Bakkrans Nature Reserve

Bakkrans Nature Reserve is a unique Cederberg offering. When you reserve accommodation at Bakkrans, we guarantee total exclusivity and privacy to you (and your friends), at no extra cost. We undertake not to take in any other visitors while you are staying with us, regardless of how many cottages you booked or occupy. The entire reserve and its facilities are therefore allocated to you exclusively, to explore and enjoy in total privacy. Bakkrans (+/-6000 ha in size) is a remote and little known wilderness area in the rugged Rooi Cederberg Karoo Park. It has magnificent mountain ranges and a great variety of plant species, indigenous game, birds and other wildlife. Its earlier human history is captured in rock paintings that are thousands of years old. Artefacts that are thought to be +/-100 000 years old have been found here.

A visit to Bakkrans is very far removed from your everyday tourist fare. The houses are traditionally thatched, stone-walled veld cottages, built with materials that were mostly obtained from the reserve. We have furnished them to reflect the lifestyle of herders, who stayed in this area during a bygone Cape frontier era. In all, the accommodation here is unpretentious, but comfortable with crisp white linen.The "bathrooms" for each house are designed in such a way that you can have a grand 100 kilometre open view across the greater Karoo and enjoy a real sense of freedom while taking a shower. We have taken great care to do the building work with a light footprint and not disturb the environment. We use open fires and gas for cooking. You can therefore prepare food in the traditional way, using traditional methods, which is always a highlight for visitors. Lanterns and candles are used for light.

You can partake in various activities. Game and scenic drives can be taken during the day. There is also opportunity for photography, bird watching, game tracking, leisure walking, star gazing, plant and flower spotting - or simply just sitting somewhere quiet to soak up the silence and clean air. Night drives can be taken to track leopards and other nocturnal animals. Our Geology & Rock Art Trail takes you to fossils of the very first tiny trees that grew in this area +/-360 million years ago, as well as different sites with rock art that are thousands of years old. When walking the Leopard Trail you can observe a research site (cameras) of the Cape Leopard Trust, as well as an old stone cage that was used in earlier years to capture leopards. The trail is well frequented by leopards. Bakkrans was the very first research site of the Cape Leopard Trust, where they also photographed their first leopard.

The whole infrastructure of the greater reserve, as well as all tourist facilities, is maintained by employing local workers and craftsmen exclusively, thereby ensuring that the employment benefits which flow from Bakkrans, always stay within our local communities.

Cottages

• Rates are per person per night and are subject to change without prior notice.

• We have a minimum fee which is applicable only when visitors (3 or less) stay
  over for just 1 night, and then depart.

• We have different rates for children. Please contact us for more information.

Activities

• Tracking, Trail Walking, Bouldering, Birding, Star Gazing, Various Special
  Theme Tours.

Attractions

• Game Drives, 4x4 routes, Rock Art.

Environment

• Mountain Views, Spring Flowers, Succulent Karoo, Fynbos, Mountain
  Renosterveld.