The Karoo is a place of magic and beauty. The historic Aasvogelkrans Farm was founded in 1834 in the Sneeuberg Mountains of the Karoo. The homestead and cottages are nestled along the banks of the Gats River, which meanders through the farm for almost 10 km and has carved breathtaking cliffs and canyons, former roosting site of vultures and origin of the Afrikaans name “aasvogelkrans” or “vulture cliffs." The farm is situated 6 km from the small village of Nieu-Bethesda and all its amenities - quirky spots, restaurants, and art galleries. This picturesque working farm comprises 2600 hectares of unspoilt nature with the most stunning rock formations, fiery sunsets, and infinite stars. Sit in silence and immerse yourself in the ever-changing landscape with endless horizons that allow you to breathe and forget about the stressors of life. Hike through the veld, along the river, through the poplar forest, or up a mountain to watch the majestic black eagles soar above you and breathe in a view that stretches beyond the horizon. This is a magical place where you can find your inner peace and re-energize. Our cottages come fully equipped for self-catering and are pet-friendly. The open plan living room/kitchen features double glazed sliding doors opening onto a wide stone wrap-around veranda to seamlessly merge the comfort of the cottages with the spectacular views of the imposing cliffs. The kitchen has a stove and oven, fridge, microwave, kettle, and toaster. A world-class Charnwood stove provides warmth and ambiance. The bedrooms feature queen-sized or 2 single beds, dressing table, closet, and hair dryer. Superior 95% goose down summer and winter duvets provide both extravagance and comfort. In the bathroom, you find a walk-in shower and deep vintage cast iron bath in which to relax and indulge yourself. We are off the beaten track and please note that you must travel on 2 km of farm dirt road and cross a low river to access the property.

We believe that the beauty around us needs to be shared. To enable this, we have refurbished two stone cottages and turned them into luxury retreats with all the amenities that will enable you to relax in comfort and absorb the incredible energy and beauty of the vistas around you. By staying at Aasvogelkrans Farm every guest enables us to continue implementing our vision of regenerating the biodiversity of this small piece of the Karoo for future generations. We are passionate about the Karoo, its people, and the energy of the incredible, ever-changing landscape around us that feeds our soul. Unfortunately, through the historic mismanagement of grazing on our farm and the impact of climate change, the biodiversity of the veld in the Karoo has changed over the past century, digressing from rich grasslands teeming with life to an arid landscape populated with unpalatable grass species and bushes interspersed with bare patches of soil without sufficient grass cover. Kristin and Peter are both researchers in the field of agriculture. Kristin is an American who grew up in Kenya. She studied for a PhD in agricultural education and communication and has worked in Kenya, Ethiopia, Switzerland, and South Africa. Peter grew up in a bilingual German-English family in South Africa and studied for his PhD in poultry nutrition in the USA. Kristin and Peter met in Europe and moved to South Africa in 2014. Kristin and Peter purchased Aasvoelkrans in 2022 with the vison of restoring the land through implementing the latest scientific regenerative grazing practices. Putting our dreams and vision into action requires lots of energy and resources. This is tirelessly executed by Derek and Joy Andersen who manage the farm together with our team of incredible staff who are rapidly turning our dream into reality.

People come to the Karoo to lose themselves in the great outdoors. However, we also have the quaint and quirky town of Nieu Bethesda only 6 km away, which boasts the Owl House & Helen Martins Museum, Kitching Fossil Centre, and a plethora of unique restaurants and art galleries. Interacting with nature is healing to the body and mind. Aasvogelkrans has no end of opportunities for immersing yourself in the great outdoors. We offer hiking, walking, bird watching, star gazing, biking, kayaking on the dams, and sunset views. Wildlife on the farm include blesbok, springbok, klipspringers, and more. Aasvogelkrans is a working farm. We raise cattle along with some sheep and goats. There are three dams near the main farmhouse that we use to irrigate fodder crops.