Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve

Kagga Kamma lies in the south-eastern Cederberg, on the Swartruggens range that separates the Koue Bokkeveld from the Karoo, around three hours north of Cape Town. The reserve is a landscape of weathered sandstone, balancing boulders, fynbos and succulent Karoo, grazed by indigenous antelope and lit up by wildflowers after the winter rains. The San and Khoi sheltered here for thousands of years, and their paintings and engravings survive across the property, visited on guided rock art walks.

Rooms are built into the rock. Cave suites sit against the formations with small private terraces, hut suites look out over the fynbos plains, and open air suites stand kilometres from the lodge with a bed under the stars, a star bath and a boma fire. There are also self-catering chalets and a campsite. Days run to nature drives, hiking and cycling trails, quad bikes, a spa in a restored 1987 stone cottage, and stargazing under Bortle 1 skies, among the darkest measured anywhere.