Bidding goodbye to Cape Town, our first stop is the Peregrine Farm Stall in the Elgin Valley. This area is a mix of mountains, fynbos covered hillside, vineyards and fruit trees. The farm stall sells a range of baked delicacies from the local milk tart to mouth-watering pies. Our guide Andrew informs us that he could create an itinerary around the area just based on the pie offering!
Up then through the Houwhoek pass to Hermanus.
Located 120 km southeast of Cape Town, Hermanus is an upmarket seaside town known as the whale watching capital of South Africa. Southern Right whales visit the Cape Whale Coast from June till November and can be easily spotted from Hermanus. For the adventurous tourists this is also the place for shark cage diving. We were very relieved that our hosts did not expect us to partake in that experience!
The coastal scenery is stunning. The Hermanus cliff path hugs the coastline and offers a 12km route for walkers and hikers alike. Start near the new harbour and enjoy a journey for the senses along the beautiful, rugged coastline to Grotto beach, this path offers many benches to sit and enjoy ocean views.
Hermanus waterfront is littered with boutique hotels and restaurants. There is wide range of choice for al fresco seating to people (& whale) watch the day away. The shops range from high end clothes to homewares to knick knacks. The local museums include the Old Harbour Museum which undertakes to conserve and protect the heritage of the Greater Hermanus and the Whale Museum where one is taken below the surface to a face-to-face encounter with the visiting Southern Right whales.
We were unfortunately only in Hermanus for a few hours, but the area deserves a couple of nights in a relaxed itinerary.
Leaving Hermanus we drive through the scenic Hemel-en-Aarde valley along the Hermanus Wine Route. The area is home to some fifteen wineries, each growing relatively small volumes of grapes to produce high end individual wines. Our stop for the afternoon is Creation wines.
Voted number 4 in the World’s Best Vineyards awards for 2023 and best vineyard in South Africa, this spectacular 50-hectare estate is framed by the mountains, the grounds are dotted with artwork and guests are encouraged to explore the gardens.
We are treated to a 6-chapter degustation menu with pairing wines. Each course has been thoughtfully designed to highlight the flavours of the accompanying wine and to minimise impact on the body. We are talked through the meal by our server Artwell and Louis, Creation’s marketing manager. The overall experience is delicious and thoroughly enjoyable and takes a few hours!
Once we are finally able to peel ourselves away from Creation, we head to Arabella Hotel, Golf and Spa for our night’s accommodation.
