Albiflora Farm, Kogelberg Mountains, Overberg

Albiflora Farm borders onto the beautiful Kogelberg Biosphere Nature Reserve – considered the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom and UNESCO World Heritage Site – with the perennial Palmiet River running through it. Here thrive over 1 650 plant species, 77 of which occur nowhere else on earth. Birdlife is beautiful, wildlife is gentle: Cape clawless otters frolic along the river, nimble grysbok live happily with klipspringer, honey badgers, genets and mongooses. There are caracals and leopards too. Plus, you can clearly see the deep blue ocean in the distance – towards Gansbaai and Hermanus – while you stand surrounded by dainty, dancing fynbos.

This Eden is real and is just 90 minutes from Cape Town and a hop beyond Betty’s Bay. Then you head inland to the rugged Kogelberg mountains and Albiflora farm – all 512 magnificent hectares of it, spanning dramatic mountain peaks and pristine valleys of wild fynbos and extreme natural beauty. There are literally hundreds of species of Erica and Protea alone, and the farm has for years successfully exported wild flowers.

The Albiflora property has been in the family for 50 years, so there’s a farm house, manager’s house and various outbuildings. But there are also two brand new, four-bed Eco Cabins on the lower portion of the farm. Built along the rushing Palmiet River, the Eco Cabins are off the grid and off the radar. They’re Zen beautiful places to exhale and enjoy elevated views, with wild walks all around. They also strongly hint at the enormous eco tourism potential of this area – now more than ever. Since Covid, everyone wants to escape as far as possible from the city and breathe freely, and there’s no better place than deep in nature, where everything remains pure and restorative.

You may also see Verreaux’s eagles glide overhead and ground woodpeckers down below, with Cape eagle owls calling ‘who who’ all around. Bird life is abundant, as is the sense of wilderness washed with crisp mountain air. Yet, you are only 10 minutes from Kleinmond and Betty’s Bay; 20 minutes from seven beautiful beaches; 30 minutes from Hermanus and 40 minutes from Somerset West. If not as your permanent country home that feels very far from the maddening crowd, this is a coveted escape weekend getaway space where nobody will find you, unless you really want them to and it is for sale.

Specs:

• Erf Size: 512 ha
• Main house: 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
• Manager’s house
• Storage shed
• 2 Eco Cabins

 Price: R21.5m