Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat
Cederberg Mountains, Western Cape
An oasis in the wilderness
Cradled by the rugged Cederberg Mountains, Bushmans Kloof offers an utterly unique wilderness escape in South Africa.
This family-owned lodge and ecological oasis is set within a 7500-hectare private reserve. Offering five-star luxury accommodation and inspired South African cuisine, memorable days at Bushmans Kloof are spent discovering the wide-open plains, awe-inspiring wildlife and pristine mountain landscapes.
Discover our special world, with unique access to more than 130 ancient rock art sites, some dating back as far as 10,000 years, and the opportunity to discover the region’s ancient San culture in the company of our experienced local guides.
Please note that some services may be limited as a result of governmental regulations.
Restoration & preservation
Since purchasing the iconic Ashford Castle in 2013, Red Carnation Hotels has invested substantially in a meticulous restoration and enhancement programme that has restored the castle to its former glory.
The age and scale of the castle presented unique challenges for the Tollman family, the architects, designers and the extensive team of local craftspeople, who together with local suppliers delivered a level of precision that ensured every detail was taken care of in a sympathetic manner – and with breathtaking results.
Looking to the future...
The community surrounding the Ashford Estate is an integral part of our history, with continuous fundraising efforts to support local organisations, volunteer days spent with local charities and partnering with a charity of the year to support them. As we look to the future and the continuation of our sustainability journey, we are working alongside our local community of Cong with the aim of becoming Ireland’s very first green destination.
Together with The TreadRight Foundation, we strive to #MakeTravelMatter.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences
We are honoured to have been selected to host a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences, which directly advance the United Nations Global Goals.
Discover more
Nature & nurture
We work to preserve the biodiversity and natural habitats on the Estate with the introduction of a bug hotel in our gardens and bat boxes throughout the Estate, to protect dwindling species of bats. We also collaborate with a local tree surgeon to develop a manageable action plan to care for our vast tree population. We are proud to grow our own produce in our polytunnels and forage for seasonal ingredients across the Estate, thus reducing food miles. In the future, the addition of four beehives with an indigenous species of bee will allow us to produce our own honey while protecting the bee population.
Beyond Green
We have joined with Beyond Green – a global portfolio of hotels, resorts, and lodges that exemplify sustainable leadership – as a founding member.
Discover more
Renewable resources
We are continuing our efforts to phase out single-use plastics by 2022 - so far we have saved 57,000 bottles from landfill - and reducing our food waste in partnership with Winnow. We have also introduced a system called Accuvio to allow us to monitor our energy consumption, waste generation and water use. We harvest our rainwater to use across the Estate and have introduced renewable sources of energy.
Our projects & progress
Discover more
You can now buy Ashford Castle Estate Honey
Mrs Tea's Boutique & Bakery now stocks Ashford Castle Estate Honey, created by our resident bees.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® is a registered trademark of the TreadRight Foundation.
