Swartberg Country Manor is nestled on the farm 'Voorbedacht' situated in the Cango Valley at the foot of the world-renowned Swartberg Pass. The picturesque panoramic view of the Swartberg Mountains will bring comfort to anyone that wants to 'get away from it all' and simply soak up the peace of its tranquil surroundings.
Our dedicated team will be your hosts, ensuring that you have an unforgettable 'homely' experience. We aim to take you back in time, when life was less complicated and friends still had ample time to enjoy long and hearty discussions. Adding good traditional food and comfortable accommodation to this 'farm' experience we trust that you will rediscover your soul!
Meals are served in our spacious dining room or on the 'stoep' (veranda) overlooking the spectacular Swartberg Mountains. For those exquisite warm summer days, traditional South African delicacies will be prepared outside on open fires next to the swimming pool, along with refreshing beverages served from the bar.
To add to this timeless era, we not only converted the main farmhouse into a comfortable guesthouse that offers 9 en-suite guest rooms, we have also renovated the original farmhouse (dated 1864) to offer a further 5 en-suite guest rooms. It is impossible not to fall in love with this historical work of art, with its ambiance and character added by Oregon pine floors and ceilings with 'perfectly framed mountain views'.
'Voorbedacht' farm is a working farm, which offers our guests the unique opportunity to explore and experience the true essence of subsistence farming in the Little Karoo. Among the various agricultural products farmed, we also farm livestock such as, cattle, sheep and ostriches. Daily walks on the farm allow guests to experience the peace and serenity of this beautiful valley, while for the more 'wild at heart', mountain bikes are available to explore the more rugged terrain.
Swartberg Country Manor is the perfect central destination from which many other places of interest can be accessed. Among these are the world-renowned Cango Caves, (19 km) which is a must for any first time visitor to our region, as well as the Congo Ostrich and Crocodile farms (39 km). The Garden Route is as accessible with George being only one hour’s drive away.
Since the farm is situated at the foot of the Swartberg Mountain, it’s a mere 12 km drive to the top of the pass, which offers breathtaking views of the Cango Valley. The descent from here, takes you past the entrance to the renowned Gamkaskloof, also referred to by the locals as 'Die Hel' (The Hell), which snakes down until you reach the picturesque Prince Albert.
A circular route over the pass through Prince Albert and Meiringspoort is an estimated 3 hours drive and is arguably one of the most scenic routes our beautiful country has to offer.
Oudtshoorn offers interesting historical buildings of which one is 'Arbeidsgenot' the original residence of the celebrated writer C.J. Langenhoven. Impressive sandstone buildings bare witness to the flourishing ostrich farming industry of a bygone era that esteemed Oudtshoorn as the then Ostrich capital of the world
Swartberg Eco Explore
Swartberg Eco Explore provides you the unique opportunity to explore the historical, geological and natural treasures that the Swartberg Mountains, the Little- and the Great Karoo has to offer.
Our customized “Explore” packages will allow you to choose the itinerary that suits your specific needs and preferences best. Offering half-day, full-day, multi-day and even night-time Exploration packages, you can prepare yourself for an experience of a life-time.
Operating in conjunction with the luxurious Swartberg Country Manor guest house, nestled at the foot of the picturesque Swartberg Mountain Pass, you are accommodated in 4-star comfort and introduced to the picture-perfect panoramic view of the famous Swartberg Mountains.
Your Guides
Swartberg Eco Explore is rooted in the life-long passion that two friends have for nature and its environment.
Having pursued their individual passions through scuba diving, motor cycling, hiking, bird watching and touring for many years, the meeting of two nature lovers in Jan Bester - an ex-Air force Fighter pilot - and Reinderd Visser - a minister of religion - were bound to start an exhilarating friendship.
After deciding to trade his hectic corporate lifestyle for the tranquility of the Little-Karoo, Jan, with the help of a few friends, successfully opened the Swartberg Country Manor guest house in 2005. He then focused on his first love – nature - and the idea of Swartberg Eco Explore was born. Reinderd, living and working in the Little Karoo since 1991 and a keen birdwatcher, during this time built up an extensive knowledge of the history of the greater Klein-Karoo region. Together they decided to join hands and make their passions their job.
Today, Jan and Reinderd are THETA accredited National Tour Guides with specialist qualifications in the Swartberg, Little-Karoo and Gamkaskloof (“The Hell”) regions and most willing to share their passions with you.
Packaged Activities
Night-Sky Explore
In the hands of your skilled guides, and under starlit Karoo skies you will experience a life changing and spell bound one hour 'tour' through the Southern Hemisphere's Celestial - “High Five”. Learn more about the most prominent stars, planets, constellations, galaxies and globular clusters.
Every guest will receive a complimentary summary on the Southern Hemisphere’s most prominent celestial treasures.
Half-Day Explore
* A sundowner and/or sunrise trip up the picturesque Swartberg Mountain Pass, experiencing the plant and animal life and learning more about the geology of the mountain and the history of the pass.
* A Cango Valley circular route, exploring our unique plant life (like our Aloe and succulent species), our birds and the geologically impressive Redstone Hills
Full-Day Explore
* Prince Albert via Swartberg Pass
Explore the world-renowned Swartberg Pass by traveling to Prince Albert and back. The ecological and geological riches of this world renowned pass are matched by the impressive “dry-stone” techniques used by master engineer Thomas Bain when he constructed the Swartberg Pass, completing it in 1886. A light lunch at the little Karoo town of Prince Albert (named after Queen Victoria’s husband) is followed by a tour of the town and region, discovering its early roots and history, paying a visit to an olive farm.
* Circular Route via Prince Albert & Meiringspoort
After exploring the Swartberg Pass, guests are introduced to the arid Great Karoo landscape and its diverse succulents and karroid bush by skirting the northern slopes of the Swartberg Mountains en- route to Meiringspoort. Time is spent at the 60 meter high waterfall in Meiringspoort, before snaking through the rest of the poort to the peaceful Little Karoo “Dorpie” - De Rust. From here we travel past Dysselsdorp - originally a mission station for the khoi-tribe living in the area – and then via Oudtshoorn to our destination.
