Cape Overberg, Western Cape
Once you've booked your hotel or Cape Overberg accommodation explore our destination pages below for info on attractions and what to do in the Cape Overberg.
Literally over the Hottentots-Holland Mountains via Sir Lowry’s Pass lies a region of such immense beauty that it attracts thousands of visitors a year to its orchards, forests, grain fields and vistas surrounded by rolling mountain ranges.
What would have been a momentous journey in days gone by is today simply a case of driving "over the berg" (mountain) and into the Elgin Valley, one of the major apple-growing areas in South Africa today. The Cape Overberg is a great expanse of beautiful and diverse landscapes. It stretches from the Hottentots-Holland Mountains in the west, to Swellendam in the east. In the north it reaches as far as the Riviersonderend Mountains and ventures south to include an incredible coastline that draws regular annual visits from those great beasts of the ocean, the Southern Right and the Bryde's whales (also see Cape Agulhas).
From Elgin and Grabouw the N2 wends its way through the incredible Houw Hoek Pass en route to Bot River. Here one's journey can either continue inland via Caledon and Riviersonderend to Swellendam or south towards a coastline that is rich in beauty and fast becoming one of the most famous coastlines in the country.
The towns of Hermanus and Gansbaai are particularly popular during the whale season between June and December - Hermanus boasts the best land based whale watching along its cliff path as well as the popular whale crier, whilst Gansbaai is famous for sightings of whales and the Great White shark. Yet it is other more remote and lesser known villages that offer the true 'jewel' of the Overberg. Each and every one of them has something to offer the visitor and is pretty on the eye.
The Overberg fruit route takes one through the villages of Barrydale, Elgin and Villiersdorp; wine is a product of Bot Rivier, Grabouw, the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Villiersdorp, Elim and Stanford; whilst nature reserves and gardens abound – the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, the Kogelberg Nature Reserve and the De Hoop Nature Reserve.
Destinations / Town & Suburbs of the Cape Overberg
Baardskeerdersbos
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Baardskeerdersbos
The fertile Baardskeerdersbos Valley is one of the most undisturbed areas of the Overberg region. It is a rural drive of about 25 km from Gansbaai. Baardskeerdersbos is home to several pristine and rare fynbos habitats of ... baardskeerdersbos information
Barrydale
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Barrydale
The little town of Barrydale lies nestled at the foot of the beautiful Langeberge in the heart of the Tradouw Valley, close to where the northern exit of the Tradouw Pass winds through the mountains to meet Route 62, the longest ... barrydale information
Bettys Bay
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Bettys Bay
At the heart of the Whale Coast, Betty's Bay features scattered cottages, several beaches and three small lakes. Bass Lake is a popular place for swimming, canoeing and boardsailing. In the centre of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the ... bettys bay information
Botrivier
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Botrivier
The small, picturesque village of Botrivier lies in the foothills of the Houw Hoek Mountains, en route to Hermanus. The Bot River, after which the hamlet is named, meanders its way through a fertile valley surrounded by mountains covered in ... botrivier information
Caledon
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Caledon
Set against the backdrop of the Swartberg, surrounded by fields of barley and wheat, is the little town of Caledon. Caledon is famous for its hot springs, discovered by the early Khoi-Khoi people before the Europeans attributed healing ... caledon information
Cape Agulhas
Where to Stay: Cape Agulhas Accommodation
The biggest draw card for Cape Agulhas, other than the fact that it lies only two hours from Cape Town on one of the most beautiful coasts in the country, is that this little village lies on Cape Agulhas, the end of the African ... cape agulhas information
De Hoop
Where to Stay: Accommodation in De Hoop
De Hoop and adjacent marine reserve lie on the southern Cape coast between the towns of Arniston and Witsand. This is one of the most biologically diverse sanctuaries in the world and rates as one of the great floral wonderlands ... de hoop information
De Kelders
Where to Stay: Accommodation in De Kelders
The little village of De Kelders, which lies just 5 km north of Gansbaai and about 25 minutes’ drive from Hermanus, has managed to remain largely immune to the large scale tourism that envelopes this part of the country, and is still ... de kelders information
Elgin
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Elgin
The Elgin Valley, one of the Cape’s most beautiful fruit growing areas, is literally an hour’s drive from Cape Town and one of the Cape’s better kept secrets in the sense that it is yet to be inundated with crowds over weekends ... elgin information
Gansbaai
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Gansbaai
The unpretentious village of Gansbaai - has a large reputation. Both Southern Right Whales and Great White Sharks frequent the Atlantic waters of the Danger Point Peninsula and are a major draw card for the town ... gansbaai information
Genadendal
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Cape Overberg
Genadendal is a quaint little historical village just six kilometres outside Greyton - one of the most popular towns to visit in the Western Cape. Genadendal is the oldest Moravian mission village on the continent and at ... Genadendal information
Grabouw
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Grabouw
Reaching the town of Grabouw entails a mere hour’s drive from Cape Town over the Hottentots Holland Mountains with a descent into one of the most beautiful valleys in the Western Cape - the Elgin Valley - filled with flowers, fruit ... grabouw information
Greyton
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Greyton
The peaceful little hamlet of Greyton lies surrounded by the Riviersonderend (river without end) mountains and farmlands some 90 minutes from Cape Town, and is fast earning the reputation as a perfect weekend getaway ... greyton information
Heidelberg
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Heidelberg
The peaks of the Langeberg Mountains form a dramatic backdrop to the village of Heidelberg. At the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve and Boosmansbos Wilderness Area, over 170 bird species have been recorded, adding to ... heidelberg information
Hawston
Where to Stay: Cape Overberg Accommodation
Just past Hermanus, between Fisherhaven and Onrus, lies the village of Hawston, which is notably famous for its beautiful beach, more than the attraction Hawston might hold for visitors. The beach, tucked away in the little town... hawston information
Hermanus
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Hermanus
The popular resort town of Hermanus, situated between mountain and sea, has gained world-wide recognition of the world's foremost land based whale watching destinations. Natural scenic beauty, the mild climate, the range of ... hermanus information
Kleinbaai
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Kleinbaai
The appealing little village of Kleinbaai has suffered the unmerited disadvantage of being the smaller of two towns that lie at Danger Point Peninsula, where shark diving and whale watching are world-renowned draw cards ... kleinbaai information
Kleinmond
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Kleinmond
Kleinmond lies on a lagoon at the small mouth - hence the name - of the Botriver on a narrow strip of land hugged on the one side by the Palmiet Mountain range and on the other by the Atlantic Ocean. Kleinmond is within easy driving ... kleinmond information
Pearly Beach
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Pearly Beach
Not even 20 km from Gansbaai, Pearly Beach has been described as the longest undisturbed sand beach in the Western Cape, and even if this is a little grandiose a description, the beach nevertheless seems endless ... pearly beach information
Pringle Bay
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Pringle Bay
The little seaside village of Pringle Bay is one of the four towns set within the natural beauty of the Kogelberg Biosphere, the only reserve in South Africa to be proclaimed by UNESCO, which supports over 1600 species of fynbos ... pringle bay information
Riviersonderend
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Riviersonderend
Riviersonderend, the little village in the Overberg that lays claim to a river without end, lies roughly between Caledon and Swellendam on the N2 about 160 kilometres from Cape Town. Only an hour inland from the coast ... riviersonderend information
Sandbaai
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Sandbaai
Sandbaai is one of the newer suburbs in the Greater Hermanus area that lies literally in a little sandy bay, hence its name, just past the L’Agulhas lighthouse. The village is only a stone’s throw away from Hermanus and to the east of ... sandbaai information
Stanford
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Stanford
The unique little village of Stanford lies just inland of False Bay, forming the tip of a triangle with the coastal towns of Hermanus and De Kelders. Peaceful and largely unaffected by change, Stanford is an eclectic mix of ... stanford information
Suurbraak
Where to Stay: Cape Overberg Accommodation
The little village of Suurbraak lies in a fold of the Langeberg Mountains just down from the incredible Tradouw Pass. It's a former mission village that gives the word 'quaint' new meaning, even if, on the whole, it also suffers... suurbraak information
Swellendam
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Swellendam
The picturesque little town of Swellendam is just off the N2 about 240 km outside of Cape Town and connects the Southern Overberg with the Garden Route. Swellendam lies at the foot of the Langeberg Mountains and has become ... swellendam information
Vermont
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Vermont
Vermont borders on Onrus and on a number of green belts created in an effort to maintain the inherent tranquillity and endemic fynbos and bird life in the area. Its name, which is derived from the French words 'mont vert' ... vermont information
Tesselaarsdal
Where to Stay: Cape Overberg Accommodation
In the heart of the Cape Overberg, roughly 21 kilometres from Caledon and the N2, lies the quaint, virtually unheard of village of Tesselaarsdal. It is one of those little towns that is close to everything - 38 kilometres from... tesselaarsdal information
Vermaaklikheid
Where to Stay: Cape Overberg Accommodation
Most of Vermaaklikheid rests on, or has access to, the Duiwenhoks River. It's tidal and its shores are washed with fynbos rich banks and a bevy of birds - over 100 species live here. The village, for it is little more, is your real quaint... vermaaklikheid information
Villiersdorp
Where to Stay: Cape Overberg Accommodation
The centre where the fruit of the district is processed and marketed. Wine can be sampled at a wine tasting centre. The charm and tranquillity of Villiersdorp are typical of many small towns of the Western Cape. The large, scenic ... villiersdorp information
Witsand
Where to Stay: Accommodation in Witsand
The peaceful, coastal town of Witsand (white sands) lies on St Sebastian’s Bay just off the N2 on the Cape South Coast, three hours from Cape Town. St Sebastian Bay and Witsand are virtually synonymous with the ... witsand information
Cape Overberg
Featured and "Must See" Attractions in Cape Overberg
Cape Whale Coast
The coming of the whales to the Cape Overberg coastline, also known as the Cape Whale Coast, every year between June and November, not only creates a stir, but brings to our shores a large, intelligent and remarkable giant of the sea and the only mammal to have adapted to life in the open oceans ... more information
Baardskeerdersbos Art Route
The little village has attracted a collection of artists - at least 12 of them, in fact. Since 2008 the group have opened their homes and their hearts three times a year to introduce people to the local painters, photographers, sculptors, printmakers and ceramicists. Artist Niël Jonker has added bread ... more information
Caledon Blue Crane Route
The Caledon farmers grouped together to protect the Blue Crane bird and increase tourism in the area, establishing the Caledon Blue Crane Route, which allows visitors to see the blue crane in its natural environment, and encouraging the blue crane onto their farmlands. By all means enjoy the cranes from your ... more information
Elgin Valley Wine Estates
The Elgin Valley is home to a number of wine farms, which do so well as a result of the cool climate, low pH of the soil and plentiful rainfall. Some of the farms include well known labels like Arumdale, Beaumont, Elgin Ridge, Highlands Road Estate, Oak Valley Wines (one of the first farms ... more information
Greyton Nature Reserve
The Greyton Nature Reserve, a series of rugged mountain slopes and incredible paths set within fynbos and wildflowers (in spring), lies on the edge of the town of Greyton. The reserve is famous for its one-day hike that traverses the Riviersonderend mountains between Greyton and McGregor ... more information
Grootbos Nature Reserve
Grootbos Nature Reserve is spectacularly situated on the fynbos and forest clad hills that overlook the whale-watching haven of Walker Bay. This multi-award winning 1750 ha reserve is home to more than 740 different species of plants is a nature lover’s paradise. The Cape Fynbos Kingdom is ... more information
Houwhoek Pass
To reach Houwhoek Pass, on the tarred N2, you will have to crest Sir Lowry's Pass first. In fact, there is a 25 kilometre stretch of road between the two passes, known as Cole's Pass, to add further confusion to the mix. All in all, this mountainous part of the national road is a series of three passes ... more information
Overberg Fynbos Route
The Overberg Fynbos Route, also known as the Southern Overberg Fynbos Route, is a route put together by a group of land owners in the southern Overberg, with the intention of promoting an area rich in fynbos, beauty, nature reserves and pretty towns ... more information
Shark Cage Diving
Shark cage diving in South Africa has grown greatly in popularity and there are now a number of commercialized locations to view these incredible monsters of the deep. Your adrenaline is sure to pump as you come almost face to face with the sea’s most awesome predators. Shark cage diving is ... more information
Hermanus Whale Festival
The Hermanus Whale Festival, the only Enviro-Arts festival in South Africa, is held annually to celebrate the return of the Southern Right whales to the waters of Walker Bay, our magnificent environment and the arrival of Spring! Hermanus, known as the best land based ... more information
Boosmansbos Wilderness Area
Boosmansbos Wilderness Area lies in the beautiful Langeberg Mountains, over 14 000 hectares that is, in turn, part of the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve. It is regarded as a hiker's domain, a great space in which to scale peaks to reach views that are virtually unsurpassable, if clambering up ... more information
Platbos Indigenous Forest
Just off the coast of Gansbaai you will find Africa's southernmost forest. Platbos is an ancient, indigenous forest that lies on the slopes of the Baviaanspoort Hills on the Grootbos Road just outside Stanford, the largest remaining fragment of the orginal Swartkransberg Forests - lowland ... more information
Shaw's Pass
Also known as Shaw's Mountain Pass, this passage into the Overberg links the Hemel en Aarde valley outside Hermanus to Caledon. It lies on the R320 a little way from Teslaarsdal, where you will see a turn-off indicating Shaw's Mountain Pass. It is a gravel pass, easy to drive, apart from more than a few hairpin bends, and ... more information
Walker Bay Wine Route
Walker Bay, a 45 minute drive from Cape Town, has become a fashionable region to visit, particularly with the establishment of over a dozen wineries in and around Hermanus, already popular for its whale spotting between June and November. The Hemel-en-Aarde (heaven and earth) Valley, just ... more information
De Hoop Nature Reserve
The De Hoop Nature Reserve is approximately 34 000 ha in size and one of the largest natural areas managed by Cape Nature Conservation. It is a favourite destination for hikers, cyclists, bird watchers and during the winter and early summer months, whale watchers. The entire length of the De Hoop coast is ... more information
Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve
Lying in the heart of the Langeberg Mountains, roughly 22 kilometres north-west of Heidelberg in the Cape Overberg, Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve is exactly as its name denotes - a wonderful large section of forest - 250 hectares of the largest remaining example of indigenous forest in the Langeberg. This ... more information
Harold Porter Botanical Gardens
The Harold Porter National Botanical Garden lies in the epicentre (heart) of the Cape fynbos region - a dedication to this natural shrubland vegetation with 10 hectares of cultivated fynbos garden, and a further 190 hectares of natural fynbos to gratify the visitor. The peaceful ... more information
Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve
Lying within the southern extension of the Hottentots Holland Mountain range about 90 kilometres south-east of Cape Town and 8 kilometres from Kleinmond, the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve has managed to remain largely unspoilt, in no small part due to its ability to remain relatively ... more information
Elgin Wine Route
The Elgin Valley is exquisite, with long stretches of forest and endless mountain peaks surrounding fruit orchards, and indeed Elgin is part of the Four Passes Fruit Route. The wines that have begun production here are predominantly fruity, and Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Shiraz do particularly well ... more information
Drostdy Museum
The Drostdy Museum is actually a collection of several historical buildings that include one of the oldest surviving examples of a Drostdy building in South Africa, hence the name of the museum. It is not only a beautiful museum that includes large grounds and a typically nineteenth-century Cape garden, but is also ... more information
Heuningberg Nature Reserve
If you are in pursuit of the Bredasdorp Lily then a trip to the Heuningberg Nature Reserve, set on the slopes of Heuningberg (Honey Mountain) south east of Bredasdorp, is a good place to start, particularly as the core of the reserve started its life as a wildflower garden. Today the over 800 hectare nature reserve ... more information
Green Mountain Eco Route
Based on the Overberg Tourism map, the Green Mountain Eco Route starts on the other side of Sir Lowry's Pass, as you enter Elgin Valley on the N2, from Cape Town. The Green Mountain Eco route is not only home to the world's first biodiversity wine route - 75 kilometres over the Groenland Mountains ... more information
Mountain and Meadows Route
Based on the Overberg Tourism map, the Mountain and Meadows Route starts in Villiersdorp, the assumption being that you have already done the Green Mountain Eco Route. Take the R43 from Villiersdorp back to the N2, direction Caledon. After a short distance, take the R406 towards Genadendal ... more information
Mountain Treasure Route
Based on the Overberg Tourism map, the Mountain Treasure Route starts on the N2 en route to Swellendam, past Riviersonderend. Riviersonderend is a beautiful little town with incredible mountain and river scenery that takes its name from the perennial Sonderend River. It it's mountains and fynbos ... more information
Riviersonderend Conservation Area
This is without doubt a particularly beautiful part of the Cape Overberg. The Riviersonderend Mountain range hugs the conservation area, which is predominantly rugged, filled with forested kloofs, rivers, gorges and peaks that beg to be climbed. It is a hikers’ paradise, in other words. The mountainous parts of ... more information
Salmonsdam Nature Reserve
Just 20 kilometres east of the pretty village of Stanford, in the hills of the Perdeberg Mountains, the Salmonsdam Nature Reserve is well known as both a hikers’ and birders’ delight, not least because of the particularly attractive mountain landscape, and the ... more information
Theewaterskloof Dam
On the Sonderend River close to the little town of Villiersdorp lies Theewaterskloof Dam. It is a large, sprawling, remarkably unround dam that lies on the R45 that links Villiersdorp to Franschhoek. Parts of the drive past the dam are almost surreal with the heads of ... more information
Van Der Stel Pass
The Van der Stel Pass lies between Bot River and Villiersdorp, a beautiful pass that takes one via the Theewaterskloof Dam. This part of the Overberg is filled with flowers, birds and wines, with scenery to match. The Bot River, after which the little town is named, follows the swing of the pass emptying finally into a ... more information
Venster Kloof Nature Garden
The Venster Kloof gardens are one of the best kept secrets of Caledon, and you need to know about them to visit them. There is a little dam quite near the entrance, fields of daisies (depending on the time of year you are there), a rocky kloof filled with aloes ... more information
Viljoen's Pass
Viljoen's Pass cuts through the Groenland Mountains to follow a gorge through which the Palmiet River flows, linking Villiersdorp with Grabouw. Named after local apple pioneer, Sir Antonie Viljoen, the pass is a wonderful drive overlooking the valley that is regarded as 'apple country'. The pass is often incorporated as ... more information
Walker Bay Nature Reserve
Extending along a stretch of coast between the town of De Kelders and the Hermanus Lagoon, the Walker Bay Nature Reserve lies just 3 kilometres from Gansbaai, east of Hermanus on the Danger Point Peninsula. One can get into the reserve at Stanford, via Mierkom, De Kelders (Die Plaat) and Uilkraalsmond but appeals ... more information
Walker Bay Wine Estates
The Hemel-en-Aarde (Heaven and Earth) Valley is one of the most productive regions in terms of the production of wines. It has the ideal climate, as the icy wind from the Atlantic Ocean cools it down. In addition, the mountains, which surround the valley, lock in clouds and the resultant ... more information
The Whale Coast Route
The Whale Route begins in Cape Town and follows the particularly pretty R44, also known as Clarence Drive, through the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. It is a popular drive that easily rivals Chapman's Peak in Cape Town as one of the most scenic in the country - views over False Bay are incredible ... more information
Waenhuiskrans Cave
Waenhuiskrans (wagon house cliff) is the highlight of a visit to Waenhuiskrans Nature Reserve in Arniston. What makes the Waenhuiskrans Cave so exciting is the low-tide leap-and-a-bit to reach it, over barnacle-encrusted rocks with one's eye on the sea for the odd freak wave ... more information
Cape Overberg
Featured Things To Do in the Cape Overberg
Picnic at Hamilton Russel Vineyards
Where: Hermanus
How much (per person): On Request
Visitors to the Hamilton Russell Vineyards Tasting Room are able to book picnics the day before a visit from Peter and Gillian of Under the ... more information
Fly-fishing in the Elgin Valley
Where: Elgin
How much (per person): On Request
Should you dare to see if you could ever catch your own lunch try cast a line at one of the three trout dams stoked with Rainbow Trout. Regu ... more information
Cape Overberg
Holiday Accommodation in Cape Overberg
For accommodation in the Cape Overberg see:
• Arabella Estate • Baardskeerdersbos • Barrydale • Bettys Bay • Botrivier • Caledon
• Cape Agulhas • De Hoop • De Kelders • Elgin • Gansbaai • Grabouw
• Greyton • Heidelberg • Hermanus • Kleinbaai • Kleinmond • Pearly Beach
• Pringle Bay • Riviersonderend • Sandbaai • Stanford • Swellendam • Vermont • Witsand
Or to see all accommodation in this region at once, visit Cape Overberg Accommodation.
Visiting the Cape Overberg?
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destinations / attractions in the western cape
