Wolfkop Grootfontein

Wolfkop Grootfontein sits on the banks of the Olifants River just outside Citrusdal, a little over two hours from Cape Town - close enough for a quick weekend getaway. There are eight villas spread along the river, each with great views of the surrounding Cederberg mountains.

Getting there

We took the N7 towards Citrusdal, stopping in Piketberg at Winkelshoek to stretch our legs - the Outpost restaurant there has indoor and outdoor seating and a kids’ play area. The Piekenierskloof Pass that follows is spectacular, with valleys and farmland rolling out in every direction (the modern pass was finished back in 1958). Take the R303 turnoff towards Citrusdal, then a right onto Voortrekker Street and 22 km past the citrus farms to the Grootfontein entrance. The final 2 km is a well-maintained dirt road that any vehicle can manage.

The caretaker met us on arrival, showed us to our villa and gave us a quick tour - a friendly welcome that set the tone for the stay. Note that check-in is from 2pm (no arrivals after 8pm), there’s no music unless you’ve booked the whole site exclusively, and it’s child-friendly but no pets.

The villa

The main villa is a Bedouin-style stretch tent that sleeps up to six. Out front is a lovely deck with a hot tub, seating and a built-in braai; through the glass sliding doors is an open-plan living and kitchen area with a table, upcycled couches and bean bags. It’s relaxed, characterful and exactly right for a river weekend.

Tents & bathroom

Behind the villa are two canvas dome tents sleeping two each, and further back a bell tent sleeping another two. The bell tent has a king-size bed with bedside tables and lamps, a handy little table at the foot of the bed, and air vents all round for a breeze on hot days. The dome tents each have two single beds. Across the board you get sheets, pillows and fleece blankets - no duvets - and a light on the outside of each tent that you can bring inside. The bathroom has a flush toilet (paper provided), a basin with running water and a mirror, plus a hot shower and towel rail.

Kitchen & deck

The kitchenette has power points and is reasonably stocked - fridge-freezer, two-plate gas stove, kettle and toaster, cooking utensils, pots and pans, a potjie pot, serving dishes, and all the cutlery, crockery and drinkware you’ll need. Out on the deck there’s a dining table and chairs beside the built-in braai. Extra firewood and ice are available on site (cash, SnapScan or EFT), the wood-fired hot tub can be preheated for you at extra cost, and there’s a fire pit right in front of the deck for a potjie or an evening around the flames.

The river & hot tub

The weather was in the high 30s, so we took a dip in the Olifants and had a slow afternoon by the water. As the evening cooled we fired up the hot tub and watched the Cederberg sunset, then got the fire going for dinner. We ended the night back in the hot tub - the perfect way to close out the day.

A swim in the river, a fire on the deck, and a wood-fired hot tub under a Cederberg sunset. That’s the whole pitch, and it delivers.

Food & fishing

We cooked well here - steaks and lemon-garlic butter prawns over the fire one night, ribs the next. On our full day we started with a run around the farm (spotting lemons and watermelons along the way), then a proper South African farm-style breakfast, then some fishing (with no luck). The rest of the day went to swimming, a game of Cluedo and plenty of relaxing before the fire - exactly the kind of weekend we’d come for. Check-out is 10am.

Two more Cederberg favourites are our Jamaka Organic Farm review and our Suikerbossie Guest Farm review.