Prince Albert is one of the stunning small towns in South Africa. This town offers a rich historical heritage that goes back to 25000 years. There are sites, stone tools, and rock paintings that narrate the Later Stone Age history.
Let us go deeper so that you can plan your first-time visit to Prince Albert.
History of Prince Albert
In 1762, Prince Albert got found on the farmland called Queekvalleij.
In addition to that, it is situated at the foothills of the Swartberg Mountains on the southern side of the Great Karoo.
Moreover, in 1845, it gained the status of a municipality and was renamed the city in the name of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg, who was the husband of Queen Victoria.
If you are visiting Prince Albert for the first time, you should know the following things before you go.
Places to Visit in Prince Albert, South Africa
1. Fransie Pienaar Museum
If you are interested and want to discover the history of Prince Albert, then this place is a place to visit. The Fransie Pienaar Museum is a must-visit as it depicts a real sense of the cultural and natural history of Prince Albert. It is a home museum with a vast collection of decor and paintings and an exhibit of the late-nineteenth-century gold mining activity in the neighbourhood. A replica of Bradysaurus fossil footprints discovered in the vicinity conjures up thoughts of the Great Karoo millions of years ago.
A Stone Age exhibition includes a rare, intact Khoekhoe clay pot discovered in the suburbs of Prince Albert and a dramatic display of the 1960s forced removals. A new collection of Outa Lappies’ (Jan Schoeman’s) life and work has been added. Every year in March, distil witblits in historic copper still and sell it at the museum.
Besides that, the Museum Shop sells publications on the history, ecology, and geology of Prince Albert and the outlying areas and greeting cards, postcards, and posters. Witblits is also available for purchase.
2. Gay’s Guernsey Dairy
Gays Guernsey Dairy is worth visiting for tourists because it has become an institution and a gathering place for residents and visitors to enjoy fantastic hand-made dairy products and experience farm life. Gay van Hasselt founded Gay’s Guernsey Dairy in 1990 when she began milking 3 cows in a stone kraal.
Moreover, their products are made with full-cream, raw milk from their herd of Guernsey cows. Products may be sampled and purchased in the farm shop next to the Dairy. Guernsey milk in South Africa is a must-try when you visit Prince Albert.
3. Karoo Birding Safaris
On a memorable tour, experience the unquestionable beauty of the countryside.
Join a half-or full-day birding adventure in the Karoo valleys and the Swartberg mountains, as well as around Prince Albert. There are few places where such a broad range of environments coexist.
- Karoo Plains Special: It is a half-day or full-day leisurely drive around the farmland searching for the region’s endemic species and near-endemics.Choose a path depending on the species you wish to target as well as where it rained.
- Swartberg Pass: It takes about a half-day to traverse the pass and return to Prince Albert. Specialities include mountain, thicket, and fynbos.
- Gamkaskloof: It’s a full-day trip into one of the world’s most isolated areas, with plenty of time to admire the birds along the route. Fynbos, thicket, and other Karoo specialities.
- Swartberg Round Trip: Starting at Prince Albert, a tour guide will take you over the Swartberg Pass and down back roads on the mountain’s southern side. Then, stop to view a waterfall on a short trek via Meiringspoort.
4. Prince Albert Gallery
The Prince Albert Gallery displays the work of a diverse range of Prince Albert artists who specialize in painting, etching, and ceramics.
Apart from this, they want you to come in and look around; you might discover a work of art that calls to you.
5. Prince Albert Open Studios
Prince Albert Open Studios provides art lovers, investors, and other artists with a rare glimpse into the sacred creative spaces where materials and talent collide.
It also provides a chance to meet the artists in their domains and engage with them one-on-one about their thinking, methods, and the ‘heart’ behind the art.
Furthermore, local artists expose their studios to the public, providing more visibility to their work and process. This has guaranteed that they acquire a larger audience for their art while also putting a special touch on the business of making and selling art.
Things to Do in Prince Albert South Africa
Wondering about what to do in Prince Albert? When you visit Prince Albert, South Africa, write down the following things on your to-do list.
1. Take a Prince Albert Ghost Walk
As evening falls, an expert and registered tour guide leads you on a twilight stroll across the town, showing you Prince Albert’s rich history, intriguing personalities, and ghosts!
Indeed, it’s an enjoyable family activity before supper that unveils the town’s hidden gems and history. The trek takes around one and a half hours. Children aged 8 and up are welcome.
2. Feed Your Creativity at Studio 51
Studio 51 is a place for those interested in multidisciplinary visual art. Painting, sculpture, assemblage, and textile art are examples of this visual art.
3. Visit Gamkaskloof / Die Hel
If you are a valley lover, it is a place to visit. It’s a secret valley nestled deep within the magnificent Swartberg Mountain Range.
Gamkaskloof, sometimes known as Die Hel, is a hidden valley with rich and worth-watching sights of nature. It is a place where you can experience mother nature and enjoy every sight of the mighty mountains.
In 1997, as a result of its history, the valley was designated a national monument and became part of the Swartberg Nature Reserve. As a result, the valley’s cottages have been refurbished and outfitted with solar electricity and bathrooms. Cape Nature can reserve these cottages for you. Check out some Gamkaskloof accommodation options here.
4. Explore Wolwekraal Natural Reserve
This is an environmental educational trip to learn about Prince Albert’s geology, botany, natural history, and cultural history by Wolwekraal Conservation and Research Organization. On these exciting 2-hour guided nature walks, you can anticipate beautiful landscapes and a wealth of birds, plants, and animals. You need to reserve your seat to join this tour.
Prince Albert South Africa Accommodation
Following is the list of accommodations that you can stay in when you visit Prince Albert.
1. Self-Catering
If you want to enjoy your holidays on your own, then the following places in the town will be best for you.
- Acacia cottage
- Artist’s cottage
- Dorpslaaps cottage
- Hooggenoeg vakansie huise
- Karoo view cottage
- Saxe-Coburg lodge
- Guest Houses and Farms
There are guesthouses and farms where you can stay during your holidays unless you want to spend your holidays in self-catering apartments and lodges.
- Casa Mallorca
- Denneh of karoo guest house
- Mirtheof guest farm
- Weltevrede fig farm accommodation
Conclusion
So far, we have discovered places, things to do, and accommodations that you should know before visiting. This town offers a soothing sense of farmland where you can live peacefully, but at the same time, you can see the multidisciplinary visual artwork. This natural land has many natural scenes to offer, from mountains to rare species of this area. This town is a source of pleasure if you love nature.
