Sarah Kingdom discovers Bushmans Kloof, a wilderness and wellness retreat in the stunning Cederberg Mountains, that trades drama for beauty, serenity and history.
Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat is tucked into the folds of the stunning Cederberg Mountains. This is a place that whispers rather than roars. You won’t find the Big 5 here, but what you will find is a landscape that has been brought back to life, with rehabilitated lands, reintroduced wildlife, breathtaking scenery and the most incredible collection of ancient San rock art.
On your journey from Cape Town, the suburbs dissolve into farmland; first fruit trees and vineyards, and then vast sheep-dotted plains, before the road climbs into a landscape that feels almost prehistoric. Sandstone buttresses rise in the most improbable of formations, laid down 500 million years ago, and now cracked and sculpted by a millennia of time and weather.
The Setting
Bushmans Kloof covers 7,500 hectares of private wilderness within the Cederberg Wilderness Area, which is itself part of the Cape Floral Region Protected Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a treasure trove of biodiversity. But while the botany is impressive, think fragrant fynbos, hardy Karoo scrub and seasonal wildflowers, it’s the sheer scale and stillness of the place that make the first impression.
The lodge itself feel very much a part of this landscape. The original 18th-century farmhouse is at the heart of the property, its whitewashed walls and deep verandas offering a cool refuge from what, at certain times of the year, can be very hot sun. Around it are thatched guest suites, gardens that blend into the wild landscape, and pathways leading towards rocky ridges.
The Rooms
With fewer than 20 rooms and suites in the main lodge, accommodation feels intimate rather than sprawling. There are two additional private villas for families of groups of friends travelling together. The interiors lean towards classic Cape elegance: antiques, textured fabrics, carefully chosen artworks and subtle references to the region’s heritage. It’s refined without being flashy.
Our suite opened onto a private terrace overlooking a swimming pool, and views of rocky ridges and indigenous plant life. In the early mornings and late afternoons, the light turned the surrounding rocks a burnished gold. There was something special about that rich almost honeyed ‘Cederberg glow’ that marked the beginnings and ends of our days, that made us want to linger outside, watching the world wake up, or waiting until the stars reclaimed the sky.
The rooms of course had everything we could have wanted to, but it was the surrounding silence that felt like the greatest luxury of all.
The Wildlife
If you’re looking for lion hunts or dramatic river crossings, this is not the place to come. Bushmans Kloof offers a different type of safari. Morning and evening drives are relaxed affairs. Our guide, Zenobia, who had worked on the reserve for more than a decade, showed us springboks and red hartebeest grazing among the fynbos, ostriches striding across the plains, and herds of Cape mountain zebra, a rare subspecies once perilously close to extinction.
There are leopards here too, Cape leopards, shy and seldom seen. Though knowing they move through the mountains, and seeing a handful of footprints, added a quiet thrill, even though we saw one.
Perhaps the most wonderful element was the freedom to explore on foot. With no dangerous predators, guests can hike marked trails independently. One morning, I set off alone, climbing over sun-warmed rocks, passing a pair of steenbok, and watching a group of zebras flicking their tails in the early light. It felt less like a structured safari and more like exploring a slice of wilderness all by myself.
The Rock Art
What really distinguishes Bushmans Kloof from other luxury lodges is its extraordinary collection of ancient San rock art. Scattered across the reserve are more than 130 recorded sites, some believed to be over 10,000 years old. Spending time with this artwork is a must.
We hiked to a rock shelter tucked within a narrow ravine, where faded ochre figures stretched across a sandstone wall. Elands, human forms, and mysterious hybrid creatures seemed to emerge from the stone as our guide explained how successive generations had layered paintings one on top of another over the centuries.
In another cave, pottery fragments and ostrich eggshell beads still lay on the ground, quiet evidence of lives lived here long before European ships rounded the Cape. The art is intricate and surprisingly delicate: fine-line antelope, dancers bent forward in trance, hunters carrying bows and spears. Unlike museum pieces, these works are unprotected by glass.
They exist in situ, exposed to the elements, and viewing them requires a certain reverence. It is a rare privilege to stand alone in a rocky amphitheatre, facing images created thousands of years ago.
Back at the lodge, a visit to the Heritage Centre deepens the experience and puts things in perspective. Displays of original San jewellery, musical instruments and tools provide context, helping to explain the artwork.
The Dining
Food at Bushmans Kloof is taken seriously, but without pomp and circumstance. Breakfasts are served out on the terrace, lunches are leisurely, dinners shift between elegant indoor settings and imaginative outdoor locations – one evening we were led into the walled kitchen garden and olive grove, where a table had been set beneath twinkling lanterns for a magical dinner.
Menus here draw on South African flavours with contemporary flair, and all sustainably sourced. Think tender springbok, line-caught fish and beautifully balanced desserts, all paired with excellent Cape wines. It’s polished dining, but the atmosphere remains relaxed.
Bushmans Kloof is for those travellers who value depth over drama. It’s ideal as a contrast to Cape Town’s energy, or a wonderful place to relax after a more adrenaline-fuelled safari further north. There’s the romance of candlelit dinners and star-filled skies, wonderful walks, cycling and canoeing for those wanting more action, special spa treatments for those looking for pampering, and the rock art which alone is worth the journey.
Tell me more about Bushmans Kloof
Bushmans Kloof Clanwilliam, Cederberg Mountains, Western Cape, South Africa
T: +27 87 743 2399 or +27 27 482 8200
E: reservations@bushmanskloof.co.za or lodge@bushmanskloof.co.za
Rates: Nightly rates at Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat start from £600 / $800 USD per Luxury Room per night with all meals included.
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