Find the 7 clicks of the Bushman Language here at !Khwa ttu
Come and learn to say the click at !Khwa ttu on the Culture Route. Did you know that the San are the oldest inhabitants of Southern Africa where they have lived for at least 20 000 years? Did you know that the San speak a group of languages known for characteristic clicks and that these languages are written using symbols such as ! or /?
Now have a look at the name !Khwa ttu again and you will understand why the way it is written may appear unusual.
At !Khwa ttu you can learn incredible facts like these on the San. All within one hour’s drive from Cape Town.
At !Khwa ttu the San spirit is shared. And celebrated.
You can spend the day or stay the night at !Khwa ttu.
Return enriched, their brochure proclaims. I did. And yes, again as the brochure states, it was a unique experience. It was also an authentic interaction – something which one does not often encounter, I find. No wonder then that !Khwa ttu has received a Certificate of Excellence from Tripadvisor.
If you spend the day there are San guided tours – learn more about nature and culture – on offer. I learnt so much; I can only imagine what young children will discover and how it will link with what they learn at school.
In school holiday season – go to their website to see what is offered when – !Khwa ttu offers a kiddies holiday programme with daily adventure activities, a kiddies treasure hunt, a full moon family fitness day and a scenic drive with a sundowner platter and wine.
There is a restaurant with ‘lekker’ food – they serve generous portions and there is an option to do some wine tasting (adults only of course) as well.
They offer free wifi so you can post some cool photos and make your friends real envious. It’s the kind of place that you want to tell people about anyway – to spread the word and share what Cape Town, the West Coast and environs have to offer.
There are mountain bike and nature trails for the fit-as-a-fiddle types, for all level riders. All in a West Coast setting with views all the way past Bloubergstrand to Table Mountain.
The not-so-fit or the not-so-inclined can browse – and indulge in – arts and crafts inspired and produced by the San.
Tortoises including large mountain tortoises amble around – albeit very slowly – paying scant attention to the view. Zebras do… what zebras do which is pretty much nothing at all.
If you spend the night there are tented camps and guest houses. Once you have lit the fire – or not – and have your first glass of wine in hand you will have to pinch your arm to remind yourself that you are but a short drive away from home and not in the bushveld somewhere.
!Khwa ttu on the Culture Route?
Find !Khwa ttu on the Culture Route between Yzerfontein – 15 km away and 19 minutes’ drive – and Darling – 21 km away and 21 minutes’ drive – on the R27 West Coast Road.
Yzerfontein is a seaside village with an unparalleled and unspoilt 16 Mile Beach where you could walk for hours whilst looking out over the Atlantic Ocean. In wildflower season there are thousands and thousands of flowers in the veld, and the pavements of Yzerfontein display the same hues.
Darling is one of the funkiest towns in South Africa and it has a lot to offer: various restaurants and wineries, retail therapy, a craft brewery and a theatre called Evita se Perron in the old train station.
Facilities available at !Khwa ttu in the West Coast:
• Accommodation • Child Friendly • Pet Friendly • Bar • Restaurant (Breakfast / Lunch) • Fireplace • Wheelchair Accessibility (Restaurant) • Trip Advisor • Conference Facilities • Wedding and Function Venue • Shop • Tractor Rides • San Guided Experiences • Mountain Biking Trails • Mountain Bike & Helmet -hiring
Find !Khwa ttu on the Culture Route on the West Coast Way
Open 7 days a week | Free entry
R150/person for an 1,5hr San Guided Experience. (Group bookings essential)
Distance from Cape Town: 74km
Where: Grootwater Farm, R27
Coordinates: 33°21’44.55” S 18°16’14.12” E
Contact: (c) +27 (0)22 492 2998 | [email protected] | www.khwattu.org
Written by: Ilse Zietsman
I’m a freelance journalist – I love writing about travel, food, and people. Travel is my passion – I’ve traveled to 44 countries and I’m always planning my next trip.
I have a curious mind, I love learning new things and doing something different. And yes, I confess, I listen to Boney M over Christmas.
West Coast Way is South Africa’s road trip with the most twists. South Africans and visitors can explore a unique collection of themed routes to do adventure-filled Cape West Coast self-drive trips or a West Coast Holiday. The new West Coast Way “basket” of free routes on offer include the West Coast Way Tractor Route, the West Coast Way Berg Route, the West Coast Way Foodie Route, the West Coast Way Cultural Route – as well as the newly launched West Coast Way Wild Route, all of which are designed to showcase the many attractions and activities that are already on offer on the Cape West Coast and inland areas – but may be unknown to many. For more information on West Coast Way’s #WestCoastTwist and the list of 101 Things to Do on the West Coast visit www.westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777. Connect with West Coast Way on Facebook and Twitter at WestCoastWaySA.