Nieu-Bethesda – Outsiders and Allemann-se-Huisie
Sleeping up to 60 guests, Outsiders lies in the heart of the quaint Karoo hamlet, Nieu-Bethesda.
In all the en-suite B&B rooms, self-catering cottages and houses, pure cotton linen keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter. On crisp frosty nights, snuggle up under woollen or down duvets and mohair blankets. With luck, you may wake up to a gentle sprinkling of snow.
Fresh towels, tea and coffee and heaters help you feel at home.
Dormitory beds and camping are available for those on a budget.
Katrin and Ian, your well-travelled hosts make you welcome and offer unique advice on what to do locally and beyond.
Meals:
If self-catering in your well-equipped kitchen, it is best to bring most supplies with you.
Nieu-Bethesda Karoo lamb, locally made wors and firewood are available for mouth-watering braais.
Breakfast, light lunches and evening meals are served daily in our restaurant, often featuring Karoo lamb and venison from the surrounding Sneeuberge. Local Karoo sheep cheeses create tasty vegetarian dishes.
Activities:
- Visit Helen Martin’s Owlhouse, made famous by Oscar winning playwright, Athol Fugard’s “Road to Mecca”.
- Gather a colourful perspective of village life on the entertaining donkey cart tour.
- Browse around the local craft and coffee shops.
- Nieu-Bethesda has produced several world class paleontologists. Share their inspiration at the Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre or take a guided tour of unique fossils and rock art on a neighbouring farm.
- Conquer the mighty Compassberg, at 2502m, the highest freestanding peak in the Eastern Cape, or enjoy a variety of easier walks in the surrounding Sneeuberg mountains.
- Absent street lights and cloudless skies allow the Milky Way to dominate the night.
- Bird watching is excellent with many Karoo endemics and a seasonal accumulation of several thousand Blue Cranes at their wintering grounds around the derelict railway siding of Bethesda Road.
- …..or just sit back on your stoep and watch the dust settle through your sundowner…..
Day trips:
- Historic Graaff-Reinet, with it’s many National Monuments, hosts several significant museums and art galleries, including the Pierneef Exhibition.
- The Valley of Desolation in the Camdeboo National Park gives breathtaking views over the Plains of the Camdeboo, immortalized by Eve Palmer.
- The scenic Mountain Zebra National Park protects one of the world’s rarest land mammals.
PET POLICY: All dogs, cats, caged birds & horses welcome all year round. Pets sleep inside – bring own pet beds and bowls. Paddocks for horses. Easy access to walks. Consideration must be given to resident dogs, cats, birds, horses, farm animals & wildlife. Pets stay FREE. Refundable Doggie Damages Deposit required: NONE.
