|
|
|
|  |
|
Tourist Attractions
Bali Trading
Pottery, furniture & crafts
N2 National Road
Tel: 028 7132080 | Lyko Candles
Handmade candles
Van Riebeeck Str
Tel: 28 7133861/ 073 195 9177 |
Aardvark Nature Reserve
Nature Guide training, nature guide development Programme
Conference centre, Accommodation guided horse back & walking safari's
4x4 Game viewing vehicle professional field guide
40 km from Riversdale on R323 | Edenberg Wines
The wine yard is situated at the foot of the Langeberg Mountain
The wine is matured in French oak - 4 metres under water
Tel:028 7133730/0724622299
trix@isat.co.za
www.edenbergcellar.co.za
|
Julius Gordon Africana Centre
Built in 1860 and internationally recognized.
It houses the unique Julius Gordon Collection of antiques and art works of well known artists, situated in Long street.
Tel: 0287138053 | The Old Toll House
Built in 1877 and now a National Monument situated in the Garcia Pass |
Zeekoegat Historical Homestead
Was built in 1795, It was once situated along the main route through Africa to the East and was a popular stopover for travellers, 3 km out of town. | Gysmanshoek Pass
A pass that dates back to the middle 1700's. Through the Langeberg mountains between Riversdale and Heidelberg.
Take route 1316, turn off on route 6402 which connects with route 1641. Not accessible by sedan. |
Long street
The oldest street in Riversdale and situated next to the Vette River.
All the houses on the Northern end of the street date back to the mid 1800's. | St Matthews Anglican Church
A quaint stone building erected in 1859, situated in Heidelberg Road. |
Lutheran Church
Built in 1907, situated in Barry street. | Dutch Reformed Church
Built in 1907, has an organ which was imported from
Scotland at a cost of R1 800, situated in Church street. |
Korente/Vette River Dam
A beautiful expanse of water nestled between the mountains and pine forests.
An ideal spot for day visitors, or those wanting to spend a few days in the serene environment.
Tel:028 7133316 | Kasselhoop Cheese Factory
Cheese Tours
Come and watch traditional Cheese being made.
Monday/Wednesday/Friday Tours begin at 11am Tour include demonstration and cheese taster .
**Purchase cheese at low prices
Bookings - contact Kerry: 0287542430
kasselhoop@easycoms.co.za
|
The Old Jail
Built in 1834, take a tour around the jail and experience the history around the building.
A real country experience at the Farmers Market, every Saturday. Coffee Shop during weekdays.
Tel: 0287134300 |
Riversdale Tourism Office
Visit the Riversdale Tourism office on the N2
Local handmade products for sale at the office.
Tel: 0287131996
|
Jakkalsvlei Cellar
Come explore this unique, off the beaten track wine farm in the Garden Route and experience true Southern Cape hospitality.
Herbertsdale (50km from Mossel Bay on the R327)
Tel:0287352061
info@jakkalsvlei.co.za
www.jakkalsvlei.co.za |
|
 |
Day Trips
- Day Trip1: Culture and heritage
Start at N2 Info Office.
Duration 4h.
Distance 14km.
Your own guided transport at own costs. Booking 3 days in advance. Starting times at 09h00 and 14h00 (During summer season).Costs R100/person(group of 4). 10km tour through town of Riversdale introducing you to the cultural differences between neighbourhoods and reasons for their origin. Watch,join and be trained by Ballroom and Latin-American Dance students from local Hessequa Dance School (being the no 2,5 and 7 South African 2008 champions in their age-groups).Enjoy Tea/coffee and roasted bread-buns with jam.Be thrilled by a 2008 champion gum-boots performance and end the day by buying original art done by youth-in-need at the HQ of the Ha! Qua Youth Program.Additional visit to local sangoma will be an added R100 per person.
- Day Trip2: Culture and Heritage
Start at N2 Info Office.
Duration 4h.
Distance 14km.
Your own guided transport at own costs. Booking 5 days in advance.Starting time at 09h00(During summer-season).Costs R400 per person/R100 per guide.Enjoy your breakfast at **** Guesthouse,before a 16km tour through town of Riversdale introducing you to the cultural differences between neighbourhoods and reasons for their origin.Visit the local museum with its second largest private display of South African art and antique masterpieces. Have lunch at the Bird and Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of Arendhoogte to enjoy some green history of Hessequa.End the day by buying art done by youth-in need at the HQ of the Ha! Qua Youth Program.
Day Trip: Exploring Eco and Nature
Start at N2 Info Office.
Duration 5h.
Your own guided transport at own costs to and from venue (40km). Supplied four-by-four transport at venue(over distance of 10km).Booking 7 days in advance.Starting time 10h00 (Only available on Saturdays).Costs R80 per person/R100 per guide (group of 4).
Essentials,protective wear to do hiking with proper boots and supply own stacked picknick basket. Be adrenalized by a four-by-four incline of 1500 ft at Mont Blanc.Be left flabberghasted by the amorous natural environment of the largest protected vleilande in Eden.Be humble in the presence of the art done by our fore-fathers. Munch at the wonder in the alpine serenity at an altitude of 1800 ft above sea-level. Return to Riversdale to enjoy the rest of the beautiful historic town.
- Day Trip 1: Outdoor active
Start at N2 Info Office.
Duration 9h.
Distance 80km to Malgas, 150km tour and 80km back to Info Office.
Your own guided (four-by-four) transport at own costs.Booking 7 days in advance. Starting time 09h00.Costs per per guide R500.
Between the The Two Mighty Rivers: Malgas to Gouritzmond
You will definitely need a four-by-four, full tank of gas, two liters of water per person, a stacked picknick-basket and presume that you will find no use for your cellphone. Anticipate the surprises about how summer-flooding and anykind of other personal-dangers can alter your intentions. Be the four-by-fourer loaded with green-concern you are, passing no harm to any fauna or flora. (The distances are rounded off to the nearest 5 km)(Route numbers are indicated on maps available at local garages)
Malgas to Witsand (40km) (use the Witsand indicators, all turn-offs are towards your right). Experience the use of the only operating ferry in S.A. (and make sure about its operating times in advance,) across the Breede River and back to Malgas. Pass interesting names like Paardekloof, Kadieswagendrift and Kadiesvlei crossing the Slang River towards Witand while enjoying the view across the flood-plains of the mighty Breede. At Witsand see which surprises you can find at the beach or riverbank yourself. Don't forget that this estuary is the largest nursery of whales along the coast of S.A.
Witsand to Puntjie (50 km) (use Vermaaklikheid indicators, all turn-offs towards your right). Use the first indicator 20km outside Witsand (towards Heidelberg). Start experiencing the so-called Duineveld of Hessequa. Have the first use of your picknick-basket at the bridge across the Duivenhoks River. Ask around about the origin of the quaintness of Vermaaklikheid at this emaculate settlement. Pay attention to and discuss ideas of how society can empower the poor amongst the more wealthier average of this community. Get your access pass at a local vendor to progress to Puntjie (15 km). Appreciate the historic kapsteilhuisies and environment.
Puntjie to Stilbaai (50 km) (use Blombos/Jongensfontein/Stilbaai indicators). On your way back to Vermaaklikheid (10km) turn right. You will pass historic names like Steenkoolfontein, Mosselbankfontein, Blomboschfontein, Kleine Jongensfontein and Zwarte Jongensfontein. You are only allowed with very strict regulations to visit the nearby Gracia State Forest with its famous adjacent Blombos Caves. You can reply for such access at the Info Bureau of Stilbaai, but it will be granted to only controled groups under the authority and supervision of recognized local environmentalists. A visit as such allows you to appreciate the most stunning views from Cape Barracuda past Elandspunt towards Infanta and pass you a perfect reply on the origin of your nineteenth great-grandmother. Reaching the tar-road, turn right to pay a visit to Jongensfontein first, before heading off with it towards Stilbaai. Make sure to visit a scheduled program for tourists at the Stilbaai Tourist Information Bureau to enjoy feeding eels. Add to that a dip in the Indian Ocean at the only Blue Flag Status Beach in Eden District Municipality (one of nineteen in S.A.), that of Lappiesbaai. While licking off the salt from your lips enjoy the lunch in your picknick basket.
Stilbaai to Gouritzmond (60 km) (You will use the Albertinia/Gouritzmond -indicators). On your way to Riversdale (10 km) turn off into Melkhoutfontein with the intention to visit the emaculate Soete Inval Gardens at the Soeterus Old Age Home, enjoy snoek and jam on your request at the home or any other local home and therefore you have to make use of the most friendly people you will ever meet. Yet, at the first stop turn right and at the second crossing left. Past farming-areas with names like Besemgoedkop, Blikhuis, Slagkop, Rietvlei and Ratelpost you will also pay a visit to the Reinekloof Nature Reserve to enjoy their excellent facilities catering for the up-market tourism-industry. At Driefontein with the turn-off towards Albertinia keep right. This more four-by-four-friendly route will head you towards the coastal environment. Environments like Sousmansheuwel, Ystervarkfontein, Ystervarkpunt, Skool se Bank, Platbank, Borrelfontein, Haaikrans, die Spookhuis and Steyntjie se Gat will catch your immagination. Consider the reasons why the local inhabitants will doubt your intentions when stopping at sites for longer than half-an-hour, due to the fact that they are concerned about those intentions ripping their fauna and flora at its coastline. It has been done in the past, and is undergoing a process of recuperation to be introduced to the bigger picture of our tourism industry. Heading (just) out of Gouritzmond towards Albertinia you will find a restaurant on your left to quench your thirst. At it you can buy some products made by the youth of the Ha! Qua Youth Project. At Gouritzmond you can also enjoy absolute fun with a marine-trip up the mouth of the Gouritz River. 10km outside town you will turn right to cross the Gouritz River and have completed the best four-by-four experience the Eden District Municipality can offer you.
PS:Papers of concern have to be completed at the Info Office commencing any of tours.
- Day trip 2: Outdoor Active
The Sleeping Beauty Hiking Trail
This trail covers a distance of 13km from the Toll House to the crest of Sleeping Beauty and back. It is an easy walk from the starting point and numerous streams are crossed. Where the trail meets the Yellowwood forest at the top of the ravine, water bottles must be filled. At this point hikers are warned to beware of bees, which become aggressive at times. From this forest a long and steep zigzag path winds its way to the top of the neck behind Sleeping Beauty. The last steep climb is 1˝km to the crest, from which one of the most magnificent views that the Langeberg has to offer, can be seen
At this point the hiker can return to the Toll House for the night. Minimum overnight facilities are available here. Bunks and thin mattresses provide beds for 14 people
From the neck, the hiker can walk along the contour road in a westerly direction. It descends gradually in the direction of the Karoo until it goes in a southerly direction through a beautiful Stinkwood thicket. This thicket is 6˝km from the neck, and this stretch of road is known as "Oom Boet se Pad". It is another 4km from the thicket to the overnight huts at Rooiwaterspruit, which has bunks for 14 people
From the huts, the trail runs for the last 9km in an easterly direction along a firebreak, and then southwards through the plantation until it reaches the road above the dam. From here the trail runs in a westerly direction along the road, from which it runs between the plantation and the dam until the finishing point next to the water nearby the old school building
The hiker has the choice to begin his hike from here. The trail runs through beautiful fynbos. A few varieties of protea that will be encountered are P.speciosa, P.grandiceps and P.coronata. The large variety of Erica makes this route a paradise for the Erica enthusiast. E.inclase, E.blenna and E.papyraracea are 3 of the rarest species that grow here. A variety of the Ericas are responsible for the pink cover that occurs on the mountain during late winter and early summer
The Tolbos that is encountered is mainly L.eucalyptifolium and on the Karoo side the trail runs through beautiful mountain rose L.tinctum. Along the streams buchus Agathosmas spp. bloom in spring while the confetti bushes Coleonemas spp. and the Shepherd's Delight, adenandra/fragrans complete the pink panorama. During the summer months the Strawberry Everlasting Helipterum eximium and Aulax spp is in full bloom.
Enquiries, Bookings and Permits:
Takkieskloof Tourism Resort
Hessequa Municipality
Tel: (028) 7138016 | Riversdale Tourism
Tel:028 7131996
E-mail: riversdale@hessequa.net
For bookings/accommodation/tourist information. |
|
|
|
