Unless you have a month on your hands, forget about seeing the whole of the Western Cape in a single trip. There are so many charming seaside towns and villages nestled in picturesque valleys to visit, you will have to plan your route very carefully if you want to see everything you want. You should decide whether you want to spend your time primarily on the East Coast, the West Coast or in the interior. Whichever route you choose, you are bound to have an unforgettable experience.

One of the most popular tourist routes to take is of course the world-famous Garden Route. This goes from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, and meanders through charming Karoo towns and stunning beachside resorts. If you want to make a week of it, you can stop at several towns along the way including Oudtshoorn, Wilderness, Nature’s Valley, George, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. Each of these towns would make the perfect holiday destination, but a tour of all of them is possible within a few days.

If you choose to take a trip up the West Coast, make sure you are there in time for the wildflower season. During certain months of the year the hillsides are dotted with stunning flowers of all varieties, and driving along the coast is a thrilling aesthetic experience. Spend some time in stunning resort towns such as Langebaan, Paternoster, Darling and Britannia Bay where you can experience some of the best fishing and wine estates in the Western Cape.

The Western Cape is of course famous for the wine produced in this region, which parallels some of the finest French varieties in terms of quality and character. Spend a day touring the wine estates in the Stellenbosh and Franchoek regions, where almost every estate offers exclusive wine tasting days and delightful restaurants. One of the most famous of these is the Spier Wine Estate, which offers itself as a center of culture, art, food and wine in the Western Cape.

If you are a nature enthusiast, there are plenty of places that offer stunning walks at any difficulty level. Amateur walkers can take a stroll through the beautiful Kirstenbosh Gardens, but for those who want to experience Western Cape nature at its finest the Otter Trail has more to offer than any other trail. This five day hike crosses a wide variety of terrains and ends up in the stunning Nature’s Valley, a premier Garden Route destination.

If you are planning a trip to the Western Cape, be sure to set out your itinerary carefully or you could end up without a direction to follow. Decide whether you want to experience scenery, culture, excitement or night life and plan your trip accordingly. Don’t be concerned with missing out though, because anywhere you go you will have the time of your life.

By: Kadence Buchanan
Let us help you with your next vacation to the Western Cape. We offer premier accommodation in Cape Town including self catering Cape Town apartments and much more.

With Cape Point at its tip, this is perhaps the most popular section of Table Mountain National Park, and is one of the top tourist destinations in South Africa.

Visitors can see a variey of wildlife such as antelopes like bontebok eland and red hartebeest, cheeky chacma baboons, an array of reptiles and a great selection of birds - it literally teems with life.

This area of Cape Town's South Peninsula, is also steeped in history, for it is here that the great Portuguese voyagers Bartholomew Dias and Vasco da Gama historically rounded the Cape in the 16th century, and opened up sea trade routes between east and west.

Shipwrecks:

The coastline is littered with the wrecks of ships that fell prey to the violent storms and deceiving reefs that have earned this passage the accolade, "Cape of Storms". The original Cape Point Lighthouse still stands and visitors can take the funicular up the hill to see for themselves, the treacherous conditons that caused it to be erected in the first place. While at Cape Point, dine at the Two Oceans Restaurant, which boasts spectacular sea views. If you prefer a picnic, head down to Buffels Bay - but you may have company, so look out for baboons. Be sure to visit the Buffelsfontein Visitor Centere for coffee and a snack, while looking at the exhibits showing all the plans and animals of each season.

Boulders Penguin Colony:

Visit the famous Boulders Beach colony of African Penguins. This is a truly special experience, with the option of a guided tour. After you have fallen in love with the penguins, swim in the comparatively warm sheltered coves, ideal for children. But don't touch or feed the penguins - they can give a nasty bite.

Signal Hill, Lions Head and Devils Peak:

These three peaks flank Table Mountain and together hold Cape Town in a rocky embrace. Signal Hill is home to the noonday gun, which marks midday in Cape Town with a bang. A drive to the top of Signal Hill offers uninterrupted views of Table Bay and endless Atlantic Ocean. Lions Head peak has become something of a pilgrimage for Capetonions, who make the rocky climb to witness the full moon rising. Devils Peak protrudes from the flat line of Table Mountain and has challenging slopes.

Picnic Sites:

Silvermine picnic and braai sites and wheel chair-friendly boardwalk (half an hour south of the city), overlook a picturesque reservoir in which you can take a refreshing swim. Half way back to the city is the popular jogging and picnic area in Newlands Forest, while on the Atlantic coastline is the beachside Oudekraal braai an picnic site.

By: Gerald Crawford Stellenbosch
Gerald Crawford: born in South Africa, studied electronics, telecommunication, eco-travel and african travel concepts. He taught responsible tourism in South Africa and the United Kingdom. If you have any questions or comments please e-mail me on. E-mail Address: gerald@12234455.co.za Website Address: http://www.12234455.co.za.

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Guided 9 Day Diveing Safari, along the shark route where we searched for the famous ragged tooth sharks, hammerheads, tigers, black tips and zambezies / bull sharks. We encountered enormous brindle bass (grouper), elusive frog fish, numerous types of nudibranchs, with the occasional meeting of turtles, rays and dolphins.

Aliwal Shoal has been rated one of the top 10 dive sites of the world.

Sodwana Bay offers some of the most pristine hard coral diving in the world. It has such a huge variety of hard corals in one area that scientists from around the world visit these reefs to study their ecology. Couple this with blue water, and amazing fish life, and you will have dives you will never forget. Oh yes, you may see manta rays, whale sharks, and at certain times of the year, humpbacked whales.

After experiencing such a wealth of underwater life, you will need to de-gas and go and see our magnificent game reserves where you will be able to encounter the Big 5. PS without the Guide, you may miss some of the finer points in life!

Day One

Upon arrival, we where met at Durban International Airport by our guide and transfer (+- 25 minutes) to our accommodation on the KwaZulu Natal South Coast. Our accommodation is comfortable, with en-suite with “Sea Views”. There is a swimming pool and private Braai (BBQ) facilities . A few restaurants are around to enjoy evening meals.

Day Two

An Early morning rise to enjoy two dives on the world famous Aliwal Shoal. We spend the afternoon relaxing or enjoying one of the local activities.

Day Three

An Early morning rise to transfer (+- 60 minutes) to Protea Banks to enjoy two dives - Protea Banks is rated as one of the world's best shark diving spots. We spend the afternoon relaxing or enjoying one of the local activities.

Day Four

Transfer to Sodwana Bay lodge (+- 4 hours) and on arrival book into our Accommodation - in twin bed reed and thatch chalets, ensuite shower and toilet, ceiling fan, mosquito nets, serviced daily, tea / coffee and DSTV. Breakfast and Dinner are served in the restaurant or on the outside veranda by the pool.

Day Five

2 dives to the various reefs of Sodwana Bay. Enjoy one of the local activities ie horse riding or quad bike racing.

Day Six

Enjoy 2 dives to the various reefs of Sodwana Bay. Relax in the afternoon by the pool and enjoy a game of “Pool” by the pub.

Day Seven

After our final dive at Sodwana, transfer (+- 1.5 hours) to the private game park to enjoy an overnight stop and see “The Big 5”. The first evening, enjoy a short game drive. Listen to the African bushlife.

Day Eight

Morning game drive into the famous Hluhluwe and Umfolosi game park – one of the very finest in Africa. Transfer to Aliwal.

Day Nine

Goodbuys, sign logbooks, receive a DVD of our holiday, after transfer to the airport, had a safe journey home!

By: Gerald Crawford
Gerald Crawford was born in South Africa, studied electronics, telecommunication, eco-travel and african travel concepts. He taught responsible tourism in South Africa. If you have any questions or comments please e-mail me on. E-mail Address: southafricantravelarticles@12234455.co.za Website Address: http://www.12234455.co.za.

Featured by Resourcesforattorneys.com, a Legal and Lifestyle information directory.

Visit our Discount Travel Directory.

For travel jokes, humor and satire see Travel Jokes from Resources For Attorneys.

For articles about travel within the United States visit Travel America - Travel Blog, a Travel destination resource provided by USA City Directories.