Kirstenhof, Cape Town

Set against the backdrop of the grand Constantiaberg Mountains and bordered by the surrounding suburbs of Lakeside, Tokai and Bergvliet, lies the beautiful, green suburb of Kirstenhof, known for its welcoming community, amazing views, and affordable, family-sized properties. Surrounded by numerous wetlands, hiking trails, and wine farms, the area is a hub of natural beauty teeming with abundant flora and wildlife. Kirstenhof is also sandwiched between Tokai Main Road and the final stretch of the M3 expressway, allowing for quick access to Cape Town's CBD, Muizenberg Beach, and even the Constantia Wine Route. Not far from Tokai Park (formerly Tokai Forest) and the Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve, the area is filled with a myriad of places to visit and activities with which to fill your time. Largely affected by tourism, Kirstenhof is conveniently situated near to several shopping centres, restaurants, and other tourist-friendly facilities, leaving no surprise as to why residential properties in the area are sought-after by locals, "semi-graters" and visitors alike.

Brief History of the Area: 

The history of Kirstenhof begins when land in the area that was owned by Henrick van der Poll was left to his brother Kirsten. The suburb was later renamed Kirstenhof after the family, with the Kirstenhof Primary School even being built on the original Kirsten family farmstead. Today Kirstenhof is a trendy and affordable suburb that is nestled between greater upmarket suburbs like Tokai and the prestigious Zwaanswyk and as a result, shares many of the benefits, including security and proximity nearby to the Steenberg Golf Estate, the Constantia Winelands and even the SAFCOL pine tree plantations to the west, yet still far enough removed enough to be considered a cosy little suburb of its own.

Schools in the Area:

Kirstenhof is situated in proximity to several respected public and private schools.

Public schools in the area include:

• Kirstenhof Primary School 

Located at number 18 Lente Street, lies Kirstenhof Primary School; With their motto of "ever green, ever growing" Kirstenhof Primary School challenges its pupils to participate in a rich and diverse academic programme, encouraging them to make use of every available opportunity for an exceptional education. KPS (Kirstenhof Primary School) prides itself on being a community-centred school and sees its learner's parents as essential to the educational process, seeking to involve them as much as possible, giving its learners additional pillars of encouragement and support. While striving for academic excellence and the promotion of strong sporting and cultural tradition, KPS is a learning institution that also prioritizes emotional and social development, which translates into a disciplined, happy school environment where each learner is accepted for who they are and allowed the freedom of individuality and self-expression. Kirstenhof Primary School students leave KPS to continue their education at many of the best high schools in the Southern Suburbs, as a result, KPS goes to great lengths to ensure its students are fully prepared to excel in this competitive environment, ultimately preparing them to become contributing members in future society. 

Private schools in the area include: 

• Reddam House Constantia 

Located just outside of Kirstenhof along Reddam Avenue in Constantia and cradled by the majestic mountains, lies the prestigious Reddam House Constantia. As a top-performing IEB school offering a premium private education, Reddam House Constantia places an emphasis on excellence that permeates every sphere of daily school life. The school is fully equipped with world-class facilities that include art, drama and music studios, computer and science labs, expansive sports fields, a cricket oval and AstroTurf, a massive assembly hall and well-resourced library. An exciting new development to the Reddam premises is their new aquatic centre, currently under construction. Reddam seeks to nurture talent, self-assurance and individuality by offering many challenging academic, sports and arts programs aimed at enriching its students and filling them with a sense of confidence and personal individuality. Offering an internationally recognised and respected IEB curriculum in a safe, relaxed and self-disciplined setting, Reddam House seeks to instil its students with a sturdy system of values and a perpetual thirst for learning. With expert guidance in an optimal learning environment, Reddam House Constantia supports and inspires its students, equipping them to comfortably face and overcome adversity to become successful, contributing members of modern society.

• Constantia Waldorf School

Positioned just outside of Kirstenhof along Spaanschemat River Road in Belle Constantia and acclaimed as being the first Waldorf school of its kind in Africa, lies Constantia Waldorf. As a co-educational private school, Constantia Waldorf seeks to deliver an extensive, modern Waldorf Curriculum, designed to cater to the physical, emotional and cognitive needs of its students. At Constantia Waldorf, the arts are given an equal amount of attention on par with sciences, humanities and technologies and an array of extracurricular activities are offered throughout the year, including basketball, soccer and dancing among others. Constantia Waldorf seeks to embrace the individuality of its students, preparing them to comfortably face the adversities of life and take their place as successful, contributing members in the multicultural, modern society of today.

Shopping Centres:

Kirstenhof is situated nearby to several shopping centres, including the renowned Blue Route Mall, acclaimed as the largest shopping centre in the Southern Suburbs and South Peninsula. Situated in the heart of the Southern Peninsula, surrounded by the gorgeous tree-lined suburbs of Kirstenhof and Tokai, Blue Route Mall is equipped with over 120 stores, offering a collection of different retail brands, upmarket boutiques, jewellery stores, fashion outlets, a wide selection of restaurants and even a Ster-Kinekor cinema for entertainment. Blue Route is a lively centre filled with constant activity, with workshops and many other promotions adding to the dynamic retail experience. Equipped with convenient baby-room and handicapped-friendly facilities, as well as ample parking available to patrons, Blue Route Mall is an extremely popular family shopping destination. For those looking for a relaxed food market experience, the Earth Fair Food Market is hosted on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings in close vicinity to the Mall, at number 333 Main Road Tokai and the Chilled Market at The Range is hosted on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons, located slightly further away at Orphen Road, Tokai, with live music to enhance the experience. Another respectable shopping location in the vicinity, the Tokai Junction, is an open-air shopping centre, which offers its patrons absolute convenience; With an abundance of free parking and many stores available, including Cash Crusaders, Toys R Us, The Crazy Store, and a Pick n Pay anchor store that includes a Pick n Pay Clothing, the Tokai Junction caters to any basic shopping needs that its patrons may have. 

Distance from Key Points: 

Kirstenhof is conveniently situated, giving its residents and visitors easy access to several key locations, being a quick 1km drive to the Steenberg train station. Kirstenhof is also a 28km drive to the Cape Town International Airport.  

Restaurants/Entertainment: 

• Little Stream Conference Centre & Tea Garden

Located just outside of Kirstenhof on Klein Constantia Road in Constantia lies the quaint Little Stream Conference Centre & Tea Garden, which borders the Groot Constantia and Klein Constantia estates. Open from 8:30 AM until 5:30 PM, the tea garden café serves mainly breakfasts and lunches, with a wide assortment of homemade tarts, scones, muffins and cakes on offer and perfectly paired with morning or afternoon tea. Menu favourites include the Farmhouse Breakfast, Chicken Wrap, Springbok Carpaccio and Pasta Primavera. Whether you want to relax and take in the gorgeous scenery or just get away from the bustle of the city for a while, the Little Stream Conference Centre & Tea Garden is the place to do so.

Special Attractions:

• Surrounding Wine Farms

Kirstenhof is a base from which some of the finest wines in the world can be accessed, owing to its proximity to the famed Constantia Winelands; Home to several renowned wine farms that include Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia, Constantia Glen, Constantia Uitsig, Steenberg Vineyards and Buitenverwachting. Many of these Wine farms also have award-winning restaurants attached to them, completing the culinary experience to an exquisite degree.

• Westlake Golf Course

Situated at the foot of the magnificent Silvermine Mountains, bordering Kirstenhof and visible from the end of the M3 freeway, lies the prestigious Westlake Golf Course. With a grand reputation as one of the Cape's "must-play" premiere courses, Westlake is an easy to walk 18-hole course surrounded by incredible natural beauty and wildlife, bringing forth an element that most suburban city golf courses could only hope to offer up. Towering trees and doglegs despite their beauty will fast become your primary enemies when playing through the course, adding a significant challenge for golfers of all levels that is ultimately greatly rewarding. After your round is finished, Westlake Golf Course can phone to organize your collection if required - It is advised to pre-book your Tee-off slot in advance and pre-arrange your transport to ensure that you arrive on time for your slot. As per the club rules, an official handicap is required and of course, appropriate golfing attire.

• Tokai Park

Located 2km away from Kirstenhof in the heart of the Southern Suburbs, along Tokai Road, lies the magnificent Tokai Park (previously known as Tokai Forest). Filled with Oakwood and giant California redwood trees, the park is a serene escape, beautiful to stroll through, walk your dogs or even schedule a romantic picnic or family braai, making use of the many available picnic and braai sites. At the base of the Tokai Park, lies the Tokai Arboretum, declared a National Monument owing to it holding over 274 species of trees and a total of 1555 types of trees. Whether you are into nature, cycling, walking or even tea, the Tokai Arboretum is a peaceful place with much to offer visitors. Nature lovers will find a map in at Lister's Place (The tea room) that contains tree names and corresponding numbers on it. Several hiking trails can be explored from here, including the famed Elephant's Eye Cave which also has a stunning view if you can make it to the top.