DescriptionIt’s great to see South Africans finally picking up on what the Italians have known for centuries; that this is the way life is meant to be lived – slowly and simply, with good food and wine and good company, in a natural, outdoor setting. This is a trail for those who know how to experience the good things in life.
This 2.5 day, 25km trail begins in Darling. Tucked away between hills of vineyards and golden wheat fields, the trail winds through olive groves and wine farms up to the highest point in Darling where you will take your time sampling local fruits of the vine direct from the farmer. The trail then meanders through renosterveld and fynbos full of flowers, game and birds, en route to !Khwa Ttu where you spend the first night at the unique San Cultural Centre. After a leisurely breakfast, we continue downhill through the strandveld to Tygerfontein Farm along the coast to Yzerfontein, sampling local seafood along the way.
Itinerary
Day 1: The Mini Stagger
Time your arrival in Darling for mid afternoon. A warm welcome awaits you at the guesthouse of your choice. After settling in, join your guide for a stroll up to Ormonde Wine Farm to sample the local fare. Meander at leisure through Darling, check out some of the local art and eclectic spots. Shout if you’d like to see the orchid nursery and local nature reserves, which should not be missed in the flower season. Stop off at the local book shop to catch up on the town gossip over a glass of Darling’s finest, before heading to your guesthouse for a delicious meal,
Day 2: Darling - !Kwha Ttu (15km)
Wake early for a great cup of coffee and, accompanied by your guide, work up an appetite with a pre-breakfast stroll up into the vineyards and olive groves of Alexanderfontein and Ormonde. Breakfast on a hilltop European style, enjoying local olives, breads, cheeses, with a bit of light wine to wash it down (just in case you’d like some of course, there will be juice too). Stagger on up hill and down dale, enjoying beautiful views of Table Mountain, Dassen Island and the Atlantic Ocean, Down through a forest glade, along a well worn track, and you arrive at !Kwha Ttu San Culture Centre & Farm, the end of your days walk and your overnight stop. Spend the rest of the afternoon lazing and exploring the Centre, especially the photographic museum. Watch the sunset from the boma, while your guide does the traditional braai, and a San guide tells you stories around the fire.
Day 3: !Kwha Ttu – Yzerfontein (10km)
Head off on a guided cultural tour, experiencing how the San live, how they track game and care for the land. Follow a gravel road down to the coast through pristine West Coast vegetation to the farm of Tygerfontein. When you reach the homestead overlooking the beach, follow the farm track running parallel to the sea, trundling over the dunes and coastal vegetation. In true stagger style stop off for a local seafood picnic and a bracing dip before continuing your journey to Yzerfontein, where the trail ends.
Price
This 2.5 day, 25km trail begins in Darling. Tucked away between hills of vineyards and golden wheat fields, the trail winds through olive groves and wine farms up to the highest point in Darling where you will take your time sampling local fruits of the vine direct from the farmer. The trail then meanders through renosterveld and fynbos full of flowers, game and birds, en route to !Khwa Ttu where you spend the first night at the unique San Cultural Centre. After a leisurely breakfast, we continue downhill through the strandveld to Tygerfontein Farm along the coast to Yzerfontein, sampling local seafood along the way.
Itinerary
Day 1: The Mini Stagger
Time your arrival in Darling for mid afternoon. A warm welcome awaits you at the guesthouse of your choice. After settling in, join your guide for a stroll up to Ormonde Wine Farm to sample the local fare. Meander at leisure through Darling, check out some of the local art and eclectic spots. Shout if you’d like to see the orchid nursery and local nature reserves, which should not be missed in the flower season. Stop off at the local book shop to catch up on the town gossip over a glass of Darling’s finest, before heading to your guesthouse for a delicious meal,
Day 2: Darling - !Kwha Ttu (15km)
Wake early for a great cup of coffee and, accompanied by your guide, work up an appetite with a pre-breakfast stroll up into the vineyards and olive groves of Alexanderfontein and Ormonde. Breakfast on a hilltop European style, enjoying local olives, breads, cheeses, with a bit of light wine to wash it down (just in case you’d like some of course, there will be juice too). Stagger on up hill and down dale, enjoying beautiful views of Table Mountain, Dassen Island and the Atlantic Ocean, Down through a forest glade, along a well worn track, and you arrive at !Kwha Ttu San Culture Centre & Farm, the end of your days walk and your overnight stop. Spend the rest of the afternoon lazing and exploring the Centre, especially the photographic museum. Watch the sunset from the boma, while your guide does the traditional braai, and a San guide tells you stories around the fire.
Day 3: !Kwha Ttu – Yzerfontein (10km)
Head off on a guided cultural tour, experiencing how the San live, how they track game and care for the land. Follow a gravel road down to the coast through pristine West Coast vegetation to the farm of Tygerfontein. When you reach the homestead overlooking the beach, follow the farm track running parallel to the sea, trundling over the dunes and coastal vegetation. In true stagger style stop off for a local seafood picnic and a bracing dip before continuing your journey to Yzerfontein, where the trail ends.
Price
The trail has not been developed yet, but the itinerary described above is 70% of the way there and already a great experience. If you have a group of people interested in doing the trail as it currently is, we can arrange for you to do a Trial Run at cost and according to your tailor-made choice of itinerary, accommodation and catering. Interested? Contact Janette du Toit at jdutoit@capebiosphere.co.za
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