farm 215 | retreat in south africa | overberg accommodation - western cape

farm 215
overberg
south africa
nature retreat & fynbos reserve

a sustainable destination between stanford & cape agulhas - southern overberg - western cape

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Farm 215 nature retreat is a sustainable destination in the Uilkraal Valley between Stanford and Cape Agulhas in the Western Cape's unspoiled Southern Overberg. Farm 215 has been set up and is managed as a sustainable operation and is certified by Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa. We place the integrity of the natural ecosystem around us in the first place and aim to keep the footprint of both ourselves and our guests as low as possible. Farm 215´s partner, the African Horse Company has its base station on farm 215.

Far removed from the daily grind of life, farm 215 is a private and secluded retreat where you can enjoy luxury accommodation, tranquility, an overpowering sense of space and the unique nature of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the richest floral biome in the world. The retreat lies at the foot of "fynbos"-covered mountains in the middle of a pristine private nature reserve of 800 hectares and enjoys panoramic views over the Agulhas Plains towards the ocean.

It is a 2,5 hour drive from Cape Town on the N2 past Hermanus and the fishing town of Gansbaai to the access-gate of the retreat. If you take the slower coastal route, arguably one of the most beautiful drives in the Western Cape, it will take you a bit longer. Whichever route you take, you will end up in the region of the Western Cape, least touched by the hand of man and the southern-most area of the African continent. This part of the Overberg is remote and undisturbed: not a streetlight or tar-road in sight and you can hear the silence. Still once you make it to the retreat on the hill, the accommodation has everything a demanding guest could ask for. And much more.

Luxury accommodation is offered in 3 types of guest-units (6 in total):
• three modern and freestanding fynbos-suites;
• three spacious rooms in the old homestead.

For detailed information about our guesthouse accommodation, see the accommodation links on the left of the page.

Generous meals, made from fresh local ingredients and with an eye to detail, are served in the spacious dining- and bar-area, next to the homestead. The 25m lap-pool is reached via a winding wooden boardwalk from the deck in front of the dining-area. The homestead also houses a lounge and the reception area.

At first glance the retreat is typified by the sweeping views from the accommodation over vast rural and natural parts of the Overberg. Guests look down on the lake of Kraaiboschdam and the surrounding vineyards of the Lomond estate, flanked by the mountains behind Gansbaai to the West. To the South the "Strandveld" plains roll on to the shoreline between Pearly Beach and Kleinbaai. To the East the pointed limestone hills of the Baardskeerdersbos-Valley hide some of the rarest plant-species on Earth. The pristine lands and mountains of the fynbos-reserve of farm 215 open up to the south of the retreat continuing in endless rows of Overberg mountains rolling deep into the Western Cape. The sun sets over the ocean in summer, showing a remarkable variety of colors and light to our guests on the terraces. At night the occasional flashes from the lighthouse at the outer tip of Danger Point Peninsula, 22km from the retreat, are the clearest lights visible.

Farm 215 is a pioneer in sustainable tourism in the Western Cape and in South Africa. The reserve is covered with pristine natural vegetation of the Cape Floristic Region, the smallest but species-richest floral kingdom on earth that has the Western Cape of South Africa as its only habitat on earth. An important local sanctuary for a plethora of rare and common plant-species, the reserve boasts hundreds of different plants including several Overberg- and local- endemics and is a haven for numerous birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. The mountain-area of the reserve is a water catchment area and the water-ways are cleared from alien vegetation and re-forested with indigenous species to restore the original flow of the streams. All new buildings are purely electrified by solar-energy and heat-exchange and the operations of the guesthouse are fully compatible with the surrounding nature.

A detailed map shows the various hiking-trails of over 20 km in the reserve. Botanical walks in the reserve and nearby Overberg-conservancies with an experienced and accredited guide can be arranged. The Overberg is excellent country for horse riding. Local horses, strong yet light-footed, are the ideal companion for an outride of a few hours or a more-day horse trail from beach to mountain along empty sand-beaches and through unspoilt natural- and rural- land. Single- and multi-day horse trails are offered in co-operation with the African Horse Company, a professional company, with years of experience in horse trails and outrides in the Western Cape, specialized in the rough and varied terrain of the Overberg. A massage can be arranged in the privacy of your own accommodation.

The natural splendor of the land in the Southern Overberg is matched by the unique marine life of the waters on the Overberg coast, the meeting place of Atlantic- and Indian- ocean. Whales, in any case abundant along the coast of the Western Cape between July and December, have selected the shores of the Overberg as their favorite hang-out. The great white sharks cruise around in great numbers on the look-out for their favorite food: the cape fur seal. African penguins and numerous other sea-birds crowd the rocks of Dyer Island and long and empty sand beaches stretch along the coast. Professional boat-operators leave from Kleinbaai on Danger Point Peninsula to show guests this marine-splendour from up close.

Civilisation in the Overberg is few and far in between. Its towns and villages (there are no cities here) are original and life is taken at an easy pace. Driving through the rural land, you will see raptors in the air, blue cranes in the field and tortoises crossing the road in an irresponsible manner. The original national features of the Overberg are maintained in several smaller and large nature reserves and national parks, such as Cape Agulhas National Park and the Walker Bay Nature Reserve, location of Klipgat Cave, one of the world's oldest finding places of remains of modern man.

Farm 215 is clearly off the beaten track in a very natural area and its buildings are in an isolated position. Nature rules supreme. Where all attention is given to the comfort and quality of the accommodation and its amenities, farm 215 is not a resort, but a place where people can retire in rural and natural surroundings. We claim to cater for a niche: people that want to enjoy space, undisturbed views, tranquility and the special nature of the "Cape Floral Kingdom".

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