Libertas Guest Farm

Budget Getaways Review

Occasionally ye old Captain Getaway stumbles across a gem that boldly ticks just about every box on the Show Me The Perfect Getaway show... Libertas Guest Farm near the Wilderness Lakes slots right into this category.

It’s hard to say what’s more appealing at Libertas: the superb accommodation, the breathtaking landscape, or the long list of action-packed activities on tap.

Let’s kick off with the accommodation, which now comes in five forms: The beautifully renovated and character-packed old homestead sleeping 10, The Dairy, a contemporary six-sleeper bearing little resemblance to it's bovine origins, and not forgetting the three latest additions, Friesland, Ayrshire & Jersey cottages.

Kicking off with the main homestead, with its cement screeded floors, raw timber, earthy fabrics, original yellowwood beams and ceilings, oodles of space and country views, this is the perfect spot for that large family gathering e.g granny’s 90th.

Three spacious bedrooms, two with Queen beds and the third with two singles (of course, 100% percale linen on all) make up the main sleeping quarters. Up the stairs you'll find a large open-plan loft room with bean bags, TV and DVD player, plus four more single beds and two extra mattresses - ideal for the sulky teen, rowdy kids and gran herself (if you can get her and the Zimmer up there).

Bathrooms? Plenty of options here, the grander among them with bath and shower and views over the garden. Stepping outside in your Crocs and Virgin Active towel there's an outdoor shower to satisfy the naturalist in you.

The farm-style kitchen is fully equipped and open-plan to a spacious dining room. The living room is fitted with a Hot Art ceramic fireplace. Leading off from here is an old-style voorstoep, where you could grow old gazing at the Outeniqua mountains.

There’s an outside braai area and fireplace, not to mention boma braai under a large oak tree next to the house. What’s more, there’s a “bottomless” supply of firewood.

Moving on to The Dairy, with a disctinctly modern feel to it, this cottage sports a great sense of space, with open views over the farm dam and the gorgeous mountains.

The Dairy sleeps 6 and is well suited to a small family, with a queen in the master bedroom and twin singles and a bunk bed in the second bedroom. The living area is open-plan to an equipped kitchen, and can be opened up onto a large stoep via stack doors. 

A nice touch is the boma fireplace, built in the old cattle kraal in front of the cottage, which makes for long lazy evenings.

Last but not least, the new additions Friesland, Ayrshire & Jersey all posess that same charm that Libertas is famous for. Friesland sleeps 8 in a combination of two Queen rooms, a bunk bed in an adjoining room and a set of twin beds in the loft.

Ayrshire offers two Queen rooms, one with an added sleeper couch for the kiddies. The en-suite Queen room in Jersey boasts a romantic indoor fireplace. If the rugrats are traveling along, they can kip on the double sleeper couch in the lounge area.

Each of the newer cottages are fully equipped with lots of open-plan space to go around and a distance of about 40m betwen them. The layout has been carefully thought out to keep privacy a top priority.

The lawned expanse around all the houses is built for the kids to run wild. There are swings in the old gum trees nearby, and a volleyball court near the old homestead. Definitely bring along the bikes 'cause this is cycling utopia. The same goes for fishing rods, with good catches to be had in the farm dams (unfenced, so keep an eye on the little ones). The dairy and calves are a big hit with the kids, so don't miss this opportunity. 

All in all, more than enough options to fill a generous weekend bunnychow.