WEST COAST, SOUTH AFRICA

Justin Hawthorne

Situated merely an hour outside of Cape Town lies a true cultural jewel, !Khwa ttu. If you’re in the Western Cape over the summer, stop in to uncover the way of life for the San – indigenous peoples of this region.

Interactive experiences involving fun tasks help the visitor understand life in the wilderness for the San people where you get a taste for hunting, language and animal tracking among various other engaging activities.

A walk through the indigenous garden is super informative where you’ll munch on Spekboom or Wild Garlic leaves, sip herbal teas and learn about the medicinal properties of the local flora.

A delightful stone and brick-walled restaurant offers quality, delectable food which at its core has an ethos for sourcing locally. This stands true not just from what you get on the plate, but also with what fills your glass. Fine wines from Groote Post and Ormonde Private Cellar are the perfect accompaniment and quality craft beers from around the corner in Darling go down well while enjoying that refreshing West Coast breeze on your face.

 

 

The hospitality across all facets of !Khwa ttu is exceptional. Warm smiles seem part of the uniform here, and it’s contagious!

 

The old farm buildings and some equipment have been retained and restored. It’s currently the heart of this educational centre where a museum tracing the history of the San people is a very important part of the village. It’ll give you the insight into how life has changed so dramatically for these hunter-gatherers, and through your experience you’ll see how !Khwa ttu is striving to develop skills to equip the San in ensuring a sustainable future in this modern world.

The West Coast for me is synonymous with clear blue skies, dry golden landscapes and wide open spaces. At !Khwa ttu these feelings come to the fore and a short trip up to their boma gets you up on the hill to maximize the views.

The game drive gets you up close to the animals with minimal physical effort, but one can also do short hikes or ride their mountain biking trails. On our drive we caught sight of a beautiful golden-colored Cape Cobra, Springbok, Zebra as well as Bontebok and Eland in the distance. It’s a fun micro-safari in the old army truck giving a glimpse into faunal life of Southern Africa.

They have cute cottages adjacent to the main complex which offer views towards the ocean and Table Mountain. A night or more here should transform your !Khwa ttu experience from learning about and understanding the San, to a culturally immersive holiday!

 

 

Big things continue to happen at this wonderful piece of land outside Yzerfontein, with the !Khwa ttu Heritage Centre set to open on Heritage Day next year, 2018. The importance to preserve the unique knowledge of the San cannot be stressed enough, and by visiting you too will become an active participant in driving this.

Diarise 24 September 2018 for the day this new centre opens its doors.

Visit, engage, and share the San spirit!

 

 

Find out more here: https://www.khwattu.org/

For all things Cape West Coast: https://www.westcoastway.co.za/