Wild Child - Family Safari adventure South Africa (Self-Drive)

THE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE PROGRAMME​
Kids aged 4 – 12 years have the chance to enjoy an authentic outdoor farm experience under the leadership and professional guidance of our Tree House team while parents unwind.

With 2-hour morning, mid-day, and afternoon slots or immersive full-day slots available, the Outdoor Experience focuses on delivering captivating eco-edutainment that unpacks the joys of farm life.

The Kids’ Outdoor Experience is available daily for both in-house and day visitors.

Bookings are required to secure your child’s seat. Only 20 seats per slot are available.
FREE-RANGE TODDLERS’ PROGRAMME
We are thrilled to announce the long-awaited relaunch of our daily Tree House free-range toddlers’ programme, exclusive to in-house guests at Boschendal.

Toddlers aged 3 – 4yrs have the chance to enjoy magical and authentically enriched experiences under the professional guidance of our Tree House team while you can unwind and take a well-deserved break.

The programme must be booked 24 hours in advance so we may plan our roster accordingly.

reservations@boschendal.co.za
+27 (021) 870 4273
PUMP TRACK
Our MTB pump track is located next to The Tree House playground and is open to all Boschendal visitors. Bring your own bike or rent a bike from our MTB Trail Centre. This experience requires parental supervision.

trailcentre@boschendal.co.za
+27 (021) 870 4200
BIRTHDAYS AT THE TREE HOUSE
Our experienced team is eager to help make your young adventurer’s birthday one to remember. With a host of fun activities and our expert Tree House team on hand, this will be the wildest adventure party yet. Get in touch with our team today to start planning.

reservations@boschendal.co.za
+27 (021) 870 4273

ONE HOUR HORSE RIDES R650 p/p per hour
In-house Guests R520 p/p per hour

We accept payment via Zapper and Snapscan.

Mondays to Fridays
10h00 - 11h00 Beginner rider
12h00 - 13h00 Advanced beginner rider
14h00 - 15h00 Intermediate rider
16h00 - 17h00 Experienced rider
Saturdays and Sundays
10h00 - 11h00 Beginner rider
14h00 - 15h00 Intermediate rider
16h00 - 17h00 Experienced rider
reservations@boschendal.co.za
+27 (021) 870 4273

PONY RIDES p/p per 15 minutes
Available Saturdays, Sundays & public holidays
12h30 - 15h00
In-house Guests R64 p/p
Visitors R80 p/p

PRICING
HIKES
Morning Guided Hike R150 for in-house guests
R80 for a running/hike trail day permit
BIKES
R350 for half day, single suspension
R550 for full-day, single suspension
From R150 for half day, kids' bikes
From R100 for hourly rates, kids' bikes
DAY PERMITS
R80 for a MTB trail day permit
R80 for a running trail day permit
Day Permit: MTB Trails and walking trails (kiddies 5-11)
Free for in-house guests (excludes guide)
ANNUAL PERMIT
R650 for 1
R1 040 for a couple
R1 560 for a family of 4 and R200 per additional family member
Permits are available at our Trail Centre. 100% of the permit fee goes towards building and maintaining our trails. Maps can be downloaded from our website.
OPENING HOURS
Mon –Sun | 08h00 – 17h00

Guests are welcome to bring their own bikes. Trail opening times are weather dependent and rentals are subject to availability.

trailcentre@boschendal.co.za
+27 (021) 001 9401

Cellar Door Wine tasting:

Join us under the oak trees to taste a wide variety of Boschendal’s finest wines.

We also have delicious platters, featuring the best of our farm produce, to enjoy alongside your tasting. There’s no better place to spend the weekend than surrounded by lush greenery and magnificent mountain views of Drakenstein range. The Cellar Door is next to our Rhone Homestead and looks out over our Heritage Rose Garden.
The outdoor tasting area is set beneath a giant Oak tree giving you the quintessential Stellenbosch winelands experience.

Wine Tasting at The Werf:

Wine Tasting is now available on long tables under the oak trees in front of The Werf Restaurant and inside the old cellar building. Bottles available for purchase at Cellar Door prices to take away. Walk-in guests only. Farm plate menu is available to accompany wine tastings.

TOUR TIMES
Mon – Sun | 10h00 – 11h00

Bookings are essential via our reservations team.

reservations@boschendal.co.za
+27 (021) 870 4273

The Manor House doors have been opened to welcome an exciting and meaningful partnership with Brundyn Art. This new satellite gallery will feature the best of South African and African art with rotating exhibitions.

Work has been completed on a sensitive renovation and restoration of the historic Manor House. In consultation with specialists from Cape Heritage, Boschendal and its architect partners have made temporary changes to the Manor House’s interior because we want to accommodate the art displays and an anticipated increased footfall from visitors excited to see Brundyn art exhibitions at the farm.

Visit the gallery shop after your visit to take home print, mementos and curated gift items.

GALLERY DATES & TIMES
Mon – Sun | 09h00 – 17h00

On Fridays, the gallery is open until 19h00

Daily walkthrough tours | 11h00

Our well-loved and highly anticipated weekly Friday Night Market is back! We look forward to welcoming you back to balmy evenings, where you can expect live music, fresh farm produce, food stalls and other artisanal stands filled with handmade local products and a beautiful local is lekker vibe. Bring the family, four-footed members are also welcome as long as they are on a leash. Come live the farm under the starlight every Friday evening.
SEP-APR 17h00-21h00

Markets are weather dependant

Here at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge, we offer Bush Safaris not only to our residents but to the public as well.

“We call it Bush Safaris, as our guides are trained to not only educate our guests on our wide variety of animals, but also about our bird and plant species..”
– Andries van Schalkwyk | Managing Director

During our bush safaris ( game drives ), you can expect to experience true Karoo vegetation from our open game viewing vehicles. Our wide range of animals includes Hippo, Giraffe, Eland, Zebra, Buffalo, Springbok, and much more. The duration of our bush safaris is ± 2 hours. About midway through the safari, there is a refreshment break at one of our scenic lookout points. These offer 360° panoramic views of the area as well as the Swartberg Mountains.

Duration: 2 Hours

None of our elephants have been taken from the wild for captivity. The three elephants were orphaned when the adults were poached. Our elephants come from circumstances that if we did not intervene they would not be alive today. We did not choose this life for them but we rather chose to give them the best possible life within our means with the best possible love and care. All our elephant excursions have a most informative educational approach.

We are fortunate that they ended up here at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge as they are true gentle giants and have great personalities. Elephants are very affectionate and caring animals.

An early booking for an Elephant Experience is essential as our elephants are very popular. Clients should arrive 15 minutes prior to activity. Activity will automatically be cancelled if clients arrive 15 minutes after booked time and will have to wait for the next time slot. You are welcome to ask our elephant guides as many questions as you like.

Feeding: (Every hour from 08h00 to 16h00)
With this experience you get the opportunity to be educated on these magnificent animals while having the chance to feed then as well.

Duration: 30 - 45 min

Observation: (08h00 - 09h00 and 15h00 - 16h00)
Take in the natural beauty and go for an early morning or a late afternoon walk with them around the 5ha waterhold

Duration: 1 hour

At Buffelsdrift Game Lodge we offer night drives not only to our residents but to the public as well. A night drive is a safari that happens at night with the help of powerful spotlights to see the different animals. The two-hour night drive offers guest an opportunity to spot the elusive “Shy five” of Buffelsdrift Game Lodge – caracal, genet, porcupine, aardvark and aardwolf. The open game drive safari vehicle offers to witness other wildlife species such as hippo’s grazing, Giraffes, Buffalo, Cape Mountain Zebra, Sable, Eland and much more. About midway through the night drive, there is a refreshment break where you can enjoy the renowned Klein Karoo night skies. The advantage of a night drive is that it provides access to nocturnal species that are rarely seen during the day and there is a greater probability of seeing them hunt at night.

Duration: 2 Hours

The Spa @ Buffelsdrift has 4 permanent therapists onsite that are professionally trained to provide the feeling one gets of being in nature with a relaxing and revitalizing treatment. Choose your preferred massage, treatment or facial and be amazed by the view over the lake, sounds of wildlife and relaxing soft music in the background.

Some of our treatments include:
- African Hand and Foot Treatments
- Back, Neck and Shoulder
- Rolling Sands Full Body Massage
- Desert Glow Exfoliation
- Manicures and Pedicures

Buffelsdrift Game Lodge invites you to witness the incredible wild habituated Meerkats emerging out of their burrows at dawn, just in time to soak up the sun before they head about their daily activities.

The Meerkat Safaris at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge will bring you up close to these amazing animals. A trained ranger will meet our guests in the Lookout Lounge, where they will enjoy a warm cup of coffee and rusks, before heading to the Safari vehicle to go to the Meerkat burrows. On the way to the burrows guests are usually lucky to spot some of the 22 species of animals on the reserve.
The guests remain on the vehicle while waiting for the Meerkats to emerge at the break of dawn. The ranger will educate the guests on all the interesting facts and behavior throughout the experience.

Guests will be transported in a game vehicle to the 5ha lion enclosure where they will see our lions (Shumba, Tonga and Safia) close-up from the elevated view point. A trained game ranger will feed the lions while guests view them. It is advisable to have a camera at hand. Furthermore, the game ranger will fully inform the guests regarding important aspects of lions in general.

General Guidelines:
– These are wild Lions and will not be touched or handled by humans, including the rangers.
– Maximum of 20 guests per Lion experience. Book in advance to avoid disappointment.
– Duration of the Lion viewing experience may vary depending on their behaviour (± 1-2 hours)

In April 2020, we introduced our South African cheetahs to our guests. After two years of being on the Reserve and being a part of our family, our cheetahs are now adapted and have relaxed in their new environment. We are aiming to create a platform to educate tourists about this predator in its natural environment.

Activity information:
Duration of Activity: 3 – 4 Hours
Activity Pricing: R1245.00 pp
Meeting Point: Look-out Lounge @ 08:00

Strap your boots and come experience an adventure that will allow you to use all your senses to connect deeper with the Little Karoo and its history. A 5km trail swirls past dramatic scenes of the famous red rock formations of the little Karoo.

Activity information:
Trail Difficulty: Casual +- 5km walk
Duration: +- 4 Hours (depends on the group’s pace)
Departure Times: 06:00 (summer) | 08:00 (winter)

Guests meet at the main lodge, from where you depart in one of our game viewers towards the starting point of the trail.

Included in some of the packages, guests are transported by our guides to other activities in the vicinity e.g. Cango Caves, Cango Ostrich Farm, Cango Wildlife Ranch and Wine Tasting.

* Only included in specific packages

Experience the beautiful St Francis Bay Canals and Kromme River on a luxury 12 seater barge which is designed and licensed to carry up to 12 passengers on the waterways of not only the canals but also the Kromme and Geelhout Rivers.

River Break activities are tailored to suit the needs of the individual or group with trips ranging from a 1 hour cruise around the canal systems to a full day excursion up the Kromme River. This river system forms part of a conservancy and is a haven for birds and animals. On leaving the Kromme River your journey will take you along the picturesque waters of the Geelhout River until your final destination... your very own private farm.

On arrival at the farm known as the 'Bat and the Boerboon' you have the rest of the day to relax at the pool, paddle the still waters in a canoe, or take a SUP, stroll through the fynbos thickets or simply sit and chill as your lunch is prepared.

Enjoy starters followed by a full, traditional South African braai (barbeque) and a sumptuous dessert to end this awesome meal. At your leisure, board the barge for another relaxing cruise back toward St Francis.

For the full day river and farm adventure a minimum of 6 people is required.

Clothing, Classrooms and Culture all in one day.For the last 4 years the Cape St Francis Resort has been taking guests on a wonderful tour of local community projects and businesses. These insightful excursions offer participants the opportunity to meet everyone involved and really get to know the what, who and why's of each individual business and the people involved.

Interact with local kids at a children's school at Talhado Montessori School which was started to address the needs of disadvantaged children in the area of St Francis Bay. Pre -primary education and a safe place to play, under adult care, were needed. Through 'Betty's Tour' you will meet these wonderful children and the teachers who care for them.

Meet some talented locals and maybe buy a garment or two - Although Nomvulas is still a small business it has developed a strong client base which keeps the pace of work consistent and provides a sustainable income for the staff.You will be given a personal tour by one of the knitters . The products produced are simply stunning and you will be spoilt for choice with the wide range of clothing and accessories.

Just 1 hours drive from Cape St Francis lies approximately 270 000 ha. of unspoiled, rugged mountainous terrain known as The Baviaanskloof.

The nature reserves breath-taking scenery includes sights of deep gorges, twisting streams and rivers and towering mountain cliffs. Open plateau and valleys are scattered throughout the area resulting in truly magnificent and varied scenic vistas. The highest point in the mountain ranges is the Cockscomb in the Groot Winterhoek range that rises to a height of 1 758 meters above sea level.

We highly recommend a visit to the Baviaanskloof and all it has to offer and now you can do it style:
Leaving in our fully air conditioned people carrier we will take you on a stunning journey through the citrus valley of Patensie.You’ll then continue your journey along a breathtaking mountain road with scenery you'll never forget to Poortjies. Various walks are available with incredible view points to really take in the true beauty of The Baviaanskloof.

Your lunch time stop will be the majestic setting of Rooihoek, deep within the Baviaans mountains. With a clean crisp river, perfect for swimming, and pristine white sands Rooihoek is the perfect location to rest and refuel.On your return you’ll also visit a typical farm stall called Padlangs where teas and coffees will be served.

Bunkers, lakes, long drives and beautifully tendered greens draw golfers to the area year after year!
Famously known for it's surfing, The St Francis Bay area also offers 2 outstanding, and very different, golf courses.

Firstly there is 'The St Francis Bay Golf Club' situated within the heart of the picturesque village of St Francis. This full 18 hole course offers challenging holes for all levels, from short lake holes to long driver par 5s. The 19th hole or club house offers a wide variety of snacks, meals and drinks with stunning views across the course. Sit back and watch as the golfers finish their round on the 18th.

The popularity of 'The St Francis Bay Golf Course' and the “Calamari Classic” (a three-day tournament run in September each year) in particular has been evident when one looks at the list of players frequenting the Club. This list is made up of resident members as well as up-country members and visitors who travel from all over the country and abroad to come and play at 'The St Francis Bay GC'

'St Francis Links' , the second course in St Francis Bay, may not have been grazing land for sheep and rabbits, but a natural course between the beach and arable land it is. Jack Nicklaus has had the pleasure of taking Mother Nature’s best piece of links land and signed his name to something unique. 'St Francis Links' challenges all who play it and rewards those who respect it.

Experience the natural beauty of Cape St Francis and the surrounding area via stunning reserve and coastal walks

Cape St Francis is home to no less than four beautiful nature reserves, Cape St Francis Nature Reserve, Seal Point Nature Reserve, Seal Bay Nature Reserve and Irma Booysen Flora Reserve.
These reserves offer a wide variety of walks suitable for all levels of fitness and experience. These walks, hikes and trails take you through natural coastal lands filled with indigenous plant and wild life.

What is so special about these areas?

South Africa is extraordinarily rich in plant and animal life and scientists have classified the different kinds of vegetation across the land. The southwestern Cape region is especially blessed in plant species, so much so that it is recognized as one of only six Plant or Floral Kingdoms in the world. Known as the Cape Floral Kingdom, it extends roughly from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town and inland, covering about 90,000 km2 and is home to 9,000 plant species, 70% of which grow nowhere else in the world (i.e. endemic to the Cape).

These plants are not scattered randomly across the landscape. Instead, from one hill to the next, different plant species grow together in their own communities. This means that the entire region is divided into these vegetation types, comprising plant species that grow in their particular area and nowhere else.

Our local vegetation type is the St Francis Fynbos/Thicket Mosaic and only grows on the lime-rich coastal sandy sites scattered between Tsitisikamma in the west and Port Elizabeth in the east. The conditions under which this vegetation type can grow is a relatively small area comprising 0.2% of the Cape region. Botanists from all over the world have visited the area discovering new species of plant life that are only found in this area.

Keep those eyes peeled for wild life

Look out for bushbuck, grysbok, common duiker, bushpig, porcupine, vervet monkey, caracal, yellow and grey mongoose and otters. You can sometimes see the rare African black oystercatcher and occasionally an endangered Jackass penguin. Bottlenose and common dolphins are often seen offshore and, from August to December, southern right whales may be spotted.

There are many other activities on offer such as whale and dolphin excursions, surf lessons with video, a hit with children, bicycles for hire , bird watching, canal and river cruises, kite surfing , horse riding , deep sea fishing out of Port St Francis on Fiona M.

All bookable through Resort Adventures.

Whether you are a foodie , interested in sea creatures or our local community the unique Calamari Tasting is a must on any itinerary.

Port St Francis is the only privately owned working harbour in South Africa and home to the

squid ( ink fish ) industry. Over 60 freezing vessels come and go for 8 months of the year, leaving for up to 21 days with crews of between 14 and 26 to find what is known locally as Chokka.

So combine a beach walk or Betty’s Tour with a calamari tasting where you can hear about the sustainability of the industry , the method of catching and showing guests the raw product and then the tasting itself, freshly prepared. It showcases not only the difference between the local and imported calamari but also the elements of the fish.

A must do, a unique once off opportunity to taste the best local calamari our country has to offer to appreciate why it is called “white gold”.