Contact: 082 500 3286 (All hours ) E-Mail: info@duiwekloof.co.za |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
GPS Coordinates South 33° 30.50 East 23° 45.27 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 At Duiwekloof you are welcome to enjoy yourself as you will. Our only rule is that neither the natural environment nor other guests should be disturbed which, we are sure, is the way you would wish it. 
The Entertainment area The entertainment area is spacious and comfortable with tables and chairs where one can sit down to rest and enjoy the view onto the rock faces. The two braai areas are large enough to make a good fire and provide a cosy atmosphere to the room. The pool table and dart board can provide hours of fun and entertainment while the firewood burns to coals to prepare a succulent meal. The swimming hole Close to the lodge is a beautiful, natural swimming hole supplied with water from the mountain. The pool has a natural rock bottom, really something special and a must in the summer heat! For the kids An adventure playground with jungle gym and Land Rover sand pit will provide hours of entertainment. An impromptu cricket pitch tends to appear in the parking area whenever children are at the lodge. The swimming hole and facilities in the lapa remain popular with the kids.
Guests can partake in guided walks to explore the magnificent kloof and show off the splendour The walk up the kloof leads to a point where one can stand with both hands on the rocks either side of you. There is a diversity of fauna and flora in the kloof.Walks There are 3 walking routes from the lodge The first route, to the source, follows a track past an ancient Willowmore Cedar to the wilderness camp 800m from the lodge. Thereafter it winds through the towering cliffs along the dry river bed to the crack, a sand stone crevasse perpendicular to the valley course. Access to the water source is over ‘the neck’, a steep ridge bypassing the deep water pool at the entrance to the crack. Ropes make the walk over the ridge quite safe. The adventurous are welcome to explore further up the river, where several natural pools can be found. The marked walk is approx 6kms return and will take around 90 mins. The second route, the ‘Bakkrans walk’, branches off from the track just before the wilderness camp. A stiff climb on a stepped pathway takes you up to a welcome seat on a ridge overlooking the lodge. The route then climbs upwards to the bakkrans or curved cliff, skirting a large overhang and then a rope assisted assent to the western plateau. Wonderful examples of the Cape floral kingdom succulents can be found in this section. The path runs along the edge of the cliff overlooking the lodge, offering magnificent view down the Baviaanskloof. On the western side of this plateau, a manganese composite rock formation makes a natural cave and a perfect spot for a picnic. The route then follows a disused 4x4 track off the mountain to a track leading to Duiwekloof’s boundary gate on the main road. The walk leads back to the lodge following the main and access roads. Look out for the monkey head boulder on the opposite slope (looking back towards the lodge) at the start and the T Rex on the mountain opposite the Blouduiker cottage as you return. The walk is moderate, about 9 kms and takes about 4 – 5 hours. The third route leads either to the Organ caves or to the neighbouring valley, Speekhout. The route starts behind the lodge, opposite the Bateleur suite and rapidly climbs the valley wall. A bench offers the opportunity to rest at the halfway mark. The saddle is a depression in the eastern plateau marked by a forest of tall aloe and magnificent views down the kloof. An ascending path branches to the left, and rewards the inquisitive with magnificent manganese conglomerate rock formations including flowstone, reminiscent of a giant church organ. A little further on there is a small cave giving a natural outline to pictures taken from within and a perfect frame for a portrait taken from without. There is no maintained pathway on the Eastern plateau, but there are points of entry at the cave and the walkway. The entire trip return takes just under 2 hours and is moderate to hard. The choice remains to turn left to Speekhout or right back to the lodge. Speekhout is an arable valley and the walk out the entrance and along the main road to the Duiwekloof turnoff is pleasant. Add a further 2 hours and look out for the 7 dwarfs on the way. An extensive Bonsaido can be found at the dwelling on Speekhout and a tea garden is occasionally available. The Stars People are awe-struck at the visibility of the milky way, many seeing it for the first time ever. Our distance from any big city and no pollution makes it the ideal place to lie on your back and gaze away at the billions of stars... Game viewing Kudu, Klipspringers and Rooibok have been regularly sighted and even black eagles occur in the area. There is also no shortage of the baboons for whom the Baviaanskloof was named. Game drives in the surrounding area is the perfect way to view wildlife. 4X4 Routes There is a variety of 4x4 routes in the surrounding area. Henrietta at Makadaatsgrot offers an Info Centre which can provide further info on these routes and other activities in the Baviaanskloof. |
 |