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The Best Things to Do in Elgin
Having lived in Cape Town our whole lives, we really haven’t explored enough of what our beautiful country has to offer.
We often see foreigners asking locals on social media “what activities should we do in Cape Town?”.
99% of the time, someone will suggest the winelands.
Which winelands though? We are really spoiled with options.
In this blog post, we will share our ideas for when you are looking for the best things to do in Elgin: Wine, Cheese, Markets, and Adventure.
The Best Wine Regions Within 1.5 Hours From Cape Town CBD
Most locals and foreigners are always recommended to travel to either the infamous Stellenbosch or Franschhoek winelands.
Yes, both of these wineland regions are spectacular and we often find ourselves repeatedly visiting them, because there is always so much to do and many places to visit.
Options of wine, cheese, markets, and adventure at most of them.
Until we decided to book a long weekend in Elgin….
We realised what amazing things there are to do in the Elgin Valley and surrounding areas. There really are options for solo travellers, couples, families with kids and elderly travellers too.
Before we jump into everything Elgin, we do want to share some of our favourite wine farms closer to Cape Town for those that don’t have too much time for travelling.
There are many wine regions throughout South Africa, and in this blog, we will mention a few of our favourites at each of these wine regions:
1.) Stellenbosch Winelands
2.) Franschhoek Winelands
- Haute Cabrière Wine Estate
- Rickety Bridge Wine Estate
3.) Durbanville Winelands
- Maastricht Wine Estate
- Durbanville Hills Wine Estate
4.) Constantia Winelands
Another cool wine experience is the Stellenbosch wine tractor, which is an amazing way to experience the wine farms in the Stellenbosch region.We had so much fun exploring the winelands via the farm roads, with our very knowledgeable guides giving us all the scoop & adding to the fun vibe!
PS: tractor tickets
🎫 R300 per adult
🎫 R150 per child under 17
**Wine tasting and lunch at the farms at your own expense.
**We also recommend booking your lunch spot and plan your day around it. 💁🏽♀️ ” Where is Elgin
Elgin Valley is located around 70 km from Cape Town City Centre, past the well known Somerset West. After you pass Somerset West, head over the Sir Lowry’s Pass and be sure to drive very carefully when going over the pass.
It can be quite intimidating for new drivers that haven’t driven over mountains before. There are many trucks going over the pass which might delay your travelling time. We would suggest +-90 minutes to get from Cape Town CBD and surrounds to the Elgin region.
The Elgin Valley is in the Overberg region and is renowned for its rich agriculture, surrounded by the Hottentots Holland mountain range where the majority of the farms grow apples, pears, grapes and figs.
For those feeling adventurous and have more time to explore South Africa and Africa, get some inspiration from our blogs below.
Perhaps considering a 5 day trip to the Victoria Falls, or a trip up South Africa’s West Coast to Langebaan? I am sure you have heard of Churchhaven and Kraal Baai, two spectacular beaches inside the West Coast National Park. For those who are time restricted, you can base yourself in Langebaan and do day trips from there.
What are the best things to do in Elgin Valley
If you are looking for something different to do when visiting Cape Town, make sure to include 2/3 days in Elgin. For those who have more time, we would highly suggest staying 2 or 3 nights over in the Elgin Valley region so that you can do all the things that Elgin has to offer.
We stayed 3 nights in this beautiful Airbnb on a working farm, but wished we had more time to discover other top adventures to do in this region.
There are lots of wonderful activities for all family members to participate in, no matter their age.
Parents sipping on wine, while the kiddies play in the jungle gym – what more could a parent ask for? 🙂
1.) Explore Elgin Railway Market
Most South Africans either know of the Elgin Railway Market or are coming to know of this market. This is due to the influx of social media posts and it becoming one of the best things to do in Elgin.
If you’re always looking for a new activity to participate in, this is definitely one to add to your best things to do in Elgin Valley.
The Elgin Railway market is the perfect way to start your time away in the Elgin Valley region. They offer a variety of artisanal food stalls from burgers, sushi, pizza and calamari, craft beverages, and handmade goods.
There is often live music, which gives a lively atmosphere where you can enjoy this activity in Elgin with friends or family.
Take the Steam Train to The Elgin Railway Market
Take your Elgin Railway Market experience to the next level by taking the Steam train to the Elgin Railway.
Instead of driving yourself to this region, hop on the Ceres Steam train that heads to the Elgin Railway Market on Saturday’s and Sunday’s at 8am.
The train journey is 160 km round trip, departing from Cape Town’s Harbour Bridge Platform (near to the old Yacht Club) and arrives right at the Elgin Railway Market. The cost for two adults is R1350 and pre bookings are a must.
Every South African has to take the train from Cape Town to Elgin Railway Market some time in their life.
We haven’t experienced it as of yet, but see their posts and it looks like such fun!
2.) Indulge in a Delicious Cheese Platter Experience
Not sure how we never knew about the Viljoenshoop Road in Elgin.
This road leads to all good things in the Elgin area 🙂Including the wonderful Almenkerk Wine Estate.
For first timers, we absolutely loved the wine tasting area, with stunning views of the vineyards in the distance.
Almenkerk is a family run wine estate, where they have a great respect for the land that nurtures their wine. They are also very big on sustainability and regenerative farming practices which is what we love to hear.
Their cheese platter was delicious, with a variety of meats and cheeses on the cheese board. Something we also loved is that the ratio of cheese and meats to the bread and crackers was spot on.
We sat on the balcony outside enjoying the breathtaking views of the wine estate, birds chirping and their two dogs’ tails wagging against the flooring when new visitors arrived.
3.) Adventurous Quad Biking In The Farmlands
We’ve always heard stories about Old Mac Daddy, but hadn’t ever visited. Until Julia’s end of year work function took place there.
She had such a great day with her colleagues in Elgin and spent the day at the “beach”, participating in team building activities and had a lovely braai near to the pool area.
This is a HIGHLY recommended work function / any function venue, where the staff are extremely attentive and all so wonderful. Them supplying endless drinks (Mojito is a fave) and the team chilling on the lilos/ canoes in the middle of the dam, added to the very cool vibe.
Other activities at Old Mac Daddy
- Archery
- Mountain Biking – limited bikes available to rent (do not have children’s bicycles)
- Nature Walks
- Stand Up Paddle Boarding
- Kayaking
- Tractor Rides
- Fishing on a Catch and Release basis depending on dam stock level
- Zorbing
- SPA – onsite spa is open on weekends, weekdays via appointment only
Accommodation on the Farm
You can stay on the farm, as they have different types of accommodation on the property, ranging from airstream trailer units to glamping. Have a look at the accommodation at Old Mac Daddy.Where is Old Mac Daddy located
After Julia’s experience at Old Mac Daddy, she said that we had to go back since I did get lost trying to find her.
The location isn’t hard to find if you take the correct road…. I decided to try to find the place from the place where I was having lunch and let’s just say that the internet connection was bad and gravel roads in our VW… isn’t a good combo.
When we decided to go quad biking here, Julia showed me where to go and let’s just say SUPER easy!
Directions to Old Mac Daddy
Pass the infamous Peregrine Farm stall on your right and drive for about 5km and take a right turn into “The Valley”. Continue on this road for about 8km until you see the Old Mac Daddy sign on your left. There is some gravel road, but nothing our car couldn’t handle.
Adventurous quad biking in the Farmlands at Old Mac Daddy
We didn’t pre book our quad biking tour, but perhaps it is something to consider during peak season as they are limited with bikes.
Quad biking and us = loads of fun!
We are quite familiar with quad bikes as we have driven them since we were young. There are different KM routes, but if you are speedy like us, you will do a 7km route in no time 🙂
Cost for quad biking at Old Mac Daddy
The cost was R1200 for the both of us for our own bikes and we did the 35 minute route.
Riding through the farm was loads of fun and you get to see Elgin and Old Mac Daddy from a different angle.
If you are feeling hungry, there is a restaurant in the main area where you can enjoy a pizza and a cold one.
4.) Wine Tasting at Elgins Renowned Wine Farm
Iona Wine Farm is definitely a hidden gem in the Elgin Valley area where they have exceptional wines and breathtaking views, sitting at a cool 420m above sea level. Due to their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and altitude, this definitely makes this wine farm unique and of course has an influence on their wines. Enjoy tasting their wines on their terrace, which overlooks the beautiful Elgin Valley, making it the perfect spot to relax, sip on delicious wines and soak up the photo-worthy views.What is Brocha farm
Brocha Farm is a biodynamic 10 hectare vineyard nestled on Iona Wine Estate and is known for being a tranquil haven offering visitors a chance to experience the charm of farm life surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. They produce the wines One Man Band and Solace which can be bought on their online shop.Iona trading times
They are open weekdays and available by appointment over the weekend, so make sure to plan your trip to the Elgin Valley region around this if Iona is a must visit for you.
Make sure to include this wine farm on your next trip to the Elgin Valley.
Find out more about us
Read more about our travel stories and the reason behind why we started our travel blog.
5.) Best View Point Restaurant for Sunday Lunch
The first stop on our trip to Elgin and it had my eyes popping out!
Cheverells Farm is located in the heart of Elgin and is a 3rd generation farm.
It was a Friday where I still had to catch up on some emails, but I sat working remotely from this beautiful setting and actually managed to get lots of work done.
Cheverells Farm Sunday Lunch
Almost everyone we spoke to during our time in Elgin, let us know to go to Cheverells for Sunday lunch.
They have this fabulous Sunday harvest lunch every Sunday which costs R435 per person.
Make sure to book in advance to reserve your table 🙂
Accommodation at Cheverells Farm in Elgin Valley
Trading Days and Private Events
They are open on Wednesday to Sunday for breakfast and lunch.
**Closed on Mondays and Tuesday‘s**
See their current Sunday Harvest Menu —->
Cheverells Farm is popular for special events such as weddings and private functions.
There is also Yoga every week in the wellness centre – which sounds fabulous!
Wine, Cheese, Markets, and Adventure
These are our top recommendations when looking for the best things to do in Elgin: Wine, Cheese, Markets, and Adventure. Of course there is so much more in the wider Overberg region – perhaps that will be our next local trip where we can share with you all.
One thing we would suggest to those wanting to travel to the Elgin Valley area, is to plan your travels especially over the summer.
Most accommodation gets booked up really fast and you will be extremely lucky if you find availability over peak season in South Africa.
We noticed that some wine farms are only open during the week and closed over the weekends. So make sure to phone, email or direct message on their Instagram page prior to you heading out for your adventure to the Elgin Valley.
Summer also means wedding season in South Africa for those wanting to get married in 30+ degrees celsius. Wine farms in these regions do offer wedding packages and therefore might be closed over certain dates for these types of events.
Come summer in South Africa, everyone comes out in full force and takes the festive season seriously 🙂 No fomo (fear of missing out) for any locals!
Comment in the section below to let us know when you’ll be heading to Elgin on a little getaway and which wine farms you would love to visit!
I hope this blog entices you to get researching the Elgin and surrounding areas… 🙂
