Joubertina

Joubertina sits in the Langkloof — Long Valley — at about 593 metres above sea level, pinched between the Tsitsikamma, Kouga, and Baviaanskloof mountain ranges along the R62. The valley runs east to west and the farms on its slopes are covered in apple and pear orchards. Joubertina is the principal town of the farming district and calls itself the Big Apple of the R62, which is corny and accurate. The Langkloof produces up to 20 percent of South Africa's total pome fruit. In the right season, the view from the R62 is a continuous wash of green and red.

The town was established in 1907 on a portion of the farm Onzer, founded as a Dutch Reformed Church congregation. It was named for W.A. Joubert, the minister of the Dutch Reformed Church in Uniondale from 1878 to 1893. The early records of the valley go back to 1765 and the agricultural character has not fundamentally changed since. What changed is the scale and what the cold winters and warm summers reliably produce.

Blossom time runs roughly from August, when the orchards flower before leaf. The Langkloof Blossom Festival draws people from the coast and the Garden Route for the colour and the fragrance. In summer, farm stays offer apple and pear picking, horse riding, quad biking, and swimming. The surrounding mountains offer serious hiking — access to the Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve starts south of town, and the Kouga Wilderness Area trails begin close by. Bird life across the valley is rich, with over 2,000 fynbos species supporting a complex ecosystem.

The R62 corridor runs through town and connects to Uniondale to the west and Humansdorp to the south via the Tsitsikamma mountains. The route is scenic in every direction. Joubertina itself is quiet, small, and genuine — a farming community that tourism is beginning to discover but has not yet changed.