One of the joys of travelling to South Africa is the sheer variety and scope it offers for a first, second or even tenth-time visitor. Within the length and breadth of this beautiful country, you’ll find every type of landscape, cuisine and activity imaginable. 

The Western Cape in particularly is easily navigable for day or weekend trips. With a large number of charming coastal and country towns concentrated within a relatively easy distance of the city of Cape Town, a stay in this province offers a lot of options within just a few hours’ drive.  

Wild and free on the West Coast 

Rugged and unspoilt, with long scenic beaches, the west coast is peppered with small fishing towns that make perfect low-key excursions out of the city. Towns like Yzerfontein offer the remote and rural charm you’d expect to drive much further out to find, but in fact are only about an hour and a half from Cape Town. 

Whitewashed and clapboard beach cottages, and long stretches of unspoilt beach make for an idyllic coastal escape. Equally suited to honeymooners as it is for big families, the living here is laidback – houses perched right on edge of the beach make long days swimming and sun lounging seamless and easy meals alfresco fuss-free. 

The winelands is always in good taste 

Populated by centuries-old wine estates, scenic eateries, galleries and boutiques, the Cape winelands (where you’ll find renowned wine-producing towns like Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl) is a hotspot for culinary experiences and awe-inspiring scenery. Mountain-lined valleys and endless vineyards set the scene for a cultivated escape out of the city. 

With many of the country’s award-winning restaurants in this region, and settings that exceed every expectation, this is a food and wine-lover’s haven. The small size of towns like Franschhoek also make it very walkable, or bikeable, and beyond the town centre and estate attractions, activities like horseriding or trail running are a great way to immerse yourself further in the scenery. 

Abscond to the vast, peaceful Karoo 

If you’re after total seclusion and escape, the Klein Karoo offers not only a change of scenery from the buzz of Cape Town, but also a dramatic drop of pace. Here, the idea is to relax, commune with nature and enjoy leisurely down time.  

Towns like Barrydale and Montagu, about two and half hours out of town, offer quaintness and quiet in abundance – and charm in the form of heritage homes and wide tree-lined street, coffee shops and family-run restaurants. The route there from Cape Town is arguably one of the province’s prettiest road trips too, with orchards along the roads interspersed with stretches of picturesque veld, grazing sheep and turning windmills. 

If you’re really after seclusion though, venture out of the towns themselves and seek solitude and silence in a mountain cabin – with hiking, waterfalls and reserves on your doorstep. 

Adventures along the whale coast and in the Overberg 

The Overberg region and Hemel-en-Aarde valley are known for beautiful farmland and villages like Stanford and Elgin, which eventually give way to popular beach towns like Hermanus and Pringle Bay. This region is ideal for adventure seekers – biking, hiking, and whale watching are just some of the activities to enjoy here. 

But if you’re looking for something more leisurely, the many estates (this area is renowned for its cool-climate coastally grown wines), breweries, markets and restaurants offer diversions of a more relaxing variety. 

Let Steadfast lead the way

With a firm foothold in the Western Cape, this area is one of our core specialities. Booking through us, and allowing us to help you craft the perfect holiday itinerary will ensure you benefit from our extensive expertise, and the best out of this incredible part of the world.