George, Western Cape

George is situated in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Located at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains, George finds itself as a perfect stopover from which to explore the Garden Route. It has reformed itself from an industrial town to that of a tourist hotspot and is often referred to as the “Golf Capital of the Garden Route”, not surprising as it is home to two of the Top Ten golf course in the country, plus many more appealing courses throughout the area. It lies in close proximity to other popular tourist towns such as Wilderness, Sedgefield and Knysna.

George is a place of exquisite natural beauty, surrounded by mountains, forests, lakes and the ocean on your doorstep. Attractions include museums, churches, theatres, nature reserves, outdoor activities galore and it also has claim to the biggest shopping centre along the Garden Route.

George has moderate summers and mild winters and together with its’ small town and country atmosphere, it is the perfect destination for a peaceful retreat in winter or a fun-filled summer holiday. There is plenty of accommodation on offer from Hotels, Holiday Resorts, Guest Lodges, backpackers’ accommodation plus camping and caravan sites in the area.

Places to Visit

Things to do and see

• Redberry Farm
• Goukamma Nature Reserve
• Outeniqua Power Van
• Victoria Bay
• Groene Weide Forest Walks
• Herold Wines
• Cango Caves
• Cango Wildlife Ranch
• Outeniqua Pass
• Montagu Pass
• Hops Valley Farm Stall
• Garden Route Botanical Gardens
• St Peter’s & St Paul’s Roman Catholic Church
• Outeniqua Transport Museum
• Garden Route Shopping Mall
• George Golf Course
• Fancourt Links Golf Course
• Kingswood Golf Course
• Oubaai Golf Course

Climate

Summer months, November to March will have average temperatures of between 15˚C and 28˚C with high rainfall in March and October.

Winter months, May to August will have average temperatures of between 7˚C and 21˚C with the lowest rainfall in June.

Transport

Commercial Airlines offer flights into George Airport. Car hire facilities are located at the Airports. Johannesburg is about 1 170 km by road, approximately an eleven hour drive, but Cape Town is just a mere 410 km to George.

Festivals

July – George Cheese Festival: Approximately 10 000 visitors attends this festival each year for wine, brandy and whiskey tasting…..and of course Cheese!

September – Nestle Strawberry Festival: An exciting festival with food stalls, wine, cheese, kiddies and adult entertainment and competitions.

History

The Khoi people who lived in this rich valley aptly named it Outeniqualand – the “land of milk and honey”. The beginnings of the land date back to the year of 1776, when the area was used as a timber supply base by the Dutch-East Indian Trading Company, but the town was only officially founded in 1811. The British named the town after the King at the time, King George III.

George is the sixth oldest town in South Africa. In 1877 it was praised by English Novelist, Anthony Trollope, as “the prettiest village on the face of the earth”.