These are not your regular manicured, neatly terraced vines that are sometimes head high, burgeoned by bunches of voluminous purple or green grapes.
How do birds survive the harsh environment of the Tankwa Karoo? Karen Watkins joins the South African National Parks Honorary Rangers on a bird spotting outing to find out.
Karen Watkins jumps right in when given the opportunity to get involved in the wine-making process.
Karen Watkins spends a weekend in the Elgin Valley after finding herself losing some steam.
WE’RE already well into the New Year and your energy levels are already losing steam, what to do?
With the rapidly falling rand it makes cents to stay home and that's exactly what we did.
Kogelberg Nature Reserve is often considered the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom. Karen Watkins visits.
WHAT do you do when the only thing between your buttocks and a heap of boulders is a flimsy lilo?
Walk beneath trees and along streams as you explore the Constantia Valley's greenbelt trails, writes Karen Watkins.
ONE day soon it will be possible to hike, run and partially cycle a circular route through Constantia, Tokai Park, Vlakkenberg and Cecilia Forest.
Little did Torben Wiborg know that his personal goal to climb the Western Cape's highest peaks would inspire many others to join him.
HIKING was beginning to lose its shine for Torben Wiborg until he set himself the challenge of climbing the old Western Cape’s highest peaks measuring 1 600m, a mile.
Whether you enjoy wine, birding, hiking or cycling, there's something for almost everyone in the Breedekloof Valley.
THANK goodness it wasn’t boiling hot. Small mercy as we trudged along a dirt road in the middle of nowhere.
‘Same, but different’ is how Karen Watkins describes Amsterdam, with bicycles whizzing past the canals
The Drakensberg is synonymous with hiking, but Karen Watkins goes there to search out other less known attractions.
Devil’s Knuckles, Rhino Peak and Garden Castle are landmarks of the southern Drakensberg – the tip of the Dragon’s Tail although technically this basalt formation continues south to Ben Macdhui, near Rhod
"Here's the best part," is what Aren Apikyan said as we suddenly lurched, suspended mid-air.
The country's only herd of wild horses have become a tourist attraction in Fisherhaven where they are cherished by residents.
Explore the Karoo on foot and slowly savour each new vista, writes Karen Watkins.
Karen Watkins says her prayers and canoes down the not-so-gentle Bot River.
No pain, no gain - this echoed through my head as I puffed uphill sweat trickling down my spine.
To some Matjiesfontein is a treasure trove of buildings and memorabilia. Karen Watkins is inclined to agree.
Karen Watkins puts pedal to the metal and explores the back roads of Franschhoek while stopping off at a few wineries.
The Pondoland coastline is surely the most pristine in the country, if not in Africa, writes Karen Watkins.
