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Boplaas Guest farm lies on a private road at the most western end of Gamkaskloof (also known as “the Hell” or “die Hel”). Gamkaskloof (The Hell) is a unique valley – declared a World Heritage Site in 1997 – situated within the Swartberg Mountain Range. It is approximately 25 km. long and half a kilometre wide. The ownership of the valley is shared amongst three parties: Cape Nature; Annatjie Joubert, who owns a small piece of land within Cape Nature’s property and then Boplaas Guest farm, which is owned by Drs. Andre Louw, Henk Badenhorst, Roelof van Huyssteen and Mr. Johan Zaaiman (Civil Engineer). Because the private road ends at our property, no traffic is allowed past our locked gate – except for the owners and our guests staying in the cottages. This creates a unique opportunity to experience nature in absolute privacy. Our property which includes the farms Boplaas and Kleinberg covers an area of approx. 4,000 hectares of mountains, valleys and even a perennial mountain stream; providing tranquil pools and pristine scenery that is not easily matched anywhere in the world. The start of the well known “ladder” route is situated on Kleinberg. This route was used by…
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Below is relevant information for you to equip yourself for your journey to Boplaas, as well as, what you will find when you get there. Geography and Roads Gamkaskloof represents one of the most hidden-away valleys in SA, formed by the cleavage caused by adjacent iron-ore and scaly sandstone formations in the Swartberg Mountain Range. The road into the valley below follows this cleft in the mountains and therefore is winding, narrow and contains a fair number of passes. It is a trip not easily forgotten: the mountains, gorges, vegetation and clear air bedazzle the visitor. Although the road department always tries to keep the road in a good state, sudden mountain storms can cause it to become quite rough. The first 37 kilometers follows the contours of the mountains, but as the Kloof itself is reached the road forms a winding and spectacular pass leading to the valley floor far below. In the valley the road now passes through riverine shrubs and an abundance of thorn and wild olive trees. History unfolds itself as old dwellings, the old school house and remnants of farming activity is passed. The Gamka River is crossed by a low water crossing and should…
History
Gamkaskloof is a unique valley situated within the Swartberg Mountain Range. It is approximately 25 km. long and half a kilometre wide. The ownership of the valley is shared amongst three parties: Cape Nature (previously called “Western Cape Nature Conservation”); Annatjie Joubert, who owns a small piece of land within Cape Nature’s property and then us. Boplaas Guest farm lies on a private road at the most western end of the Kloof. Thus, no traffic is allowed past our locked gate, except of course our guests staying in the cottages. This creates a unique opportunity to experience nature in absolute privacy. Our property includes the farms Boplaas and Kleinberg and covers an area of approx. 4,000 hectares of mountains, valleys and even a perennial mountain stream; providing tranquil pools and pristine scenery that is not easily matched anywhere in the world. The start of the well known “ladder” route is situated on Kleinberg. This route was used by livestock inspectors and traders to access the valley before the first road into Gamkaskloof was built in 1962. This almost untouched glimpse of history can only be visited and appreciated by being a guest on Boplaas guest farm. Historical Background Gamkaskloof is…
Fauna & Flora
Although in years past, wildlife became almost extinct because of overzealous hunting by the inhabitants, the numbers are ever increasing due to rigid control by Cape Nature and us. Baboons are numerous, but Grey Rhebuck, Klipspringer and even Kudu are all becoming more obvious. Small carnivores like Rooikat, Cape wild cat and the river mongoose also appear ever so often. The spoor of the native leopard is frequently seen, but being very shy and nocturnal has not been physically encountered in the recent past. Birdlife is abundant and the Kloof boasts at least 150 well-recorded species. On our own property we are lucky to have a nesting pair of endangered black eagles. [nggallery id=5] Flora The Swartberg and surrounding areas are of climatic extremes, with very cold winters and extremely hot summers. The vegetation is quite diverse: ranging from mountain fynbos and riverine shrubs to renosterveld and Karoo-veld. A unique feature is the abundance of succulents, which makes it a favorite to visiting botanists.
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Oom Piet’s
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Jan Eentand
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The Stalletjie
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The Stalletjie
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The Camp Site
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The Camp Site
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