Porterville

Porterville is located in the Western Cape province at the foot of the Olifants River Mountains. It is approximately 155 kilometers to the northeast from Cape Town.

Porterville is a small town in the Swartland, where life revolves around grain. This was once the area of the San, before the VOC landed and the Dutch settled here. San Art can be found everywhere in the rock formations of the surrounding mountains. The most special is the centuries-old painting of a sailing ship in the Winterhoek Mountains east of Porterville (private land).

In addition to numerous rock paintings, Porterville is also the place to go in the Wild-Flower Season. The Disa Uniflora is the most unusual and rare flower of which the sulphate yellow is the least seen. It is the only place in South Africa where you can find this beautiful flower in the wild.

In addition to flowers, you will also come across many Blue Cranes with their beautiful and special call and their silver-blue color. This bird has been named the national bird of South Africa.

Dry and warm summers with strong thermals make Porterville extremely suitable for paragliding and hang gliding enthusiasts, something the town is also known to for locals. The Dasklip Pass is the place to take the plunge.

Via the Dasklip Pass you go to the Groot Winterhoek Nature Reserve, a place where many different types of rock paintings can be found. You will find beautiful rock formations and numerous hiking trails here. You can make beautiful hiking trips in places with names such as De Hel and De Tronk, here you will find dramatic rock formations, beautiful flora and fauna but also one of the largest mountain-rock lakes. Take the Waterfall Porterville trail and you will pass many waterfalls that are led to the grain fields, this is not a hike to undertake unprepared.
The Swartland wine route takes you to Malmesbury, Riebeek Valley and Piketberg. The name of the wine will not be unknown to you, because it is sold at the largest grocery store in the Netherlands.

25 km outside Porterville you will find the fairly unknown nature reserve Beaverlac Nature Reserve. Here in the 5000 hectare nature reserve two rivers flow and where there is water … you guessed it, there is an exuberant animal and plant life. Here too you will find rock formations, fynbos and with luck you can spot the Black Eagle!

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