The West Coast is regarded by many Capetonians and locals as a road that links to a few coastal towns and mainly leads one to Namibia. In Spring it is well known as a flower bed.

However, it offers tourists two special places to visit, just one hour out of Cape Town, and before you reach Langebaan: the !Kwha Ttu San Culture and Heritage Centre as well as the Buffelsfontein Game Reserve. As a Tourist Guide I have taken German tourists to both destinations, and they have enjoyed our visits to both.

The Bushmen or San tribe was the first to inhabit Southern Africa. The !Khwa Ttu San Culture and Education Centre and heritage museum documents the origin and life of the tribe and employs staff descended from the San.

Three buildings represent the 100000 year old culture of the San people, beautifully and creatively presented. Exhibitions include tracing the origins of the San, their life as hunter-gatherers, their accommodation, their jewellery, their foraging for food and water, their music, their language, and their art work visible in caves.

The Khwa Ttu centre was established by Swiss anthropologist Irene Staehelin. She bought an 850 ha wheat farm for the Centre, which opened 16 years ago. Wildlife was also introduced to the property.

!Khwa Ttu is located on the R27 West Coast Road and is open daily. One can explore the Centre buildings oneself, or with guides. A good quality restaurant is available for visitors.

 

For visitors to Cape Town with limited time and who would like to see game, the Buffelsfontein Game Reserve on the West Coast Road is ideal to see four of the Big Five animals : lions (separated from the other game), rhinoceros, leopard, and buffalo.

Visitors are taken on a game drive of 90 minutes or 3 hours, at R480 and R680, respectively. The knowledgeable game guide takes great trouble to show visitors as many of the animals, including springboks, eland, kudu, giraffes, ostriches, and zebras.

Game drives are available at 9h00 and at 14h00. Booking ahead is advised.

Tourist Guided trips in English or German can be booked with me directly:

 

My Cape Town Guide/ Mein Kapstadt Guide, Cell/Handy +27 825511323 Facebook & Instagram.

 

Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide