Cederberg Mountains luxury safari lodge, South Africa
| country: | South Africa |
| location: | Near Clanwilliam, Cederberg Mountains, Western Cape |
| price: | From R2350 - R6000 per person sharing per night |
description
This is a five-star luxury retreat nestled in a vast landscape of ancient sandstone rock formations.
Located in the majestic Cederberg mountains 270km from Cape Town, it was named winner of the coveted Relais & Châteaux Environment Trophy 2007. Offering a unique malaria-free, wilderness experience, it is a safe haven for a myriad indigenous plants, birds and animals. A dedicated custodian of the world’s largest open air rock art gallery, it has been named a South African Natural Heritage Site. Guided rock art walks and visits to the Heritage Centre provide a mirror into the world of the ancient Bushman. Here a multitude exhilarating outdoor activities can be explored, from evening nature drives to hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, and swimming in crystal clear rock pools.
Luxuriate in specialised spa treatments, indulge in gastronomic or healthy organic home cooking served in a choice of several breathtaking locations, or simply soak up the atmosphere and relax on your private terrace and luxury accommodation.
We also have to offer a private villa that offers a fully independently catered for family experience for up to 8 people travelling together, including children of all ages. Designed and equipped to provide every service and satisfy all needs, it is comfortably and luxuriously styled with wonderful indoor and outdoor living areas and breathtaking vistas onto the reserve. Guest programmes are flexible, with a dedicated chef, hostess and a guide with a game viewing vehicle included, plus all meals, select beverages, and activities.
Early morning rock art excursion Evening nature drive with sundowner drinks and snacks Hiking trails & mountain biking Archery & canoeing Swimming in the rock pools or the 4 pools on property Bird watching Painting, reading, croquet Star gazing Botanical Tours
Located in the majestic Cederberg mountains 270km from Cape Town, it was named winner of the coveted Relais & Châteaux Environment Trophy 2007. Offering a unique malaria-free, wilderness experience, it is a safe haven for a myriad indigenous plants, birds and animals. A dedicated custodian of the world’s largest open air rock art gallery, it has been named a South African Natural Heritage Site. Guided rock art walks and visits to the Heritage Centre provide a mirror into the world of the ancient Bushman. Here a multitude exhilarating outdoor activities can be explored, from evening nature drives to hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, and swimming in crystal clear rock pools.
Luxuriate in specialised spa treatments, indulge in gastronomic or healthy organic home cooking served in a choice of several breathtaking locations, or simply soak up the atmosphere and relax on your private terrace and luxury accommodation.
We also have to offer a private villa that offers a fully independently catered for family experience for up to 8 people travelling together, including children of all ages. Designed and equipped to provide every service and satisfy all needs, it is comfortably and luxuriously styled with wonderful indoor and outdoor living areas and breathtaking vistas onto the reserve. Guest programmes are flexible, with a dedicated chef, hostess and a guide with a game viewing vehicle included, plus all meals, select beverages, and activities.
special things to do and see here
Early morning rock art excursion rooms, food and facilities
Main Lodge The Homestead comprises of 2 lounge areas with fireplaces, one with a satellite flat screen TV, a library and business centre, wireless internet access, bar and wine cellar, as well as the Homestead fine dining restaurant and terrace.
Gift shop, heritage centre, conference room, fitness centre & Spa Luxury Accommodation
Self catering villa
The lodge is an existing farmhouse in the reserve, that has been completely renovated and transformed into an spectacular intimate villa surrounded by open vistas of wilderness and wildlife. This fully independently catered for family experience joins the ultimate of luxury with nature. Available all year round for families and groups of friends to provide the complete wilderness adventure. The private villa is comfortably and luxuriously styled with beautiful, handcrafted South African objects and furnishings, in natural vibrant earth colours and is designed and equipped to provide every need and service to satisfy. 
Family living area, with bathroom en suite (Can accommodate 2 persons) how to find us
We are 270 km from Cape Town, allow three and a half hours driving time. From Cape Town take the N1. Before Century City/Ratanga Junction, take the N7 off-ramp towards Malmesbury. Continue past Malmesbury, towards Moorreesburg, Piketberg and Citrusdal to enter the Olifants River Valley (route takes approximately two hours). Pass the Clanwilliam dam and turn right onto the R364 to Lamberts Bay/Clanwilliam. how this holiday makes a difference
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The entire operation of the lodge and reserve is based on sound environmental conservation practices, which covers a wide spectrum from ongoing monitoring of water quality, rainfall, soil erosion, vegetation cover and wildlife to prevent degradation; to environmentally friendly solid waste disposal and an advanced Biolytix waste water processing system. All management actions are governed by a comprehensive Environmental Management Plan, ratified by our Conservation Trust. Each trustee is an expert in a particular field including wildlife management, botany, archaeology and cultural heritage.
We support the following organizations:  South African Botanical Society and Cape Nature (saving the Clanwilliam Cedar tree) We ensure minimal inpact by tourists on the environment through implemention of the following. Strict protocol is adhered to at archaeological and rock art sites and guests are educated in terms of the protection and respect for rock art sites. Particularly sensitive rock art sites are closed to the public, but interpreted through high-quality MS Power Point presentations. Only indigenous wildlife species are introduced on the reserve. Irrigation of the gardens is done through micro-jet irrigation and at judicious times to limit unnecessary evaporation. Treated grey water is used to irrigate the larger grassed areas and only biodegradable detergents are used. Guests are encouraged to assist in the property’s water saving policies and are made aware of the water shortage in the Western Cape. Lodge sewage is treated in a Biolitix system (raw sewage is broken down by worms). All non-organic waste is transported off the property to the Clanwilliam municipal dump site and organic waste is used as mulch and compost in the gardens. All the swimming pools are salt chlorinated, Vehicles are prohibited from driving off-road and all roads are maintained annually. Hiking trails are carefully marked and maintained. All firewood in the lodge is sourced from alien vegetation such as Port Jackson Willow. All infrastructural development follows strict environmental scoping protocols before submission for final approval from the regional district municipality. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |