What to do and see in Elgin, Western Cape: The Best Things to do

Almenkerk Wine Estate, in the cool Elgin Valley, is a real Family Estate; owned by the van Almenkerk Family and run by Natalie & Joris van Almenkerk. While Joris makes the wine - award winning wine -, Natalie does everything from sales & Marketing, PR and admin. Patriarch Joep helps out with sales, especially in his new restaurant De Brasserie in Strand, and acts as a mentor to the business side. Sisters Lieselotte & Annelies help with sales, tasting room and - of course - harvest (while juggling their studies and boyfriends). Next to that, we have a dedicated group of family & friends, local and overseas, who come out to help us during crunch time. Most importantly, though, do come visit us! Visitors to the Estate and our tasting room are increasing and - possible more importantly - returning to taste and buy some more. Life is beautiful on Almenkerk Wine Estate. We've been winning awards and medals. Some of them even for our cellar architecture! In any event, we consider our wines to be a form of liquid architecture.

The Green Mountain Trail is a four day hiking trail around the Green Mountain in the Overberg region of the Western Cape.Traversing a tapestry of fynbos and fruit farms this slackpack trail offers fine food and comfortable overnights in the Cape Winelands of South Africa. Accommodation is in four star country guesthouses. Delicious , wholesome meals are provided throughout.The trail meanders around the Groenlandberg, part of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. Guided by THETA accredited guides you learn about the biodiversity and the history of the area. Swimming in rock pools and dams on a hot day is as refreshing for the body as it is for the soul.The Green Mountain Trail is a moderate walking trail with distances varying between 11kms and 18kms each day. The effort level, as gauged by Slackpacker S.A., is set at 3.5 with 5 being the most difficult.The trail traverses privately-owned land. All landowners are members of the Green Mountain Eco Route, the world’s first biodiversity wine route, and part of the region’s efforts to conserve the environment and promote responsible tourism. All members are Biodiversity Wine Initiative champions. This enlightened initiative unites conservation and agricultural development in a complementary, mutually beneficial manner. As part of the Green Mountain Trail’s social responsibility programme, hikers are encouraged to Walk with an Alien, a project in which a personalised walking stick is carved from alien vegetation by local communities.

Oneiric: the exquisite wine farm tucked away in the Kogelberg Biosphere, in Elgin, Western Cape. Surrounded by trout dams, an array of fauna & flora (2000 indigenous trees were planted, along with plants typical of the area) attract an assortment of bird life. Releasing its 2009 vintage in 2013 to rave reviews. With ratings in their 90’s, Oneiric has fast become one of South Africa’s finest wineries.

Elgin Vintners award winning wines has recently opened the beautiful renovated Victorian style Ridgelands Homestead as Elgin Vintners Manor House. Wrapped by orchards, picturesque vineyards and sloping pasture this wonderful historic home has 3 luxury en suite bedrooms and a family wing with 2 luxury bedrooms sharing a bathroom and is also available as a function venue. Guests can enjoy the beautiful farm, take the walking trails along the Palmiet River or relax in the English country garden next to the swimming pool. Vineyard tours and wine tastings are also available to do on the farm while visiting.

Established in 1898 by Sir Antonie Viljoen, this magnificent 1786ha family estate is one of the pioneering farms in the country. In 1908 a wine cellar was built, but was sadly mothballed during the Second World War when fruit was in greater demand. New vineyards were established in 1985, followed by the release of our much-acclaimed maiden vintage in 2003. With vineyards located on mountain slopes over 450m above sea level, ripening occurs slowly and vines bear ultra-low tonnages.The Fruit Division at Oak Valley today consists of 350 hectares of apple and pear orchards with 70% planted to apples and 30% to pears. The Greenhouse Division covers over 17 hectares of greenhouse and shadehouse cutflowers, the largest in the Western Cape, with the speciality crop being Chrysanthemums for the local and export market.Mountain biking has become a major attraction, with our trails rated as some of the best single track in the country. On a typical summer weekend, Oak Valley attracts up to 150 mountain bikers and theirsupporters.The Pool Room Restaurant at Oak Valley is a tourism destination in its own right. The menu is simple, focussing mainly on Oak Valley’s meat products, grass-fed beef and acorn-fed pork, along with a range of dry-cured meats (or charcuterie) crafted in an on-farm curing facility.

Cap classique wine specialists