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The West Coast Tour provides access to a world of spellbinding coastal lagoons and vast fields of wildflowers in the compny of a private guide.
Explore South Africa's desolate and sparsely populated west coast on a private tour escorted by an expert guide. The region is explored from a base in Langebaan which forms part of the West Coast National Park, which protects the unique wetlands, bird and animal life in the area.
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Guests will be met at any location of their choice in Cape Town from where the tour makes its way up the West Coast. The West Coast is a region with a unique charm and character. It is sparsely populated and offers an experience far removed from the hustle and bustle of Cape Town. The region is characterized by rough vegetation and wide stretches of beach that line the shores of the Atlantic. The tour travels north to the town of Langebaan where the afternoon will be devoted to visiting the West Coast National Park . Here a rich diversity of bird species may be observed in great numbers. Over 250 species have been recorded in the area. After the rains in spring, the area is transformed into a flowering tapestry, which creates a remarkable natural display. Following the visit to the West Coast National Park, we make our way to the overnight destination in Langebaan.
After breakfast, a visit is made to the West Coast Fossil Park near Saldanha Bay, named after the 16th-century Castilian-Portuguese captain António de Saldanha, we’ll visit the West Coast Fossil Park, a National Heritage Site. The park showcases the late Miocene and early Pliocene epoch some 5 million years ago. On the 45-minute guided tour, you’ll see fossils lying exactly as excavated. A remarkable number of species are represented at the site, making the region one of the most diverse Mio-Pliocene occurrences in the world. Finds encompass bears, saber-tooth cats, various wild pigs, aardvarks, an extinct okapi-sized giraffe or sivatheres, hunting hyena and at least three species of elephant including the first mammoths. Approximately 860 sq. feet of the fossil bed is exposed and open for viewing.
The tour then makes its way north as you visit first the coastal village of Paternoster. This part of the coast is rich in rock lobster, perlemoen and other seafood. Three kilometers down the road from Paternoster, you reach a lighthouse called Cape Columbine, named after the shipwreck which occurred here in 1929. The 9 million candle-power lighthouse and radio beacon is a major navigational point for ships approaching the coast of Southern Africa from Europe and America. This stretch of coastline features many isolated coves and a one-kilometer walk will bring guests to Titus Bay. Wildflowers, fresh air, and a rugged seascape make up the beauty of this part of the world. We head back to the overnight accommodation during the late afternoon.
A return journey to Cape Town takes the tour through the Swartland, one of South Africa's primary wheat producing regions. From here a rugged mountain pass is crossed into Wellington, which is located in a primary fruit producing area of South Africa. A visit to one of the region's wine estates is enjoyed before returning to Cape Town during the late afternoon.
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