Western Cape - Cape Town Travel Guide
The Western Cape, which covers an area of 129.370 square km, lies in the southwest of South Africa and borders on the Atlantic Ocean in the western half and on the Indian Ocean in the southern half. The scenery, with the folding mountains of the Swartberg and Cederberg mountain ranges, is absolutely breathtaking. The vineyards and the western part of the Garden Route, with its impressive rock formations, add to the Western Cape’s beauty.
Table Mountain, perhaps South Africa’s most famous landmark, stands guard above the Mother city of Cape Town. There is an incorrect belief that the meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans is here but it is actually further south at Cape Agulhas. Nonetheless, Cape Town remains able to enjoy two distinctly different beach environments. The waters of the eastern bay of the peninsula are the warmer Indian Ocean waters and not as chilly as those from the Benguela current found in the western waters.
The Western Cape is topographically and climatically varied and the vegetation is one-of-a-kind. Fynbos, the typical vegetation in Cape Town, is indigenous to the Cape and is found nowhere else in the world. The temperate southern coastline is fringed with mountains and to the north it stretches deep into the Karoo plateau – its western coast is extremely dry.
Traditional winter rainfall on the peninsula and the mountainous neighbouring inland area provides ideal conditions for the cultivation of grapes, with numerous vineyards producing excellent wines. The Cape’s wine farms remain one of the region’s top tourist attractions.
Moving further inland, Oudtshoorn is the centre of the ostrich-farming area and the home of the spectacular Cango Caves. These have some of the best stalagtite and stalagmite formations.
The Cape has something for everyone - from beaches to bushveld, wine tasting to fine dining, relaxing or adventure tourism. Facilities such as the V & A Waterfront with its Aquarium and great restaurants, as well as first world infrastructure, make this an immensely popular local and international tourist destination. The notorious Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 27 years of his life, lies just off the Cape Town harbour and is well worth a visit!
