The picturesque town of Wellington is a scenic 45-minute drive from Cape Town, 15-minutes’ from neighbouring Paarl and 30 minutes’ scenic drive through the Winelands, to Historic Stellenbosch. Wellington’s agricultural economy is centered on its award-winning wines, table grapes, deciduous fruit and fine brandy, and it is also home to South Africa’s sole whisky producer. The Region is renowned for beautiful Cape Dutch homesteads, picturesque environment, gardens and wineries. The Historic Bain’s Kloof Pass, with unsurpassed vistas, indigenous flora and fauna and crystal-clear streams and rivers, is the perfect spot for hikers and fly-fishermen. Closer to Town, guided wine-walks and horse-trails through rich farmland and flowering fynbos offer the opportunity to see and experience Mother Nature at her finest. In the beginning of Town, perched up on a Hill is the rather Large and looming NG Kerk of Wellington! The Berg River flows along the western border with two smaller Streams, the Spruit and Kromme and the towering Hawequa Mountains stand guard on the eastern side. The Bainskloof Pass, built by the famous Scot, Andrew Geddes Bain, was the sole gateway to the north, before Du Toitskloof Pass was built. Wellington is surrounded by fruit orchards, wine estates, buchu plantations and olive groves. In addition, its vine-cutting nurseries produce approximately 85% of the country’s vine root stock for the wine industry. The region is the recipient of an impressive array of national and international accolades for their wines. The Wellington wine and brandy route boasts an array of fine producers. Hiking trails, bird and wildlife viewing, Unimog expeditions, mountain biking, 4×4 routes and abseiling are just some of the Outdoor Activities to be enjoyed in the mountainous terrain and scenic surrounds. More French Huguenots settled here than anywhere else in the Cape and the valley was formerly known as Val du Charron. Visit the Wellington Museum with its diverse cultural exhibits, and learn more about the region’s History. The town was renowned as an important academic centre for theological studies and the Seminary gave rise to present-day Huguenot High School and the Huguenot Teachers Training College. Other educational institutions include Boland College and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Wellington boasts two leather factories producing hand-crafted, quality leather products and a variety of locally produced arts and crafts.

The Bains Kloof Pass provides a more direct route from the town of Wellington to the more Northern towns of Ceres and Worcester, in the Western Cape. It is 26,8 km in length from the bridge over the Breede River to the outskirts of Wellington. Built in 1849 by Andrew Geddes Bain, the famous road engineer. Despite having had no formal engineering training (he and his son Thomas collectively built over 30 passes in the Country). this pass was a tough nut to crack, working with convicts and raw, rough materials and methods. As always seemed to be the case with Bain, he oversaw a marvelous job of the pass which, having stood the test of time, is now a National Monument. The more dramatic, northern section of the pass roughly follows the course of the Witte River, a raging torrent during the wet winter season. One of a series of passes that cut through the mountain that seal Cape Town and its surrounds from the interior, Bains Kloof Pass is also one of the Western Cape's most scenic routes. Andrew Geddes Bain, has been praised for his contribution to paleontology as well as his uncanny engineering skill, due in large part to the fossils unearthed and preserved during the construction of this and other roads. To drive its bends and turns brings one right up against the Limietberg Mountain with incredible views out over the Wellington Valley. Later there are views onto the river and across the valley on the other side. Consistent viewpoints along the pass allow space to pull over. Today Bainskloof (sometimes also written as Bainskloof) is regarded by those who travel it as the scenic, off the beaten track route to Wolseley and Tulbagh, or Ceres. The original dirt road pass was intended for horse drawn carriages and carts, rather than cars, yet the eastern side of the pass has remained pretty much as it was, despite the changes made to the western side. One wonders how it must have felt on horse back on some of the narrow parts of the road, with sheer drops down the side slopes of the pass. Trucks on the road are few for if they get stuck there is nowhere for them to turn around, and they can find themselves stuck here for hours. Most of the walks in the Limietberg Nature Reserve start from the top of Bainskloof pass, and there is a fairly popular campsite, known as Tweede Tol, roughly 16 km along the pass from Wellington at which you can overnight.

Groenberg is a mountain and is located in Cape Winelands District Municipality, Western Cape, South Africa. The estimate terrain elevation above seal level is 923 metres. The scenic farm at the foot of the Groenberg Mountains offers a wide variety of exquisite cut roses. Stroll through the array of roses and select your personal choice before heading back to the rose building where you can watch the professional preparation of your roses by the friendly staff. A selection of beverages, pastries and cakes is available in the beautiful stained glass decorated tea room.

The Doring River is situated in the Northwestern Cederberg and has its origin the majestic Hex River Mountains towards the northeast of one of the most fertile areas in South Africa, named after the goddess of agriculture, Ceres. It winds its way through the Cederberg Mountains, where it joins with the Olifants River at Klawer. This seasonal river is fed by the pounding rains that hit the Western Cape during winter and rates as one of the of the Cape's white water rivers boasting grade two and three rapids. Apart from its uses for irrigation in the Clanwilliam area, the river is also home to a number of recreational activities, probably the most popular of which is white water rafting. There are a few different companies which offer rafting experiences on the Doring River, most suggesting a minimum age of 13 due to the rapid grading. Other activities include swimming, paddling, hiking, and fly-fishing in season. Flowing through beautiful mini-canyons in the Cederberg, this section is a favourite multi-day trip for both private trippers and commercial rafters. It is often referred to as the Cape’s Tugela, as it provides excellent big water after good rains in the Ceres area. The river cuts through the Great Karoo, providing life to the barren landscape. Doring River offers white water rafting adventures from mid-June to September, on the river that winds through the Cederberg. Arrive the night before rafting and awake after the warm hospitality of a fireside meal, to an adventure you’ll never forget! By 08h00 you and your equipment will be transported to the starting point, where river guides will instruct you on the basics of river rafting. The group will continue down the river with their appointed and experienced guides until nightfall, when a tented camp and a hot meal await. Unwind under the clear African skies and listen to the water rushing. Make new friends and share campfire stories while drinking in the beauty of the night out in ‘the wild’. On day two, you’ll be more confident, and will enjoy stopping for lunch and refreshments along the way. The fun all comes to an end by the late afternoon, but you’ll leave with an ocean of memories. Remember to ask Wild Thing adventures for a checklist for all the essentials you’ll need to make the experience as enjoyable as possible. Don’t forget the sun block!

As its name intended, the little town of Vredendal, which borders on the Southern tip of the Namaqualand region, is named after a; ''peaceful settlement', that brought harmony between two sparring parties. This relatively modern town is situated in the Green Fringe of the Olifants river valley. Vredendal with its developed infrastructure is home to the largest wine cellar in South Africa, as well as, a number of boutique wineries and a dried fruit depots. Part of the original Vredendal farm, which dates back to 1748, the now modern town lies on the banks of the Olifants River and has become something of a hub for the Matzikama region, known for its contrasting sandy plains, rugged mountains and some of the most diverse examples of succulent plant species in the world. Renowned for its intricate irrigation scheme, the Olifants River allows for extensive agriculture and viticulture in the area. The valley is thus green and fertile and lies surrounded by the majestic Gifberg, Maskam and Koebee peaks, creating a peaceful haven and magic setting for getting away from it all. Vredendal is not only an ideal base from which to explore the Namaqualand, the Cape West Coast region and the Cederberg Mountains, but it is also on the Olifants River wine route, which includes the large vineyards of Westcorp and Lutzville, a number of petite boutique cellars producing some up and coming wines and typical ‘Weskus’ (west coast) hospitality. This area has been recognised as one of the country’s ideal regions for wine production. The Matzikama Eco-Park offers nature lovers some fantastic hiking trails, bird hides, botanical and community gardens, a bird aviary and an eco-centre overlooking the Gifberg Mountain. And the annual ‘Rittelfees’, which happens at the end of October, brings together eight towns from the district for music, arts and crafts and some of the country’s celebrities. Vredendal is possibly best known for its wild flowers in spring when the mountains metamorphose into a tapestry of exquisite colour - a tribute to the Matzikama’s rich diversity of succulent plant species and a joy to behold.