Take your family, friends and dogs glamping on a boutique wine farm in Stanford, where you can enjoy wine tasting on your doorstep and explore this much-loved Overberg town.

Where is it?
Stanford Hills Estate, Stanford

Why stay there?
AfriCamps have become well-known for their luxury glamping tents and the AfriCamps at Stanford Hills Estate is no different. However, set on a wine estate you have the added luxury of good wine and food just down the road! Plus, you can take your dog with you.

How much does it cost?
From R645 per person sharing, R200 per extra person. Children under three years stay free, while kids aged three to sixteen pay R100 per night.

Can I take my dogs?
Yes! This is the only pet-friendly AfriCamps that welcomes well-behaved dogs and they will love exploring the large grounds, farm roads and dams. The Tasting Room on Stanford Hills Estate is also pet-friendly.

Can I take the kids?
Absolutely! They will have a great time exploring the area and The Tasting Shed on Stanford Hills Estate has lovely play area and a dam with small boats. A babysitting service is also available.

Contact details
Telephone (021) 300 5694, www.africamps.com

To date I have stayed at three AfriCamps – Oudtshoorn, Doolhof and most recently, Stanford. I have also visited AfriCamps at Kam’Bati in Swellendam. They are all wonderful, with each one offering the same layout and luxuries as the other, just in a different setting. However, AfriCamps at Stanford Hills Estate has something that none of the others have….

AfriCamps at Stanford Hills Estate is pet-friendly! They are the only AfriCamps in the collection that allows you to bring your well-behaved dog along. How cool is that! Plus, The Tasting Room on Stanford Hills Estate is also pet-friendly so your dog can join you there too.

Three of us girls stayed with three dogs for two nights at AfriCamps in Stanford and we all had an absolute blast. The dogs loved running around and exploring and we had a super mid-week break, exploring the town of Stanford, quaffing wine and enjoying a braai under the stars.   

Sleep at AfriCamps

Inside your tent you’ll find a comfy couch, a six-seater table, a closed combustion fireplace (really good for chilly nights), air conditioning, a fully-equipped kitchen with a gas hob, oven, toaster and kettle, along with crockery and cutlery. They even provide olive oil, salt and pepper, tea and coffee. One bedroom has a double bed, while the other has a double bed with a single bunk bed on top. The bunk bed has been cleverly designed so as to ensure the person on the top doesn’t fall out, while those at the bottom don’t hit their heads when they sit up! Electric blankets are provided for winter nights. The shared bathroom (with a clever locking system in place to ensure nobody walks in on you) has a large shower with towels and soap provided. There’s also plenty of plug points to keep everything charged.

Outside you can sit around a large table or relax on their loungers while enjoying a cold one before lighting your built-in braai.

Eat at AfriCamps

You can bring all your own food and braai supplies, or eat out at The Tasting Room (breakfasts and lunches) or explore the eateries in Stanford.  However, if you don’t feel like doing any of that, AfriCamps has some great options available.

The Breakfast Basket (R110 per adult, R75 per child) includes homemade muesli, Bulgarian yoghurt, a seasonal fruit salad, croissants, eggs, homemade cheese griller sausage, bacon, white and brown bread, butter, jam, orange juice, milk and cooking oil. It’s a veritable feast and is worth every cent.

Note: Photo above taken at AfriCamps at Doolhof, but the breakfast would be the same.

Their braai pack (from R175 per adult, R110 per child) is another bumper box with traditional South African favourites including boerewors, rump steak and a chicken kebab, along with a beetroot and butternut salad, a Greek salad and a homemade garlic and cheese roll.

Both the Breakfast Basket and Braai Pack need to be ordered 24 hours in advance.

Activities at AfriCamps

You will probably find yourself feeling quite lazy once you’ve settled in with all the creature comforts, but if you feel like being more active there are plenty of activities that you can enjoy during your stay. These include walking trails, mountain bike trails, horse riding and bass fishing (bring your own fishing equipment, catch-and-release). You can also book a flight with African Wings and see The Overberg from above. If you are there during whale season, you may even spot whales from above!

A bit further afield you can take a cruise on the Klein River, visit a nearby cheese farm and have picnic, visit the big cats at Panthera Africa, or visit the caves at De Kelders.

Of course there’s also wine tasting right on your doorstep which we found to be very convenient!

Dogs at AfriCamps Stanford Hills

Dogs will have a wonderful time snooping about the large grounds, exploring the farm roads and the dams, but keep in mind that there are no fences or barriers. So if your dog is roamer, you will need to keep a good eye on them!  We discovered that the chairs on the deck are very good for keeping small dogs put! See photo below…

As with any pet-friendly establishment, it is only good manners to bring your dog’s bedding with you and to clean up after them.  Also do make sure they are not a nuisance to other guests. We had tent 5 which was perfect as it is set a bit away from the other tents. The farm dogs (Ridgebacks) came by daily on their walk so you can expect a visit.

The Tasting Room at Stanford Hills Estate

Kids will love the fantastic playground with a sandpit, jungle gym and trampoline, set against a backdrop of Pinotage-yielding grapevines, while parents can keep an eye on them while enjoying some good food and wine! You are also welcome to swim in their dam, or use one of their small boats.  Your dog is welcome to join you, but bear in mind that the farm Ridgebacks are often around and their pot-bellied pig, called Crackling, roams around on the lawn.

The Tasting Room serves delicious breakfasts (I speak from experience) and also lunches, where you can expect seasonal dishes. The range of chalkboard menu items are also available as takeaways. They offer wine tasting which I highly recommend! I particularly enjoyed their Veldfire Pinotage which has been named after the pincushions that they grow on the farm.

Speaking of which, the farm produces Proteas and Pincushions, which are endemic to South Africa, so from August through November the farm is filled with these colourful blooms that are available to buy from The Tasting Room.

Keep an eye on their Facebook page as they also host live bands and other events. The Tasting Room is open every day of the week from 08h30 to 17h00.

Inside information
The fridge in your tent is a bar fridge. So don’t take loads of food that needs refrigeration as it will be fighting for space with all the drinks.

Published October 2019 | Own cost at a reduced rate