Cape Town Winelands & Garden Route

Posted by admin on Aug 24, 2011 in Garden Route & Accommodation | 0 comments

QUOTATIONS

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Cape Town Winelands

The town of Stellenbosch was founded in 1679 by the Governor in the Cape Colony, Simon van der Stel, and he named the town after himself. Stellenbosch means the forest of van der Stel. The town itself is positioned on the banks of the Eerste River “First River”, named first river as it was the first river he reached and followed when he went on an expedition from Cape Town and inland towards the first major mountain ranges to explore the territory what is now known as Stellenbosch. The town grew incredibly quickly and is the second oldest town in South Africa (after Cape Town), it became an independent local municipality in 1682.The Dutch were obviously extremely skilled in hydraulic engineering and they set up systems of canals to obtain water from the Eerste River and from Thibault Street through the town along van Reinbeck Street to Mill Street where a mill was built. Many visitors to Stellenbosch always comment on the oak trees and gardens which gives the town a Dutch/German look about it.Grapes were planted soon after the first Dutch and German settlers arrived in the fertile valleys around Stellenbosch and soon it became the centre of the South African wine industry.

The three valleys of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek form the Cape Winelands or wine triangle and are the main wine growing regions in South Africa. The country produces about 1000 000 litres of wine per year with Stellenbosch seen as the primary location for viticulture and viticulture research. The Cape Wine Region has a Mediterranean style of climate with most of the summer being hot and dry followed by a short cool and wet winter. Stellenbosch is situated at the base of the Cape Fold mountain range, which provides the perfect type of soil conditions that include sandy type soils to decomposed granite that is perfect for high quality viticulture. Grapes grown in this area are mainly used for wine production, as opposed to table grapes.  The Cape Wine region producers most of the European Noble Varietals as well as the famous South African Pinotage which is a cross between Hermitage and Pinot Nior.

The Franschhoek valley was originally known as Olifantshoek (Elephant’s Corner), because of the numerous herds of elephants that moved through the area during the summer and before the arrival of the European settlers. Many of these settlers were given their farms in this area, later called Franschhoek, – Afrikaans word for “French corner”. Many of the early settlers named their farms after the areas in France from where they came. Chamonix La Motte, La Dauphine , Cabriere, Provence, Dieu Donne and La Cotte were some of the first established farms and still retain their original farm houses today and have now grown into world renowned wineries. The French heritage is represented today by the Huguenot Monument and the museum that is situated at the end of the Franchhoek town’s main road. The museum follows the full story of the history of the first settlers and the original Huguenot farms having their own story to tell. The Cape Dutch architecture of Franschhoek remains unspoilt, and special restrictions have been placed on renovations and new construction in order to preserve the history and spirit of the original settlers to this valley.

Once a sleepy country retreat, the village began experiencing a boom since the 1990s, and property prices have sharply increased. The ideal summer weather, snowy peaks in winter and proximity to Cape Town have turned Franschhoek into one of South Africa’s most sought after tourist destinations. Franschhoek is noted for having some of the best restaurants in the South Africa and this fact, together with the wine culture, and natural and architectural beauty has made Franschhoek into the food and wine capital of country.

THE GARDEN ROUTE

The Garden Route region stretches along a 350 km section of South Africa’s southern cape coast line.The area includes the well known and holiday destinations of Knysna, Plettenberg bay, Oudtshoorn, George and the Wilderness.This extremely fertile and lush area is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east and the indigenous forests and mountain ranges to the west.South Africa is for the most part hot and dry, so it is not surprising that this specialized oasis of fauna and flora is one of the most popular holiday destinations for both local and international tourists.With it’s abundant water ways,magnificent lakes and rivers,this region provides unlimited recreational opportunities ( hiking,biking,fishing,golf etc ) and an exceptionally well organized tourism infrastructure.The N2 motorway guides you to the Garden Route’s  many lookout points high above the ocean or lakes and estuaries dotted along the coast.Vast areas have been set aside as protected conservation biommes and serve as sanctuary to the many sea creatures and waterbirds that thrive in these sensitive estuarine systems.The Garden Route is renowned for the splendid accommodation available for you to choose from, whether it be a simple log cabin on the lakeside or a luxury guest house on the shores of the Knysna estuary.This holiday region is more than just about visual treats but also offers superb culinary delights with the emphasis obviously on the fresh local seafood.The picturesque town of Knysna is renowned for their oysters, commercially farmed in the 18-square km tidal estuary.The area also has an abundance of fruit and vegetables which are grown in the adjacent Langkloof valley as well as local cheeses and the Knysna brewed beer .

Have a look at some of our Knysna Accommodation Selections.

One important factor to consider when making use of our services is that because we are a solely owned South African tour operator, we are able to purchase all of our accommodation at reduced rates which we pass onto you. These reduced rates are included in all of our fully inclusive itineraries, thus excluding “middleman” mark-ups.

 

If you wish to book Accommodation or discuss your itinerary then  contact us NOW