Prince Albert Safari Trips & Tours

A town perfectly preserved in time on the edge of the Great Karoo

On the very edge of the Great Karoo, the frontier town of Prince Albert is at the end of the Swartberg Pass, a twisting, turning melee of mountain road that is one of the most spectacular in the world – and not for the faint-hearted! But once you’ve tackled the bends (and not looked down) the treat at the end is Prince Albert. The 250-year-old ‘dorp’ (town in Afrikaans) is something of a contradiction, and beneath an exterior of tin-rooved cottages, chintz curtains and tea shops, you’ll find art galleries, yoga studios and some very fine food. Whilst the empty countryside gives nothing away, the town brims with peaches, apricots and figs, and the Olive Festival every April is a sight to behold. Aside from some spectacular hiking and biking in the mountains, there’s not a whole lot to do, but the beauty of Prince Albert is arriving for 1 night, yet staying for 3, and soaking up the magic of big-sky, epic-countryside South Africa where the stars are bright and the silence is perfect.

Trips

Prince Albert Safari Trips & Tours

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South Africa

Alternative Garden Route

12 nights from $4K per person

Cape Town Robertson Cape Winelands

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Things to do

What to do in Prince Albert

Sitting pretty in the heart of the Karoo desert, Prince Albert is serene, quiet and… well, very peaceful! A stay here will have you embracing the countryside charm of small-town South Africa, complete with Saturday morning visits to the local market and evening strolls along main Church Street to admire the Cape Dutch architecture and chin-wag with the neighbours. If you fancy playing the tourist card, pop into the Fransie Pienaar Museum for a quick dive into the history of the town and life over the years, as well as the Albert Mill. Foodies will enjoy an olive oil or wine tasting on one of the picturesque farms hidden in the countryside, and there’s even a dairy in town, where cows moo happily in the garden and cheeses are piled high, ready for tasting (and purchasing). Also recommended is a drive along the Swartberg Pass, an astonishing feat of labour in a time when machinery was non-existent and every zig-zag and hairpin bend was carved out the rock by hand. Just wait till you get to the top…

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