Game Reserves in Western CapeSimonsberg Conservancy
Where? Stellenbosch, Cape Winelands
Questions? +27 (0)79 276-3638
Overnight? Stellenbosch Accommodation, Western Cape
Head to the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch, in the heart of the winelands, where you can explore a series of MTB trails and hikes on the Uitkyk, Delheim and Muratie estates.
These wine estates lie in the tiny, but hugely biodiverse, Cape Floral Kingdom (a world heritage site in its own right), home to 10 000 different plant species, 70 percent of which are found only in this part of the country.
Within this floral kingdom, the Greater Simonsberg Conservancy (GSC) protects fragments of critically endangered Swartland shale renosterspruit and mountain fynbos, along the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch.
The conservancy also protects the Cape leopard (sighted on at least one of the wine farms), the critically endangered graceful spiderhead (Serruriapinnata, a member of the protea family), the endangered Aristealugens (the beautiful violet three leaf flower has lost over 90% of its habitat over the last 200 years) and a stretch of 300 year-old indigenous yellowwood forest on Klapmutskop.
The forest is only 150 hectares but is filled with wildlife and rare sights. Nobody even knew it existed until a massive fire in 2000, and the clearing of alien vegetation from the slopes, allowed its discovery.
The conservancy was originally formed by five wine farms under Cape Nature's Stewardship Programme back in 2004. Today it has close to 30 members, with 32% of its farmland set aside for conservation.
Simonsberg is wonderful for both mid-week and long weekend trail runs, and the trails are well maintained, and enjoyable to run. Trails vary between 10 km and 25 km. Pick up a map at Delheim restaurant.
