The Overberg - In the early days of the European occupation of the Cape, very few people ventured far from the foot of Table Mountain.  The vast Cape Flats to the east of the fledgling city were a treacherous stretch of shifting sands, wetlands and - of course - wild animals. And at the eastern extreme of that huge, sandy plain was a formidable mountain range, which is now - a couple of hundred years later - easily traversed by virtue of the scenic Sir Lowry's and Houwhoek Passes on the N2. But in those days, these mountains presented a serious barrier to movement and the land beyond them, which was visited only by the very adventurous and became known as the 'Overberg' - the land over the mountains.

View map of the Overberg Use scroll & zoom buttons for more locations

The Overberg extends from the high-lying apple orchards of the area between the two passes in the west, to just past the lovely historical town of Swellendam in the east and - to the south - as far as you can go. Cape Agulhas is the most southerly point of the African continent and - officially - the place where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. 

The interior is dominated by grain farms interspersed with cute country towns, and the coast is a series of beautiful bays, beaches, wetland and dramatic headlands.

The second claim to fame is as the most southerly vineyards in Africa - and it's well worth doing a tasting. This is not just a gimmick.

The other big attraction of this area is the great white shark. Dyer and Geyser Islands, off the small fishing village of Gansbaai offer probably the best shark cage diving in the world. A number of boats operate in the area - chumming to attract the sharks' attention and vying with each other for the best position. Do it soon, as there is increasing resistance to a practice that many people consider to be morally indefensible, ecologically destructive and dangerous.

There's loads more to do. There are three great nature reserves. Kogelberg in the west, which is a major hotspot of botanical diversity, offers fantastic hiking and an exciting white water rafting day trip. De Hoop, in the east, has some small game, great easy mountain bike trails, an escorted, portaged hiking trail, fun snorkelling, wonderful beaches and some awesome land-based whale watching. Slightly further east, the Bontebok National Park was proclaimed to protect the last few remaining bontebok - a beautiful antelope that is found only in the Western Cape. The Breede River, in the eastern part of the Overberg, has some quite fun rafting and canoeing trips and the only remaining hand-operated ferry in the country and fantastic fishing.

There is great paragliding and fun canoeing and sea kayaking near Hermanus, a gliding club in Swellendam, a good horse trail, great hiking and some fabulous mountain biking trails. There are fun boat trips and a long and exciting foefie slide (flying fox) on the Buffelsjag Dam, near Swellendam.

For the more culturally inclined, the mission villages of Genadendal and, particularly, Elim, hark back to a much quieter era. Interesting museums include the Drostdy Museum in Swellendam, the Old Harbour Museum in Hermanus, which has exhibits relating to fishing and whaling, and the small but fascinating Shipwreck Museum in Bredasdorp. This area is, in fact, littered with historic wrecks. A noble tradition was born when the troopship Birkenhead went down near Gansbaai in 1852. For the first time in recorded history, the troops and sailors lined up on the deck in disciplined ranks while the women and children passengers got into the lifeboats and were ferried to shore. The men then took their chances with the icy water and the legions of sharks. 

Another historic wreck nearby was the Arniston, which gave its name to the town that has officially been called Waenhuiskrans - which means wagon house cave, and refers to an enormous sea cave big enough to house an ox wagon (although you'd struggle to get a bicycle to the spot, never mind an ox wagon). 

But everyone knows the place as Arniston - a great beach destination.

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This rather schizophrenic town is officially known as Waenhuiskrans but everyone calls it Arniston. The official name, which means “Wagon House Cave”, refers to an enormous sea cave that is big enough to park an ox wagon (and a team of oxen) in. It’s a beautiful cave and it’s a lovely walk to get to it but watch the tides. You absolutely do not want to get caught there at high tide! The more familiar name refers to the wreck of the Arniston, which ran aground in 1815, with the loss of 372 lives – only 6 hardy souls managing to struggle ashore. There is a small monument near the beach.

View map of Arniston

Thatched, white-washed cottages dotted amongst the dunes stand out against the clear blue sky and attract photographers and painters from miles around. Here’s a challenge – take a photograph or do a painting of an Arniston cottage that isn’t kitsch. It can be done.

Arniston is also close to Cape Agulhas, which is the most southerly point of Africa and the official meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.