Travelling to Bushmans Kloof in South Africa’s Western Cape feels like a deep exhale. Set in the rugged Cederberg Mountains, around three hours’ drive from Cape Town, the lodge has a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. Pretty Cape Dutch style accommodation, ranging from one bed cottages to private villas, spread through lush green gardens. Nature drives into the wilderness encounter ostrich, Cape mountain zebra, springbok and hartebeest, with occasional sightings of black wildebeest, the blue variety’s rarer cousin.
The Cederberg’s stark, ancient beauty gives the area a real sense of place, and the region’s extraordinary Bushman rock art adds a powerful historical dimension, with ancient paintings hidden in caves and overhangs that bring the landscape’s human story vividly to life.
Walking is another highlight with several well marked trails available direct from the lodge. If you’re reasonably fit and have decent footwear, the Ravine Walk, which winds through dramatic rock formations and river scenery is a must do. Beyond walking, days can be filled with kayaking and fishing on the dam or simply soaking up the quiet. Should you wish, the excellent spa makes it easy to slow down completely.
From wilderness to wine country, Akademie Street in Franschhoek offers a very different but equally appealing atmosphere. This small, elegant hotel has a calm, intimate feel, an outstanding team to host you, and is ideal for unwinding after days out exploring. Franschhoek itself is charming and walkable, surrounded by vineyards and within easy reach of Stellenbosch. Long, relaxed lunches are part of the rhythm here, with Glenelly wine estate standing out for its food and setting, while a morning wandering through the gardens and farm at Babylonstoren is both beautiful and fascinating.
January is a particularly lovely time to make this journey from the UK. South Africa’s Western Cape area offers warm, settled weather, plenty of sunshine, and the bonus of almost no time difference, making it easy to settle in quickly and enjoy everything from mountain solitude to vineyard lunches without missing a beat.
Charlotte travelled in January 2026, spending four nights at Bushmans Kloof and three at Akademie Street. Please get in touch if you would like us to plan something similar – there are plenty of options in the Western Cape with opportunities to include time on the beach as well as Big Five wildlife reserves.