Getting close to nature with Touwsrivier Tourism

Last week this mamma packed her overnight bag and embarked on another amazing media tour with Touwsrivier Tourism and the Cape Winelands district.

My travel partner in crime, Andre from Social Media Cape Town   met me at the CTICC in what felt like the dead of night ( it was infact only an autum winters morning) and we started the familiar journey towards one of my favourite places …..Touwsrivier in the little Karoo.

About Touwsrivier

Situated in the Breede River district, Touwsrivier is a small railway town of just over 8000 people.

Only two hours out of Cape Town, Touwsrivier is known as the gateway to the Karoo and this is evident as you travel down the N1, by the abrupt transition between the Southern Cape’s green valleys and the arid plains of the Karoo.

Although Merino sheep are the main production of this region, there is a whole host of hidden gems, interesting attractions and family friendly activities, making Touwrivier one of my favourite area to explore.

Breakfast at Kroonplaas

Our first stop was the quaint Kroonplaas restaurant and padstal for the delicious farm breakfast.

Situated at the Engen Truck stop, N1 highway in Touwrivier, and operating from 7am to 10pm Kroonplaas restaurant offers the perfect place to stop for the family to recharge whilst on that road trip.

It not only serves the best moer koffee in an authentic metal mug, drawing you into the ambiance of this small town but their hearty farm breakfasts, with generous portions, start at just R49.90 .

Whilst there, you can stock up on some gifts, wine, snacks, juice, and a variety of padkos from the restaurant and padstaal.

With clean, well maintained bathrooms, the Touwrivier tourism office and a petrol garage on site, this one stop gem also has the perfect spot for the kids to stretch their legs and play on the playground equipment.

Don’t be surprised to find a peacock or two lounging on the table as roosters and chickens wonder about, and the birds sing sweetly in the large outdoor aviary.

For us, one of the highlights is the farm animals in the corner of the yard. On many of our road trips, Hamish often has wanted to stop here simply to say hello to the goats.

Nuwedam

After our hearty breakfast, it was time to drop the cars off at the stunning working farm, Nuwedam, and jump into D& S Taxis with Lebo, for the remainder of our journey.

Lebo has driven us before on a media trip and his cautious driving and friendly personality are always a comforting sight.

Nuwedam Guest Farm is situated on the N1 Highway and can’t be missed with its unique signage of an old red car on a round stand.

This working farm has three self-catering cottages with private bathrooms and a braai area. With free ranging farm animals and their own adorable dogs, Bob and Marley. It’s understandable that Nuwedam is pet-friendly by prior arrangement.

Drie kuilen

Our home for the night was the serenity of the Drie Kuilen Nature Reserve which lies in the Montagu district in the Klein Karoo, nestled amidst the more than 4300ha of mountainous terrain and boasts a rich diversity of fauna and flora.

Only 2 hours drive from Cape Town Drie Kuilen offers a variety of activities and there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Nature lovers can take a safari drive and view the protected game on the farm, bird watch, or enjoy the scenic views.

For those wanting a bit more adventure, there are various hiking, rock art, 4×4 and bike trails to keep you busy.

The unique rock formations on the reserve are a photographer’s paradise and will leave you breathless for days.

The reserve offers a wonderful selection of immaculate, beautifully decorated self catering accommodation with spectacular views.

For the children, there is an eco conscious play area and large open grounds to explore.

Home for the night

Drie Kuilen Nature Reserve offer a wide variety of luxury, self service accommodation from family houses to camp sites.

I stayed in Eland House.

This magnificent flagship self catering home has 3 bedrooms, all en-suite, and sleeps up to 6 people.

I immediately fell in love with the soft nature inspired modern decor and the attention to detail in ensuring each guest was comfortable.

The kitchen is fully fitted and even has a dishwasher and 2 fridges.

Eland House has a beautiful, fully enclosed glass window that opens up onto lush green grass, magnificent mountain views, and a dam, where animals gather at certain times of the year.

The balcony has a pool table, indoor braai, and lovely large dining table to enjoy meals as the sun sets.

Wifi is not available on the reserve. However, I was able to pick up the wifi signal in the yard and in the house.

You can tour Eland House here

Time to explore

Whilst at Drie Kuilen Nature Reserve we enjoyed a fun scenic drive up the mountain.

Lina, Lena and Stefan are increadibly knowledgeable and it is evident by their conversation just how passionate they are about both nature and conservation.

This private reserve have universities doing studies on their land and continually collaborate with both scientists and students to ensure that the biodiversity integrity of the nature reserve is maintained.

As we drove past wide open areas of flora, moody mountains and hills looked over us. It’s interesting to note the large diversity of flora and fauna on the reserve.

Along the way, we spotted several birds, and game life. I love that the reserve have only introduced regional species and that these Indigenous buck are able to roam freely in the reserve area.

Rocks

Drie Kuilen Nature Reserve have the most surreal rock formations that span a large area of their Reserve.

My photos do not do justice to just how spectacular and breathtaking these are, and I could have spent many hours in solitude in these spaces, simply wondering about their origin and admiring their majestic beauty.

The highlight of my visit to Drie Kuilen nature reserve is, without a doubt, being able to witness these rock formations.

An Evening to remember

The Karoo skies are the most expressive.

The darkness of the unpolluted Karoo landscapes open a blank canvas in the sky for the most magnificent of sunsets, twinkling stars and the early evening rays of a bright sun.

You can’t help but stand in awe as you witness nature’s beauty as she is painted before you. Once again, for the millionth time that day, I found myself without words as I watched the sun set slowly over the mountains.

Drie Kuilen Nature Reserve accommodation is self service and with fully fitted kitchens you can cook a full course meal.

That evening,we were hosted to the most delicious Eland steaks.I can’t resist a wild meat meal. My love of wild meat grew when I lived in the Karoo years ago, and this meal tasted like home.

Sitting around the table with great food, good wine and amazing company in the quietness of the reserve ….priceless memories !

The perfect way to end a fun and adventerous day.

Sunrise

“LET THE MORNING SKY SHADE BE YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR”

-Somya Kedia

Waking early the next morning, to the silence of a dark autumn morning, I could wait to rush outside to greet the horses and watch the glowing sun rise.

Imagine my delight at catching the reflection in the windows of the house ….

This is how all good mornings should start.

Gecko Rock Private Nature Reserve

Thursday morning, we traveled to Gecko Rock Private Nature Reserve where we met the wonderful Deal family and were treated to true Karoo hospitality and a delicious farm breakfast.

Gecko Rock is an eco-adventerers paradise that lies approximately 30km from Touwsrivier.

Here, you can fall off the grid and tune into nature as you and your family enjoy one of the stylish eco- friendly cabins or go camping.

There is no wifi on the reserve, except at the office, making your stay both serene and allowing you to truly be in the moment.

Gecko Rock offers a wide variety of activities as well as a conference area, making this the perfect venue for team building getaways.

Some of the activities offered on the reserve are:

🪨 Scenic walks and hiking trails

🪨 Biking trails

🪨 4×4 trails

🪨 Driver training

🪨 Stargazing

🪨 Bird watching

🪨 Flower & succulent tours

🪨 Photography opportunities

Eco cabins

Gecko Rock Private Nature Reserve self catering eco-cabins offer a luxiourious stay as you enjoy the tranquility, solitude and panorama of the little Karoo.

Each cabin boasts magnificent mountain views, sleeps 6 and has a fully fitted kitchen, solar lighting, full sized stoep and braai area.

Parking is avaliable next to the cabins.

You can tour the eco cabins here

Camp sites

I fell in love with the camping site at Gecko Rock Private Nature Reserve

This neat, safe, secluded spot offers adorable family sized wooden cabins, which reveal a touch of luxury as you venture inside. These are perfect for the glamping family.

They also have a camp site and abolusion facilities where you can pitch your tent and enjoy the magnificent views, large shaded areas and solitude.

As a homeschool family we’ve been talking about camping with like-minded homeschoolers, and this would be the perfect space for us to take the family.

Shooting my shot

Yes….that’s me shooting a shotgun!

My nerves were in all states of anxiety as I have a very healthy respect ( read fear) of guns. However, although the shotgun was increadibly heavy, I can’t say I disliked the experience.

We were given proper training about the gun and how to stay safe before being allowed to handle it. The instructor was never far away, and for me personally, it was a safe and trusting space, all of which lowered my anxiety and initial fear.

Was it fun …..yes! It is certainly an adrenaline boost.

Would I do it again….with a lighter gun, yes!

I’m not someone who believes guns are toys, but I do like the idea that if I ever needed to shoot a gun in self-defense, I would know how to handle the gun correctly and know how to use it.

Gecko Rock Private Nature Reserve is the home of Zero Points Down Academy They present formal training with SAPS approved trainers. Knowing this allowed me to feel at ease, safe and confident in the training and exercise.

Home again

All too soon our time had come to an end and we needed to head back home to Cape Town.

Thank you Touwsrivier for more amazing memories, adventures and friends.

You can view the highlights of my trip here

 

 

 

 

4 Replies to “Getting close to nature with Touwsrivier Tourism”

  1. Wow, awesomeness, Judy; thank you for posting all this. You have put into words what I am thinking. Great work!

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