Cape Winelands & the Garden Route

The greater Cape area of South Africa contains some of the country’s most unforgettable scenery, its greatest concentration of historic architecture and much fascinating local flora and fauna. Its many scenic contrasts include the stark and dramatic mountains of the Cape Town coast, tranquil and verdant valleys of the Winelands, the endless arid grasslands of the Karoo and the delightful unspoilt woodlands around Knysna.

Beautiful examples of colonial architecture are to be found in Cape Town, and examples of South Africa’s most characteristic architectural style, Cape Dutch, form the basic design style of the Winelands region.

Most memorable amongst the unusual animal species one might encounter in the area are the seals, penguins and whales that all thrive in the Cape’s freezing waters, whilst on land the species most likely to amuse are the playful baboons of the Cape Peninsula and the pea-brained ostriches of the Karoo. Bird watchers and butterfly spotters will delight in the many colourful species attracted by the region’s great floral diversity whilst those with a love of plants themselves will appreciate the opportunity to enjoy semi-desert and temperate forest varieties in addition to the Cape’s famous erica and protea.