Prince Albert

Introduction

Nestled next to the Swartberg mountains in the Western Cape lies the charming Karoo town of Prince Albert.

Sights and Activities

Wineries

• SoetKaroo - A local dessert wine produced from the home of Herman and Susan Perold. The couple, who moved to the region from Stellenbosch, planted their one hectare vineyard in 2000 and bottled their first SoetKaroo dessert wine in 2004. Production is currently only three thousand bottles per year and the wine can be tasted and bought exclusively from the tasting room at the Perold’s home.
• Bergwater – Bergwater wine estate is located 20 kilometres outside the town of Prince Albert in the beautiful Prince Albert Valley. The estate consists of 1500 hectares of land of which all but 70 hectares of vineyards are designated as a nature reserve. The estate’s white wines include Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc while the reds include Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve and their house blend Rendezvous.

Scenice Drives

• Meiringspoort - On the route to Oudtshoorn, about 55 kilometres on the road to Klaarstroom, you enter the Meiringspoort pass that takes you through the seemingly impenetrable Swartberg mountains. The road, constructed from 1856 to 1858, is an amazing engineering achievement and the drive will take you past breathtaking scenery including soaring cliffs on both sides of the road, crystal waterfalls and interesting indigenous fauna and flora.
• Swartberg pass - Only 2 kilometres outside of town you will find the turn off to the Swartberg mountain pass. Probably the most famous of the passes through the Swartberg mountains, the pass runs between Prince Albert and Oudtshoorn and slowly winds its way towards the highest peak at 1583 metres above sea level. This gravel road can prove to be a challenging drive when wet but is well worth the effort as it offers spectacular views over the Karoo.

Events and Festivals

Getting There

By Plane

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

By Car

By Public Transport

By Foot

By Bike

Eat

The following restaurants are open for lunch:

• The Lazy Lizzard
• Café Albert
• The Coffee Shop and Food Store at the Swarberg Hotel
• Lah-Di-Dah

The following restaurants are open for dinner:

• African Relish
• The Gallery Café
• Karoo Kombuis
• The Swartberg Arms Steakhouse
• The Victorian Dining Room at the Swartberg Hotel

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-Range

Upscale

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

The SAPO (South African Post Office) is the nation's postal service. Post offices are open from 8:30am to 4:30pm from Monday to Friday, and 8:00am to noon on Saturdays. Domestic and international deliveries are reliable but can sometimes take up to several weeks. If you want to send something oversees of any value, try using one of the private mail services, like Postnet.