Discover Cape Town and the Western Cape through its ‘Neverending Tourists’

These three visitors arrived in Cape Town and the Western Cape and never left – they share what they love about this enigmatic South African region…

Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you find yourself in a destination that captures your heart and fires your imagination. A place so inspiring that you simply can’t bear to board that flight home. For Khobi from the Bahamas, Adetola from England and Scott from Northern Ireland, that’s exactly what happened. Drawn in by the adventure, luxury experiences and road trips of Cape Town and the Western Cape, they arrived as holidaymakers and stayed as ‘Neverending Tourists’. Here’s what inspired them to do just that…

ADVENTURE

“Flying is a truly amazing experience,” says Khobi, who is passionate about paragliding. “When you’re up in the sky and the clouds, and it’s just you and the elements, you have this feeling of freedom.”

Freedom is what she found in South Africa’s seaside town of Wilderness – freedom and roots. What started out as a holiday turned out to be more permanent, as she set about making a new home in the Western Cape’s Garden Route region.

“The moment that changed my life was the first time I flew off the Map of Africa [viewpoint] in Wilderness,” explains Khobi.

It’s no wonder she felt at home here. Flanked by the Indian Ocean on one side and the Swartberg Mountains on the other, the riverside town of Wilderness offers the perfect gateway for exploring the region.

The Garden Route National Park, for example, is a wonderland of lakes and rivers, while a short scenic drive to the forests of Knysna – ask a local for the tale of its elusive elephants – and Tsitsikamma yields incredible birding, multi-day hikes, river canyoning and thrilling ocean adventures.

Surfing? Victoria Bay serves up one of Africa’s best right-hand pointbreaks. Inland is an adventurer’s paradise too, whether you clip in for a single-track mountain-bike session or tackle the region’s famed running trails. Of course, you could always take to the skies, just like Khobi did.

LUXURY… REDEFINED

For today’s global traveller, the true essence of luxury lies in access, not excess. For Adetola it was the sheer abundance of unfiltered beauty that saw her Western Cape holiday become the first step in moving here.

“Luxury for me is being able to open my door and see the mountains, then walk down to the sea and experience amazing nature with my family,” she says. “Since I’ve been here, I’ve really noticed the effect on my body and soul.”

And the Western Cape offers a wealth of choices for discovering your own unique perspective on luxury. That could mean an oceanfront lodge where days are spent watching whales leaping beyond the waves, or perhaps indulging in a holistic wellness spa cradled by ancient mountains and lush forests.

Hungry? Seek out inspired cuisine in a West Coast restaurant, served at your table by an acclaimed forager-chef. Then take a long walk on shimmering sands, sharing the beach with only your loved ones. Or perhaps you fancy tasting delicious wines in a Franschhoek cellar, guided by the winemaker herself?

“The wine, the restaurants, the nature, the outdoors. The expanse of the place,” enthuses Adetola. “The minute that I stepped off the plane I just felt at home here.”

However you choose to define luxury, you’ll find your true north in South Africa’s Western Cape.

ROAD TRIPS

Africa has always been ‘Big Sky’ country, and nowhere does this better than the Western Cape. It’s why the open road remains one of the finest ways to explore the sinuous curves of the Atlantic coastline, or the rugged beauty of the mountainous interior.

“The Western Cape is a playground for adults,” says Scott, who loves kickstarting his motorbike and tracing gravel byways. “I’ve travelled all over the world, and the beauty of the Western Cape lies in its diversity. You can head in any direction and find something that takes your breath away. It’s an outdoor paradise. You’ve got oceans, mountains, deserts. I find myself at ease in these landscapes.”

And there is no end of options for which landscapes you choose to seek out. Tackle the rough roads in the Cederberg and you’ll be rewarded by majestic mountain scenery. Come springtime, the West Coast erupts in a riot of flowers. Sinuous mountain passes are a delight in the Southern Cape, while the quirky farmstalls and long, lonely roads will quickly etch the arid Tankwa Karoo into your soul.

“There’s something about desertscapes that are very alluring,” says Scott. “There’s a great peace that comes with being far away.”

Neverending tourists (above; left to right) Khobi loves paragliding over the Western Cape; Adetola believes luxury is to be found in the great outdoors; Scott loves an epic road trip; (left; top to bottom) Khobi loves kayaking close to her home in Wilderness; go off-grid in the Western Cape in its indigenous forests

The Cape outdoors (clockwise from top left) Discover the simple joys of the Western Cape, such as its wild coastline; the Western Cape is a natural playground for adults; motor through majestic mountains in Cederberg; the Western Cape is somewhere you can feel at home