Tulbagh, Breede River Valley

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Western Cape Destinations

Tulbagh, Breede River Valley

Tulbagh
Tulbagh, Breede River Valley

Just 80 minutes’ drive north of Cape Town, at the northern edge of one of the most beautiful fertile valleys in the country, lies the historical town of Tulbagh. The village nestles in amongst the Winterhoek, Witzenberg and Obiqua Mountains, which surround it on three sides and provide one of the most beautiful settings in the Western Cape.

Proteas and herbs grow wild here and peaches, pears and 70 percent of the country’s plums are farmed in the shadow of the mountains. The valley is perhaps best known for its production of some of the country’s finest wines. Estate wines such as Twee Jonge Gezellen, Drostdyhof and Theuniskraal originate in the valley known as Het Land van Waveren where wines have been cultivated since 1906. (See Wine Routes).

Extreme day and night temperatures and the mountainous backdrop, which creates a number of different mesoclimates, together with extremely variable soils in the valley, create some notable wines. Interesting for the connoisseur is the valley’s unique ‘cold trap’ phenomenon - the horseshoe shape of the mountains creates a bowl in which cold night time air lies undisturbed forming a bubble, which is trapped under warming air during the day.

Clouds over the Mountains, Tulbagh
The people in Tulbagh are renowned for their warmth and easygoing hospitality and the valley has fast become an attractive weekend getaway for Capetonians and Cape Winelands wedding and conference venue seekers. An earthquake in 1969, 6.4 on the Richter scale, badly damaged some of the original buildings on Church Street. Most of these were lovingly restored and today make up the largest concentration of National Monuments - 32 in total - and the highest number on any one street in South Africa.

Tulbagh is perfectly placed for day trips to Cape Town, Franschhoek, Paarl, Malmesbury, Stellenbosch, Worcester and Rawsonville as well as the Cape West Coast and, if you plan your trip accordingly, offers some of the best displays of veld flowers between April and October, making local walks and hikes an utter pleasure.

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Featured Attractions in (or near) Tulbagh

Breedekloof Wine Route

The youngest wine route in South Africa and just 90 km outside of Cape Town, the Breedekloof wine route lies in the Breede River Valley, which stretches from Gouda in the west, McGregor in the south, Montagu in the east and the Tankwa-Karoo National Park in the north. Wine in this region was initially ... more information

De Oude Drostdy

Definitely high on the list of ‘must visits’ when in Tulbagh, De Oude Drostdy is a typical Cape Dutch style home built in 1804 just outside the town. It served originally as the seat of the magistrate of Tulbagh, and today is a national monument and cultural-historical museum housing a collection of early ... more information

Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area

Groot Winterhoek Wilderness area, with its extraordinary rock formations and popular hiking routes, lies about 120 km north of Cape Town in the Western Cape. The Reserve is situated in the Groot Winterhoek mountain range, north of Tulbagh and east of Porterville. The greater Groot Winterhoek ... more information

Route 62

Route 62 is modeled after the iconic US Route 66, made famous by the late, great Nat King Cole in the song of the mid 20th century. Travelers headed for the Garden Route will find that Route 62 offers a better alternative to the dull N2 motorway between Cape Town and George, being more scenic and ... more information

Tulbagh Wine Route

Only 80 minutes’ drive from Cape Town, the Tulbagh Valley lies surrounded on three sides by mountains – in the west, the Obiqua Mountains, to the north the Winterhoek Mountains and to the east, the Witzenberg Mountain range. Cool, south-easterly winds blow in along the southern side ... more information

Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve

Set in a part of the country known as the arid Robertson Karoo, the Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve lies in the Breede River Valley, roughly 15 kilometres south of Robertson on the road to McGregor. Given the name of the nature reserve - Vrolijkheid means happiness - this must have been the site of much ... more information

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Things To Do in Tulbagh

Wine Tasting at The House of Krone

Where: Tulbagh
How much (per person): On Request

Situated a mere 125 km from Cape Town, Tulbagh has become a secret find for the avante-garde. The House of Krone, Twee Jonge Gezellen wine ... more information

'Things I Love'

Where: Tulbagh
How much (per person): Free to Browse

Located in the tranquil village of Tulbagh, with access from both the historical Church Street and van der Stel Street, you will find a deli ... more information

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Events and/or Festivals in Tulbagh

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On Holiday in Tulbagh

Tulbagh Map
Tulbagh - A Visitors Perspective
Things to Do in Tulbagh
Tulbagh Accommodation
Tulbagh Hotels
Breede River Valley Accommodation
Breede River Valley Hotels
Breedekloof Wine Route

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Also see Things To Do in Breede River Valley or check out Things To Do in Western Cape to view activities by category, including watersports, sightseeing activities, arts & crafts and many, many more.

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