• Farmhouse
• Heron House
• Wild Olive House

* Package rates vary based on the tent category selected.

Bartholomeus Klip is an easy drive, just over an hour, from Cape Town, just outside Riebeeck Kasteel and a mere 15 minutes’ drive from the town of Wellington.

Bartholomeus Klip is a wonderfully restored Victorian homestead on an operational wheat and sheep farm amid the private 10,000 acres Elandsberg Nature Reserve in the Swartland region in the Cape Winelands and near the West Coast.

The “Swartland” consists of the regions between the towns of Malmesbury in the south, Darling in the west, Piketberg in the north, and the Riebeek West and Riebeek Kasteel in the east.

Jan van Riebeeck called this softly undulating country between the mountain ranges “Het Zwarte Land” (the Black Land) because of the endemic Renosterbos (elytropappus rhinocerotis).

After the rains, mainly in winter, the Renosterbos take on a dark appearance when viewed from a distance in large numbers.

This is due to the fine leaf hairs adhering to the leaves when wet.

 

There is an understated elegance, natural rhythm, and abundant vitality in the life of a Cape farm. Experience its unfiltered authenticity and hospitality at our full-board or self-catering accommodation, the Conservatory restaurant, and all over our farm and the private Elandsberg Nature Reserve.

In over 20 years of operation, the guesthouse has built a solid reputation for its impeccable farm-style hospitality, idyllic location in a peaceful country atmosphere, and deliciously fresh food.

 

Discerning travellers will appreciate the exclusive peace and quiet at the Victorian Farmhouse and its Restaurant, while our self-catering houses are very popular with families and groups of friends.

Ten thousand acres of a private nature reserve with over 500 head of game, a working farm, wheatlands, flocks of sheep, and a buffalo and tortoise breeding project invite no more than ten guests at a time to enjoy walking, hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, and birdwatching, or just to switch off and relax.

 

Bartholomeus Klip and its Commitment to the Environment.

At the heart of our business is our commitment to the environment.

The Elandsberg Nature Reserve was formally declared a provincial nature reserve in 2008 in recognition of its importance to conservation.

Its botanical value is incalculable since it preserves the largest remaining portions of two highly threatened Renosterveld and Fynbos plant communities.

Bartholomeus Klip has signed up with Cape Nature’s Stewardship program to safeguard the reserve in perpetuity and has played a central role in the Quagga revival project.

Besides doing educational nature drives for our guests, our rangers are also involved in the Geometric Tortoise head-start project and the official Quagga Project.

 

Responsible Tourism at Bartholomeus Klip.

Responsible tourism has been a central concept to everything we do at Bartholomeus Klip since we started in 1997.

Our values, ethos, and mission statement all speak to the triple bottom line of responsible tourism: economic growth, environmental integrity, and social justice.

In fact, BK was started as a way of providing meaningful employment to the wives and family members of our farm workers.

The guesthouse provides an environment, along with training and mentorship, for the ladies (and the occasional gent) to explore their different talents, help contribute financially to the household and use it as a platform to launch their careers.

 

Community Care at Bartholomeus Klip.

But BK would not work without the support of the surrounding community.

Besides employing local staff and using local suppliers wherever possible, BK is also actively involved in the local primary school, with our “Coins for Kids” initiative bringing in welcome funds, and our assistance over the years with the Eco-Schools program having seen them achieve their Green Flag along with a greater understanding of the importance of the environment.

Our reserve days are always well-received by the kids and I think the time they spend in the kitchen with Louise & Mina making milkshakes and bread are by far the best.

 

Accommodation at Bartholomeus Klip.

The Farmhouse – Full Board

The Victorian-style main house was built in 1906, was renovated in 1996, and opened as a guesthouse in 1997.

With 4 rooms in the house and 1 outside suite, there are only 10 guests staying at any time.

Finishes everywhere are luxurious and stylish, with crisp cotton bedding and elegant fabrics.

Our own toiletries add a special touch to the Victorian-style bathrooms.

You are welcome to make the house your own, perhaps in one of the reception rooms where an open fire crackles in the winter months, or on the broad verandah that winds around the house and catches the late afternoon sun.

 

Heron House – Self-Catering

Heron House is very popular with groups of friends and families.

Located at an authentic historical Cape farm, the house offers views and direct access of the private Elandsberg Nature Reserve.

Two farmhouses have been joined and given direct access to a big outside patio with its own garden, swimming pool, shady verandah, and outdoor facilities for braaing.

Brunch and dinner can be ordered to be delivered to the house, or adults are welcome to join us at the restaurant.

Heron House comfortably sleeps 12 adults in 5 en suite rooms with king-size beds and 1 loft with a lounge/play area and a double sleeper couch.

 

Wild Olive House – Self-Catering

Wild Olive House is very popular with groups of friends and families. Located at an authentic historical Cape farm, the house offers views and direct access to the private Elandsberg Nature Reserve.

This quaint farmhouse has its own garden, swimming pool, shady verandah, outdoor facilities for braaing, and an extra garden cottage.

Brunch and dinner can be ordered to be delivered to the house, or adults are welcome to join us at the restaurant.

Wild Olive House comfortably sleeps 6 adults, in 2 rooms with double beds, 2 separate bathrooms, and 1 bunk bedroom in the main house, and 1 double bed and 1 bathroom in a separate garden cottage.

 

Dining at Bartholomeus Klip.

Chef Louise Gillett loves to shake, stir, and sear the fresh farm produce she forages and harvests all over Bartholomeus Klip, along with the regional delicacies she finds on her Swartland explorations and the classic cooking techniques she keeps up her sleeve.

Her farm-meets-fusion-style cooking is a permanent challenge to excite the palate and senses and to match a carefully chosen regional wine selection at our Farmhouse Restaurant.

 

A day in the country isn’t complete if it isn’t rounded off with dinner in the Conservatory at the Farmhouse.

Reminisce about your day at the farm and in the Elandsberg nature reserve over soft candlelight, generous dishes, and carefully chosen regional wines.

The food is one of the highlights for many guests staying at Bartholomeus Klip, and it is not difficult to see why.

Tradition-inspired, but ever-changing and often adventurous combinations of local produce in an authentic African farm setting with personal attention to every detail, make your stay with us a luxurious pleasure for all the senses.

 

Things To Do at Bartholomeus Klip.

For those seeking quiet and calm, there are many little corners in our gardens, at the dam, around the pool or even in the nature reserve, to retreat in solitude.

Some may try their hand at fishing, while others will watch birds, read a book or take a well-deserved nap.

For others, seeking adventure and an elevated heartbeat, there is swimming and kayaking at the dam. The nature reserve and the farm roads around BK may be explored on a bicycle, on foot, or from the back of our open Land Rover – on one of our guided nature drives.

BK is situated in the heart of the Cape Winelands, with its world-renowned wine estates celebrating the distinct terroirs of the Swartland, Wellington, Paarl, Voorperdeberg, and Tulbagh – and a little further away, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek – and with many of South Africa’s best restaurants.

 

Guided Nature Drives at Bartholomeus Klip.

Enjoy a guided nature drive in an open Land Rover through the private 10,000-acre Elandsberg Nature Reserve.

The drive sets off through the gate and across the river into the reserve, entering a completely different world from the farmlands and gardens of Bartholomeus Klip.

You might head towards the mountains towering up in front of you or along the road to the grassy plains where herds of black wildebeest, eland, bontebok, quagga, springbok, and zebra tend to congregate, all the while surrounded by South Africa’s unique fynbos with its rich and varied plant life full of interest.