Western Cape : Overberg
Overview
Literally meaning ‘over the berg (mountain)’, the Overberg region of the Western
Cape is reached when one travels over the Hottentots-Holland Mountains from the
Cape Town region. It is an area of immense beauty, that attracts thousands of tourists
to its pristine beaches, orchards and forests, rolling grain fields and mountains
every year. The Overberg extends from the Hottentots-Holland mountains in the west
to just beyond the historical Swellendam in the East. The most Southern point of
Africa is Cape Aghulas, the official meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Dominated by mountains, grain
farms, beautiful bays and beaches, and dramatic headlands,
the area is one of spectacular beauty, with a multitude of activities and accommodation
options, making it a world class destination.
Things to do and see
Undoubtedly the major tourist attraction of the Overberg is whale watching. While
whales can be spotted throughout the Overberg coast during the Winter and Spring
months, the towns of Hermanus and Gansbaai is renowned to be one of the best land-based
whale watching spots in the world. The other big attraction in the area is the Great
White Shark which can be viewed from boats and for the more adventurous, up close
from a cage, doing shark cage diving.
There are a number of well-known vinyards in the area which is well worth a visit
to do some tasting.
The Overberg is home to three major reserves to protect the biodiversity of the
area. The Kogelberg reserve offers some wonderful hiking trails and white river
rafting. At the De Hoop reserve you have a choice of many activities, including
small-game viewing, mountain biking, snorkeling and land based whale watching. The
Bontebok National Park was proclaimed to protect the last few remaining bontebok
- a beautiful antelope that is found only in the Western Cape.
Other activities in the area include river rafting and canoeing in the Breede River,
paragliding, sea kayaking, and deep sea fishing.
There are also many museums in the Overberg, including the Drostdy Museum in Swellendam
and Old Harbour Museum in Hermanus. The coastline is littered with shipwrecks and
the Shipwreck Museum in Bredasdorp makes for an interesting visit.
Besides all these exciting activities, the Overberg is also a popular holiday resort
with its many beautiful beaches where one can relax, catch up on that sun tan and
simply enjoy the spectacular beauty the region offers.
Climate The Overberg has a maritime climate, with moderately hot summers,
and mild to chilly winters. It is one of the nicest all-year-round rainfall areas
in South Africa, most rain falling in the winter months, brought by the humid sea-winds
from the Indian Ocean rising and releasing their precipitation
along the high mountain
ranges just inland of the coast.
Accommodation
The Overberg region is a very popular holiday and tourist destination and there
is a wide range of accommodation options available to the discerning traveler.
You will find luxury hotels in all of the major towns, like Hermanus and variety of
other accommodation options in all other areas. There are a variety of guest houses, bed and breakfasts,
self catering apartments and
holiday homes in almost all of
the towns in the area.
Towns and Cities in the area
Popular towns and cities in the area include : Arniston, Barrydale, Betty’s Bay,
Botrivier, Bredasdorp, Caledon, Cape Aghulas, De Kelders, Elim, Gansbaai, Grabouw,
Greyton, Heidelberg, Hermanus, Kleinmond, Napier, Pringle Bay, Riviersonderend,
Stanford, Struisbaai, Swellendam, Villiersdorp and Witsand.