Glamping with AfriCamps at Stanford Hills
I’ve desperately wanted to try boutique glamping with AfriCamps for the longest time, and Stanford has been on our Overberg exploring tick list. Getting the combo together was perfect! We recently spent 3 nights with AfriCamps at the Stanford Hills Estate.
Stay with me here a couple of minutes for the deets on this brilliant family getaway.
Where is Stanford
Near Hermanus and Gansbaai, Stanford is an Overberg gem roughly 2 hours from Cape Town along the N2 turning off at Caledon but I recommend driving via the scenic R44 / Clarence Drive and R43.
The coastal road is spectacular. We stopped to soak in the breath-taking scenery and also took a detour to Stony Point penguin colony in Betty’s Bay. Yay road-tripping!
About Stanford
Stanford offers that laidback small-town vibe, craved by weary urban dwellers. The beautiful quaint village dates back to the late 1800’s. The Klein River runs through the village and surrounding farm area flanked by striking mountains.
About Stanford Hills Estate
Stanford Hills boutique wine estate is well known for both its wine and magnificent protea production. Stunning scenery with a choice of activities and accommodation makes Stanford Hills Estate a destination within itself. Choose to stay in a self-catering cottage or glamp with AfriCamps. The estate is dog friendly by prior arrangement.
Activities at the estate
Besides the tantalising notion of simply chillaxing, there are enough activities that you needn’t leave the farm all weekend.
Indulge in wine tasting and light meals during the day at The Tasting Room with seating inside and outside. Soak up exquisite mountain, vineyard, and dam views. There’s loads of grass and a very cute kids’ play area.
Free roam or follow one of two marked walks around the estate through the vineyards and protea fields. Bring your bikes and fishing gear if those are passions too.
We treated the kids to a magical late afternoon horse ride (bookable at reception) through the vineyards. Undoubtedly a trip highlight and zilch experience necessary.
A favourite for us was swimming and paddling in the dam. Actually, let’s just clarify, the kids sat like bosses on their water taxi whilst mom rowed her batwing arms off!
Why AfriCamps
I love outdoor life but (to my family’s utter dismay) I refuse to camp. A verbose story for another day. Enter boutique glamping and get the best of both worlds right?
Enjoy the flapping of canvas and simple living without gross ablution blocks and wait for this… you get aircon, electric blankies and even a coffee press. It’s these details that have me swooning!
Tents are 75m2 and well equipped so perfect for a comfortable stay. Units have an indoor fireplace and a signature outdoor deck with braai. Think outdoor morning rusks and coffee followed by tranquil evening sundowners. The stargazing is beautiful too. There’s an indoor and outdoor table with seating. Your bathroom has a divine rain shower.
Two mini rooms each have a queen bed. One has a bunk bed fitted. Good thing we were there 3 nights, so each child had a turn to be king of the castle! A huuuge deal clincher for me with the AfriCamps tents is the fact that they accommodate a family of FIVE…in ONE unit!
The original tents overlook the upper dam. We soaked up magnificent sunsets from our deck and even had farm horses stroll past. There are a few newer tents slightly further back with private wood-fired tubs at a surcharge.
AfriCamps offers its boutique glamping experience in various South African locations and we’re definitely hooked so will try some of their other spots.
Other Stanford Activities
A highly recommended activity is a visit to Panthera Big Cat Sanctuary. This is 1 of only 5 truly ethical big cat sanctuaries in South Africa. We did a fun and also very eye-opening 90-minute walking tour with a superbly knowledgeable guide learning about each Panthera animal’s story, big cats in general and a wealth of interesting info. Wear closed shoes, sunscreen and have a bottle of water.
Feeling hot after our Panthera tour, we popped into the village for delicious gelato at the delightfully retro vibed Don Gelato. We plopped down in the shade on the curb right there to enjoy every cold and tasty scoop!
Other Stanford activities on our “next time” list are a leisurely river cruise up and down the Klein River, a visit to Walker Bay estate for wine tasting as well as the onsite Birkenhead Brewery for some beer tasting. Should you fancy wandering a bit further afield, Hermanus and Gansbaai are close by.
Check out some more family-friendly getaways and don’t miss my free downloadable self-catering checklist plus tips. Created by a mom of 3!
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