Kliphuis is situated in the heart of the great Karoo under the Sneeuberg mountain range just an hour from Graaff Reinet.
It is on a remote nature reserve and life here in the summer is led on the stoep, around a beautiful long, stone table which keeps your eye focused on the incredible views – an endless tract of land stretching to the mountains in the far distance.
Follow the tradition of life in the Karoo during their summers and fling open the windows every morning for all the early morning breezes and shut them mid morning for midday when the sun is at its highest to keep out the heat. The old stone floors and the really thick farmhouse walls means that the interiors stay cool, perfect for padding about barefoot. The lazy afternoons and the long, long summer evenings are just exquisite for late evening suppers, conversations, discussions and wonderful star gazing.
In the winter, the days are warm and sunny – perfect for hikes and mountain biking on mountain paths and along the river, come back in time for a big lunch outside, a lazy afternoon siesta, sundowners with lighted candelabras and begin preparing the evening feast for the dining table with a huge fire that has been kept going all afternoon in anticipation for a wonderful lengthy wintry evening.
Thick fluffy white sheepskin rugs thrown on the floor, a big fireplace and 3 wood burning stoves means the whole house is kept warm and snug. Wood, glass, stone are the elements that give its house its character along with soft off white linens on the beds.
I just loved this farmhouse, I think it was the endless views that rolled over me just putting the week behind us, combined with the house itself its decor – the stonework, the reeded ceilings, the wooden furniture, the pure scrummy linens, it was a barn which was converted giving it such character plus all the modern stuff to make it such a memorable escape.
Take game drives, do long walks, shake out the hiking boots and charge off, lie flat with a pile of reading material on the stoep and just enjoy Kliphuis.
What you need to know
- Vehicles with low clearance are not suitable for driving to Kliphuis.
- From time to time, we hear about a rise in the number of snake and scorpion sightings at some of our game farms and lodges during dry seasons. If you plan to go walking we recommend ensuring you bring good walking shoes and socks, especially important for little ones, as well as long trousers for ticks.
Coffee Table Book:
Kliphuis is one of the hideaways featured in our Perfect Hideaways in South Africa coffee table book.
This book celebrates hideaways, identifying precisely what it is that makes a holiday home ‘perfect’. From bush to beach, from city to wilderness, Perfect Hideaways in South Africa features a range of holiday homes that, by virtue of the peculiarities of their locations and distinguishing interiors, offer varieties of experiences.
