Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse

Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse Review

For a break from a long bout of wine tasting, head to this Victorian guesthouse on a nature reserve and working farm. Its luxurious accommodations and excellent food come in the middle of 9,900 acres of rare renosterveld scrubland that is home to the endangered geometric tortoise. There's also plenty of eland, zebra, wildebeest, springbok, rhebok, bontebok, bat-eared fox, Cape buffalo, and birdlife in and around the mountains, streams, and plains, and the farm runs a growing Cape buffalo breeding program. Watch sheep shearing in action, hike, mountain bike, swim, or paddle. The farmhouse is decorated in old African colonial style, with plenty of floral fabrics, antique silver, and botanical art. Rooms have thick comforters and crisp linens. Ask for one that opens onto the veranda, especially in summer. Wild Olive House (R974 per person), a great self-catering option for families (though you can arrange to have your meals catered, too), is a five-minute walk from the farmhouse and has its own pool. High tea in the boathouse includes fabulous scones and cream and traditional melktert (cinnamon-sprinkled custard tart), a South African teatime institution.