Important Notice
Hunter-gatherers frequented this area between and years ago, living off seafood in wave-cut caves near the river mouth. A modest display shows an excavated midden, with clear layers of little bones and shells. A single person or a couple do stand a chance of getting in on the back of a last-minute cancellation, so it may be worth hanging out at the Mouth for a night or two. Swimming at the Mouth is restricted to a safe and pristine little sandy bay below the restaurant, though conditions can be icy in summer if there are easterly winds and cold upwellings of deep water from the continental shelf.
The park was established in to provide a home for abandoned, orphaned and abused young elephants, and opened to the public in The youngest of its charges are reared by park staff, who hand-feed them forty litres of baby formula a day, and sleep next to them at night. You can also take a two-hour ride on an elephant or a guided nature walk of the same duration alongside one. For conservationists, the monumental s eyesore of the Beacon Island Hotel, on a promontory on the southern side of the Piesang River mouth, may not be such a bad thing, since previously the island was the site of a whale-processing factory established in — one of some half-dozen such plants erected along the Western Cape coast that year.
Whaling continued at Plettenberg Bay until Southern right whales were the favoured species, yielding more oil and whalebone — an essential component of Victorian corsets — than any other. In the nineteenth century, a southern right would net around three times as much as a humpback caught along the Western Cape coast, leading to a rapid decline in the southern right population by the middle of the nineteenth century. The years between the establishment and the closing of the Plettenberg Bay factory saw worldwide whaling transformed by the inventions of the Industrial Revolution.
In , the explosive harpoon was introduced, followed by the use of steam-powered ships five years later, and the cannon-mounted harpoon in In , Plettenberg Bay was the site of one of seventeen shore-based and about a dozen floating factories between West Africa and Mozambique, which that year between them took about ten thousand whales. Inevitably, a rapid decline in humpback populations began; by , all but four of the shore-based factories had closed due to lack of prey.
The remaining whalers now turned their attention to fin and blue whales. When the South African fin whale population became depleted by the mids to twenty percent of its former size, they turned to sei and sperm whales. When these populations declined, the frustrated whalers started hunting minke whales, which at 9m in length are too small to be a viable catch.
South African wine - Wikipedia
In the South African government banned all activity surrounding whaling. Elevated ocean panoramas give Plettenberg Bay outstanding vantages for watching southern right whales during their breeding season between June and October. An especially good vantage point is the area between the wreck of the Athene at the southern end of Lookout Beach and the Keurbooms River. The Robberg Peninsula is also excellent, looming protectively over this whale nursery and giving a grandstand view of the bay.
Outside Plett, the Kranshoek viewpoint and hiking trail offers wonderful whale-watching points along the route. To get there, head for Knysna, taking the Harkerville turn-off, and continue for 7km. It's also possible to view the occasional pair mother and calf at Nature's Valley, 29km east of Plett on the R, and from Storms River Mouth. For more information about whales, see the section on Whale-watching and other activities.
Traffic signs warning motorists about elephants along the N2 between Knysna and Plettenberg Bay are rather optimistic: there are few indigenous pachyderms left and, with such a large forest, sightings are rare. But such is the mystique attached to the Knysna elephants that locals tend to be a little cagey about just how few they number. By , the thousands that had formerly wandered the once vast forests were down to five hundred, and by twelve years after they were protected by law , there were only twenty animals left; the current estimate is three. Loss of habitat and consequent malnutrition, rather than full-scale hunting, seems to have been the principal cause of their decline.
South Africa has over a score of recognized wine routes extending to the Karoo and way into the Northern Cape, but the area known as the Winelands is restricted to the oldest wineries outside the Cape Peninsula, within a 60km radius of Cape Town. The district contains the earliest European settlements at Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek and Somerset West, each with its own wine route, on which you travel from one estate to the next to taste the wines.
The Winelands are best covered in a car, as half the pleasure is the drive through the countryside; without your own transport, you could take a day-trip to the Winelands with one of several Cape Town-based companies.
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The most satisfying of the Winelands towns is Stellenbosch, which enjoys an easy elegance, beautiful streetscapes, a couple of decent museums and plenty of visitor facilities. Smallest of the Winelands towns, with a rural yet sophisticated feel, Franschhoek has the most magnificent setting at the head of a narrow valley, and has established itself as the culinary capital of the country.
The major draw of the sprawling town of Somerset West is Vergelegen, by far the most stunning of all the Winelands estates. Of the several hundred estates in the Winelands, the wineries in our selection were chosen not primarily because they produce the best wine although some do , but for general interest — beautiful architecture or scenery — or just because they are fun. When planning, bear in mind that although all the wineries offer tastings, many offer a lot more, such as restaurants, picnics and horseriding. Choose an area to explore and don't try to visit too many wineries in a day unless you want to return home in a dizzy haze.
Most estates charge a fee for a wine-tasting session anywhere up to R40 and some only have tastings at specific times; see the individual accounts for more details. The definitive and widely available John Platter's South African Wine Guide also available as an iPhone app is a useful companion, which provides ratings of the produce of pretty well every winery in the country.
Stellenbosch was the first locality in the country to wake up to the marketing potential of a wine route. It launched its wine route in to huge success; today tens of thousands of visitors are drawn here annually, making this the most toured area in the Winelands.
Although the region accounts for only a fraction of South Africa's land under vine, its wine route is the most extensive in the country, approaching three hundred establishments; apart from the tiny selection below all of which produce creditable wines and are along a series of roads that radiate out from Stellenbosch , there are scores of other excellent places, which taken together would occupy months of exploration. All the wineries are clearly signposted off the main arteries.
On the Helshoogte Pass, 6km east of Stellenbosch along the R to Franschhoek; , delairewinery. The highly regarded Delaire Graff restaurant has possibly the best views in the Winelands, looking through pin oaks across the Groot Drakenstein and Simonsig mountains and down into the valley. A pioneer among the new-wave Cape wineries, Jordan's hi-tech cellar and modern tasting room are complemented by its friendly service.
The drive there is half the fun, taking you into a kloof bounded by vineyards that get a whiff of the sea from both False Bay and Table Bay, which has clearly done something for its output — it has a list of outstanding wines as long as your arm and an award-winning restaurant. Tasting daily 9. French-owned chateau-style complex on the slopes of the vine-covered Simonsberg, owned by Anne Cointreau-Huchon granddaughter of the founder of Remy Martin cognac. Morgenhof has a light and airy tasting room with a bar.
Delicious light lunches are served outside, topped off with ice cream on the lawns. Tasting May—Oct Mon—Fri 9am—4. Centred around a beautifully restored Cape Dutch manor dating back to , reached down a kilometre-long avenue of stone pines, Neethlingshof's first vines were planted in There's a restaurant and for R95 you can try their "flash food" light lunch — pairings of six wines with six bite-sized takeaways booking essential. The estate has two labels: Premium and Short Story reserve range, which consists of a Pinotage, a red blend and a flagship Noble Late Harvest white.
Notable for its elegant Victorian tasting room, this pioneering estate was the first winery in the country to produce Merlots, and it's still the only one to make Sylvaner, a well-priced, easy-drinking dry white. Tasting Mon—Fri 9am—5pm, Sat 10am—3. Rustenberg Rd, 5km north of Stellenbosch; , rustenberg.
One of the closest estates to Stellenbosch, Rustenberg is also one of the most alluring, reached after a drive through orchards, sheep pastures and tree-lined avenues. An unassuming working farm, it has a romantic pastoral atmosphere, in contrast to its architecturally stunning, hi-tech tasting room in the former stables.
Tasting Mon—Fri 9am—4. The winery has a relaxed outdoor tasting area under vine-covered pergolas, offering majestic views back to Stellenbosch of hazy stone-blue mountains and vineyards. The first estate in the country to produce a bottle-fermented bubbly some three decades back, it also produces a vast range of first-class still wines. Tasting Mon—Fri 8. About 8km south of Stellenbosch, off Annandale Rd, which spurs off the R44; , uvamira.
Enchanting boutique winery that punches well above its weight, and worth visiting just for the winding drive halfway up the Helderberg. The highly original tasting room, despite being fairly recently built, gives the appearance of a gently decaying historic structure, and there are unsurpassed views from the deck across mountainside vineyards to False Bay some 50km away — on a clear day you can even see Robben Island. There are a couple of notable wineries in Paarl itself, but most are on farms in the surrounding countryside. Boschendal, one of the most popular of these, is officially on the Franschhoek wine route, but is within easy striking distance of Paarl.
Notable as the first carbon-neutral wine estate in South Africa, Backsberg produces some top-ranking red blends, and a delicious Chardonnay, in its Babylons Toren and Black Label ranges. Outdoor seating, with views of the rose garden and vineyard on the slopes of the Simonsberg, makes this busy estate a nice place to while away some time.
There's also a restaurant and a maze to get lost in. Suid Agter Paarl Rd, on the southern fringes of town; , fairview. One of the most fun of all the Paarl estates especially for families , with a resident population of goats who clamber up the spiral tower at the entrance, featured in the estate's emblem. A deli sells sausages and cold meats for picnics on the lawn, and you can also sample and buy the goat's, sheep's and cow's cheeses made on the estate.
As far as wine tasting goes, Fairview is an innovative, family-run place, but it can get a bit hectic when the tour buses roll in. Tasting Mon—Fri 8am—5pm, Sat 9am—4pm, Sun 10am—4pm; cheese selection R15, six wines and cheese selection R25, eight wines plus cheese and olive oil selection R Taillefert St; , laboriewines. One of the most impressive Paarl wineries, all the more remarkable for being right in town. The beautiful manor is fronted by a rose garden, acres of close-cropped lawns, historic buildings and oak trees — all towered over by the Taal Monument.
There's a truly wonderful tasting room with a balcony that jetties out over the vineyards trailing up Paarl Mountain, as well as a great restaurant with terrace seating under oaks with gobsmackingly good views of the town vineyards and mountains. Signposted off the R45, A highly photogenic wine estate, a popular wedding venue, and a great place to bring kids, Rhebokskloof sits at the foot of sculptural granite koppies overlooking a shallow kloof that borders on the mountain nature reserve.
The estate's renowned restaurant overlooks an artificial lake with swans. For those too young to legally imbibe, there's a kids' playground, pony rides and remote-controlled boats on the lake, among the extensive offerings. Horse and quad-bike trails for adults are also operated from Rhebokskloof.
Erik has a passion for nature and his primary aim is to let the quality of the fruits grown to play the major role in the process while he skillfully puts the deft touches on. A weekend visit could prove too good to pass up!
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To view more wine estates in the region see Paarl Wine Estates or see South Africa Wine Estates for a general overview and links to other wine producing regions. South Africa. Overnight Stay nearby in Paarl , in Western Cape. Please note, business details can change. While we endeavour to ensure all information provided by the service provider is correct at the time of publication, we do not assume any liability caused by errors or changes, such as price, cost, time, and location.
Please let us know if anything on this page is outdated or contains inaccuracies. Please confirm with the establishment should driving distance be a factor in your decision. Fully equipped, stylish thatched cottages situated on a 30 hectare wine estate. The cottages are fully equipped for a self-catering holiday, but The estate has a swimming The original De Kleijne Bos Country House offers eight well equipped rooms including six luxury rooms and one standard room which are all designe Located in the heart of the Cape Winelands and just 45 minutes from Cape Town, this haven provides a magnificent outdoor experience for couples a Ashia is a world-class cheetah sanctuary and working farm located outside Paarl.
Accommodation at Ashia is offered on a bed and breakfast basis i De Leeuwenhof Guest House is family driven and is a true romantic holiday destination, providing accommodation surrounded by vineyards and mounta Situated just 3kms outside of Paarl, Middelplaas Paarl Guesthouse offers accommodation in rooms overlooking the farm dam. Wake up to chattering b Modderkloof Farm offers accommodation in two units on Modderkloof Farm.