I’ve already written about various segments of our trip to South Africa earlier this year, but staying at Bartholomeus Klip in the Riebeek Valley, was certainly a highlight, and I’d be remiss not to share it with you. Thanks again to my friend Lyndsay, from Amani Travel for the suggestion – knowing we wanted to stay in the Cape Winelands, but being perceptive enough to know that staying on a working farm, in a beautiful nature reserve would suit our family perfectly.
When planning trips, I don’t always put a great deal of importance on accommodation, with the idea that we want to be out exploring, and not spending much time there – and I don’t think I’ve ever written an entire blog post about a place we’ve stayed. However, when your accommodations are the destination, and the place where you will relax, unwind, and explore together, it becomes a critical part of the trip.
Bartholomeus Klip is just over an hour drive from Cape Town, so it’s possible to stretch this out and travel through the winelands, stopping at wineries and different towns along the way. Since we were driving, we didn’t do much wine tasting, but simply visiting the wineries, having lunch, and seeing the scenery, was an enjoyable way to spend the day. If you’re keen to do more tasting, it’s possible to arrange childcare at BK and have a private driver to take you around, or join a small tour or take the wine train.
The Cape Winelands
We left Cape Town after breakfast and arrived at Bartholomeus Klip at sunset. After driving on some long dirt roads and thinking we might be lost, we finally arrived, and were greeted with the offer of gin and tonics delivered to our cottage. This was followed by an incredible farm-style dinner of roast chicken, vegetables, and some scrumptious desserts. The staff was so kind and attentive to all our needs throughout the stay.
We never went hungry, that’s for sure; the food at Bartholomeus Klip is definitely a high point of staying here. We pre-booked breakfast and dinner prior to arrival, and in the afternoon, a savory/sweet high tea was delivered to our cottage. Made mostly from local produce and dairy, the meals perfectly match the rustic elegance of this place.
Farm to Table
Some of the photos below might look familiar if you watched the first season of the popular Netflix series, The Crown, which was filmed here, representing the place where Queen Elizabeth stayed on her first Common Wealth tour to Africa.
Rustic Elegance at Wild Olive House
We stayed at Wild Olive House, which is a 3-bedroom cottage suitable for families, with a private garden, swimming pool and outdoor veranda. It was so lovely and quiet, and being slightly separated from the main house, we felt as though we had the entire farm to ourselves.
Bartholomeus Klip Nature Reserve Drive
We started our first day with a morning nature drive. After an early breakfast, we bumped our way through the 10,000-acre reserve, through wildflowers and dry grass with our field guide. It was similar to a mini-safari, as if it were preparation for what was to come few days later in Madikwe. We saw wildebeest, bontebok, springbok, and the rare quagga (a zebra-like animal), as well as these incredibly cute bat-eared foxes.
We also visited the geometric tortoises project, which is conducting extensive research to help ensure the survival of this critically endangered species. We saw tortoises of every size and age being cared for here.
Down at the fresh water mountain dam, we borrowed canoes and cooled off in the water with a swim. Bartholomeus Klip is the perfect place to be as active or as sedentary as you like. My preferred pastime was going for a walk or bike ride at the golden hour of evening. We’d make our way through the eucalyptus trees, visit the buffalo, and allow the scenery to remind us that we are half way across the globe, at the tip of the African continent.
Feeling one with nature and feeling so very far away – this place has a way of making any worry in the world instantly disappear. We didn’t have as much time here as we would have liked; we were trying to fit a lot into our first visit to South Africa, but Bartholomeus Klip is a place we could easily while away some more time.
