If there is one word that describes the Klein Karoo it would be ‘resilient’. The rugged beauty of the landscape surrounded by blue mountains offers an escape to a place where time seems to move slower, the air feels fresher and the stars shine brighter.

The Klein Karoo region and specifically Calitzdorp has long held onto the title as Port Capital of South Africa. Since Portuguese cultivars traditionally used for making port were planted in the arid landscape, they’ve thrived.

A power surge suddenly propels us as our host grins and pushes the accelerator to the floor. Roadside scrub turns to blur as I return my gaze from the chrome-littered dash to the mountains on the other side of the windscreen.

Constantia is a sophisticated suburb – home to lavish lifestyles, award-winning fine dining restaurants and top wine farms pouring Sauvignon Blancs into shiny glasses.

The Constantia Wine Route is known all around the world for being the oldest wine region in South Africa. And although this classic wine destination has a rich heritage with deep roots, it is continuously evolving – adding new wines, exciting experiences and special offers to keep visitors coming back for more.

The region has a rich history dating as far back as 1685, but what’s most interesting is how the modern influences have helped to build this region up to a world class route that’s highly accessible. It’s Cape Town’s vineyard and a sweet escape from the hum of the city.

You must hand it to Catharina Ustings Ras. If the stories are even half true, she would have been someone to meet. The 17th century woman crossed the oceans, braved hostile territory and was unafraid of brandishing a weapon.

There’s plenty of great food and fine wine in the world, but nowhere else has the ‘weskus vibe’ of the Namaqua West Coast. The people you meet here are what sets this place apart.

The scenery is much like you’d expect: little red fishing boats resting on the beach, an icy, bright blue ocean, fields of flowers lining the roads and fresh fish being served up with a glass of white wine. Stay a few days and join in some of the discoveries that we made on a recent road trip to the region.

The N7 from Cape Town isn’t an obvious track for a close-to-home wine trip, but those in the know tell you it’s where some of SA’s real winery gems lie.

“We’re on the very edge of the border. In fact, most people who arrive here by chance are surprised to discover vines out here,” says viticulturist Hein Grobbelaar. In fact, Org de Rac is quite possibly more well-known than its actual location, out here on the rim of the Swartland.

Kalmoesfontein Farm, located in the scenic Paardeberg area in the Swartland is a working wine farm, the home of AA Badenhorst Family Wines, luxury farm-style, self-catering accommodation, and plenty of peaceful wide-open spaces. Kalmoesfontein is all about slow living.

There are at least a hundred reasons to visit the Swartland region, the top three being the world-class wine and olives, its proximity to Cape Town and the quiet beauty of the area.

We recently went on a road trip of the Swartland and put together this weekend of activities, recommended accommodation and (of course) food and wine that will make you fall in love with this region just like we did. Try it over a weekend or whenever you have a chance to break away.

Wine doesn’t immediately come to mind in discussions of the Cape West Coast. This doesn’t mean there isn’t anything for wine lovers to see.

Short excursions to favourite places may not always appear to link up with interests in wine, but in the Cape, that’s rarely possible. One route where this again reveals its truth is up the West Coast. Just two hours out of the city, the region provides not only an array of marvellous experiences but some outstanding wine-related stops too.

For the past few years, thousands of international music-lovers have descended upon the Cloof Wine Estate in Darling for the Rocking the Daisies Music festival.

While, due to the pandemic, the festival headliner, British rapper Stormzy, did not have the opportunity to travel to Darling in 2020, the Darling wine route boasts a myriad of reasons for him to discover Darling, post-pandemic.

Stanford has always been a popular break-away destination thanks to a combination of factors. Many visitors eventually retire there too. It’s a mix of well-preserved historical buildings, lush gardens, muted CBD, diversity of activities on surrounding farms and distance from the city all conspire to make it so.

Without Chardonnay, Dom Perignon would never have uttered the words: “come quickly, I am tasting the stars.”

Without Chardonnay, Winston Churchill would have been less inspired to fight for Champagne.

A new visitor experience will open in mid-November near Bonnievale in the Robertson wine region. Weltevrede, arguably South Africa’s oldest family-owned wine brand, has substantially revamped and expanded its destination showcase.

It was a flash of brilliance that established South Africa’s first official wine route. Prior to the 1970s, very few private wineries existed, and you generally didn’t go because farms weren’t open places to visit.

Since Stellenbosch started the revolution, many have followed. Now, the formalised route has become an indispensable tool for almost every wineland visit. But not all visits may be defined by official road-markers and new “routes” have arisen by pure volume of travellers. Take the Cape’s R43, for example, which is bound to be a-buzz again this holiday.

“My grandfather witnessed the shooting of the last hippo here in 1855,” says local farmer Dirk Human as we look out over a lake of the Nuwejaars Wetland. Now the hippos are back, part of a pioneering conservation initiative of which he’s chairman, alongside being owner of Black Oystercatcher Wines.