western cape

Western Cape (South Africa)

Situated on the south western tip of Africa; Cape Town and the Western Cape is recognised as one of the most beautiful places on earth. It is also without a doubt South Africa's most popular tourist destination.

Two oceans meet on the coast of the Western Cape: the cold Atlantic Ocean is in the west, while the warmer Indian Ocean lies on the southern coast. A jumble of diversity gives the Western Cape its cosmopolitan flavour. There are cities, quaint fishing villages and small towns in the province all bringing something special to the Western Cape.

The Western Cape is climatologically diverse, with many distinct micro- and macroclimates created by the varied topography and the influence of the surrounding ocean currents. These are the warm Agulhas Current which flows southwards along South Africa's east coast, and the cold Benguela Current which is an upwelling current from the depths of the South Atlantic Ocean along South Africa's west coast. Thus climatic statistics can vary greatly over short distances. Most of the province is considered to have a Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Both the Great Karoo and Little Karoo, in the interior, have an arid to semi-arid climate with cold, frosty winters and hot summers with occasional thunderstorms. The Garden Route and the Overberg on the south coast have a maritime climate with cool, moist winters and mild, moist summers. Mossel Bay in the Garden Route is considered to have the second mildest climate worldwide after Hawaii.

The southern coastal area is fertile, while fishing is the most important industry along the west coast. Over 50% of all cheese in South Africa is produced in the Western Cape. The Western Cape is known for its wine production and vineyards. The winelands are divided into six main regions: Boberg, Breede River Valley, Cape South Coast, Coastal Region, Klein Karoo and Olifants River. Each has unique climate, topography and fertile soil.

The Western Cape has major airports in Cape Town and George with important ports in Mossel Bay, Cape Town and Saldanha.

The province is the smallest of the world’s floral kingdoms, the Cape Floral Kingdom which is made up of fynbos and the protea family.

Some Western Cape Highlights

Robben Island trips taken from the V&A waterfront in Cape Town

Cape of Good Hope, at the tip of the Cape Peninsula

Table Mountain is regarded as one of the great natural wonders of the world, not only for its imposing grandeur but also for the diversity of its rich and beautiful flora. The Cape Peninsula hosts the richest floral kingdom in the world. In an area of some 500 square kilometres, there are over 2,600 plant species – more than in the entire British Isles (and more species of heather than even Scotland). Table Mountain is home to over 1,700 of these species.

Table Mountain National Park is the world's premier urban park, used by tens of thousands of people daily. It also offers one of the world's unique trails – the Hoerikwaggo Trail – that extends from the V&A Waterfront to Cape Point. Today, now that SA has re-entered the world community, this mountainous outcrop is being rediscovered as one of the most breathtaking destinations, unparalleled in the melodramatic diversity of its natural beauty.

The Whale Coast (Hermaus)

The Cape Winelands. The Western Cape is home to the world's longest wine route, found along Route 62, a scenic tourist route that is growing in popularity. The wine growing areas incorporate Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington, Franschhoek, Ceres, Worcester, Bonnievale and Robertson.

The Klein Karoo and Central Karoo

The best-known feature of the Western Cape is the Garden Route, a drive along the N2 that extends between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth – incorporating Mossel Bay, Sedgefield, George, Wilderness, Plettenberg Bay and Knysna

The West Coast National Park

A trip up the West Coast will take you through many a small town, mainly quiet fishing villages such as Langebaan and Paternoster.

Culture plays an important role in the Western Cape, with its heritage possibly better preserved here than in any other region in the country. Wherever you find yourself in the province, there will be a sharp focus on arts and crafts, music and all other cultural pursuits.

Hermanus (Western Cape)

Hermanus (originally called Hermanuspietersfontein, but shortened in 1902 as the name was too long for the postal service, is a town on the southern coast of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is famous for Southern Right whale watching during the southern winter to spring seasons, and is a popular retirement location, too. Although the Southern Right whale is the most prolific species in the bay, it is not the only one that visits these shores. The whales can be seen from the cliffs all along the coast from as early as June and usually depart in early-December. They were once hunted in the nearby town of Betty's Bay, but are now protected to ensure the survival of the species. The Old Harbour Museum contains several exhibitions that explain the whaling industry, and the De Wetshuis Photo Museum houses an exhibition of photos by T. D. Ravenscroft that depicts the history of Hermanus. The Whale Museum houses a skeleton of a whale and shows an audio-visual presentation of whales and dolphins twice daily.

Hermanus is situated in the heart of the whale route, just 100 km from Cape Town on the Cape Whale Coast of the Western Cape in South Africa. Hermanus has developed from a rustic fishing village into one of the world’s best whale-viewing and tourist destinations.

Hermanus offers visitors magnificent scenic beauty, modern infrastructure, upmarket shops, endless adventure options and a wide selection of restaurants and coffee shops.

Hermanus is well known as the best land-based whale watching destination in the world. Southern

The town hosts an annual whale festival at the end of September, when the Southern Right whales come into the local bay during the mating season. Prior to this main whale festival is the "Kalfiefees" (or "Calf Festival"), to welcome the first whales (usually in August). Both festivals are characterised by food and craft stalls and also attract South African drama productions to the town.

The Fernkloof Nature Reserve with over 1600 identified species of indigenous Fynbos has some stunning hikes, a mountain bike trail and a short wheel chair accessible path. Examples of flowers in bloom are on display at the reserve’s centre. Porcupines, baboon, klipspringer, grysbok, genet, mongoose and otter, and over 92 species of birds can been viewed in the reserve.

The secluded, rock-sheltered coves and the long, pristine beaches are perfect for strolling, swimming and surfing. Other outdoor activities include cycling, kayaking, paragliding, scenic chartered plane flights, paint ball, horse riding, quad biking, golf, fly fishing, tree top sliding, scuba diving, canoe river trips, canopy tours, quad biking and horse riding. Hermanus also has facilities for tennis, squash, bowls and fishing.

Hermanus is in the Cape Floristic Region and thus has one of the highest plant diversity levels in the world. The principal vegetation type of this region is Fynbos, a mixture of evergreen shrub-like plants with small firm leaves. In the local Fernkloof Nature Reserve, 1,474 plant species have thus far been collected and identified.