Darling Wine and Art Experience

style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Helvetica, Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 25px; background-color: rgb(11, 91, 155); ">Once a half-known annex to other wine regions (not even appearing on official wine maps!) Darling has since built on its status and is now a quality wine region in its own right.

Blessed with long, hot summer mornings in the lower lying areas to cool maritime influenced afternoon breezes in the hills overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Darling has fast gained a reputation for producing wines of stunning depth and intensity.

Predominantly dry land, the vineyards are a combination of trellised and bush vine. Deep, rich granite based soils with high moisture retention have led to significant plantings of low yielding vines with small thick-skinned berries.

The 5 cellars that make up the Darling Wine and Art Experience, namely,Cloof, Darling Cellars, Groote Post, Ormonde Vineyards and Tukulu are no stranger to top honours at wine shows and have rapidly earned a reputation of superior quality.

This area with its unique terroir, owing to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and its remarkable moisture retaining soils, is poised for an exciting future.

Much like the annual rains which herald the start of another miraculous wild flower season, the wine scene in and around the country hamlet of Darlingis flourishing with a sense of purpose that hints at the promise that lies ahead.

One of South Africa's most exciting wine districts, the area offers a lot more than just wine…. A unique habitat, people and range of activities turn a day or a weekend into an experience that you’ll never forget. From cellar tours (sampling a wide range of award-winning wines) and winery restaurants(including gourmet BBQs) to theatre, museum, galleries and the slow measured pace of West Coast life.

Wine lovers can now experience for themselves the appeal and promise of the Wonderful Wines of Darling.

Come see for yourself why it's called Darling!

Agulhas, Southernmost tip of Africa

style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Helvetica, Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 25px; background-color: rgb(11, 91, 155); ">This windswept, rugged coastal plain has been proclaimed the Agulhas National Park. Excursions include nature trails and a unique trail that traverses the southernmost tip of the African continent. There is an environmental educational centre and a splendid museum and interpretative centre.

Agulhas is also a great place for viewing the massive Southern right whales that migrate to the bay to calf and frolic in the bay between July and November each year.

A prime tourist destination, Agulhas also boasts one of the oldest workinglighthouses in South Africa. The massive lighthouse, built in 1848, is fully operational to this day and well worth a visit. The mighty lights have a range of almost 60 kilometres.

Portuguese seafarers named Africa's southernmost tip, "Cape of Needles" due to the fact that a compass shows no real deviation between true north and magnetic north at this spot, and because of the jagged, needle-sharp rocks along the coastline.

The waters near the coast are quite shallow and the best fishing grounds in South Africa. They are called the "Agulhas Bank" and are less than 100 metres in depth. Only after 250 kilometres out to sea does it drop steeply.

Associated with the region is the legendary Cape of Storms where many a ship en route to the east via Cape Agulhas was shipwrecked in the stormy seas. The Zoetendal, Birkenhead and Armiston are some of the many shipwrecks along the coastline. At low tide the wreck of the Meisho Maru rises up above the water.

Archaeological middens are reminders of a successful hunter-gathering culture which dates back thousands of years to when the Khoi-khoi people trapped fish using cleverly constructed tidal traps.

As yet there is no accommodation in the park. 

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, founded in 1913 is world renowned for the beauty and rich bio diversity of the Cape flora it displays against the grand eastern slopes of Table Mountain.

Spread over 528 hectares, it is the largest of South Africa's 8 national gardens and one of the world's leading botanical gardens. It is a living display featuring 4 700 of the estimated 20 000 species of indigenous South African flora, and close to 50 per cent of the Peninsula's floral wealth dotted all over its rolling lawns, intermingled with streams and ponds and well-laid out pathways for easy walking.

A great favourite with both locals and visitors alike, Sundays in summer sees hundreds of visitors, picnic basket and blanket in hand, converge on its lawns for magical sunset concerts. In winter, Silvertree Restaurant in the gardens have weekly concerts with local musicians. Their winter line-up runs until mid-October. Equally popular are the craft markets held at the Stone Cottages on the last Sunday of every month (except June, July and August) and the walking and hiking trails criss crossing the terrain.

A year round drawcard, the garden is as busy when the days turn cooler when it becomes the favourite haunt of horticulturist from around the world and flora-knowledgeable visitors eager to see fynbos in its natural habitat. The months between August and October are considered by those in the know to be the best time to visit as the king of fynbos, the King protea is in full bloom and can be seen in all its splendour.

The cultivated garden covering 36 hectares displays collections of South African plants, particularly those from the winter rainfall region of the country.

The Botanical Society Conservatory enables Kirstenbosch to display South African plants which cannot be grown in the outdoor gardens. Here, under one roof, you will find plants from high mountain peaks, shady forests and hot, dry deserts. The main house, dominated by a large baobab tree, features succulents from the arid regions of southern Africa. Special collections of bulbs, ferns and alpines are displayed in smaller corner houses.

A major tourist attraction and a pleasure on the eyes, it is not hard to understand why Kirstenbosch has won 29 gold medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, or why visitors keep returning to its rich diverse green slopes.

It is nature at its most splendidly beautiful.