Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat, Cederberg, South Africa

Bushmans Kloof is one of South Africa's most beautiful retreats, a Relais & Châteaux wilderness reserve in the red sandstone foothills of the Cederberg mountains. Its rocky valleys hold more than 130 ancient rock art sites, painted by the San people over thousands of years, and its lodge, pools and spa make it a peaceful, predator-free escape a few hours from Cape Town.

Location: Cederberg, Western Cape

The reserve lies in the foothills of the Cederberg, a rugged range of red rock, deep kloofs and clear rivers in the Western Cape, a few hours' drive north of Cape Town. The area is famous for its dramatic rock formations, its rooibos tea farms and, in spring, its wildflowers. Many guests combine a stay with Cape Town and the Winelands.

The Cederberg is one of South Africa's most dramatic mountain landscapes, a wilderness of red sandstone arches, cracks and towers, such as the Wolfberg Arch and the Maltese Cross, that are spectacular for hiking and photography. It is the only place in the world where rooibos tea grows, and the farms around Clanwilliam offer tastings. Its clear, dark skies are superb for stargazing, and in spring the nearby Namaqualand region erupts with one of the world's great wildflower displays.

Rooms and suites at Bushmans Kloof

The reserve hosts just 34 guests in rooms, suites and private villas, so it never feels crowded. The Riverside Supreme Suite and the villas have their own pools, and the rooms combine Cape country style with comfort, many with views over the river or the mountains.

The lodge's buildings are set around gardens and lawns beside the river, with stone, thatch and Cape Dutch details, and the atmosphere is peaceful and unhurried. With so few guests, staff can arrange private dinners by the river, picnics in the mountains and personalised rock art walks.

Facilities at Bushmans Kloof

There is an outdoor heated pool, a spa with a steam room, a tranquillity lounge, an outdoor spa gazebo and a health bar. Three restaurants serve Cape cuisine with Asian and Mediterranean touches. Activities include guided rock art excursions, nature drives to see the reserve's antelope and mountain wildlife, botanical walks, canoeing, fly-fishing, hiking, biking, archery, wine tasting and cooking classes.

The mountain moment

The Bushmans Kloof moment is a guided walk to the rock art at dawn, standing beneath an overhang where the San painted eland, hunters and spirits in red and white ochre thousands of years ago, as the first light turns the sandstone cliffs gold.

Later, a canoe trip along the quiet river, past reed beds and red cliffs, with fish eagles calling overhead, shows another side of the reserve, before a long, lazy afternoon by the pool and a treatment in the spa gazebo.

As darkness falls, the skies above the Cederberg fill with stars, and a fireside dinner under the Milky Way, with the silhouettes of the mountains all around, is a perfect end to the day.

Why Bushmans Kloof is one of the best mountain hotels

Bushmans Kloof earns its place for its landscape, its history and its peace. The combination of ancient rock art, red mountains, a luxurious lodge and a superb spa is unique. It is a malaria-free, predator-free reserve, so it will not satisfy those looking for the Big Five. But for a restorative, cultural mountain escape near Cape Town, it is outstanding.

For the Drakensberg, see Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse.

Two or three nights is ideal, combining rock art walks, the spa and time by the pool or river. Many guests add Bushmans Kloof to a trip that includes Cape Town, the Winelands and the West Coast, or the spring flowers of Namaqualand. Bring sun protection and a hat in summer, and warm layers for the cool evenings in winter.

When to go to Bushmans Kloof

Spring, from August to October, is spectacular, when wildflowers carpet the Cederberg. Autumn, from March to May, brings mild days and golden light. Summer, from November to February, is hot and dry, perfect for the pools and river, while winter, from June to August, brings cool, crisp days and occasional rain.

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