Suikerbossie Guest Farm

Suikerbossie Guest Farm sits high in the Koue Bokkeveld, about three hours from Cape Town. It’s a working fruit farm - peaches, prunes and citrus - strung along a river, and it’s the kind of place that asks you to slow right down: no signal, no music, just the water and the Cederberg.

Getting there

It’s roughly a 3-hour drive. The nearest town is either 28 km of dirt road away via Citrusdal, or 48 km on a tarred road via Op die Berg. We stopped at a farm stall for pies and frittatas (the smoked snacks were a hit) before hitting the gravel. The road is corrugated but well marked and doable in any car - just go slow, follow the Suikerbossie signs, and take in the views.

The stands

Check-in runs from 2pm to 7pm at reception, where you’re handed a welcome pack with the campsite rules and maps to all the trails. Finding your stand is easy - just follow the signs. Cars aren’t allowed at the camps (unless you’re a pensioner or your vehicle is part of your sleeping setup); everything else parks in the shade under the pines, about 200 m back near the farmhouse.

There are 19 stands and each has its own character - private riverside spots with their own jetties, a glamping caravan that sleeps four (up to six with a tent), and the famous Tarzan-swing sites. Most come with a thatched gazebo, a braai drum (bring your own grid) and electricity, though the extension lead you’ll need varies a lot - anywhere from 15 to 55 m depending on the stand, so check when you book. You’ll also need a perforated ground sheet to protect the grass; you can rent one at reception. We stayed at a riverside stand at the end of the camps - properly private, with a gazebo, a tap, river views and water access.

No signal, no music, no bins - just a river, a fire and the Cederberg.

Ablutions & facilities

The ablution blocks are split for men and women, each with three toilets and three gas-heated showers that stay warm through the day - bring your own toilet paper. Beside the ablutions there’s a communal fridge and freezer and a washing-up area. The tuck shop opens from 10 to 11am, wood and ice are for sale (cash only), and there’s a communal jetty near the river camps with canoes to rent.

On the water

The river is the heart of the place. There’s a spot to swim, canoes to rent from reception, catch-and-release fishing, and the Tarzan swing for the brave. We tried our hand at fishing one afternoon and came up empty - but had a great time regardless.

Rock pools & walks

Being a working fruit farm, there’s plenty of room to roam - hiking and cycling trails, 4x4 routes and good birdwatching. We walked to the rock pools at the old pump house and weir, about 1½ to 2 km from camp (you can even drive it). The pump house once generated the farm’s electricity; today it’s a beautiful tangle of mini-waterfalls and clear pools to explore.

Bushman paintings

In the evening we took a guided tractor ride out to some caves and Bushman paintings - a small fee per person, about an hour, so bring a hat, sunscreen and something to drink. The Cederberg is famous for its rock art and dramatic red sandstone, shaped over millennia by weathering; the sand underfoot is quite literally the rock breaking down around you. We woke early on our last morning, packed up, and were already planning the next trip. We’ll be back.

A river to swim, rock pools to find, and rock art older than anything we know. Suikerbossie is worth every kilometre of dirt road.

For more Cederberg camping, see our Jamaka Organic Farm review and our Wolfkop Grootfontein review.