Southern landscapes, northern wildlife: returning to South Africa (page 2 of 6)

I really hesitated about going to this area, worried it might be too similar to France and not exotic enough. But in the end, some great discoveries and no regrets 😉

Tata is also a manufacturer of passenger and commercial vehicles, owner of Jaguar, Land Rover,

Given the recent choices of the new owner, those lucky enough to have driven these venerable British vehicles for a long time are justified in wondering if Tata’s strategy isn’t a bit of an Oedipus complex. 😇 (Did you know that in South Africa, the Land Rover Defender is sold under the commercial name 'Puma'?)

@Muriel In this region that’s so dear to me, I’ll be treading carefully… like a puma.

Hi Jean-Luc

I probably won’t tell you anything new, but maybe this will bring back some good memories ;)

Monday 11/10: The sky is clear this morning, so we take one last little walk along the cliff path before we have time for a short hike in the heights of Hermanus (in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve) before heading to the wine region.



We then leave Hermanus for Franschhoek.

Initially, I had planned a hike along the way in the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, but I learned just before leaving that the parking lots on the circular road were closed, meaning we’d have to park before the entrance, adding at least 5 km to any hike (plus 5 km back). So, Jonkershoek is out 🙁.

The sky gets cloudier and cloudier until it’s completely gray. The direct road to Franschhoek is closed, so we have to go through Stellenbosch, where we stop. Stellenbosch is THE university town in the region. Sure enough, there are lots of students everywhere. The population seems more mixed than elsewhere. A quick visit to the botanical garden (meh).

Another stroll down Doorp Street:







Not really impressed... I have to say the leaden sky and a few raindrops aren’t helping 😕.

I had also planned to visit a vineyard with a wine tasting, but since this morning I’ve been feeling queasy (too much breakfast?). So, that’s off 🏴‍☠️. We let our accommodation know we’ll arrive a little earlier than planned. Too bad the weather isn’t letting us enjoy the outdoors, because the surroundings are gorgeous.



Tonight, we’ve booked at Reuben’s (reserved a week in advance, and some time slots were already full 😮!). We take the opportunity to explore Franschhoek, which seems like a charming and pleasant little town.

Tuesday 12/10: The sun’s back! 🙂 We take advantage of it to walk around the (small) property before having a huge breakfast (well, not for me—my appetite still isn’t fully back 😕) by the pool.

We’re taking it easy, just enjoying the outdoors in the sunshine.



It’s definitely prettier than yesterday, right?

We wished we could’ve spent one more day here—the landscapes are gorgeous (on the road, the mountains sometimes reminded me of Lesotho, just not as high), and Franschhoek seems so welcoming.

Time to hit the road now for our longest drive (well, relatively speaking): heading to Mount Ceder lodge, at the gates of the Cederberg. Some VF members recommended taking the Bainskloof Pass… and they were absolutely right! 😎 There’s hardly anyone around, the road’s just been redone, and it offers some stunning views.





The road, in great condition (like all the ones we’ve taken in the south of the country), gives way to 36 km of dirt track before we arrive. This gravel road is generally in good shape, but a 4x4 would’ve been more comfortable—we’d have worried less about getting a flat or flying rocks (there were still a few really rocky sections and some corrugated stretches).

That said, the scenery is stunning and worth a few stops. 😎





We’re still relieved when we finally reach Mount Ceder lodge—a lovely green oasis in this almost desert-like setting.

These landscapes in the Kogelberg NR are so beautiful! Gorgeous photos! Thanks Malijp

Bainskloof Pass and the Cederberg—what great memories! 😊

I see you’re also drawn to the light there. ;)

What I love about the towns and villages along the Wine Route are all those Cape Dutch-style houses. It’s really the only part of the country where the homes seem to have an old history and beautiful architecture.

Hi Muriel,

That’s a really lovely hike. What a great discovery you’re sharing with us! But dinner at 5:30 pm—ouch!

Yes, it's a great discovery 🙂 It was probably the right season for the flowers too.

I see that you too are sensitive to the light.😉

I think I would have enjoyed Kogelberg and the Cederberg much less in the rain or even under a gray sky! 😉

The Cape Dutch style is easily recognizable and gives a certain charm to the region's homes. The old houses in Stellenbosch are very well maintained on Doorp Street.

On the other hand, dinner at 5:30 PM is a bit early.

And on top of that, it was crowded! 😮 Well, by the time we got settled, ordered, and were served... we started eating around 6:15-6:30 PM 😏 I’d forgotten that people eat so early in South Africa...

The accommodations are spaced out from each other; it feels a bit like we're alone in the world 🙂.

We take possession of our "little house on the prairie," a recently renovated, very comfortable lodging in an idyllic setting.









We feel so good there that we won’t move for the rest of the afternoon 😎...... except for a little walk along the nearby river.





Wednesday 10/14 Our (favorite) moment of the day....

... before heading to breakfast on the restaurant terrace. Since the service is pretty slow , we have time to watch the weaver birds in the tree right next to us.

Hi Muriel!

Already the travel journal—you don’t waste any time! 😉 The trip’s off to a great start, the landscapes are really pretty in the sun. 🙂

Hi Pascale

That’s the upside of not working (anymore)... we’ve got free time! Plus, it lets you extend the trip a bit.

Hope you’ll find the time to tell us about your trip (so I can relive my Namibia cravings 😉)

It's planned! Gotta sort the photos first 😉 Spoiler: I loved it, it's gorgeous

I was thinking about those questions after reading your thoughts on returning from South Africa... but for us, the magic worked—we loved it, and I really didn’t want to come home 😕.

The departure is slightly delayed 😉



Then we're off for 24 km of dirt track toward the “elephant paintings” and the “Stadsaal caves.” Thanks, Maps.me, because nothing is signposted along the way 🤪. We arrive at the site’s barrier, where a kind lady explains that no, we can’t enter with the wildcard—we have to go get a permit from the Matjiesriver Nature Reserve offices, which we passed without seeing… Of course! The sign is clearly visible in the direction we’re leaving, but there’s no indication in the one we came from 😠! Permit in hand, we head back to the famous rock paintings. These date back… well, no one’s quite sure, but at least 1,500 years, and they’re surprisingly well-preserved for outdoor paintings.





From there, a sandy track leads to the Stadsaal caves, a tangle of rocks and cavities with stunning views that you can explore along the trails or just follow your inspiration.

On one of the walls, testimonies dating back to the 19th century (we’re asked not to "enrich" them ... and it’s respected!)

At the reserve office, we also got a permit for Truitjieskraal. The employee told us it’s accessible by sedan but "rough"! It’s on the way back; once again, nothing is signposted, but we spot the turnoff thanks to Maps.me. Wow! That looks like a steep climb! Our Tata is already struggling on the main track’s hills if they’re a bit long, so if we have to stop to pass another vehicle on that slope we see over there, we’ll never get going again ​ !!! We give up... if we get the courage, we’ll go for the waterfall hike near the lodge instead.

And guess what? We won’t get the courage! It’s (very) hot, and we’re so comfortable in front of this landscape, with only birdsong for noise, that we’ll stay at the lodge. A quick dip to cool off...



and birdwatching (including one struggling with its earthworm )

Last night, we ate at the restaurant—it was okay, nothing special. Tonight, we hesitated over a "braai" pack but eventually bought a dish from the small grocery at reception. Since everything was only written in Afrikaans, we thought we’d play it safe with tomato pasta. Well, the taste turned out to be quite unique—sweet and spicy at the same time... not great 😕! But first, a little Schweppes aperitif (they didn’t sell Savanna !), olives (complimentary on arrival), and beetroot chips



and we admire the rock colors in the sunset.

Hi

As for the whales, tough luck... they can get *really* close...

Dassies or rock hyraxes... distant cousins of elephants

Kogelberg Nature Reserve is renowned as the most beautiful nature reserve in the Western Cape...

For enthusiasts, you can stay there... if you can find space!