The Overberg has a temperate Mediterranean climate with most of the rain falling in winter. A brief history
Over 120 ships have lost their lives along this coastline.
- Grabouw
Apple, mountain bike and adventure country.
- Greyton
Rural tranquillity and quaint country scenes.
- Betty's Bay
One of those places that grew up as a holiday home from home.
- Kleinmond
Because of its isolation Kleinmond was an outlaws’ stronghold for some 200 years. Nestled between two estuaries and bordered by fynbos covered mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, Kleinmond is an appetising stop for outdoor enthusiasts. It’s a hikers paradise, and with consistently good swell, not bad for surfers either.
- Hermanus
This is one of Cape Town's favourite weekend getaway spots. It has lots of good, long beaches and a humping social scene over weekends and in season.
- Fisherhaven
10 kilometres outside Hermanus.
- Gansbaai
Named after the wild geese in the area, this small fishing village is renowned for its shark cage diving and spectacular whale watching. The cliffs at De Kelders offer good viewing all the way along the coast to Pearly Beach.
- Bredasdorp
Situated 25km north of Cape Agulhas, Bredasdorp is a centre for wool, grain and dairy farming and lying in the heart of the Overberg, you’ll certainly know that you are in the “bread basket” of Africa…
- NapierWC
A tranquil and quirky country village.
- Cape Agulhas
The true southernmost tip of the continent. Is it really where the two oceans meet? Go there to see for yourself.
- Arniston
This lovely little fishing village is set against an backdrop of impossibly blue seas and whitewashed cottages. Meander down to the harbour and choose a fish fresh off the boats, or take a walk to the caves and shout something you’d like to hear a few times.
- Riversdale
Set halfway between Cape Town and Knysna, this little town boasts some classic country attractions.
- Montagu Western Cape
Situated on Route 62, the road to wine and roses, this charming little village lies snoozing in the embrace of the mountains.
- Witsand
Known as the whale nursery of the East Coast, with the largest concentration of whales on the South African coastline, Witsand is at the mouth of the Breede River. It’s a peaceful town with excellent fishing.
- Robertson
This little town in the Breede River Valley is on Route 62, one of the longest wine routes in the world.
- Swellendam
Swellendam lies beneath some of the most spectacular peaks in the Langeberg range. These peaks used to be used as sundials by the farmers who called them 10, 11, 12 and 1 o'clock. Today, old oak trees, wide roads and whitewashed homesteads recall Swellendam’s past as a frontier town. From here there’s easy access to a myriad outdoor wilderness experiences.
- Barrydale
Barrydale is situated at the top of the Tradouw pass and is on the R62
Overberg and Route 62
Lying at the Southern most tip of Africa where the cold Atlantic and warm Indian oceans meet is a fertile stretch of land, surrounded on one side by sea and the other by majestic mountains, called the Overberg.
A patchwork of colours
South and east of the Hottentot’s Holland lies the Overberg, a coastal land of sheep pastures and wheat fields bordered by high wild mountains. Each season has its patchwork of colours – the green of winter meadows lined by the red spikes of aloes leads to spring’s vibrant clusters of purple and yellow flowers which in turn yield to golden summer fields and bare red earth. The blue crane (the national bird of South Africa, an endangered species) can be seen pensively stalking the wheat stubble in search of lunch and the European stork is a summer visitor (those are ones that drop babies down chimneys). The narrow coastal plain is scattered with old fishing villages, some reborn as resort towns, but wild and empty beaches can still be found. The Overberg coastline is famous for its whales. From June to November mums, dads and babies frolic in the waves, sometimes only metres from the shore. Inland the farmlands stretch away north to the 18th century town of Swellendam, the third white settlement in South Africa, once the last stop before the vast and unknown great interior.
South and east of the Hottentot’s Holland lies the Overberg, a coastal land of sheep pastures and wheat fields bordered by high wild mountains. Each season has its patchwork of colours – the green of winter meadows lined by the red spikes of aloes leads to spring’s vibrant clusters of purple and yellow flowers which in turn yield to golden summer fields and bare red earth. The blue crane (the national bird of South Africa, an endangered species) can be seen pensively stalking the wheat stubble in search of lunch and the European stork is a summer visitor (those are ones that drop babies down chimneys). The narrow coastal plain is scattered with old fishing villages, some reborn as resort towns, but wild and empty beaches can still be found. The Overberg coastline is famous for its whales. From June to November mums, dads and babies frolic in the waves, sometimes only metres from the shore. Inland the farmlands stretch away north to the 18th century town of Swellendam, the third white settlement in South Africa, once the last stop before the vast and unknown great interior.
Rolling hills blanketed by wheat fields slide gently towards to the sea where whales frolic and gannets plunge into the waves in search of fish. The warm Indian Ocean waters wash against white beaches and rocky shores and quaint fishing villages and small holiday resorts pierce the coastline. Cape Agulhas, the bleak southernmost point of Africa, waits to be conquered and the vast empty beaches of De Hoop Nature Reserve are home to skitterish red-legged oyster catchers and overwhelming solitude.
Nature reserves
The Overberg has nature reserves which encompass both the coast line and the mountains. The diversity of plant life is enormous, some areas have a variety of buck and other small animals as well as numerous species of birds. The Harold Porter Botanical Gardens and the Kogelberg nature reserve on the coastal mountains behind Betty’s Bay boast a wealth of magnificent fynbos and the De Hoop Nature Reserve on a sweep of wild coastline is home to both whales and the shy Cape otter. For those with enough time, Fernkloof in Hermanus, the Marloth Nature reserve, Boesmansbos Wilderness area in the Langeberg and the Bontebok National Park near Swellendam are also well worth a visit.
The Overberg has nature reserves which encompass both the coast line and the mountains. The diversity of plant life is enormous, some areas have a variety of buck and other small animals as well as numerous species of birds. The Harold Porter Botanical Gardens and the Kogelberg nature reserve on the coastal mountains behind Betty’s Bay boast a wealth of magnificent fynbos and the De Hoop Nature Reserve on a sweep of wild coastline is home to both whales and the shy Cape otter. For those with enough time, Fernkloof in Hermanus, the Marloth Nature reserve, Boesmansbos Wilderness area in the Langeberg and the Bontebok National Park near Swellendam are also well worth a visit.
A day out
Take a day trip from Cape Town and travel the coastal road to Hermanus then return via Sir Lowry’s Pass.
Take a day trip from Cape Town and travel the coastal road to Hermanus then return via Sir Lowry’s Pass.
Annual events
The Whale festival in Hermanus – September.
The Whale festival in Hermanus – September.
Route 62 and the legendary mermaids
The Mermaid or Water-meid, as she is also known in these parts, has been an integral part of Karoo folklore for years. Local people describe a beautiful woman with blue eyes, pink cheeks and a fish-tail - seen sitting at deep mountain pools, combing her long black hair. Stories passed down through the generations, warn children not to go near such places, in case the Water-meid or Water-auntie drags them in, and drowns them.
The Mermaid or Water-meid, as she is also known in these parts, has been an integral part of Karoo folklore for years. Local people describe a beautiful woman with blue eyes, pink cheeks and a fish-tail - seen sitting at deep mountain pools, combing her long black hair. Stories passed down through the generations, warn children not to go near such places, in case the Water-meid or Water-auntie drags them in, and drowns them.
Perhaps the most mysterious part of this trip is the discovery of San rock paintings on the walls of caves, high up in the Little Karoo mountains which have puzzled archaeologists for years. They show creatures with a round head, arms, and a fish tail… Are these paintings of mermaids? Does this mean the San people saw such creatures? And could this be the origin of the stories people tell today? There's a road-trip documentary called "Searching for mermaids in the Karoo". The DVD and guide book takes you from Cape Town, along the R62, over the Swartberg Pass and through the Karoo – following an intriguing trail of indigenous stories, firsthand sightings and San rock art relating to this fascinating legend. Want to know more? Contact hardie@iafrica.com or look for the guide in Exclusive Books, Cape Town, and tourism offices along the way.
Places to Stay
- The Karoo Travel Centre and Backpackers
A backpackers in the centre of Barrydale.
What to do
- Shark Zone
Dive with great whites.
