Western Cape

Read more about the article The Twelve Apostles – the back of Table Mountain
Firefly the Travel Guy

The Twelve Apostles – the back of Table Mountain

When you think of Cape Town, you think of Table Mountain, with Devil's Peak on one side and Lion's Head and Signal Hill on the other. Behind Table Mountain on the Atlantic Seaboard, you'll find the Twelve Apostles Mountain Range with its magnificent crags, ridges, ravines, and gorges running roughly from Kloof Nek (the saddle between Table Mountain and Lion’s Head) to Hout Bay. Given the name of the series of mountains, you’d think you’d be able to count 12…

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26/01/2025
Read more about the article Kalk Bay Harbour
Firefly the Travel Guy

Kalk Bay Harbour

It's been more than just a few years since I last visited (and not just driven through) Kalk Bay. In fact, I think the last time was when I was part of the "Our Beautiful Country" television game show and was put up in Kalk Bay for the recording of my rounds). Spending a little time with my daughter before we head back to PE and she stays behind for her second year of university, we played tourist and took…

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23/01/2025
Read more about the article Arch Rock near Plettenberg Bay – best done at low tide
Firefly the Travel Guy

Arch Rock near Plettenberg Bay – best done at low tide

One of the Garden Route attractions I haven't had a chance to visit is Cathedral Rock (also called Arch Rock) at Keurboomstrand near Plettenberg Bay. It's not for a lack of trying though. Arch Rock is only accessible at low tide and we've never spent a couple of days in Plett so it's only been a quick attempt while passing through if there was time. This time around I had the afternoon in town before picking my daughter up from…

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08/04/2024
Read more about the article The Bloukrans Bridge on the border of the Eastern and Western Cape
Firefly the Travel Guy

The Bloukrans Bridge on the border of the Eastern and Western Cape

The Bloukrans Bridge in the Tsitsikamma is famous for being the site of the world’s highest commercial bridge bungee jump, operated by Bloukrans Bungy (previously known as Face Adrenalin) since 1997. The N2 national road along the Garden Route between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town crosses over the bridge and I'm sure somebody who has never pulled over to the view site probably doesn't know what's happening below them. Construction on the Bloukrans Bridge started in February 1980, running through…

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07/03/2024
Read more about the article Under the canopy of the winding Bloukrans Pass
Firefly the Travel Guy

Under the canopy of the winding Bloukrans Pass

In the late 1870s, master pass builder Thomas Bain arrived in the Tsitsikamma to look at the possibility of building passes through the three gorges standing in the way of a road linking the Plettenberg Bay area to Port Elizabeth in the east. Bain plotted the best and easiest way through the Groot River, Bloukrans River and Storms River gorges by following the elephant footpaths and construction started in 1879. The Bloukrans Pass was completed in 1880 with the Storms…

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17/11/2022
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Around the Cape in a motorbike sidecar

One of my South African travel bucket list items I got to tick off during 2017 was going on a motorcycle sidecar tour in the Cape.  A visit to a conference in Stellenbosch had the opportunity arise to join a tour from Spier via Strand and Gordon's Bay as far as the Stoney Point penguin colony in Betty's Bay and back and I just could not say no come rain or shine.  Which turned out to be the case. Literally.The…

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10/01/2018
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Lions Head Sunset

Last week I spent some time in Cape Town attending the annual World Travel Market Africa tourism trade show.  The one afternoon after the show I headed up to Table Mountain Road for a walk just before sunset and could kick myself for leaving my camera at the guesthouse the morning.  My phone had to do and I caught the sun setting between Table Mountain and Lions Head through the wild grasses. Moments later as the sun disappeared past the…

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24/04/2017
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Sunset from Signal Hill

They say that you can't really say you've visited Cape Town if you haven't been up Table Mountain. We've done Table Mountain before and with a family of four it's a bit of an expensive exercise so on our whistle stop visit to the Mother City for the Cape Town Mega event we decided on the next best option.  Signal Hill.  Even better, Signal Hill at sunset.The one thing we didn't quite think of was that it was a Saturday…

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24/11/2016
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All the views from Signal Hill

Signal Hill in Cape Town isn't just a great spot to view the sunset from, but it's also has some awesome views which is ideal if you don't have the time or budget to go up Table Mountain.Green Point with the Cape Town Stadium and Table Bay with Robben Island in the distance on the leftCape Town Harbour with the V&A Waterfront as well as the City BowlTable Mountain, Lion's Head and the Twelve Apostles

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16/11/2016
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Still my Table Mountain

Table MountainMy Table MountainJust because I love that flat mountain so muchWould love to still spend some time exploring her on foot one day and not just look up at herOne day

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09/11/2016