Travelling through the Overberg, you’ll find a small town halfway between Caledon and Swellendam. Often overlooked as just a stop-over for busses and a halfway stop as you travel to or from the Garden Route, Riviersonderend has so much more to offer. Here are a few facts you might not know about Riviersonderend:
- The town is named after the originally known as ‘Zonder End Rivier’ (river without end).
- The history of the town began in 1922 when Miss Edith McIntyre sold her farm to the Dutch Reformed council, to be later sold off in smaller plats.
- The Council wanted to call the town Nuwedorp (New Town), but opted for the previous used Riviersonderend.
- The streets were built around 1925.
- The small town holds a 9-hole golf course which was opened in 1949.
- The surrounding area holds the Kleinbergie Hiking Trail which allows viewing of the historic signal system that was used in the town.
- One of the works of the Riviersonderend Quilting Guild, the Blue Crane quilt, was raffled in aid of the endangered species and raised R11,200.
- The namesake river of the town is home to around 65 species of rare and beautiful birds including Kingfishers and Eagles.
- The great rugged terrains around the town offer two circular 4x4 routes to test your skills on.
- Riviersonderend is home to some of the biggest festivals in South Africa, including Ramfest and Vortex.
