Mount Ceder launches new stargazing Hideaways
Mount Ceder Under Canvas Hideaways
The Cederberg Conservancy is a 182 000-hectare Wilderness located just three hours’ drive from Cape Town. It has been a proclaimed World Heritage Site since 1973, under the Cape Floristic Region. One of the 22 farms in the picturesque Cederberg Mountain range is Mount Ceder, a beautiful, family owned and run working olive farm. It has been a closely guarded secret by locals “in the know” for many years, but they have just launched three brand-new Under Canvas Hideaways on a pristine site along the Grootrivier (meaning large river), which has been designed for both the international market as well as discerning local travellers who prefer an added dash of catered luxury.
The three new Under Canvas Hideaways, which welcomed their first guests on 1st March 2026,eachoffer a whopping 70 m2 of understated luxury under canvas complete with beautiful ensuite bathrooms, glass fronts and beautiful decks. Each Hideaway also has its own private wood fired hot tub. They have been named after iconic constellations, (Orion, Scorpius and Crux) in celebration of this wilderness area’s very low-light pollution at night, where velvet skies provide the perfect canvas for vivid stars, with the Milky Way blazing its trail in all its glory. A perfect noctourism escape!
These new Hideaways have a very low impact on nature thanks to their elevated, eco-conscious structures, built in keeping with the ethos of this biologically friendly farm, where animals in the olive grove assist with creating a natural micro eco system, drip irrigation protects its water source and energy is harvested from solar panels.
The new Hideaways complement Mount Ceder’s existing accommodation offering which comprises six villas (which sleep up to 6 or 8 guests) and three mini-villas (which sleep 4) which are all bookable on a self-catered basis. Leeustert (meaning Lion’s Tail) has also been renovated, and the popular 2 sleeper is also available now for bookings. The larger Villas also have their own wood fired hot tubs for maximum enjoyments of the views. Villa guests can self-cater or dine at the fully licensed Old Millhouse Restaurant.
The Conservancy is the proud custodian of the protected Clanwilliam Cedar tree and offers refuge to the rare Cape Leopard as well as the Sandfish which is the most threatened migratory fish species in South Africa, which has found a haven in the valley’s Groot Rivier and its tributaries. Activities on site include a wide range of half or full day self-guided walks and guided hikes, mountain bike trails, Olive Grove Tours and tastings and sundowner walks. There is also Junior Ranger Adventures for youngsters where they can enjoy the great outdoors, learning about San and Khoi rock art, making bows and arrows, go pond fishing and enjoy fun scavenger hunts. The Grootrivier, the perennial river that meanders through the property, is safe for swimming and ideal for canoeing. The birding is also superb, and the region is renowned for its wildflowers in season.
Rates for the Hideaways start from R1,800 (around £75) per person sharing including breakfast, with lunch and dinner available a-la-carte at the restaurant. Mount Ceder is the sister property to Onguma Nature Reserve in Namibia. Images are available here.
Mount Ceder Under Canvas Hideaways
Three Hideaways each with its own wood burning hot tub
