What to Do
Worcester and its surrounding areas offer a variety of activities, which include hiking, bird watching, game viewing, the Karoo Botanical Gardens, mountain biking, cycling, water sports and of course wine & olive tastings in the Breedekloof Wine Valley – all mere minutes from our door step!
drink some wine
Breede River Valley
Did you know?
Roughly a quarter of all vineyards planted in South Africa are located in the Worcester region and, depending on the grape type, farmers either sell their grapes directly to large co-operative cellars for wine production or retail outlets for table grapes.
Two exceptional wine routes are nestled in the breathtaking Breede River Valley with top producing cellars producing a wide variety of wines for different palates, from award-winning sweet full bodied muskadels to crisp fruity whites and heart-warming reds.
Wine in the Worcester Wine and Olive Route is produced along the Breede River Valley and lower mountain slopes at 12 award-winning wine estates. The sunny Mediterranean weather and unique soil and geology makes for ideal conditions to produce exceptional wines and brandy.
The Breedekloof Wine Route along the Breede River and Slanghoek valley includes 22 wineries ranging from small boutique cellars to large estates. This is Chenin country! The terroir of the area is ideal to produce top quality Chenin Blanc wines which continues to draw attention locally and internationally. Chenin Blanc vines have been planted here as far back as 1692.
taste the fruit of the valley
Nuy Valley
Other interesting tasting experiences
Craft beer: Saggy Stone (Nuy Valley) and Mountain Brewing Company (Klipbokop Mountain reserve), Broers Brew (outside Rawsonville)
Craft Gin: Monks (Tierkop farm outside Worcester) and Six Dogs (De Wet)
do some business
Worcester
Worcester serves as the hub for commercial, distribution and retail activity in the Breede River Valley and is the most centrally situated town in the Cape Winelands District, just an easy hours drive from Cape Town.
get some culture
Architecture walking tour
Worcester and the Breede River Valley has a rich history covering a time when the region was inhabited by indigenous hunter gathers and pastoralists followed by trekker farmers and later the introduction of commerce and industrial change.
Kleinplasie Open Air Museum at the Worcester Museum Complex offers a unique experience by incorporating activities and demonstrations in a lively, open-air exhibition area. The collections emphasise the Cape colonial history with agricultural implements, wagons, furniture, glass, ceramics, textiles and metal. The grounds have been developed with structures forming a traditional Cape farm yard. The activities reflect the history in interactive ways akin to the day to day agricultural and home industry a century ago.
Much of the historic buildings have been retained and the eye-catching white Dutch Reformed Church is prominent in the landscape. A unique feature of the town is the historic architecture walking tour which takes you through the old part of town with Cape Dutch and Victorian buildings. Grab the guide book and walk the streets to see the Worcester gable, a gable unique to Worcester. Read our blog to find out more about the history of this picturesque town.
Care a lot
Worcester is the “Care Capital” of the Western Cape with both the De la Bat school for deaf learners and the Pioneer school for visually impaired learners as well as the Innovation for the blind and the National Institute for the deaf located in town.
Learn a little
Worcester has a variety of high schools serving the education need for the Worcester and surrounding towns. Other higher education institutions include Boland Collage, Worcester College, Western Cape College of nursing, University of Stellenbosch’s Ukwanda Rural Clinical School and the University of Cape Town’s South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) TB Research Centre.
The Hugo Naudé Art Centre was established in 1943, is named after one of South Africa’s most famous impressionist artists, Hugo Naudé. The Art Centre offers a wide variety of subjects in the performing and visual arts and serves the Breede Valley as well as the surrounding making the arts accessible to learners from all walks of life.
play a little
Worcester golf club
The Worcester Golf club is a 18 hole Gary Player designed golf course which offers magnificent mountain views.
Horse back
Horse back riding at the Vredelus or Painted Horse stables.
Hiking trails
Explore the most popular walking trails near Worcester:
Fairway Heights to Radio – Moderate
Grysbokkie Trails, Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden – Moderate
Shale Trail, Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden – Moderate
Dwarsberg Trout Hideaway
Kirabo Cellars
Mountain biking trails
The area around Worcester is perfect for mountain biking with several routes close to town and a variety of routes for every type of cyclist to choose from on the nearby wine farms. Many of the routes include sections used for the Cape Epic. Permits for the routes are available at Manic Cycles (Shop 22, Q-Square). Visitors can choose from one of the following routes:
- The Golf Course – Casino route (13km very easy loop, minimal climbing), Apiesklip route (Challenging 14km loop, with over 400m of ascent)
- The Heatlie-farm route, also known as the “Heuweltjie” route.
- The Nuy-on-the-Hill route
- The Olyfberg route
- De Wet Cellar route
- The Slanghoek Wine Cellar route
- Du Toitskloof – Goudyn – Stettynskloof
- Van Loveren
- Dwarsberg Trout Hideaway
Self-drive 4×4 trails
- Matroosberg 4×4 Trail outside Ceres is a self-drive trail graded between 2 and 5 and of average difficulty.
- The Hex River 4×4 Trail near De Doorns is a 75km trail which takes 2 days to complete.
- The Tierkloof 4×4 trail is located next to Brandvlei dam outside Worcester takes you to the top of Bloukom with magnificent views of Brandvlei dam and the Breede River Valley.
Car events
International stock car events are held regularly at Kleinplasie race track.
Adventurous activities
- Test your nerves and zip through the tree tops at the Ceres Zipline or;
- Spread your wings and learn to fly. Gliding is popular in Worcester, pilots are drawn to the area for the thermals generated by high winds that pour down over the surrounding mountains to meet the warm valley floor. The Cape Gliding Club is situated at the Worcester Airfield.
Fishing
Fishing in the Brandvlei dam at Nekkies or flyfish at the Dwarsberg Trout Hideaway or Slanghoek Mountain Resort.
love nature
Karoo Botanical Garden
The 144ha natural semi-desert garden which lies at the foot of the Hex River Mountain range was established in 1948 and hosts some of the most extraordinary succulent plants, aloes and cycads. The most popular time to visit the Garden is during spring (late August to September), when the annuals and vygies are in flower.
The garden has pleasant paths to stroll through the beds planted with indigenous plants as well as hiking trails (Shale trail and Grysbokkie trail) and the new addition a braile trail.
Fairy Glen Private Game Reserve
You don’t have to travel to the Kruger Park to see the Big 5. Visit the Fairy Glen Private Game Reserve less than 7km from the guesthouse for an exciting 2-3 hour game drive to view the Big 5 (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo).
Aquila Private Game Reserve
A visit to the Aquila Private Game Reserve, a 10 000ha conservancy situated between the Langeberg and the Outeniqua Mountains towards Touws River, a 70km drive from the guesthouse, is a unique experience either by game viewing vehicle, horse back or quadbike.
Bosjes
Tour the beautiful gardens and trails at Bosjes, an award-winning architectural marvel.
More things to experience
- Shop at the Mountain Mill Mall Shopping Center with 117 stores, which include national chain stores, movie theatres and restaurants.
- Try your luck at the Golden Valley Casino.
- Stop in at the Blindiana Museum to view their fossil collection.
And a few more!
Pure Boland Market
Experience the farmers market with fresh produce, locally roasted coffee, artisan wood fired oven breads, arts & crafts and food stalls with the most spectacular view over the vineyards with the Brandwacht mountains as a backdrop.
Farmstalls
Pitstops at farmstalls are an integral component of South African culture and a must on every road trip. Two exceptional farmstalls outside Worcester are a must to stock up on preserves, fresh fruits, vegetables straight off the farm, moerkoffie, homemade ginger beer etc. :
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- Die Pampoenstal (directly translated to “the pumpkin farm stall”) on the R60 and
- Rietdakkies (which is Afrikaans for ‘thatched roof’) on the R43 between Worcester & Wolseley.