Prince Albert, a charming and historic town nestled in the Great Karoo in South Africa’s Western Cape, is a destination that captivates with its stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage. It celebrated its 260th anniversary in 2022 and is widely considered the ‘Jewel of the Karoo’.
The surrounding landscape of Prince Albert has provided much inspiration to artists, both locally and from further afield. This historic town is surrounded by stunning rock formations and arid lands.
Aerial view of Prince Albert.
A Journey Through Time
Archaeological findings suggest that people inhabited this area as far back as 25,000 years ago. Stone Age era rock paintings and stone tools have been discovered, and at the time of European contact in the 1600s, local Bushmen were still using some of these tools. Europeans settled in the area in mid 1600s. Today, the small town is home to just under 15,000 residents, although its increasing popularity may see this number continue to grow in future years.
Getting There
The main way to arrive in Prince Albert is to drive. Pretty Prince Albert lies at the foot of the incredible Swartberg Pass, widely considered one of the most scenic (and hair-raising) drives in South Africa. If you go to Oudtshoorn before or after Prince Albert, you’ll take this incredible route. As noted above, there are several routes to arrive in Prince Albert.
Read also: The Swartberg Hotel
From the East, the options would be the R62 as we did. This route would leave Gqeberha and head north on the R75, before switching onto the R329 after Kleinpoort. Then from here, you’d switch to the R407 after Willowmore to head into Prince Albert.
If coming from Cape Town, you could head straight onto the N1, via Matjiesfontein and turn off onto the R406 about an hour after Laingsburg. Alternatively, for a quieter but longer route from Cape Town, you could weave through the charming towns of Montagu and Barrydale on the R62. Lastly, if you’re looking for interesting places to break up the long drive from Johannesburg, Pretoria or Bloemfontein on the N1 to Cape Town, then Prince Albert is only a 35 minute detour from the N1.
If you’re using public transport to get around South Africa, then bus would be the main option. A Greyhound bus route stops here, connecting Prince Albert with Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, Cape Town and even as far as Durban. Alternatively, if you’re coming from overseas, you could fly into George after landing Cape Town or Johannesburg, and then drive from there.
Map of Route 62.
Navigating Prince Albert
Prince Albert is tiny, with nearly all eateries, shops and attractions centered around its main road, called Church Street. You can easily walk the length of the road, and on-street parking is plentiful. You can easily spend half a day slowly meandering Church Street. The main road is lined with great stores, boutiques and art galleries. You can buy so many locally made gifts, as well as all kinds of Karoo-inpired produce and goods. I bought a gorgeous cushion cover to take back home from one of the cute stores! We also loved looking around the Prince Albert art gallery.
Read also: Exploring The Prince of Egypt's Impact
Accommodation Options
Prince Albert is all about homely guesthouses and country farm stays. Most of the accommodation options in Prince Albert have really excellent reviews, so you’ll be sure to have a fantastic stay wherever you choose.
The most famous place to stay in Prince Albert (and the most luxurious hotel in town) is the Mont d’Or Swartberg Hotel, located on Church Street. It also has a fantastic swimming pool, and if you’re visiting Prince Albert in the summer months, I’d say a pool to cool off in after a morning exploring is a must-have! Rates for the Mont d’Or start from £110 per night for a Standard Double, or £126 per night for one of their Garden Cottages.
Finally, on the assumption you are arriving in Prince Albert with your own car, then another option can be to stay just outside of town on a farm, such as the stunning Mirtehof Guest Farm Estate. We absolutely loved staying on a farm in Prince Albert and being a very short drive from the heart of town. It was one of the most peaceful stays ever! A standard King Room starts from £76 per night.
Here are some more accommodation options in Prince Albert:
- DE BERGKANT 3 & 5 Church Street, Prince Albert, Western Cape.
- DE BERGKANT Onse Rus Guest House 47 Church Street, Prince Albert, Western Cape.
- Onse Rus Guest House 81 on Church 81 Church Street Prince Albert, Prince Albert, Western Cape.
- Gecko Cottages Church Street, National Centre, Prince Albert, Western Cape.
- Central Stay with Local Hosts & Genuine Vibes.
- Karoo View Cottages Magrieta Prinsloo Road, Prince Albert, Western Cape.
Things to Do
The area surrounding Prince Albert is quite incredible for outdoor pursuits. One of the most popular walking routes, is the circular 11km Bloukop Hiking Trail, which can be found near Tierberg on the Bloukop Mountain. Shorter hiking options include Bushman Valley Trail (4km) and the much shorter Prince Albert Koppie route (1.4km). For mountain biking enthusiasts, consider the Gamkapoort Dam route.
Read also: "When You Believe" analysis
This well small but very well maintained museum is on the high street. It’s well worth visiting to learn more about the cultural and natural history of Prince Albert.
Learning to cook local dishes can be a great way to understand a destination, and Prince Albert is no exception. At the African Relish cooking school, the team give guests the chance to join a variety of half day classes to learn more about Karoo cooking and traditional South African dishes.
Here is a list of popular places to visit:
- Swartberg Nature Reserve
- Villa Kruger
- Wolwekraal Nature Reserve
- Prince Albert Church
- Fransie Pienaar Museum
- Prince Albert Hospital
A Culinary Delight
As you may have picked up by now, Prince Albert is really renowned for excellent local produce. Each and every meal in Prince Albert is a mouth-watering journey. Make sure to time your trip to Prince Albert with a weekend too, as Saturday is Farmer’s Market day, which showcases the best of the area’s delicious local produce. If you visit Prince Albert in April, it’s also worth making time for the Olive Festival.
Lazy Lizard is probably the most popular breakfast and brunch spot, with a sunny courtyard and a great menu. And we had the most memorable dinner at The Rude Chef too!
Despite being located in the arid Karoo, Prince Albert is in fact a lush oasis, with fertile soils and verdant fields, meaning agriculture is a key mainstay for the local economy.
The Jewel of the Karoo (Prince Albert Mini Guide)
I hope this Prince Albert guide is useful for planning a trip in South Africa’s Western Cape.
Popular articles:
tags: #Africa
