Karoo Secret (42km from Aberdeen)

• Aberdeen

Your hosts Margot and Chris Hayward welcome you to Karoo Secret, the beautifully restored manager's cottage on a 4th generation working farm in the heart of the Great Karoo on the legendary Plains of the Camdeboo in the Aberdeen district. Land of big skies, remarkable sunsets and where life is lived to the timeless rhythm of the Karoo. The farm is a paradise for cyclists with different cycling routes available. Guests can choose between a 10km, 30km, and/or 60km route. There are also various hiking/running trails available. Karoo Secret is located at the farm Rooidraai, a working sheep farm where Chris also does herding sheepdog training. 

Karoo Secret's "Secret House", sleeps up to 6 guests in en-suite rooms, or 9 guests with a shared bathroom.  The homestead has full kitchen facilities, a spacious lounge and dining room, and a spacious 'voorstoep'. There is also a storage facility for bicycles etc.

This beautiful period house in the Aberdeen district of the Eastern Cape Karoo, was built in the 1950’s for the then farm manager, “Oubaas”, Mr Weyers and his wife. They also had a son, Ferdie. The original homestead had no electric power, therefore paraffine lights were used. The Weyers’ had an old wood stove to cook on. One can still see the relic slab of concrete on the floor in the Springbuck room, which was the original kitchen. There was only one bathroom in the centre of the house. This had a bath, basin and toilet. The water was heated by the old fashioned “Donkey system”. This was an outside fire pit which had to be manually stocked with wood. The outside shower gives you an idea of this donkey system. The bathroom has since been converted to a more modern open plan kitchen. We removed a wall of the old “Voorkamer” (evidence can be seen on the floorboards) to make a bigger open plan lounge /dining room as you see now. All the rooms were painted interesting colours. Some were bright blue, yellow and green! Luckily fashions have changed!