloof calls the "Glass Box." We were seated with breathtaking views, framed by False Bay on one side and the vineyards on the other. The "Glass Box" is designed for just such unobstructed views.

Waterkloof offers a premium wine tasting package for $8 that includes glasses of six of their best premium wines, chosen from the Waterkloof, Circumstance, Seriously Cool, and Circle of Life collections. Just be warned, they do not skimp on the pouring! 

Participants can also order their signature Waterkloof Platter for $15, which serves 2 to 4 people. We were impressed with the composition of the platter. Here are some of the more interesting delicacies:

Let's just say we enjoyed ourselves ... a little too much! We couldn't recommend the Waterkloof Wine Estate experience more highly. It's a must-do experience if you are within driving distance of Somerset West.

The Boutinot team has succeeded in realizing and exceeding their vision.

Our picks of Lourensford and Waterkloof satisfied our dream of getting an authentic taste (or sip!) of wine estates on the Helderberg Wine Route, and proved to be the ideal choices for our itinerary.

With our South Africa trip starting to wind down, we had one last big foray. Our next week would take us into the Hottentots Holland Mountains and the area around the Elgin Valley, then over to Caledon. But first, as always, we were happy to head back to our own piece of paradise in Gordon's Bay!

This was to be the last excursion of our 2022 South African itinerary. It was hard to believe that three months had almost passed. Soon, we'd be fretting about the ever-changing COVID flying and entry regulations. But for now, we had a final trip to savor!

Foreign travelers visiting South Africa's Western Cape usually don't venture too far beyond the coastal escarpment. Unfortunately, the Elgin Valley and Caledon fall just beyond this zone, and are often overlooked.

Surprisingly, the Elgin Valley is only about 40 miles from Cape Town. Caledon is about 70 miles away.

This blog hopes to make the case for including the Elgin Valley and Caledon in your next Western Cape itinerary. The Road Hackers certainly enjoyed the experience!

Join us as we follow our favorite itinerary through some of the major attractions.

The Elgin Valley is fast becoming a go-to destination in the Western Cape. We'd been coming to the Cape for many years, and it seemed that every time we returned, the Elgin area was featured more and more in the tourism literature.

We decided it was finally time to explore this increasingly popular destination to see for ourselves.

In the distant past, the big draw to this area was the Appletiser factory outlet and apple picking. Appletiser is a sparkling fruit juice made by blending fruit juice with carbonated water. Appetizer was founded in 1966 in the ElginValley, and is primarily sold in its home market of South Africa.

This local drink favorite contains no added sugar or colourants, so it's like having a healthy soda! Besides apple, other flavors include white or red grape, and pear. We always look forward to having this local treat when visiting South Africa.

We were about to discover that the Elgin Valley has many more interesting layers than we ever imagined.

The main community is in Grabouw, but most of the character and vibe of the Valley can be found scattered across the 140 square miles of the Elgin Basin. The Valley is surrounded on all sides by the substantial mountain slopes of the Hottentots Holland, Groenland, and Kogelberg Mountains.

The Elgin Valley is only 43 miles/70 km from Cape Town, but there is no actual town called Elgin. The Valley supports a number of smaller farming communities that are sustained by incredibly successful apple, pear, and grape farms in the area.

The first European settlers started arriving in the Valley as early as the late 1600s. At the time, the fertile area was used as pastoral land by the local Khoikhoi farmers. It wasn't until much later that the first deciduous trees and vineyards arrived in Elgin.

In 1898, Sir Antonie Viljoen bought the Oak Valley Estate and started planting apple and pear trees. The Oak Valley farm hands nurtured and groomed the orchards that eventually became the foundation of the most successful deciduous fruit farming areas in the world.

Today, the Elgin Valley produces about 60% of South African apple production, and almost half of this crop is exported. The Valley is also known for growing pears, cut flowers, and, increasingly, for its great vineyards.

As we arrived at the Elgin Railway Market, this charming place reminded us of some of the boutique farmers' markets in Stellenbosch and the Helderberg area. Modern art sculptures were scattered throughout the property, giving it an organic artsy vibe.

Our senses weren't quite ready for what we found as we entered the huge market building.

Coming in from the tranquility of the surrounding farm, it was as though we had been transported to another world--a cross between the artisan vibe of Napa Valley and the uniquely South African vibe of Cape Town's Groot Constantia Estate!

The impressive Elgin Railway Market building has a decided steam punk, art deco feel. The over-sized metal fans, the hold-over concrete tapered columns of a bygone era, and the carefully crafted box gutters, all ooze with industrial character. 

The area around the market has an interesting history of its own. The Molteno family bought the Glen Elgin farm in 1903, and eventually developed a significant fruit farm network that almost covered the entire valley.

The family later left their large land holdings to a trust that was to manage the properties in the interest of the farm laborers and the Elgin Valley inhabitants.

The area was later used as a prisoner of war camp for Italian prisoners in the 1940s. These prisoners actually helped to build the old apple warehouse that became the artsy Elgin Railway Market of today!

As we walked through the halls of the market, we couldn't help but feel the nostalgia of those early farming days continuing to live in this building. It was so wonderful to see how nicely this piece of history had been preserved for future generations! We could have spent hours looking around.  

The Elgin Railway Market has so much to offer its visitors. Here's a sampling of the some of the more interesting food concessions at the market:

... and that's just a few of their delicious foods. Many of the vendors had samples to try before purchase. Let's just say, we did a good job of sampling!

A number of artisan jewelry, hand-made leather, and creative woodwork vendors had some really unique and interesting wares for sale. As we were making our way through the exhibition, we could hear live music starting downstairs ... the perfect accompaniment!

The upstairs loft area is definitely a must-see and worth the climb. A pasta and pizza kitchen is located at the top of the stairs, with a large dining area off to the side. The family-style tables sit in front of large sunny windows, inviting patrons to linger and socialize.

Also found on the upper floor are quite a few upscale clothing and jewelry stores. Some are housed in their own glassed-in enclosure, adding to the charm of the space. Walking along this second floor and looking down on the one below gave an interesting perspective of the market as a whole. 

One of the biggest attractions at the market is the arrival of the Ceres Rail Company steam locomotive. We could tell something special was about to happen. The activity level and general buzz at the market seemed to pick up a few notches close to the time of its arrival.

Visitors have two possible viewing areas to see this event. The Market has a very convenient observation deck just above the loft area. But, in our opinion, the best way to see this exciting event is to go out on the old railway platform.

There's nothing like seeing the power and brilliant engineering of a full-sized locomotive up close and personal! We weren't about to miss that experience...

The Ceres Railway Company runs a day-trip locomotive excursion from Cape Town to the Elgin Railway Market once every two weeks (check their website for dates). The trains leave at 8:05 am from the Harbor Bridge Hotel Platform in Cape Town, returning to the station by 6:30 pm the same day.

The trains can accommodate about 240 passengers. Adult tickets start at about $45 each. What a great excursion for that price! That will definitely be on our list for future trips to the Western Cape.

We loved the company's mission to preserve and promote South African rail heritage. Ceres Rail currently operates three locomotives--a couple Class19D locomotives, and one Class 19B locomotive.

As we walked the platform and headed back to the Market, it was so affirming to see the positive affect these locomotives had on everyone, young and old. Children, parents, and grandparents all seemed to have the same child-like reaction to this timeless experience. It just felt good to see!

Another interesting destination in the area is the Almenkerk Wine Estate, located about 5 miles/9 km on the ocean side of the N2.

The estate is located within the UNESCO-recognized Kogelberg Biosphere--the first South African Biosphere to be recognized by UNESCO.

The Almenkerk Wine Estate credo and philosophy is "Elegance and Balance." Their interest in sustainable farming stems from the "Balance" part of that credo. But "Balance" to the Almenkerk's also means having fun.

To this end, they offer an educational 5 km hiking trail that crosses through apple and pear orchards, vineyards, and indigenous local fynbos. Along the trail, they have informational posters explaining the bio-diversity of the flora and fauna in the area.

The Almenkerk property was originally an apple farm when the family purchased it in 2002, and is now a family-run estate. About half the farm is now dedicated to cultivating high quality vines.

The family cares deeply about this endeavor and the local community that supports the estate.

The van Almenkerks used every scientific tool available to maximize the eventual quality of their stock, including infrared studies, satellite imagery, and electro-magnetic soil scans. The family used this information, and the analyses from several consultants, to choose the ideal cultivars for the various farm micro-climates. 

About a third of the farm is still reserved for apple and pear orchards.

Almenkerk Wines have won acclaim all over the world--especially for their select Flemish Masters series of wines. They also offer two other ranges: The Almenkerk Range includes a Sauvignon Blanc, a Merlot, and a Chardonnay; the Lace Range includes a Sauvignon Blanc, a Dry Rose, and a Vineyard Selection Wine.

The tasting room is perfectly positioned for great views of the Elgin Valley and the Kogelberg Mountains. They also offer a more sophisticated technical tasting experience for wine aficionados.

On a side note, we didn't realize that the van Almenkerks owned the renowned De Brassierie Restaurant in the Strand, less than 5 miles/9 km from our home base in Gordon's Bay. De Brassierie offers a Belgian-inspired upscale European dining experience with a very nice ocean view. De Brassierie definitely represents the "Elegance" in the van Almenkerk credo.

We headed to our next stop of the weekend--the famous Peregrine Farm Stall. The name of farm stall just doesn't do it justice! Peregrine's is part farm stall, part folk art museum, part bakery, and part cafe restaurant. Peregrine's is a must-see road-side boutique stop!

Peregrine Farm Stall was first opened in 1964. They are named after a type of South African heritage peach, not the Peregrine Falcon. Their original slogan read, "For local fresh produce, Peregrine is a peach."

Over the years, and possibly several million visitors, Peregrine has developed into an institution along the N2. 

Walking around the premises was quite a treat. They are famous for their unique taste in all things, including pop-up vendors. We took advantage of the opportunity to visit all of these quirky stores.

Our first stop was Liberty Books, a boutique bookstore with very cool decor and architecture.

Walking into this unique shop, with floor to ceiling bookshelves and cushy window seating, it was clearly a haven for book lovers. The resident librarian sat reading near a sunny window, with a content kitty cat curled up on her lap.

Next, we went over to the iconic Book Bus for a quick peek. This 1970s retro gem is parked near the market entrance, and has been overhauled inside to be a cozy and comfortable place to kick back and enjoy one of its literary finds. Outfitted with makeshift couches and plentiful pillows, this is a cool use of a vintage relic.

The Gaia Nursery was also a treat with its beautiful flowers and eclectic garden decor.

Live plants, dried flowers, baskets, mirrors, bookshelves filled with a diverse array of knickknacks, and even old window frames placed in strategic spots created a charming and unique scene. Perusing the shed was a lesson in how to use garden tools and accessories as a decorating theme.

Heading into the Peregrine's cafe, we saw both a retail area and a sit-down cafe restaurant. The smells of freshly baked and recently-ground coffee filled the air. We were hooked! This is the kind of place where you make excuses to visit again and again.

Peregrine's is famous for their homemade pies, and they are fully stocked with these sweet and savory treats:

Are you hungry yet? We couldn't leave empty-handed! 

They also have an amazing artisanal bakery. We can't resist a good bread, and they make all the classics, including rye, foccacia, whole wheat, raisin, banana, ciabatta, sourdough, and a healthy South African whole grain seed loaf. This favorite of Tricia's is covered with a wide range of seeds baked right in.

The time had come to leave the Elgin Valley. What a treat it was to visit Peregrine's! It made us wish we lived close enough to pop in every Sunday.

 The Caledon Hotel & Spa would be our last stop, about 70 miles/113 km from Cape Town.

The town of Caledon has had several names since the late 1700s. At one point, it was called Bad Agter de Berg, which is Dutch for Bath Behind the Mountain. The name refers to the hot springs mineral waters that have long been an attraction in the area.

Central to the Caledon experience is a visit to The Caledon Hotel & Spa. 

The Caledon Hotel & Spa is tucked away in the hills close to the rural community of Caledon. The Spa complex is beautifully built around the naturally-occurring mineral water hot springs.

The site has real historical significance. The Victorian Spa on the premises is actually a refurbished version of the original bath house built on location back in 1897.

Today, the warm baths complex is much more developed, including:

The complex is not as sprawling as the famous warm baths in Montagu, but much more personal. The Caledon is positioned to attract adults in the market for a romantic weekend.

The Montagu warm baths we visited were ideal for families and bigger groups. Both facilities were great, just geared to different markets.

The terraced outdoor mineral ponds were our favorite! The three ponds lie on three different elevations, with the higher ponds being slightly cooler than their lower counterparts. The landscaping and surrounding rock formations gave each pond its own private setting. 

The hot spring water is decidedly brown and has a bit of an odor. According to the website, the odor comes from the rapid oxidation as the spring waters reach the earth's surface.

Apparently, the naturally-occurring iron particles are great for skin exfoliation, and the oily residue that comes to the surface acts as a natural moisturizer. Understanding the health benefits behind the unusual look of the waters made the visuals more appealing. 

The Caledon sometimes offers a package deal that includes reasonably priced overnight accommodations and the world class hot springs spa complex as an included amenity... and a fun casino!

After exploring the beautiful grounds and warm baths, we grabbed a quick bite in one of the casino restaurants, then had some fun playing the slot machines in the casino. We never spend much, and always pre-set a limit to our spending, but we enjoy the action as an entertaining diversion.

The Elgin Valley and Caledon had lived up to all the hype. This was definitely a trip we would recommend to anyone visiting the Western Cape for more than two weeks.

We realized that this was the last excursion of our whole South Africa itinerary! Luckily, we knew we'd be back next year. We got back on the N2 and headed to our home base of Gordon's Bay.

Exploring the Western Cape and spending an extended time with family was just what the doctor ordered! Slow travel during the height of the COVID epidemic wasn't always easy, but it certainly helped to be in a great place with a loving support system.

The time had come for final packing, checking our travel arrangements for the next leg of our trip, and sadly leaving our little slice of heaven in Gordon's Bay. 

We had a few farewell get-togethers with family. 

Our brother, William, hosted hosted one at his beautiful home on the mountain in Gordon's Bay, Here's our stunning view from William's veranda ... 

The main course was Baboutie--a South African dish made with spiced minced meat baked with an egg-based topping. Rice, salad, and South African toffee pudding for dessert rounded out the yummy menu.

A baked chicken, roast potato and veg meal in the back garden at Mauricio and Jane's lovely home, with Nicko, Rochelle, Leigha, and Barbara...

... and a Thai pasta meal we hosted at our Boardwalk apartment.

So many adventures, so many memories, so many heartfelt stories recalling our time together and what we mean to each other ... Yup, there were some tears! But also lots of laughs, and many hugs. That's family!

Saying our tearful goodbyes, we loaded our two suitcases and backpacks into Jane's car and headed to the Cape Town airport.

Luggage checked, more tearful goodbyes, we were back to the realities of Covid travel, airport security lines, and frantic airport transitions.

That's the down side of travel, but a necessary part of getting to another new experience. 

After all, we are living our Better Lives, on the Road! We wouldn't have it any other way.

Next up for us: Croatia! From Cape Town to Istanbul, to Zagreb, to Split. From there we would be taking an Uber to the small coastal town of Suhi Potok in the settlement of Jesenice, and our third floor apartment with a balcony view of the Adriatic Sea. This would be our next new home till the end of June 2022.

Ready for our next adventure? We are! Stay tuned... See our Great Croatia Itinerary Exploring the Dalmatian Coast. 

We are The Roadhackers, Rainman and Tricia. 

Happy travels to all. See you on the road!

Reny is the official Hacking the Road travel mascot!

At the end of each Destination Blog, Reny rates the overall experience.

Here's Reny's awesome scale:

Reny rates the Western Cape: 

4 RENYS!

beaches ... coastal drives ... stunning views ... our Boardwalk home, and the seals ... the braais ...

Pajamas & Jam restaurant ... Eisbein! ... Dassies Fontein ... Peregrine Farm Stalls ...

Langebaan windsurfing ... Caledon Spa hot springs  ... wine estates ... 

Cape Town V&A Waterfront ... Table Mountain National Park ... The Castle ...

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens ... Groot Constantia ... the Kalk Bay experience ...

Elgin Valley ... Duiker Island ... Cape Point ... Robben Island ...

penguins of Simon's Town ... the Garden Route ... the Route 62 experience ...

Reny wanted to keep going, so we had to remind him that we would be back soon!