Situated in the beautiful Langkloof and founded on the farm Onzer, Joubertina was named after the Rev WA Joubert (1909). The first town management committee was appointed on 1 March 1919 and municipal status granted in July 1971. the Langkloof is situated between the Kouga and Tsitsikamma mountain ranges and stretches from Kareedouw to Avontuur and runs parallel with the Garden Route. Joubertina is the main town of the Langkloof, and is situated 185 km from Port Elizabeth and 170 km from George. The Langkloof is renowned as a fruit producing region, including apples, pears and peaches, plus nectarines, plums and apricots. Some estates welcome tourists and will arrange tractor-and-trailer tours of the orchards and packsheds. Two visually spectacular times to visit the Langkloof is from late March to early June when the leaves of fruit trees change to dazzling autumn colours, and in September and October when the fruit trees show off their blossoms to add beauty to the still, slumbering landscape slowly awakening from it’s winter sleep. Throughout the region the different fruits are harvested from the beginning of November to the end of July, with black olives being available throughout the year from the orchards of the Mart Kritzinger estate at Misgund, where you may also be treated to olive bread, olive pate and olive preserves. Most farmers allow you to select and pick your own fruit that are being harvested, and you can buy fresh fruit juice concentrate at Granor Passi in Louterwater. To make appointments to visit these farms contact the Langekloof Information Centre.

GENERAL INFORMATION

How to get there

Follow the N2 tale the R62 turn off (100 km from Port Elizabeth) it is another 85 km to Joubertina. Kareedouw 43 km, Humansdorp 95 km, Port Elizabeth 185 km, George 170 km, Oudtshoorn 180 km, Uniondale 68 km.

Altitude: 700 m above sea level

Average Rainfall: Summer 251 mm – 375 mm, Winter 375 mm – 500 mm

Average Temperature: summer 20°c; Winter 10°c

Banks

Absa (ATM), Fnb

Dams

Louterwater, Joubertina

Mountains

Kouga Mountain range in north, Tsitsikamma Mountain range in the south – the Peak Formosa the highest peak in this range (1674 m)

Rivers

Kouga, Krakeel, Twee, Wabooms

HISTORICAL VIEW

San (Bushman) Rock Art

San rock art are still very much in evidence in the mountains, later followed by the Gonaqua Hottentots, who dispersed when the first Europeans settled in the area in 1740.

Dutch Reformed Church

Joubertina has a 90 years old sandstone Dutch Reformed Church

Narrow Gauge Steam Engines

View at Avontuur and Joubertina

The Lutheran Missionary Monument

Can be seen at Haarlem

MUMMIFIED HUMAN REMAINS DISCOVERED IN THE KOUGA MOUNTAINS

During April 1999, Dr Johan Binneman, an archaeologist at the Albany Museum, was busy with routine conservation work at a rock shelter in the Kouga Mountains near Joubertina. In the course of this investigation, he discovered the mummified remains of what is thought to be a San hunter-gatherer (Bushman). The body was buried against the back wall of the rock shelter. The grave was some 0.8 m deep. A radiocarbon date on branches from the grave revealed that the person died nearly 2000 years ago. The occupational deposit in the shelter was disturbed by a number of larges holes dug all along the back wall. During the process of cleaning up one of these holes, Dr Binneman found a large flat slab of stone, with San paintings in yellow on it. This in itself was an important find because it was the first recording of painted stone used for marking a San grave. Underlying the painted stone were two layers of sticks and branches. When these were removed a large quantity of leaves of a medicinal plant, called Boophane districha (‘gifbol’) became visible. This plant is widely used for a range of medicinal purposes among indigenous people. It was when he cleaned around the plant material, that the feet with well preserved skin tissue were exposed. Further careful excavations revealed that the body was buried in the traditional flexed position, lying on it’s left side, oriented in an easterly direction and facing the back wall of the shelter. The sex is not yet known. The mummy has been excavated from it’s burial site by Dr. Binneman and is being housed at the Albany Museum in Grahamstown for further research, after which a decision for the mummy’s final resting place will be made. It is the best preserved mummy yet found in South Africa.

NATURE

Formosa Nature Reserve

This beautiful and wild 50 000 ha reserve, with spectacular views, lies between Kareedouw and Misgund. It includes the Tsitsikamma mountain range and Peak Formosa (1675 m) from where it is possible to view the coastline from Port Elizabeth to Mossel Bay, and see the town of Steytlerville in the Karoo on a clear day. vegetation is predominantly wet fynbos and mountain forest, and birdlife is prolific. The reserve is open to the public.

ATTRACTIONS

Cultural Highlights Blossom Festival – Joubertina

Karrie Festival – Karreedouw

Langkloof Fruit Route

Explore the secrets of the four seasons on the Langkloof Fruit Route. Experience it’s visual delights, sample it’s cuisine and enjoy the hearty hospitality offered. Steeped in history and settled comfortably between the majestic Kouga and Tsitsikamma mountain ranges and the Baviaanskloof, this beautiful valley stretches for 98 km from Kareedouw to Avontuur. They magnificent Formosa Peak towers over the valley, waiting for the visitor to discover it’s slopes covered with fynbos. Known to be one of South Africa’s major fruit farming areas, a dazzling display of intricately linked orchards are patchworked throughout the valley. Whether you are a hiker, nature lover, mountain biker, bird watcher or stressed executive – in the Langkloof every visitor gets a portion of the pleasure. Seek lodgings in a guest house, farmhouse, cabin or nature reserve; breath the Champagne air, see the rare mountain cedar, honey bush and a host of indigenous herbal plants.

Tractor Rides

Through spectacular fynbos and orchards.

ACTIVITIES

Hiking

The Langkloof offers the nature lover and serious hiker a choice of spectacular trails that meander through scenic fertile valleys, flanked by the towering Tsitsikamma and Kouga mountain ranges. There are deep river gorges and sparkling streams, plus an amazing combination of cultivated and natural vegetation that varies from plowed farmlands to valley-bushveld, fruit orchards to fynbos, from grassland to Karoo flora. All the Langkloof hiking trails have been tested and will satisfy the needs of the modest stroller to the most experienced enthusiasts. It is possible to cover more than 10 of the shorter walks in a single day, while other trails can take between two and four days

Outdoor

Bird Watching, Fresh water Fishing, Hiking, Mountain biking, Pool hopping, 4x4 routes

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