11 Oct 2014 | By Sun International
The Wonderland of Worcester
Off the beaten track and away from the bright lights of a major city, the Golden Valley Casino is a warm and intimate place to escape to, while enjoying live entertainment and the fun of more than 200 slot machines and six games tables within.
But, beyond the doors of the casino, lies the quiet town of Worcester. A town of undiscovered magic and magnificent natural beauty, Worcester is nestled in the Breede River Valley, the largest wine and fruit-producing region in the Western Cape.
For a closer look at the wine and fruit farms in and around Worcester, we’d suggest a meander along the Wine and Olive Route. Open to the public for wine tasting and sales, 11 wine cellars and 3 olive farm estates can be found along this route, each of them well known for their excellent value-for-money products. If you’re keen on some outdoor fun, book a space on a guided tour through the Wine and Olive Route or head to the Worcester Golf Club for 18 holes on a course designed by Gary Player.
Just outside Worcester though, you’ll find a colourful jewel that’s unforgettable. The Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden is a unique 154-hectare space that cultivates and displays a wide variety of desert and semi-desert plants. Home to a large collection of succulent plants, the Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden is incidentally also the very best place to spot a giant Quiver tree. While there are more than one hundred varieties of the Aloe plant to be found in South Africa, the Quiver tree is unmistakably spectacular.
A critically endangered species, the Quiver tree, also known as Aloe dichotoma or the Kokerboom, is only found within a very specific region of South Africa. Aptly named because the San people used its bark to make arrows, the Quiver tree’s bright yellow flowers make it instantly recognisable as it stands tall among other trees of the valley.
With wild desert flowers covering the ground of the Karoo Desert National Botanical Garden and more than 400 plant species to be found within its boundaries, it’s a must-see for every lover of bright flora. Avid bird and wildlife watchers are also in for a treat, as the garden is home to more than 70 species of bird and a wide range of small mammals, including the Cape Grey Duiker.