The village of Botrivier (Bot River) lies on the foothills of the Houw Hoek Mountains, overlooking the rolling wheatlands of the Overberg. It is close to the Bot River Lagoon, Kleinmond and Walker Bay.

Bot River © Bot River Properties

Caledon

Caledon, situated on the foothills of the Klein Swartberg, was established because of the mineral springs, one cold and six hot, that generate 2 million litres of chalybeate, radioactive water a day at 49°C.

Grabouw, Gateway to the Overberg. The wonderous Sir Lowry's Pass brings visitors from Cape Town out of the basin, over the Hottentots Holland mountains and into heaven. Leaving the fantastic view of False Bay and the Cape Peninsula behind you, you are presented with the magical site of huge stretches of forests and seemingly endless mountain peaks.

Steenbras Dam © Julie Morris

Genadendal (‘valley of grace') lies 37 km north of Caledon in the southern shadow of the Riviersonderend Mountains. Founded in 1738 by Moravian Georg Schmidt to preach to the Khoi people, Genadendal is the oldest mission station in Africa.

Greyton, the Jewel of the Overberg, lies at the foot of the Riviersonderend mountains 6 km east of Genadendal. This quaint, rather olde-world-English village was once the site of an old rambling farm, Weltevreden ("well content"). Today it is a peaceful town that is a fashionable retreat for city dwellers and home to one of the most sought after private schools in the country.

The first plots on either side of what is now the pretty oak-lined main street were sold in 1854 and the village was named after Governor Sir George Grey. This tranquil picture-book village is hot and balmy in summer and is reminiscent of an alpine village in the winter with the tips of the surrounding mountains covered in snow.

Picture of Riviersonderend river that flows through Greyton  courtesy of Acorns on Oak 

The National Road from Grabouw to Bot River winds through to the glorious Houw Hoek Pass. Early travellers on their way eastwards were faced by the formidable 896 m Houwhoek mountain only 25 km after they had struggled through the Hottentot Mountains. Houw Hoek became a resting spot for the travellers, their horse and oxen before they travelled downward into the heart of the Overberg.

View from Houw Hoek Farm Stall

Riviersonderend is the centre of a thriving farming district and takes its name from the river which was once thought to have no end.

Spot the Riviersonderend River running through the pic.

Villiersdorp - Pearl of the Overberg -is the North Western gateway to the Overberg.

Graced by oak trees, it nestles in the Elands Valley surrounded by the Stettynsberg and Riviersonderend mountains, lush fruit and wine farmlands, and the magnificent man-made Theewaterskloof Dam. Villiersdorp is known as the Pearl of the Overberg because of its particularly beautiful and tranquil setting.