The Opulence of the Overberg

For city dwellers looking for a weekend getaway, the Overberg provides the perfect escape. With its rocky mountain ranges, fields of fynbos, farmlands covered in wheat and canola as well as its beautiful coastlines, the Overberg provides an opportunity to discover, reflect and have a few adventures.

The Overberg caters for sport enthusiasts, history buffs, foods and eco-adventurers alike. Diverse activities including a 4x4 trail, golfing, horse riding, sunset cruises, fly fishing, whale watching and shark cage diving are on offer. For travellers who like to spend their down-time at a slower pace, aromatic wines are abundantly on offer in the region and can be enjoyed in one of the many beautiful country gardens in the region with a good book to accompany it. The Overberg is also home to natural hot springs which is sure to provide a unique swimming experience for visitors.

Hermanus and Gansbaai are both prime whale watching destinations during the whale season which takes place between June and December. Lesser known than the wine route, but equally impressive, is the Overberg’s fruit route which runs between the villages of Barrydale, Villiersdorp and Elgin. Wine farms can be found in the Bot Rivier, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, Villiersdorp, Elim and Stanford. Nature reserves and gardens are plentiful in the region as well with the De Hoop Nature Reserve always proving to be popular.

If you feel like breaking away from the rat race for a weekend in the Overberg region, Cape Country Routes recommends staying at the De Hoop Collection, Augusta De Mist Country Retreat or the Agulhas CountryLodge and indulging in mouth-watering traditional food at the Old Goal onChurch Square Restaurant.