Kogelberg Nature Reserve is a place that is easy to love. Tucked away in the Hottentots Holland mountains, it feels a world removed from the city, yet it’s just a quick 60-minute drive. Now the reserve has new eco-friendly accommodation in keeping with the pristine setting.
The brand new Oudebos Mountain Camp puts a trip to Kogelberg at the top of the list for anyone who wants to spend time in synch with nature. The five wooden cabins have been designed to be comfortable and attractive, with minimal impact on the environment.
CapeNature’s Executive Director of Business Development, Sheraaz Ismail, explains: “All the buildings are lightweight, stilted structures that integrate modestly into the natural surroundings.”
Located in a Unesco World Heritage Site, the new accommodation makes use of innovative solutions to touch the Earth lightly. Low-energy systems like solar water heating, gas cooking and LED lighting keep the carbon footprint small. The project also makes sustainable use of a mountain stream and preserves water through low-flow showers.
The reserve developers have thought about just about everything to make the new facility as eco-friendly as possible – there’s even an eco-pool for your swimming pleasure. You can take the whole family as each cabin has two bedrooms, sleeping up to four.
Green project wins big
The new Kogelberg cabins have also impressed the judges of the prestigious Holcim Foundation Sustainable Construction Awards, an international event that awards regional prizes every three years. More than 6 000 submissions were received, but the Oudebos Development stood out for its sustainable approach.
What the judges had to say: “The Kogelberg Nature Reserve is home to the most complex biodiversity on the planet, and as a contextualised feature the Oudebos Mountain Camp is a commendable example for good practice of balancing tourist needs and preservation aspects.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: 0861 CAPENATURE (227 362 8873) to make your reservation. Or call us on 021-483-0190 or email reservation.alert@capenature.co.za
Click here to find out more about the hiking trails on offer at Kogelberg.
Palmiet River: images by Dr Donavan Kirkwood
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