Stellenbosch in the Cape Winelands.

Stellenbosch, only a mere 40 minutes drive from Cape Town, is a pretty university town, with whitewashed Cape Dutch architecture along oak-lined avenues set around a pleasant green, which has earned it its other name of 'Eikestad' - the Town of Oaks. 

The town was founded in 1679 by Simon van der Stel, who named the town after himself, and is the second oldest town after Cape Town (and the best preserved) in South Africa.

Situated right in the heart of the Winelands, Stellenbosch is a perfect base from which to explore the surrounding area, and the Stellenbosch Wine Route is not only the oldest wine route in South Africa, but also arguably the country's most famous, with over 100 cellars.

Exploring the Town

The town itself is worthy of an exploration, and the best way to do this is by a walking tour - information can be obtained from the Tourist Information Office.

Dorp Street, just south of the green, is the longest street of old houses in the country, and has some of the best examples of Cape Dutch architecture. 

Another popular tourist attraction is the Victorian fronted Oom Samie se Winkel, a typical example of a period village shop complete with old-fashioned items for sale. 

Jonkershoek Nature Reserve

A short drive from Stellenbosch is the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, where there are many hikes and trails ranging from an easy stroll to a waterfall (but be aware that during the dry season there may not be much water falling!), through to a more challenging Panorama trail of just over 17km.

The predominant vegetation of the reserve is fynbos, and more than 1,100 plant species are known to occur, of which a number are rare and/or endemic to the area.

This is an ideal bird-watching area, so don't forget your binoculars! The many exotic trees attract a variety of birds including the Cape weaver and the forktailed drongo, while the thickly wooded indigenous vegetation attracts olive woodpeckers and black sparrowhawks.