Directions
Take the N1 to Worcestor
Turn right onto the R60 to Robertson
Turn right at Reitz Street
Follow the road to McGregor
Follow the road back to Robertson
Turn right onto the R60
Turn right onto the R317
Are you a fan of Eeyore from Winnie-The-Pooh? Then “yore” in luck! The Eseltjiesrus Donkey Sanctuary is a wonderful place for up close and personal interaction with donkeys. Not too far away is the nature reserve – Vrolijkheid which means “happiness”. This well-maintained reserve will definitely put a smile on your face. You’ll be in awe of mother nature. The last stop over is at the beloved family wine estate, the Van Loverens. I would recommend being an early bird as the drive takes plus or minus 3 hours one way.
On-the-way attractions
After taking the N1 to Worcestor and turning right onto the R60 to Robertson, you will come across a Pumpkin Patch on your right just outside outside of Worcestor. The name of the farm stall is Pampoen Padstal/Die Pampoenstalletjie – and it houses some of the biggest and most orange looking pumpkins you will ever see. Just don’t stall too long here. There are plenty of pumpkins on display outside their shop – and what kept me wondering was whether these were real or not. I thought surely if these are real, then they would have to replenish them quite often as they get rotten over time. Still wondering…
Eseltjiesrus Donkey Sanctuary
And then you can hop back onto your donkey cart en route to the sanctuary…just kidding! These are not medieval times. Once you reach Robertson, and take a right onto Reitz street, the road will lead you to the sanctuary on your left. Be sure to have a guide accompany you to get up close to the donkeys – it’s for mahala! I found it incredible that they house several donkey breeds, including the Indian donkey. You can pet the donkeys as well as take pictures standing next to them. Feeding of the donkeys is not allowed. Just remember not to ever stand or walk behind a donkey as it may just kick you into the nearest horse-pital (the donkey is a domesticated member of the horse family).
Once you’ve said your goodbyes to the donkeys, you can take a peaceful stroll of about 1km long on the Adam’s Walk trail around the sanctuary. They have 9 sign posts along the trail that create awareness about the history of the sanctuary and its surroundings – it is short and sweet. The last sign post on the trail is a Memorial Garden and cairn – a quiet spot where you can contemplate and remember your loved ones. They have stones with khoki pens for you to add to the cairn should you wish.
Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve
The next stop is the Nature Reserve, right next door to the sanctuary. In fact, if you backtrack the same road you came on, you will see the reserve to your right. You will notice a closed gate. You are welcome to open this – it just needs to be closed at all times. There’s an honesty box on the wall of the small thatched cottage at the entrance for you to self-register and pay a small fee – R50. Maps and information about the reserve are also tucked into the register box. There is a fantastic picnic area at the main gate and it’s no surprise that music is prohibited – this place is about the birds and the wildlife.
This reserve has one of the most spectacular trails I have seen in at a nature reserve – The Heron Trail. The trail is an easy three-kilometer return walk through succulent Karoo vegetation up to two dams. Along the route you’ll find informative boards giving interesting snippets about the reserve, its plants, mammals and history. What makes this trail so surreal is how quiet it is, you can actually hear the plants and mammals in the background.
At the end of the trail you will approach the first bird hide and dam. Again, the bird hide is genius – it’s so isolated that the birds thrive here and there is hardly any noise from the hustle and bustle of humans. Bird hides are always best in the early morning or evening. I loved every second I spent here and I would recommend any nature lover to check this place out!
Van Loveren Family Vineyard
The final destination is the famous Van Loveren vineyards – founded by 4 brothers. To get there – head back to Robertson and take a right onto the R60 and then a right again onto the R317 which will take you to the winery on your right. The winery is beautiful with a lovely garden. The garden has many trees that were planted to commemorate particular family members, as well as political and historical occasions – take a self-guided tour or ask for a guided tour. They also have a great variety of wine pairing options to suit everyone’s taste buds. On top of this, their wines are most affordable – some of their wines sell for less than R50 per 750ml bottle!
With 150 years of history, Robertson has grown into one of the most attractive Cape Wineland towns, with Victorian buildings, jacaranda-lined streets and beautiful gardens!
Emil's Travel Blog 