Touwsrivier

Touwsrivier is a beautiful small railway town in the Western Cape province, situated on the river with the same name, about 160 kilometers from Cape Town. It is located in the south-western tip of the Karoo east of the Hex River Mountains and north of the Langeberg.

Touws River was created by the construction of the Worcester – Matjiesfontein rail line, part of the longer line from Cape Town to Kimberley. In Touwsrivier, visit the steam train ‘cemetery’ at Touwsrivier – de Aar for taking beautiful photos and memories of the ‘good old days’. The train depot here was there to change the locomotives after their climb over the Hex River Pass. You can cross this beautiful mountain pass and enjoy spectacular views. In the winter there may be snow on the mountain tops. The valley is of course beautiful in all seasons whether or not fruit can be discovered on the trees or in the vineyards.

With neighboring villages such as Barrydale and Ladismith and the beautiful location on the banks of the Touws River, this is a wonderful place for a weekend getaway for the people of Cape Town. An area where the income largely depends on the Merino sheep and their wool. It is also a place on the longest wine route in South Africa; the Route 62. Which is in addition to a wine route also the transit route to the Karoo and the place for beautiful Karoo flowers between July and September.

Touwsrivier is now also known as a flower place mainly because of the Cape fynbos, the Rhenosterveld and the succulent plants that are so typical of the Karoo. Beautiful flowers and a wide view over the beautiful country of the Anysberg Nature Reserve make it a wonderful place to spend a while. And in addition to flowers, with a little luck you will also find lots of different goats. It is the area where the ibex, gemsbok, diver and the red hartebeest feel at home. And where there are goats, you will also find predators. Perhaps harder to spot, but they are there: leopard, jackal and caracal. Birds, snakes and lizards are skittish and will quickly disappear from view, but you can study the different types of turtles at your leisure.

In this beautiful area of the Karoo Highlands among the high mountains, cliffs, rivers and valleys, you will find the Aquila Private Game reserve which is a malaria-free game reserve. You can book game drives here in 4×4 vehicles, but you can also go out on horseback.

Or take the Mitchell’s Pass that leads to the rugged terrain around Ceres with beautiful rock formations reminiscent of lunar landscapes and together with the abundant bird life for beautiful pictures. If you want to make a route with multiple passes, take the time and also add the Theronsberg pass to your trip through a breathtaking landscape that radiates endless peace and space. Add to that a beautiful sunset and the day is one to remember.

You can also visit the Kagga Kamma reserve north of the village, here you can admire old San bushmen drawings of around 6,000 years old and view the strangest rock formations.
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