Once you have stocked up on pies, rusks and jams at Kardoesie Wuppert(h)al is the place to head to if you want to get away from it all.

West Coast Way Is South Africa’s Road Trip With The Most Twists

Explore the Cape West Coast by planning a self-drive trip or book a guided tour for a nature and adventure-filled Cape West Coast holiday.

Find a 101+ things to see and do on the West Coast Way: Enjoy wine, craft beer, olives and Rooibos tea tastings, Weskus cuisine and braaivleis (barbecue), swing into Citrusdal with a zipline, go Cederberg bouldering, jump into natural (warm) pools, step onto cruises of lagoons and rivers, trek through nature reserves and a National Park, hop onto game drives, try the skill of archery and angling, get your adrenaline pumping with sand-boarding and quad-biking, go horse riding, learn about the San culture and Riel-dancing, do kite- and windsurfing, chill in your flip flops and do surfing, book a kayaking trip, go beach hopping, learn about bees, whales and listen to our birds in a twitcher’s paradise – all in South Africa’s wildflower reserve. For more information on the West Coast’s top places to go, road tripping, hikes, tours and trails, explore westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777.  Follow us on @WestCoastWaySA on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Outside Clanwilliam on your way to Wupperthal the scenic road passes by the grave of C. Louis Leipoldt, the famous Afrikaans poet and known, by some, as the father of South African gastronomy. The rock formations along this part of the road are spectacular.

Wupperthal is a small town in the Cederberg Mountains that was founded by two German missionaries in 1830. The name is derived from the Wupper River in Germany from where the missionaries originally came.

The town itself doesn’t offer much as far as entertainment goes – you go here to recharge your batteries, to read that book that you haven’t had time to pick up for months on end, to spend time with your nearest and dearest, to go for leisurely walks and to soak up the rural atmosphere.

Alternatively you could go hiking (the veld is covered in pristine fynbos – look out for the snow protea, rocket pincushion and the Clanwilliam Cedar), mountain biking or bird watching. If you are an experienced 4×4-driver, you could attempt the Tra-Travallei Route. It is a one-way route though it has escape routes and it has a 3-4 star rating.

The villagers will greet you and ask where you are from as you gaze at the beautiful Moravian Church, as you walk into the quaint post office or as you buy fresh bread at the corner shop. Use the opportunity to ask someone to organise a donkey cart ride for you and the rest of your family or friends.

The Wupperthal shoe factory still exists to this day though it does not employ nearly as many people as it used to in its heyday. It’s still known for its velskoene (leather walking shoes) made by a few third generation shoe makers.

Whether you’re a keen or amateur photographer you will delight in the quaint white-washed cottages with thatched roofs, sagging pergolas, chickens pecking about in the yard and dogs yapping a friendly greeting.

After a stay in Wupperthal head back to the busier towns of Piketberg, Citrusdal, Clanwilliam, Vanrhynsdorp, Nieuwoudtville and Garies.

West Coast Way Is South Africa’s Road Trip With The Most Twists

Explore the Cape West Coast by planning a self-drive trip or book a guided tour for a nature and adventure-filled Cape West Coast holiday.

Find a 101+ things to see and do on the West Coast Way: Enjoy wine, craft beer, olives and Rooibos tea tastings, Weskus cuisine and braaivleis (barbecue), swing into Citrusdal with a zipline, go Cederberg bouldering, jump into natural (warm) pools, step onto cruises of lagoons and rivers, trek through nature reserves and a National Park, hop onto game drives, try the skill of archery and angling, get your adrenaline pumping with sand-boarding and quad-biking, go horse riding, learn about the San culture and Riel-dancing, do kite- and windsurfing, chill in your flip flops and do surfing, book a kayaking trip, go beach hopping, learn about bees, whales and listen to our birds in a twitcher’s paradise – all in South Africa’s wildflower reserve. For more information on the West Coast’s top places to go, road tripping, hikes, tours and trails, explore westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777.  Follow us on @WestCoastWaySA on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.