The Portuguese explorer Bartholomew
Dias, first rounded the Cape in 1488, and named it the Cape
of Storms due the stormy weather that was constantly experienced off
the tip of Africa.
It was quickly renamed Cape of Good Hope by King
John II of Portugal.
Africans in the region simply call it "Ikapa Lodumo" (Cape
of Fame) due to the attractions as a destination for tourists worldwide.
Sir Francis Drake named
it "The Fairest Cape". It was also named the "Cape
of
Storms" by Portuguese mariners who frequently visited the peninsula.
"The Cape of Good Hope", "The Tavern of the Seas"
or simply "The Cape".
When Jan Van Riebeeck
First landed in the Cape in 1652, one of his first establishments
was a refreshment station for passing ships. A settlement that grew
and became a colony in it's own right. The exploration and settlement
of the interior of the country started from here and the Western
Cape played an important role in the history of South and Southern
Africa.
Jan van Riebeecks statue, which stands on the Heerengracht,
is approximately where the commander and his party landed. Previously
known as Roggebaai (Rocky Bay), it later boasted an esplanade and
a pier.
In the 1940's these were demolished, the land
was reclaimed and became known as "The Foreshore".
Request a booking online by simply clicking on the price of
your desired daytrip.
The
Fairest Cape
Enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Cape winelands.
Stellenbosch
Close to Cape Town, South Africa, and surrounded by the magnificent
mountain scenery of the Jonkershoek valley lies the historic
town of Stellenbosch.
Stellenbosch, the country's
second oldest town, after Cape Town, was founded in
1679, during the period of control of the Dutch East India
Company.
Situated 111 metres above sea level on the banks of the upper
reaches of the Eerste
River. Here the river flows out of the mountains and
into a shallow, alluvial and fertile valley
The 470 km2 of the Cape Peninsula, including Table Mountain,
is home to
2 256 different plant species - more than the whole of Great
Britain, an area 5 000 times bigger! The 60 km2 of Table Mountain
alone supports 1 470 species.
Whales
Each year Southern Right whales migrate into the coastal
waters of the Western Cape to calve and nurse their young.
The animals, often mere metres from the shore, provide unsurpassed
whale watching opportunities between June and November.
Humpbacks migrate through the region between May and December
each year, while Bryde's whales are found slightly further
offshore all year round.
At least 37 species of whales and dolphins can be found in
the waters off South Africa