A new route in the Western Cape

The Ghoema is a music instrument made originally by the slaves in the early Cape history by using a small wine barrel, removing both lids and stretching a skin over the top end to form a drum. Its dual characteristics make this a perfect symbol for the development of Culture and Wine tourism - the essence of the Ghoema Route.

An initiative supported by Cape Town Routes Unlimited (CTRU) and Wines of South Africa (WOSA), The Ghoema Route is representative of wine and culture tourism across four regions: the West Coast, the Cape Winelands, the Cape Metropole and the Overberg. Much like the skeleton of a fish - the mouth in Paternoster and the tail in Gansbaai - the R44 forms its backbone and the sub-routes its smaller bones.

The Route meanders along the R44 from Gansbaai, Stanford, Hermanus, Kleinmond (Overberg), Betty's Bay, Gordon's Bay through the Strand, Somerset-West (Cape Metropole), Stellenbosch, Klapmuts, Paarl, Wellington, Hermon (Cape Winelands) and enters the West-Coast via Riebeeck Valley, Tulbagh, Porterville and Piketberg, Velddrif, Vredenburg - ending in Paternoster. Coast to coast it is brimful of scenic attractions, rich in cultural and viti-cultural diversity - the many festivals en route far exceeding the number of weekends per year.

The inaugural Ghoema Festival Guide with the subtitle "Uncork Cape Culture" highlights products and activities characteristic of each town along the Route, for example Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai or Paragliding in Porterville. The publication gives an overview of the major festivals in the Cape and features nine thematic "Ghoema Experiences" for example the Wine and Cape Dutch Architecture Route; The Pinotage or Olive Route or The Wine and Adventure Route.

The Route is designed primarily for the domestic tourism market, with a strong Western Cape flavour, and provides day-drive or weekend breakaway opportunities (all within a one to two hour radius from Cape Town). The international visitor will be attracted to experience something typically South African and decidedly local.

By giving the R44 official status as a Route, the towns and communities along the route will rise out of obscurity and stand to benefit from a common brand identity, a joint marketing and job creation strategy, pooled resources and the opportunity to raise skills and service standards.

To obtain a copy of the Cape Festival Guide 2008, or if you have a product en route worth show-casing, developing or marketing, write to info@ghoemaroute.co.za or call (021) 559-2958 (www.ghoemaroute.co.za).