Bonnievale, Breede River Valley
This green village is perhaps not as well known as other towns in the Breede Valley, due mainly to the fact that she is bypassed by Route 62 - the longest wine route in the world.
However, there are those who are only to happy that the ‘Cinderella of the Breede' is not inundated with travellers and has remained one of the best kept secrets of the valley. Lying in the shadow of the Langeberg and Riviersonderend Mountains on the banks of the Breede River, this part of the world is known as the Valley of Cheese and Wine for good reason.
There are four co-operative wine cellars, four estates and at least two private wine producers in the area, including the oldest wine cellar, Nordale. These wine makers include a new generation of boutique cellars like Quando, Janeza and Wolvendrift, which join the ranks originally dominated by the older cellars such as Goedverwacht and Langverwacht. Wine tourism is big in this part of the country and farmers are only too happy to provide visitors with tours of their farms.
Two cheese factories, Parmalat and Mooivallei Suiwel, are based in Bonnievale, and Parmalat has won the Cheese Manufacturer of the Year award for three years running. They are joined by other cheese makers such as Sillerus Goat farm and La Montanara.
If you're whizzing by and can't stop to appreciate the individual wine cellars or cheese makers, then a stop at the Von Wijngarten Wine Boutiek is essential. They stock the wines of the area and are planning to include cheese tasting on their itinerary. On their shelves you will also find Tim Jan, a fortified ‘wonder juice' made from aloes and grape juice, said to be the cure-all for anything from snoring to intestinal problems.
The Breede River provides an endless list of water sports, including a trip up the river on the River Goose, canoeing, fishing and for those without water wings there is a golf course, hiking and 4x4 trails.
Travellers' Reviews
2 Reviews from SA-Venues.com travellers. All reviews are verified.
Verified review
Great Wine tasting , pleasant people 🙏🏻🍷
Ame Kilian (Pretoria)
Verified review
We had a two night stay here on a trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town. It was a great experience and the Weltevrede Wine Estate is a must visit (give their Vanilla Chardonay a try - sublime)!
Justine (Cape Town)
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Melozhori Treehouse
Melozhori Treehouse is magical in all senses and is a perfect romantic couple's escape located in Melozhori Private Game Reserve, a predator free...
Otter's Bend
Otter's Bend offers two lovely cottages and a garden flatlet. The 3 star cottages are nestled on the edge of a dam with panoramic views over vine...
A Place in Thyme B&B
A Place in Thyme is nestled in the lush and peaceful town of Bonnievale in the Breede River Valley on the Route 2. All the rooms are elegantly de...
Smitten Glamping
Smitten Glamping Tent is a spacious one bedroom glamping unit situated on the highest point of the farm offering spectacular views of the Langebe...
Huis Hendrik
Huis Hendrik offers self catering accommodation near Merwenstein wine and fruit farm in Bonnievale. From here you are within easy reach of the su...
Kampala Guest Farm
Situated on a beautiful 444 hecatare farm 13kms from Bonnievale and just 38kms from Swellendam, Kampala Farm offers pet-friendly self catering ac...
Melozhori Pods
Melozhori Pods offers accommodation in Bonnievale in eco-friendly, solar based and seamless rectangular cocoons that gaze out idly at the landsca...
Melozhori Waterfall Pod
Waterfall Pod is located in the Melozhori Private Game Reserve and offers self catering accommodation that is perfect for a couple wanting peace ...
Melozhori Private Game Reserve Lodge
Melozhori Private Game Reserve Lodge offers accommodation in the picturesque Cape folded mountains, adjacent to the tiny hamlet of Stormsvlei in ...
BeauSoleil
BeauSoleil offers two B&B / self-catering rooms and a self-catering apartment in an elegant, one of a kind, Cape Dutch House located in the South...
Melozhori Cottage
Melozhori Cottage offers accommodation in the Melozhori Private Game Reserve. This predator free game reserve is set on a breathtaking panoramic ...
Smitten Cottage
Smitten Cottage offers accommodation for four guests surrounded by beautiful Valleys and breathtaking mountain views. Outside there is a wood fir...
Christofphs Guesthouse
Christofphs Guesthouse offers guests comfortable bed & breakfast accommodation in Bonnievale with magnificent views if the Langeberg Mountains. C...
Jan Harmsgat Country House
This historic Cape Dutch farmstead near Swellendam offers a unique experience on the R62, a mere 2-hour drive from Cape Town towards the Garden R...
Melozhori Valley Pod
Valley Pod is an, eco friendly, solar based and seamless rectangular cocoon that gazes out idly at the landscape. Located in the Melozhori Privat...
Melkhout Farm Cottage
Melkhout Farm Cottage is situated between Bonnievale and Swellendam just off the R60. Escape to the beauty of Melkhout Guest Farm, amidst the tra...
Melkhout River Cottage
Melkhout River Cottage has two bedrooms furnished with King-size or Queen-size bed. Immerse yourself in comfort, with plush bedding, modern ameni...
Things to do in the area
Bonnievale Wines
The practice of winemaking has of necessity evolved since that historic day when, on the 2nd of February 1659 Jan van Riebeeck made the Cape's ve...
Bushmanspad Wine Estate
There are few ways better to enjoy the Bushmanspad wines than in the cellar that dates back two centuries, lending the entire experience a memora...
Goedverwacht Wine Estate
Goedverwacht is an award-winning wine farm; one of the most recent achievements being that they were voted one of Best Value Guide's top 5 wineri...
Langverwagt Wine Estate
Langverwagt, also rendered Langverwacht, is a multi award-winning wine producer situated in Bonnievale of the Western Cape Winelands. Their most ...
Merwespont Wine Cellar
The Merwespont Wine Cellar is part of the greater Bonnievale Cellar, situated in the heart of the Western Cape of South Africa. Being under this ...
Home of Klipdrift
It is because Robertson, the Valley of Wine and Roses, produces such magnificent Colombar and Chenin Blanc grapes that this became the natural ho...
Van Zylshof Wine Estate
Bonnievale is a tiny town in the Robertson region of the Western Cape, but is home to a number of fabulous wine farms. Van Zylshof is one of thes...
Weltevrede Wine Estate
Weltevrede Wine Estate, just outside Bonnievale in the Robertson Valley, is set apart by its adventurous wines and gorgeous surrounds. The Weltev...
Wolvendrift Wines
The Klue family has been the proud name behind Wolvendrift for more than a century and continues to produce red and white wines for a local and i...
Noteworthy attractions
Marloth Nature Reserve
Lying just three kilometres from the pretty little town of Swellendam, the Marloth Nature Reserve conserves the central Langeberg Mountains that ...
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 kilome...
Robertson Wine Route
Only 1.5 hours' drive from Cape Town and in the heart of Route 62 - the longest wine route in the country - Robertson Wine Valley lies surrounded...
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...
Worcester Wine Route
The Worcester winelands incorporate over 250 years of winemaking knowledge to produce, amongst other cultivars, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc ...
Kleinplasie Worcester Open Air Museum
1km outside Worcester, is Kleinplasie Living Open-air Museum. Here we depict the lifestyle of the early Cape pioneer farmers. Activities like tob...
Worcester Golf Club
The Worcester Golf Club is situated at the start of the Western Cape's Klein Karoo, approximately 50 minutes from Cape Town en route to Oudtshoor...
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 t...
Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden
In Roux Road on the outskirts of Worcester, some 120 kilometres from Cape Town, lies a unique gem of a garden - the only truly succulent garden i...
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