Once upon a time
In 1986 Willie de Waal, Pieter de Waal and Pieter Loubser bought Kagga Kamma, as well as three adjacent farms; together the properties boasted 15 000 hectares of pristine fynbos plains and the owners immediately saw the potential of the land.
Over the course of the following year, a small stone cottage was erected to allow the owners to visit and entertain friends on the property. It was love at first sight for their visitors and Willie, Pieter and Pieter made the decision to share and preserve the area on a wider basis. In 1988 and 1989, Grootvlei Farm was purchased for better quality water and the properties were turned into Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve.
Soon after, the first Chalets were built and a few antelope species were introduced onto the Reserve. From there, Kagga Kamma grew into what it is today; a welcoming Lodge in a unique landscape which is continuously striving to offer guests memorable experiences while preserving the natural environment.
Sustainable Tourism
GOING GREEN | SUPPORTING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY | ECO TOURISM
Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve strives towards a better, cleaner future and has continually worked towards a more environmentally friendly approach in managing the Lodge. From preserving the natural landscape, protecting the indigenous and endemic wildlife, and offering an eco-centric hospitality experience to guests, our core mission has always been centred on developing our green initiatives and sourcing improved methodologies for a sustainable future in the beautiful space that is the Cederberg region of the Western Cape.
Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve unveiled a Solar Power Farm in November of 2022 that provides sustainably-sourced electricity to the entire Lodge, meaning that the property is off-grid and is not reliant on finite resources that negatively impact climate change. At present, the solar farm supplies sufficient energy to 13 Chalets, 15 Lodge Suites, 26 Staff Homes, as well as the Reception, Restaurant, Bar, Spa, Laundry and Communal Areas, though provision has been made for potential future expansion of the Lodge.
The solar farm project aligns perfectly with Kagga Kamma's mission towards being a true eco-lodge and is one of the last building blocks to make the Lodge truly green, sustainable and eco-friendly.
Kagga Kamma believes in enriching the lives of the community and therefore employs local people as staff at the Lodge. The Kagga Kamma Team is proud of their heritage and cares for the environment. The Curio Shop on the property also sells handcrafted items made by the Kagga Kamma Team and locals, as part of this enrichment programme.
Kagga Kamma provides a combination of experiences that focus on the unique natural environment and rich cultural history that are at the heart of the Kagga Kamma story. Our aim is to provide opportunities for guests to experience the natural treasures and fascinating fauna and flora, which make Kagga Kamma so special, first-hand.
Unique Wilderness
Kagga Kamma is situated in the south-eastern section of the Cederberg, in the Swartruggens region. In another time the San people called the region home and spent their time foraging and hunting on this land, building huts for shelter and telling stories in their Rock Art paintings. Today, what is left of their story can be found in the tools beneath the sand and the paintings which have not been weathered off the cave walls.
The Cederberg region is typical of the karoo with drier mountain fynbos and kilometres of open expanse due to the absence of tree-life. A variety of shrubs dominate the area, blooming beautiful flowers during the springtime, while protea species can be found higher up in the mountains.
A number of wildlife species can also be found in the area with their diets consisting mainly of these plant species. Larger antelope, frequently spotted, include the: Eland and Gemsbok, while smaller species of Rock Hyrax, Cape Hare and the Striped Polecat are shy and rarely spotted. A number of low-tier carnivores also inhabit the Reserve, though the most impressive predator is the Cape Leopard which is very illusive and prefers the canyon to the west of the property.
There are a large variety of bird species to be seen at Kagga Kamma and a number of them send birdsong into the crisp morning air or during the cool of the day; avid birders would find the area diverse and interesting to observe.
Rock Formations
The Cederberg region, which encapsulates Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve, is a maze of stunning fynbos, deep sand, canyons and valleys and vast openness. While together, creating an intriguing landscape unlike any other, the rock formations jutting out of the vastness, are what the region is most well-known for. These formations have emerged over decades into characters borne of imagination; cut from sandstone and quartz, shaped and weathered by rainfall and snow and bronzed by the sunlight. A number of contrasting rock formations can be viewed throughout Kagga Kamma and the surrounding area.
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Cultural Heritage
South Africa is home to a diverse range of cultures, some new and some old, but none as old as that of the Khoi and San tribes. Deep in the heart of the Cederberg Mountain Range, found all throughout the Koue Bokkeveld, are paintings left behind by the Khoi and San people. These paintings, found on cave walls and rock faces, depict fascinating stories of the people who once called these ancient lands home.
It is widely believed that the paintings depict not only scenes of everyday life, but also the clan’s spiritual beliefs and religion. The art tells a story that is thousands of years old, about the San who painted, danced and lived in harmony with their surrounds. The San believed that the rock formations and caves were a veil, separating that of the living world, from that of the dead and that their paintings could connect them to the world of the spirits.
These San Rock Art paintings are one of Kagga Kamma’s most unique attractions and date back approximately 6 000 years. While it is difficult to date rock paintings accurately, similar sketches found in Namibia have been carbon-dated to some 26 000 years ago. The San Rock Art continued over millennia up to the previous century.
