Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Wellness Retreat

We really enjoyed our visit to this beautiful place. From start to finish everything was great, the morning rock art trips were fascinating and the evening wildlife drives very enjoyable. There were also multiple other activities to enjoy eg canoeing and some lovely nature trails / walks. The stars at night were mesmerising. Our guide Liam was excellent, always finding different things to look at, be it animals, rock art, weather, scenery, stars, plants etc etc, brilliant. Hospitality here is first rate with consistently high standards of accommodation, housekeeping, food , drinks and service. A fabulous place to relax, unwind, get spoiled and enjoy nature at its very best. Thanks to everyone for taking such good care of us.

Without a doubt one of the best luxury travel experiences in South Africa. Impeccable staff, knowledgeable guides, beautiful landscaping, wonderful content , stunning interiors and with 20 years of travelling and holiday making this is one of my Top ten all time best hotel experiences.

We had 4 nights here in December 2023 - what a revelation. An absolute oasis in the Cederberg Mountains. Our guide, Evan, made the trips so interesting with his outstanding nature knowledge, soft humour and excellent service that we were first in the truck every morning and evening of our stay. They cottage we stayed in was roomy and a slight issue with the toilet was promptly remedied. Eating outside every evening as the wildlife walked by was a real treat - the meals were superb and the staff friendly. A very memorable stay!

We spent 4 nights at Bushmans Kloof and loved every moment! The setting and landscape is spectacular, the activities are fantastic, the staff were lovely and the food.....oh the food!!!...... probably the best food we've had in many trips to S Africa. Absolutely genius menu concept, superbly executed. The drive from the gate to the lodge is.......well, let's just say we wish we had a 4WD vehicle! There had been a lot of rain the week before though. It was definitely an adventure and it feels stunningly remote! The lodge itself is beautiful, surrounded by amazing nature. The pools are wonderful, and we were very happy that most of them were not heated. The walking trails are absolutely fantastic, it's so rare to be in a wildlife reserve yet still be able to walk unaccompanied (no predators), but see lots of plains game while on foot (including v cute baby zebra). The rock art is amazing and the way the guides structure the morning and afternoon game drives works fantastically well. It's a huge reserve and we really felt like we saw the furthest reaches of it, all of it spectacular. We loved the other activities, fishing, canoeing, but the walks (where you have to navigate yourselves via piles of stones) were just the best. The only thing we would change is the size of the room..... it was definitely on the cosy/bijou side. And it seems strange that quite a lot of the rooms are that small, given the huge amount of space they have at their disposal. We had a luxury room, but given that it wasn't even big enough for 2 comfy chairs, just 1, not sure that it quite meets the "luxury" description. But this was the only slight negative about our visit. We have stayed at a Red Carnation hotel before, where the service was exceptional, and so had high hopes, which were definitely met. We really can't praise BK highly enough, we'd been wanting to visit for years and it exceeded all expectations. We totally loved it and will most definitely come back.

(Back again for the third time 3 years later and I'm just as impressed, if not more so) Amazing resort with top-class service. Stayed here for our honeymoon, our anniversary and my birthday, felt so pampered every time. Staff are friendly, knowledgeable and always willing to go the extra mile. The guides especially turn the beautiful (but sometimes inscrutable) landscape into a treasure trove of tasty tidbits of infornation, make sure to ask about the flora, fauna and rock art sites around the reserve (stargazing is also offered, since the night sky is so clear here). The food is excellent and with four meals served daily in a frequently updated and varied menu there's ample opportunity to satisfy your hunger. The kitchen also caters to dietary specifications by request and boy do they deliver (they're also aware that vegetarians can still eat protein-rich foods which in my opinion is a pleasant surprise nowadays). Sometimes (weather permitting) you can even have picnics or dinner outdoors around the reserve and gardens which is a wonderful experience. Try the Kodoro dinner for an intimate and unique experience (along with amazing food) Daily rock art excursions and game drives with your guide are a must and add so much value to just being at the retreat. Hikes in the surrounding reserve are also scenic and well marked with varying difficulties among them. Guides make each experience an adventure and provide so much information. Snacks and drinks/sundowners are also provided which definitely sweetens the deal. The spa is well worth a visit; with the same friendly and helpful staff, many treatments and great facilities (would recommend at least one treatment in the Gazebo). Daily turn down services and extraordinary dining experiences added such a special feeling to our stay (ask about the latter when booking your stay). A wonderful experience and would definitely recommend to couples and families alike (the resort is more suited to adults though and some restrictions apply to younger children in certain areas).

We were treated like royalty! Excellent service, food and accommodation. Added bonuses were the Rock art excursions, Game drives and dinner at the mountain surprise venue. Their rooibos iced tea is a winner!

A special place to stay. Beautiful remote surroundings. The staff all.make you feel at home. Comfortable individual rooms. Fabulous food. The activities offered are varied and include nature drives and viewing San rock art. You can also just relax away from it all. There is no where else like this! Simply stunning.

Overall, our second visit to Bushman's Kloof was a triumph: everything and more that we hoped for. The drives were exceptional - thank you Evan and thank you Byron for our special picnic. The walks, similarly so. Our room (River View) was delightful and secluded. I was able to run each day: the main route to the gate is a terrific one and plunging into our pool at the end of these was a delight. As ever, the food was wonderful. We came last in 2019 before the pandemic and it felt so good, and 'healing' to return now that crisis is past. Bushman's Kloof remains a benchmark for us in terms of relaxation and pleasure. Thank you to the whole team for making it so.