By Gugulethu Tshabalala
Tucked into the Eastern Cape’s Langkloof Valley, Joubertina is a small town that has never once asked to be a destination. It sits on Route 62, the scenic alternative to the busy N2, and for years most travellers sailed straight past it. Which is their loss.
Meet the “Big Apple of the R62”
Don’t pack for skyscrapers. The nickname is a nod to the apple orchards that surround the town, and the only thing rushing here is the farm traffic. Joubertina is a working agricultural town in the heart of fruit-growing country, and it wears that honestly.
Mountains for Neighbours
The town is cradled by the Kouga, Baviaanskloof and Tsitsikamma mountain ranges, so the views come standard. Its neighbouring villages, Misgund, Louterwater and Kareedouw, have names lovely enough to be boutique gin labels, and they make good excuses to keep driving with the window down.
Slow Down on Purpose
This isn’t a place that puts on a show for visitors. Joubertina rewards the traveller who stays a while: a scenic countryside drive, a farm stay, a long look at a mountain, and absolutely nothing on the agenda. If you’ve been meaning to remember what quiet sounds like, this is a good place to do it.
Where to Stay
Most of Joubertina’s beds are on farms rather than in town, which suits the place just fine.
Grootnek Guest Farm is the one to start with. It has three self-catering cottages among the orchards, each with its own farm Jacuzzi. It sits on the Route 62 stretch of the valley between Joubertina and Krakeel River.
Mount Africa Guest Farm is for families or a group of friends. The two-bedroom house is the original farm homestead, more than 200 years old, with Oregon pine ceilings and thick stone walls.
What to Do
Joubertina’s idea of a packed itinerary is generous.
Get off the tar. The Kouga Wildernis 4x4 Route is a circular trail that links with others to make an 18-kilometre adventure, about 28km from town. The Sukkelpoort 4x4 Trail also links up with other routes, and booking is required. Both trails come with hiking, cycling, fishing, abseiling and birding on the side
Stay put and do farm things. Grootnek offers bird-watching, horse riding, trail hiking, swimming, bass fishing, star-gazing, fruit picking in season and feeding the farm animals. That’s a full day’s agenda for people who claim to be doing nothing.
Look up. The Langkloof sky is a real attraction. Star-gazing is on the Grootnek list for good reason.
Why Joubertina Is Worth the Detour
It will never rival the polished towns of the Garden Route, and it has the good sense not to try. What it offers instead is mountain air, a slower pace and a real taste of rural South Africa, on one of the country’s loveliest inland routes.
Sometimes, the best places to Xplore are the ones you haven’t discovered yet.
