Kuils River, Cape Flats

The tranquil area of Kuils River that lies at the foot of the gentle slopes of the Bottelary Mountains is just being ‘discovered’ by visitors to Cape Town who want to escape the confines of a city for a more rural experience, yet remain close enough to the Mother City to benefit from her many attractions.

Kuils River is about 30 minutes’ drive from Cape Town and is closer still to the airport. It began as a cattle fold of the Dutch East India Company in the 1600s and later was a staging post en route to Stellenbosch. Original farms and small holdings are still in evidence, and farming continues amidst the more industrial ventures that sustain the area - major manufacturers such as Coca Cola and Nampak operate from Kuils River.

Kuils River, which still has cow crossings as testimony to its rural setting, is referred to as the gateway to the wine routes, and the area is fiercely proud of the Zevenwacht Wine Estate, which lies at the edge of the Stellenbosch wine route, sprawling over the Bottelary Hills just above Kuils River – the gentle hum of farm activity a refuge from the urban jungle of Cape Town.

Kuils River has a few wonderful examples of old church buildings and a quiet community centredness that is rarely in evidence in other suburbs of a city. The advantage of staying here is the relative accessibility via the N1, N2 and R300 although none of these major routes run directly through the town, saving it from unnecessary commercialisation.