Glamping in the Western Cape, or anywhere for that matter, is a vibe I can always get behind. Earlier this year, we ditched our own tent and combined pretty Karoo landscapes with cosy luxury when we visited AfriCamps Karoo 1 in the Hex Valley. AfriCamps partners with local landowners and farmers to create boutique glamping experiences. We took our parents on this short getaway, which turned out to be a lovely dog-friendly glamping experience for the whole family.
We have been on getaways in different parts of the Western Cape Province, and this rocky, arid backdrop is a testament to the vast differences across South Africa, even within just one province. Pretty (but cold) beaches, mountains lined with greenery, gorgeous vinelands as you go further inland and then the start of a semi-arid desert just after the Huguenot tunnel. It makes each trip even more of an adventure.
Glamping in the Western Cape
Glamping is a portmanteau of ‘glamourous’ and ‘camping,’ and in some instances, heavy on the glamour. I have been on a handful of glamping escapes in South Africa. My favourite being our road trip up the West Coast to the Northern Cape to see the Namaqualand flowers. For the most part, it’s often diy camping in a tent for our trio. My best friends still consider any holiday experience in rugged space with canvas walls to be camping, and honestly, I can’t wholly disagree with that.
AfriCamps Karoo 1 is in the Hex River Valley. A two-hour drive from Cape Town, it is considered to be the gateway between the Cape and the Great Karoo. It is a nice place to visit as a primary destination, as we did, but also a good stop if you are driving further up North. It would be a nice reset and not too far off the N2. Also, it is a 10-minute drive from the Aquila Game Reserve, which is a Big Five game reserve, adding even more fun activities to a short holiday.
Our trip was a birthday weekend, and our main plan was to chill out with family. This involved the obligatory braai, a potjie, basking in the sun, long walks and a few swims. Each camp has a hot tub on the deck or just on the side. These are self-catering units with the general things you’d need in a kitchen. However, it has a very small refrigerator, so you need to plan what you can pop in there and make use of your cooler bag. That’s one of the points where “camp” makes itself known in glamping. We stayed for two nights and did a bit of musical chairs with what could go in the fridge and cooler. They have a little shop that sells wood, ice and ice cream, which was handy.
There are loads of activities here, and I think if you come with children or a group of friends, it will be an awesome trip. There is rock climbing, archery, quad biking, MTB trails, hiking trails and stargazing sessions at night. Karoo One is a hotel with a pool, bar and restaurant if you need a change of scenery. We spent some time at both the hotel pool and the natural kloof pool. Both were great, but if you are in sticks, then of course you must swim in the rock pool surrounded by cliff faces and canyons, right?
There are hiking trails if you want to take a walk, which we did. Where they begin was not too clear for me, but after a chat with reception. We opted to take a short walk to the ‘Fossil Koppie’. We meandered around for a bit before finding the markers for the koppie. I didn’t know what fossils we would be keeping an eye out for. Honestly, I just assumed it would be mammals. I was pleasantly surprised to discover an archaeological site of fossilised seashells from millions of years ago, when this was an ocean.
Dog-friendly glamping in the Western Cape
AfriCamps Karoo 1 is dog-friendly. They allow one dog per tent. Just make sure to note at the booking stage that you will be adding a pet guest (R250 per stay). We have been camping with our dog Ahsoka before. But this was her first experience glamping. She was very confused by the structure of the accommodations. The walls were moving like the tent she knows, but inside there was furniture and a fireplace. It was difficult for her to wrap her mind around that, particularly since it was a very windy night. The cosy fireplace made up for the discomfort.
To get there from Cape Town, you take the N1 through the Huguenot Tunnel, past Worcester and De Doorns, and the AfriCamps is off the N1. That being the case, the sound does travel at times. So in the dead of the night, you do periodically hear passing trucks on their way to wherever. And that does take you out of the tranquillity, but it feels so desolate that you quickly forget that. I’d definitely visit again. Especially to explore the cliffs and valleys.
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