Oudrif Farm

• Oudrif is the ultimate wilderness retreat.
• This eco-friendly lodge is made of unique straw bale construction.
• Bushmen rock art and swimming in rock pools are a big plus.
• Delicious organic food served by Bill and Jeanine.
• Oudrif Farm offers a superb variety of wild flowers in season.
• White water rafting opportunities at Oudrif between June and September.

Oudrif Farm is located on the banks of the Doring River, in the foothills of the Cederberg Mountains. It is a real gem and one of our favourites in the area.  Oudrif quite remote and about 50 km from Clanwilliam.  It takes three to four hours' to drive northwest of Cape Town, but the greatest attraction of Oudrif is its complete isolation. It is literally in the middle of nowhere and offers complete relaxation to weary city slickers and adventurers alike.

Oudrif Farm has much to entice guests from delicate rock art sites amongst indigenous Fynbos, wild flowers in spring, mountain walking, star-gazing, birding and 300 million year old fossils are all on offer. In between the activities you can relax in this serene environment and enjoy delicious home-cooked meals .

Oudrif's unique location offers wild flowers from both the Nama and Karoo regions, which brings a diverse and brilliant wildflower display, particularly in spring. However the essence of Oudrif is the Doring River where you can swim in the beautiful river water all year long or fly-fish for bass and Clanwilliam yellow fish (on a catch and release basis).  You can also paddle on the river on inflatables or even be able to do some white water rafting in season (winter and early spring), but  this depends on the river levels.

Looking out for the environment

This is a real eco-lodge and keeping with the conservation philosophy of Oudrif, the chalets are made of straw bale building blocks. This 200 year old building method is not only environmentally friendly, but also provides great comfort and shelter. The resulting five straw-bale chalets are absolutely delightful. Stylish and spacious with a clean-cut organic look that is very refreshing. Power for lights is gathered from the abundant sunshine that is collected by way of solar panels. Plus constant hot water is provided by gas. In summer the buildings are sheltered from the sun and thick walls provide good insulation to keep cool inside. (However we recommend that you may only want to book in February if you are good at dealing with heat!)

Finally we must mention Bill's delicious food, full of fresh organic ingredients. All meals are conjured up in his open plan kitchen and served on the outside terrace for most of the year.