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Mooiplaas Guesthouse
Mooiplaas Guesthouse
Mooiplaas Guesthouse

Mooiplaas Guesthouse


33°39’31.3"S 22°8’44.5"E

About Mooiplaas Guesthouse

In the heart of the Klein Karoo, only 10km from the town of Oudtshoorn, the family-run Mooiplaas Guesthouse ...

... is situated on the owner’s working ostrich farm. Bound to the north by South Africa’s Swartberg Mountains and to the south by the Langeberg and Outeniqua mountains, there are three spectacular passes in the area – the Swartberg, Meiringspoort and Seweweekspoort.

Mooiplaas Guesthouse is warm and welcoming and has incredibly friendly staff, making for a delightfully relaxing stay. Adults will enjoy the rural setting, informal atmosphere and opportunities to venture out and explore the beautiful scenery. It is also a firm favourite with families, for whom it caters well, with suitable room types, outdoor space, a jungle gym and the ostrich farm visit – which was a huge hit with our child.

Our view

Mooiplaas Guesthouse is warm and welcoming and has incredibly friendly staff, making for a delightfully relaxing stay. Adults will enjoy the rural setting, informal atmosphere and opportunities to venture out and explore the beautiful scenery. It is also a firm favourite with families, for whom it caters well, with suitable room types, outdoor space, a jungle gym and the ostrich farm visit – which was a huge hit with our child.

Tracy Lederer

Tracy Lederer

Country manager: South Africa

Accommodation

29 suites, 4 rooms

Children

Good for children of all ages.

Open

All year

Traveller reviews of Mooiplaas Guesthouse

4 real, un-edited reviews from Expert Africa's travellers.


80%
4 reviews since August 2007
Excellent
1
Good
2
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Mr & Mrs MfromSurrey

Arrived 20 Nov 2024, 3 nights

"Mooiplaas Guesthouse review"

"Mooiplaas is about 7kms outside Oudtshoorn, so a car is necessary. Some guests …" Read Mr & Mrs M’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Good

Mr & Mrs TfromExeter

Arrived 1 Feb 2024, 1 nights

"Mooiplaas Guesthouse review"

"The pool was big and clean and welcome …" Read Mr & Mrs T’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Average

Mr P & familyfromDublin

Arrived 29 Jun 2019, 2 nights

"Mooiplaas Guesthouse review"

"Good launch pad to the Caves …" Read Mr P & family’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Good

Mr R & Mrs MfromUK

Arrived 12 Mar 2018, 3 nights

"Mooiplaas Guesthouse review"

"The farm tour by Koos was very interesting ... …" Read Mr R & Mrs M’s full holiday review

Overall rating: Excellent

See all Mooiplaas Guesthouse reviews

Trips visiting Mooiplaas Guesthouse

Just ideas, we'll always tailor-make a trip for you


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Cape Genet Self-drive Safari

20 days • 8 locations • 1 country
CAPE TOWN AIRPORT TO CAPE TOWN AIRPORT

Enjoy fine-dining in Cape Town, whale-watching in Hermanus, and a range of walking and water-based activities throughout De Hoop’s Nature Reserve, the Klein Karoo and Plettenberg. This relaxed self-driven safari concludes with stays in The Winelands and Namaqualand.

Visiting Cape Town, Hermanus and 5 other areas

US$3,730 - US$4,470 per person

Read more about the Cape Genet Self-drive Safari

Mooiplaas Guesthouse: Our full report

In the heart of the Klein Karoo, only 10km from the town of Oudtshoorn, the family-run Mooiplaas Guesthouse ...

... is situated on the owner’s working ostrich farm. Bound to the north by South Africa’s Swartberg Mountains and to the south by the Langeberg and Outeniqua mountains, there are three spectacular passes in the area – the Swartberg, Meiringspoort and Seweweekspoort.

Offering an authentic and homely farm stay, Mooiplaas Guest House is a great spot to kick back and unwind, with its laid-back atmosphere and warm and friendly staff.

The guesthouse has a total of 29 suites and four rooms The suites – made up of ‘luxury’, family and ‘superior/honeymoon’ suites – are spread around the grounds, which means the guesthouse does not feel too big. All are well-appointed, with a comfortable lounge area, air conditioning in the bedroom area, and their own patio or balcony with table and chairs. They also have coffee- and tea-making facilities with homemade rusks, a safe, and free WiFi and satellite TV with eight cable channels. The pictures in the rooms are all painted by the owner’s sister, adding a wonderfully personal touch.

  • The 21 ‘luxury’ suites are spacious and well-furnished. The carpeted bedroom is decorated in neutral tones, with orange scatter cushions providing a splash of colour. Along with beds that can be made into either a double or twins, there is a dressing table with a large wall-mounted mirror, and a hanging rail for clothes. The large modern bathroom has a separate bath and shower with a selection of Charlotte Rhys toiletries. In the terracotta-tiled lounge, a comfortable leather sofa is the perfect place to relax and read or watch the TV. Some of these suites include a kitchenette with a kettle, microwave and fridge, plus a minibar (payable to your account).

    Several of the luxury suites are located in a double-storey block and three can connect with the suites upstairs, via a staircase, to make a larger ‘inter-leading’ room, which is great for families with children.
  • Mooiplaas also has five family suites sleeping up to four people. Three of these suites have a king-size bed, full bathroom (bath and shower) and a lounge area, while the fourth has a queen-size bed, shower-only bathroom and two single beds in the lounge area. Larger families can book two of these suites, which have inter-leading doors.
  • The three ‘superior’/honeymoon suites are spacious and luxurious. Each has a separate lounge area, bedroom and large modern bathroom and, from the patio, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Swartberg Mountains.
  • Having taken over and converted a neighbouring farmhouse (just over the road), Mooiplaas Guesthouse now also has four ‘luxury’ rooms with kitchenette. Within the farmhouse is a large comfortable lounge, wood-burning fire and dining room for communal use, and the four rooms also share the gardens and private pool. Each bedroom has its own en-suite bathroom, a kitchenette and patio with barbecue facilities. These rooms can be booked individually, or the whole farmhouse can be booked exclusively for a group and, with prior arrangement, a large farmhouse kitchen can be made available for use. Staying here gives peace, tranquillity and privacy.
The Guesthouse is the hub of Mooiplaas, where meals are served and guests gather on the veranda to chat and socialise. The two-roomed dining room has a farmhouse feel with a terracotta-tiled floor and chunky wooden furniture. Breakfast and dinner are served here by a very hospitable and sociable team who really make you feel at home. There are more tables and chairs on the patio for dining on warm summer evenings, as well as a small seating area with a wicker sofa and chairs, from where you can take in the vistas of the mountains in the distance.

In front of this is a large lawn with space for children to run around. There is also a decent-sized swimming pool to one side, with a few loungers. During our latest visit in March 2016, our four-year-old found it a very sociable area and loved this space; she also enjoyed the climbing frame and swings around the back.

Mooiplaas also has its own spa, which offers a variety of treatments including massages, facials and pedicures.

The main activity on site is a tour of the Mooiplaas Ostrich Farm with Koos, the knowledgeable guide. It's an interesting tour, taking an hour or two, during which you'll see how a commercial ostrich farm operates, learn about the history of ostriches in the area, and find out how the farm breeds and rears the birds.

The guesthouse also offers an hour’s stargazing using an in-house telescope to guide you around the night sky; they even provide a crib sheet in your room to get you started.

There are a good number of attractions around Mooiplaas, too. These include the the Cango Caves, about 30km from Oudtshoorn. This extensive network of caverns and tunnels stretches over 5km (with about a quarter open to the public), and contains sparkling limestone formations sculpted over 20 million years.

You can also go horseriding at a nearby ranch, which caters for beginners and advanced riders alike with rides of varying lengths into the wild areas of the Karoo.

The Swartberg Mountain range runs roughly east–west along the northern edge of the semi-arid Klein Karoo. It is over 2,000m high, with some amazing views from the Swartberg Pass. We can arrange for a good guide to show you around.

Geographics

Location
Little Karoo, South Africa
Ideal length of stay
Two to three nights is ideal to give you time to explore the area.
Directions
Mooiplaas Guest House is a short 10km drive from the centre of Oudtshoorn, heading towards Mossel Bay.
Accessible by
Self-drive

Food & drink

Usual board basis
Bed & Breakfast
Food quality
When we last stayed at Mooiplaas, in March 2016, one the whole we found the food to be wholesome and tasty.

Breakfast, available from 8.00am to 10.00am, comprises a continental buffet, as well as some hot dishes cooked to order.

For lunch, they are happy to put together a picnic basket if you wish to head out for the day.

Dinner is a tasty two- or four-course meal, made with local ingredients - both offer a choice of three main dishes, which you order earlier in the day. The meat for the main course is cooked fresh on the outside barbecue. The menus are not cheap but the atmosphere is convivial and it saves having to drive into Oudtshoorn.

We started with a delicious roasted butternut soup with citrus and farm-style fresh bread, followed by a timbale of salmon on marinated cucumber tagliatelle with a caper-dill dressing. For our main, we had barbecued fillet of ostrich with green peppercorn cream and a cranberry port-wine jus, served with seasonal vegetables. (Other options were Karoo lamb with mint sauce or a roulade of chicken and smoked pork with Chardonnay velouté.) For dessert we had a delicious Malva pudding with vanilla crème, but there was also a fruit platter on offer.

Although everything else at Mooiplaas is very child-friendly, unfortunately we found the evening meal was not. There was no children’s menu and the evening meal was too sophisticated and ‘fussy’ for most young children. When asked for a suitable alternative, the kitchen came up with a far less than adequate meal, which was disappointing. However, the staff did listen to our comments so we are hopeful that this will improve in the future.
Dining style
Individual Tables
Dining locations
Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service
Room service is available from 07:00 – 20:00
Drinks included
No drinks are included except tea/coffee/juice at breakfast.

Special interests

Family holidays
For a relaxing, family stay in Oudtshoorn, Mooiplaas Guesthouse offers very comfortable, farm-style accommodation, in a safe environment suitable for young children. Family room (some with kitchenettes), plenty of outdoor space, and only a short drive to the areas main attractions.
See ideas for Family holidays in South Africa

Children

Attitude towards children
Children of all ages are made to feel very welcome at the Mooiplaas Guest House
Property’s age restrictions
There are no age restrictions at Mooiplaas.
Special activities & services
Babysitting can be arranged at a small cost but do note that they may not be qualified childminders.
The guesthouse will gladly arrange early dining times for children.
Equipment
Both cots and highchairs are available.
Generally recommended for children
We think that Mooiplaas is a great place to stay with children, although the dinner menu when we visited was not ideal for young children.

Communications

Power supply notes
There is an LED battery light in the bedrooms that lasts for four hours if electricity fails.
Communications
Free WiFi is available throughout and there is cellphone reception too.
TV & radio
Each room has a satellite TV.
Water supply
Mains

Health & safety

Medical care
There are doctors and a small hospital in Oudtshoorn.
Dangerous animals
Low Risk
Security measures
None
Fire safety
Fire extinguishers are scattered around the property.

Activities

    Extras

    Disabled access
    Laundry facilities
    A laundry service is available at an additional cost.
    Money
    There is a key operated safe is in every room.
    Accepted payment on location
    All major credit cards are accepted with the exception of Amex. They also accept cash payments in South African rand.

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    Mooiplaas Guesthouse's location

    Look closer at the environment and surroundings of Mooiplaas Guesthouse.


    Other lodges in Little Karoo

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    When to go to Little Karoo

    Our month by month guide: What it's like to visit Mooiplaas Guesthouse in Little Karoo


    Jan

    Feb

    Mar

    Apr

    May

    Jun

    Jul

    Aug

    Sep

    Oct

    Nov

    Dec

    South Africa in January

    January is considered one of the best months to travel. In Cape Town the weather is hot and generally dry. The Garden Route is also excellent at this time of the year but has a more temperate climate, with slightly lower temperatures and rain can fall at any time of the year. In the Kgalagadi temperatures often top 40°C and short, sharp thunderstorms are also fairly frequent. Wildlife tends to disperse, although birding is excellent.

    As this is the high season in the Cape there are numerous events, festivals and outdoor activities to attract visitors. Accommodation books up quickly and it may be necessary to book at least a year in advance. Reservations will often be needed for restaurants and visitor attractions too.

    • Hot, largely dry days with clear skies – except on Garden Route
    • Wildlife disperses in the Kalahari but birding excellent
    • Events, festivals and outdoor activities staged for the high season
    • The high season in the Cape, accommodation can cost up to 50% more
    • Pre-booking of activities & attractions is essential

    Our view

    Fantastic: the very best time to visit

    Weather in January

    South Africa in February

    In February conditions are largely the same as in January, although temperatures can be slightly higher, especially in the interior. The wind in Cape Town starts to ease off. Although the Garden Route can experience some rain, the days are pleasantly warm and largely dry.

    The Kgalagadi remains very hot, but the birding is still excellent. Wildlife viewing can be tricky especially if there has been some rain, as the resulting long grass can obscure the animals.

    For visitors it’s still the high season, but with the local school holidays over and residents back at work, it is less busy than December and January. Accommodation costs remain high and it’s still advisable to pre-book certain activities and restaurants.

    • Hot, largely dry days with little cloud
    • Wind starts easing in Cape Town
    • Slightly less busy than December & January
    • Accommodation costs remain high, activities still best pre-booked

    Our view

    Fantastic: the very best time to visit

    Weather in February

    South Africa in March

    March is still a very good time to visit. Conditions remain dry and very warm in Cape Town, although temperatures start dropping off towards the end of the month. The wind has usually died right down.

    The Kalahari remains very hot and in years of good rains vegetation is at its most lush – making wildlife viewing tricky.

    Typically, the crowds dwindle, but it can get very busy if Easter falls in March. It is also worth bearing in mind that during major events in March, including the Cape Town Cycle Tour, Cape Epic Mountain Bike Tour, The Cape Town Carnival and the International Jazz Festival, accommodation can get very full.

    Attractions remain busy but booking is less essential.

    • Temperatures start falling towards the end of the month
    • Cape Town hosts a number of world class sport and cultural events
    • Wildlife in the Kgalagadi disperses, game viewing more challenging
    • Crowds diminish as the high season comes to an end
    • Accommodation can get busy during major events

    Our view

    Fantastic: the very best time to visit

    Weather in March

    South Africa in April

    April is South Africa’s “shoulder” season and is often the most pleasant. Not too hot, not too cold, some rain but not masses. In Cape Town and along the Garden Route days are usually sunny, warm, windless and largely dry, although in Cape Town the chance of rain increases from the end of the month.

    In the Kgalagadi the rainy season is typically over and migratory birds are starting to make their journey back up North. Vegetation remains lush but wildlife viewing starts picking up towards the end of the month.

    The region is still relatively busy (especially of its still Easter) but it gets quieter towards the end of the month thus availability improves. Accommodation rates start to decrease, and it becomes less important to book restaurants and attractions in advance.

    • Temperatures still warm and very pleasant, with little wind.
    • Rain starts easing in the Kalahari and migratory birds start to depart
    • Less busy, especially towards the end of the month - busy over Easter
    • Accommodation frees up and prices start to come down

    Our view

    A very good time to visit

    Weather in April

    South Africa in May

    May marks the start of the dry season in the Kgalagadi. Days are warm and dry with almost zero rainfall. Night-time/early-morning temperatures can drop towards 0°C. Wildlife viewing is at its peak as animals concentrate around the few remaining water sources.

    Days can still be warm and sunny in Cape Town and on the Garden Route, but the weather becomes a lot more variable. May heralds the start of the rainy season in Cape Town and the winelands. Night-time temperatures rarely drop below 10 degrees in the coastal areas.

    With far fewer tourists, accommodation prices are at their lowest. There is rarely any need to pre-book activities, but reservations are still advisable at some of the top restaurants.

    • Higher chance of rain in Cape Town & the Winelands
    • Day time temperatures drop significantly
    • Wildlife viewing peaks in the Kgalagadi
    • Low season so rarely busy & very few crowds
    • Low season rates at the hotels & lodges

    Our view

    A good time to visit, with pros & cons

    Weather in May

    South Africa in June

    Winter is now in full swing. Maximum temperatures in Cape Town rarely reach 20°C and the rainy season is well under way. Outdoor activities therefore become limited, but a number of high-quality indoor events are organised.

    The Garden Route has, in general milder weather and less rain than Cape Town.

    June sees the arrival of the first whales which migrate to the South African coastline to give birth.

    In the Kgalagadi, daytime temperatures are warm but nights and early mornings are bitterly cold. Wildlife viewing is excellent as animals are drawn to the few remaining permanent water points.

    Overall tourist numbers are at their lowest, as are the costs of flights and accommodation.

    • Cold & wet weather in Cape Town, Kgalagadi warm days but cold at night
    • One of the best months for wildlife viewing in the Kgalagadi
    • Whales start arriving to have their calves
    • Low visitor numbers & no crowds
    • Accommodation & flight prices remain low

    Our view

    A good time to visit, with pros & cons

    Weather in June

    South Africa in July

    The winter weather continues with very cold nights and early mornings in the Kgalagadi and virtually no rainfall. Vegetation here is really thinning out now and water even more scarce – so wildlife is easy to spot.

    Despite the winter and local school holidays, Cape Town remains a great place to visit. On a wet and cold day, the Two Oceans Aquarium, Zeitz Mocca (art museum) and the Cape Town Comedy Club all make for great days out, as does a trip to the wine country or the annual Oyster Festival at Knysna.

    By mid-July most of the whales have arrived to give birth. Hermanus is the best place to see them.

    At the height of the low season, so accommodation and flight prices remain low.

    • Generally cold & wet in the Cape, but good quality indoor events
    • Very good wildlife viewing in the Kgalagadi
    • Oyster festival in Knysna
    • Local school holidays can make places a little busier than usual
    • Accommodation and flight prices remain low

    Our view

    A good time to visit, with pros & cons

    Weather in July

    South Africa in August

    While August experiences mostly wintry weather it does mark the very beginning of spring with temperatures starting to rise. Visitors are drawn to the West Coast and Namaqualand to see the wildflowers, which start blooming in late August and can be seen until mid-September. Whales are still in abundance now too.

    The Kgalagadi is now very dry and wildlife vieiwng is still good. Temperatures start climbing towards the end of the month.

    Despite the weather , visitor numbers can be high as the northern hemisphere schools close for their summer holidays. It may be a good idea to book certain attractions and restaurants in advance.

    Simlarly, although accommodation prices are still low, flight prices can be a little higher than in previous months.

    • Temperatures start rising – but still potential for cold & wet weather
    • Wildflowers on the West Coast & in Namaqualand
    • Good wildlife viewing in the Kgalagadi
    • Whales continue to attract visitors
    • Can get busy due to northern hemisphere school summer holidays

    Our view

    A good time to visit, with pros & cons

    Weather in August

    South Africa in September

    Good wildlife viewing in the Kgalagadi continues and daytime temperatures increase quite dramatically. Mornings and evenings are still on the chilly side, but not as cold as they are in June, July and August.

    The 1st of September is officially the start of spring in Cape Town. Days become warmer but not quite warm enough to enjoy the city’s beautiful beaches. Venues all over Cape Town play host to various artists during the Cape Town Fringe Festival.
    Rainy days are fewer, but night times can still get chilly. Many hotels are still charging low season rates making September great value for money.

    Elsewhere, Hermanus hosts the popular annual Whale Festival, and in the West of the Cape, wildflowers continue to bloom until the middle of the month.

    • The start of spring; temperatures start rising
    • Whale festival in Hermanus
    • Cape Town Fringe Ferstival attracts a wide range of artists
    • Wildflowers blooming well until the middle of the month
    • Good wildlife viewing continues in the Kgalagadi

    Our view

    A very good time to visit

    Weather in September

    South Africa in October

    The weather starts warming up nicely, Cape Town experiences pleasant days, with much less rain, nights can still be quite cool, but not cold. Some days are now warm enough to enjoy the beach. This is one of the best months to visit the Cape Region.

    October is one of the hottest months in the Kalahari. Water remains very scarce, so the wildlife viewing is still very good. Towards the end of the month the odd spectacular thunderstorm is possible with much lightning and thunder. Migratory birds start to arrive, and resident species gear up for the breeding season.

    The whales are still present with Hermanus and False Bay the best places to see them.

    • Days start warming up; fewer rainy days in Cape Town
    • Very hot in the Kalahari – thunderstorms season starts
    • Migratory birds start arriving & resident birds start breeding
    • Whale watching still excellent in Hermanus and False Bay areas
    • Start of the high season, getting busy and accommodation prices rise

    Our view

    A very good time to visit

    Weather in October

    South Africa in November

    By November Cape Town is experiencing summer conditions with hot, clear days and warm, pleasant evenings. It’s a great month to enjoy the beaches before the peak holiday season in December. There are no real downsides to visiting in November and you may even get a few accommodation specials before prices go up for the festive season. Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens begins their summer outdoor concerts with local and international artists performing.

    The Kgalagadi remains hot but thunderstorms are a bit more regular. With the rains, water sources become more plentiful and wildlife disperses but this is when herbivores such as Springbok start lambing. Photography improves as conditions become less hazy.

    This is the last month for regular whale sightings – they tend to migrate back down south by early December.

    • Summer now in full swing, with temperatures often reaching 30°C
    • Rainy days scarce; evenings warm & very pleasant
    • Antelope start lambing in the Kgalagadi; wildlife generally dispersed
    • Last month for regular whale sightings
    • Good time to visit Cape Town before the peak holiday season

    Our view

    Fantastic: the very best time to visit

    Weather in November

    South Africa in December

    December is usually Cape Town’s hottest month when temperatures frequently breach 30°C. You can expect hot and cloudless days, and almost no rain but December does see the occasional very windy day.

    The Kalahari is still hot, but temperatures are not quite as high as previous months. With the rainfall the bush transforms into various shades of green. Wildlife disperses as water become more widely available.

    The Garden Route enjoys warm to hot days with rain at any time but usually not over an extended period.

    Mid to late December becomes incredibly busy with concerts, festivals and various outdoor activities in Cape Town. Hotel prices rise, tourist attractions and beaches are crowded and most popular sites and restaurants need to be booked in advance.

    • Long, hot sunny days
    • Kgalagadi bursts into life as rainy season kicks in
    • Wildlife viewing a bit trickier as wildlife disperses
    • Cape Town buzzing with concerts, events, festivals etc
    • Peak season: attractions get very busy & accommodation costs rise

    Our view

    Fantastic: the very best time to visit

    Weather in December

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