Check-in arrangements need to be made and guests are kindly requested to inform the specific AfriCamps host of their estimated time of arrival. This way you are ensured of a smooth check-in experience. Full check-in information will be provided in your booking confirmation email.

Hiking trails

There are two established hiking trails meandering through sandstone boulders and along the river on the farm.

Waterfall Trail
A moderate 6 km trail along the banks of the Brandewyn River down into a nearby kloof where the river plummets 500 metres into the Karoo basin, resulting in lovely waterfalls, rapids, and astounding rock formations. For the fortunate bird watcher, you might spot the Verreaux’s eagle nesting high against the cliffs.

‘Die Plaat’ Trail
Another moderate hike along the 4×4 track to “Die Plaat” area of the farm. The hike takes approximately 2 hours but can be adjusted for those who feel like a shorter walk and offers elevated views of the surrounding mountains and valley, which are particularly exquisite to witness during the spring flower season.

Bouldering

De Pakhuys offers a range of bouldering sites including Girl on my Mind 6C, Minky 7B, Black Velvet 8A, Gliding Through The Waves Like Dophins 8A+, Ray of Light 8B, and Witnesses the sickness 8A.

View Rocklands topos here.

Crash pads are available at the camp and can be booked in advance.

Black Diamond DropZone: R130 per day
Black Diamond Mondo: R150 per day
Single pad (second season): R90 per day

Book a crash pad here.

Please note: No climbing is allowed in Rocklands without a valid climbing permit. Permits can be obtained online or purchased at reception.

Swimming

When it comes to cooling down during summer months, guests are spoiled for choice. Take a refreshing dip by the waterfall at the end of our Waterfall Trail or bring along your lilos and some tubes to relax in our farm dam.

Scenic 4×4 drive to a cave

Pack a picnic and head on a beautiful scenic 4×4 drive to the top section of the farm where you will find 60 hectares of rooibos tea lands and 260 hectares of unspoiled fynbos gorges and wildflowers during spring. Hundred-year-old Wild Olive trees, commonly known as olienhout trees, can be found wedged between the rocks. Look for the rock cave to settle down and enjoy some snacks with a view. Please note, own 4×4 vehicles are required.

Private massage therapy

Enjoy a relaxing back and neck massage from the comfort and privacy of your boutique glamping tent. Our qualified massage therapists also offer sports massages, ideal after a day of pushing your muscles at our bouldering sights. Hop in your private outdoor wood-fired hot tub afterward and feel your body relax and unwind.

Private yoga sessions

Book a private yoga session with a qualified yoga instructor and practice your mind and body from the comfort of your tent while surrounded by the stunning Cederberg landscape.

Wood-fired hot tubs

All 10 tents offer the exclusive use of their own outdoor wood-fired hot tub. A wood-fired hot tub is the purest form of relaxation. Soak up the stunning surroundings while listening to the calming crackle of the fire, or take a dip to cool down on hotter days.

Bouldering

With 3 771 routes in 86 crags, Rocklands is a bouldering paradise. This dramatic sandstone landscape has become increasingly popular as a world-class climbing destination amongst the international climbing community, offering some of the top bouldering sites in the world. The main bouldering area for Rocklands can be accessed from a parking lot near the top of Pakhuis Pass, which offers widespread views over the distinctly rugged and craggy sandstone landscape.

View Rocklands topos here.

Crash pads are available at the camp and can be booked in advance.

Black Diamond DropZone: R130 per day
Black Diamond Mondo: R150 per day
Single pad (second season): R90 per day

Book a crash pad here.

Please note: No climbing is allowed in Rocklands without a valid climbing permit. Permits can be obtained online or purchased at reception.

Hiking trails

The lesser-known northern Cederberg mountains and surrounding Rocklands are home to some of the most scenic hiking trails in the Cederberg. Some of these quieter trails are unique in that a fellow walker might not be seen for a couple of hours or throughout the entire trail.

The Pakhuisberg Day Hike (10.2 km from camp)
A circular 13 km hike both starting and finishing at the Kliphuis campsite entrance. This moderately difficult hike takes you into Pakhuisberg, offering elevated views of the surrounding rocky landscapes and peaks with close-ups of indigenous wildlife and the diverse fynbos vegetation. Permits must be purchased from the Kliphuis campsite office before the hike.

The Heuningvlei Jeep Track (7.2 km from camp)
The Heuningvlei Jeep Track hike is said to be one of the most scenic hikes in the Western Cape. This moderately difficult hike (depending on how far you go) offers breathtaking views of the surrounding raw Rocklands landscape and expansive Agter Pakhuis Valley. The entrance to the hike is from the gravel parking at the top of the Pakhuis Pass. You can either walk all the way to Heuningvlei, (which is about 11 km away) or turn back at any point you like.

The Sevilla Trail (7.6 km from camp)
A relatively easy 5 km walk from Traveller’s Rest Farm. This fascinating San rock art trail takes you passed nine different rock art sites while following the Brandewyn river. The Sevilla Trail is a comfortable walk that offers insight into ancient San cultures. Local farm game including Springbok, Eland, and Hartebeest may be seen along the trail as well as the common “dassie” (or rock rabbit) and local baboon troops. In addition to the intricate indigenous “fynbos” that surrounds the Sevilla Trail, during springtime, the wildflowers offer an even further depth of beauty to this historically enriching experience. Permits for the Sevilla Trail can be obtained from the Traveller’s Rest farmstall, where a free basic description of the nine rock art sites is available.

Wine and olive oil tasting at Alpha Excelsior

Produced on the neighbouring farm, Alpha Excelsior, Rugged Rocks wine is produced by traditional methods from the neat Shiraz, Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards you see around the farm. The entire process is done by hand – going back to the way that wine has been made for centuries and is aged in oak barrels, ensuring optimal conditions for the wine to mature. The farm offers a winery tour on which guests can taste some of their delicious wines and learn more about the winemaking process.

Tastings during the week (Monday to Thursday) are subject to availability and must be booked in advance. Call +27 (0)63 315 6560 to make an appointment.

Over weekends, tastings are conducted at the Hen House.
Friday and Saturday: 10h00 to 16h00
Sunday: 10h00 to 13h00

Alpha Excelsior planted its first olive trees in 2006 and now has 6.5 hectares of Mission & Frantoio Olives. The fruit is small with a bold, intense flavour. Their olives are all hand-picked, brined, and bottled on the farm. Any olives that are not bottled are cold-pressed with their own olive press to produce boutique extra virgin olive oil. Their olive oil is available for tasting and can be purchased at the winery.

San rock art

The Cederberg mountains are home to some of the best-known San rock art sites in Southern Africa, which is thought to have the richest legacy of rock art on the planet. There are over 2 500 known rock art sites in the broader Cederberg region, dating between 250 to as old as 8 000 years. These ancient rock paintings are therefore extremely important sites of Southern African ancestry, offering insights into a time and culture which has largely disappeared.

The best way to explore these historic sites is along the Sevilla trail, a relatively easy 5 km walk from Traveller’s Rest Farm. This fascinating San rock art trail passes nine different rock art sites while following the Brandewyn river.

Rooibos tea tastings

Rooibos tea is an iconic South African warm drink that has been enjoyed by locals for more than 300 years. With the Cederberg being the only place on the planet where rooibos grows naturally, it is only fitting to learn more about this beloved drink on a tea tasting.

House of Rooibos
House of Rooibos, a relatively new initiative of Rooibos Ltd., the largest rooibos tea producer and distributor in the world, offers an extensive variety of rooibos teas including original, organic, and flavoured teas. A variety of 13 different rooibos and honey-bush teas are available in the tearoom and tea garden, along with rooibos cappuccinos, milkshakes, iced teas and ice creams.

Rooibos Tea House
Rooibos Tea House stocks over 100 rooibos blends and flavours which range from natural, herbal, fruity, and sweet, to green, spicy and floral. These are all available for both tasting and purchase. They also offer a unique tea tasting which allows you to choose any seven rooibos teas and enjoy them while reading about the history of rooibos, the production process, and some further facts about this famous South African tea.

Visit the historic Wupperthal village

A visit to the historic Wupperthal village offers a rare window into a village of the early 1800s. The village seems to have gotten lost in time, consisting of quaint thatched cottages portraying the Cape Dutch style in all its glory. Although this beautiful missionary village is only a straight 25 km southeast of Clanwilliam, the road takes you through 75 km of breathtaking scenery, down into the Tra-Tra Valley at the northern foothills of the Cederberg Wilderness Area. The village was established in 1828 by two Rhenish missionaries, Johann Gottlieb Leipoldt and J von Wurm.

Muisbosskerm open-air restaurant

For a seafood experience of a lifetime, unique to the West Coast, pay a visit to Muisbosskerm! The restaurant is an hour’s drive from the camp but should not be excluded from your bucket list. Offering the West Coast’s most sought-after seafood dishes like crayfish, a wide variety of fish, baked, smoked, and grilled, the traditional waterblommetjie stew, to the ever-fresh homemade bread straight from the clay-oven, with homemade butter, this is a dining experience that cannot be missed.

Donkey cart adventures

Explore the rugged, wild beauty of the Cederberg on a donkey cart adventure trail. Donkey carts are the traditional way to travel in the Cederberg – locals used to use donkeys to carry their produce to Clanwilliam. The route begins at the top of Pakhuis Pass, where you can leave your car. The two-and-a-half-hour trail ends in the charming Heuningvlei village, one of the 14 Moravian Mission Church outposts. The small local community is known for its production of traditional dried fruit and organic rooibos tea.

Breakfast Baskets

We offer ‘Cook-Your-Own’ breakfast baskets with freshly packed ingredients for guests to prepare. Pre-order your breakfast basket when making your booking. Breakfast baskets should be booked a day in advance.

Each breakfast basket includes the following:

Savoury bread
Sliced bread
Jam
Butter
Cheese
Yoghurt
Muesli
Bacon
Breakfast sausages
Eggs
Fruit juice
Fresh Fruit
Milk
Ground coffee

Cost: R150 per adult | R99 per child (0 to 12 yrs)

Braai Baskets

We offer ‘Cook-Your-Own’ traditional South African braai baskets for guests to prepare. Pre-order your braai basket when making your booking. Braai baskets should be booked a day in advance.

Each braai basket includes the following:

A selection of 400g meat (kids basket include 200g meat)
Garlic bread
Green salad
Side dish
Marshmallows on a stick

*Vegetarian or other option is available on special request

Cost: R195 per adult | R125 per child (0 to 12 yrs) 

In order to mitigate the effects of load shedding on our guests, we’ve installed battery power backups in each tent at AfriCamps at de Pakhuys for your convenience. These backups ensure uninterrupted lighting and warm water during load shedding periods. Please note that wall plugs won’t be operational during power outages. 

Rates from 1 October 2022 – 30 Sept 2023

Low season Midweek
1 May – 30 June, and September 2023 (Midweek: Sun- Thurs)
Excludes long weekends
R1440 per couple sharing

Low season Weekends
1 May – 30 June, and September 2023 (Weekends: Fri – Sat)
Excludes long weekends
R1690 per couple sharing

High Season
1 October – 8 December 2022
8 January – 30 April 2023
15 – 17 June 2023
22 – 24 September 2023
R1940 per couple sharing 

Peak season
9 December 2022 – 7 January 2023
1 July – 31 August 2023
R2440 per couple sharing

* Rates for additional Guests (up to 5 guests per tent allowed):
R295 per adult, R195 per child 3-16yr, child 0-2 years stay free

Rates from 1 October 2023 – 30 Sept 2024

Low season Midweek
1 May – 30 June, and September 2024 (Midweek: Sun-Thurs)
Excludes long weekends
R1590 per couple sharing

Low season Weekends 
1 May – 30 June, and September 2024 (Weekends: Fri – Sat)
Excludes long weekends
R1840 per couple sharing

High Season
1 October – 7 December 2023
7 January – 30 April 2024
14 – 16 June 2024
R2090 per couple sharing 

Peak season
8 December 2023 – 6 January 2024
1 July – 31 August 2024
R2590 per couple sharing

* Rates for additional Guests (up to 5 guests per tent allowed):
R295 per adult, R195 per child 3-16yr, child 0-2 years stay free

Accommodation

All tents sleep a maximum of five people. The following items or services are not included in the price, unless otherwise stated:

• Food and beverages
• Activities and tours
• Daily cleaning service
• Wood and firelighters for the wood-stove and campfires (for sale at property shop)

Pets

We allow one dog per tent on prior arrangement. 

Music

No noise, parties or music are allowed in the camp unless the guest has booked the entire camp for a function.