by As I sip the golden liquid in my glass, I catch the smell of freshly cut grass, the smell of extra virgin olive oil in the beginning. Swallowing, I taste the pungent notes of polyphenols that have helped earn a small farm in South Africa’s Klein Karoo the title of world’s best oil. As I look beyond the olive groves to the mountain ranges that stretch into the distance, I think that the South African region is often seen in favor of its neighbors, offering high mountains, wildlife drives, lush vineyards and some of the people most friendly. ve been anywhere.
Two hours outside of Cape Town, the pretty town of Montagu is the western gateway into the Klein Karoo. I stroll along Long Street, admiring the ornate peaks of Cape Holland etched against a bright blue sky. It’s T-shirt and sunglasses weather, and I can understand why some savvy Capetonians choose this region as their winter getaway. Everyone greets me with a cheerful “Goeiemôre” and I feel like I’m traveling back in time to a slower and more polite time. A fitting toast to a trip that includes driving along parts of Route 62, the world’s longest wine route, where the fresh berry tang of Montagu Wines’ famous red muscat (“the best value wine anywhere in the world”, according to the Nederburg auction) with a lasting impression.
On my quest to sample the best olive oil in the world, I drive five hours from Cape Town to the Olive De Rustica Estate, being delayed, on arrival, by a herd of sheep. It is harvest time and workers are holding small bright plastic rakes. De Rustica olives are hand-picked, providing much-needed employment to the local community. Along with the social benefits, owner Rob Sill says, “Handpicking is definitely a feature that helps quality – it doesn’t harm the produce as much as some of the stronger picking methods.”
“Everything starts in your nose”, showroom manager Megan Stuurman tells me as she reaches for three glasses of the estate’s single-variety extra virgin olive oils (EVOO), ranging from mild to intense tasting. By the end of the trainee tasting session, I find out why the wall behind the tasting table is covered in awards, and why 26 blind experts awarded the average Coratina EVOO 97 out of 100 points, the best of world. The supermarket oils I’ve been slathering over my salads are old in comparison. I leave De Rustica impressed, educated and with a boot full of liquid gold.
But, I understand that there is more to the Klein Karoo than its oil. In the nearby town of Oudtshoorn, ostriches are the main attraction, but the meerkats that come out of their holes and stand treacherous are just as exciting to watch. At the Cango Cango cave network, I love the geological formations of molten candlewax and that evening join A 2 Zebra Adventures for a drive along the vertigo-inducing 17-mile long Swartberg Pass. My guide deftly navigates the chaos of hairpins and distracts me from force falls by pointing out large pink prostheses and long-tailed sugar birds, nothing, I doubt, to stop me squealing.
After the harrowing expanse of the Swartberg Pass, the town of Prince Albert greets me like a comforting hug. The town’s remoteness gives it a hanging-in-amber appeal, with Victorian architecture and honey-colored light that have long attracted writers and artists, as evidenced by the town’s many galleries. In season, citrus fruits, apricots and figs are grown here and sold at the local farmer’s market. I stay at 81 in the Church, a sanctuary within an oasis, which offers some much needed recovery. On Sunday morning, the silence is disturbed except by the clang of the bell that summons the village to church.
The Klein Karoo has two game reserves – Mont Eco and Sanbona – where, if you’re lucky, you can spot the big five. As I bounce along the bone-rutting gravel roads in the wrong hire car, tasting dust in the back of my throat, I understand why the ubiquitous white 4x4s, known locally as “bakkies” are the vehicle of choice in these parts.
Arriving at Sanbona, I breathe in the tangy lemon-mint scent of the bush and my eyes scan the landscape – miles of rust-red desert in every direction. During a drive through the seemingly still portrait countryside, our expert guides point out a disturbance in the bush and, sure enough, an animal is seen. Sometimes they come charmingly close: cheetahs posing like catwalk models, and time stops as an elephant sweeps silently past our vehicle, looking at us with gentle curiosity. Evenings are spent in groups around blazing fires, watching the stars twinkle against unpolluted skies. Being on safari is like living in the land of lotus eaters – I ate, drank, drove around and lost all sense of time and obligation.
On the return loop to Cape Town, towering sandstone formations pass me by at every turn as I drive through Meiringspoort. At the end of the pass, I stop for a coffee at the pretty village of De Rust. An elderly gentleman politely asks where I have been. Another couple joined our conversation. Everyone hugs me when I leave, bidding me “come back soon”.
My last night is spent in Barrydale, in the Karoo Art hotel. It’s a dull evening and I eat a very tasty lamb curry outside, under a full moon. That night, the silence is baritone and the village seems to sleep as one. I wake up to the sound of cheery conversation and the smell of freshly baked bread. As I sit on the large veranda, I watch as the dusty village slowly dissolves, thinking about what makes the Klein Karoo special. It is a place that teaches you that space is not emptiness, but freedom. The vast landscapes inspire imagination and ambition. The Mediterranean climate is not the only reason, in my opinion, that the best olive oil in the world is produced here.
Along with the trait that strives for excellence is a constant courtesy, “Goeiemôre” wherever you go, which gives the Klein Karoo its irresistible charm, creating memories as vivid as the stars that are so bright here.
Dawn Kennedy was a guest at A 2 Zebra Adventures (082 926 9648) offers a Swartberg tour for £150; Mont Eco (0027 071 410 9716); doubles from £370 per night, per person, all inclusive.
Sanbon Wildlife Reserve (021 010 0028); £350 per night, all inclusive.
Olive Estate Boutique Surval (0027 087 350 1950); doubles from £130 per night, including breakfast.
81 on Church (023 541 1188); £60 per night, self catering. Hotel Karoo Art (0027 066 189 7457); £130 per double, including breakfast.
