Where It All Began

Roam, Roam, on the Karoo range.

The wonderfully-named Roam is a splendid haven of isolation, wildlife and landscape.  The 5,000 hectares farm has only recently been converted in an eco-tourism destination, having been a conventional sheep farm, then a hunting lodge for many years. We don’t normally feature establishments that aren’t totally independent (this one is managed by Sun Destinations) but here we needed to make an exception.

It sits just south of the town of Beaufort West, famous for not a lot other than that it’s a stop off on the road between Johannesberg and Cape Town.  However it’s also just a couple of hours from the busy Garden Route coast and George Airport and makes such a welcome break at this time of year from the crowds. 

Roam offers three accommodation options: the modern, luxurious Manor House (exclusive use for self-caterers), the more farmhouse-like Safari Lodge (for full-board guests) and the tented Explorer Camp.

The Lodge has five attractive en-suite rooms, with coir carpeting, thatched ceilings, puffy duvets that wouldn’t be out of place in a luxurious hotel, and fleecy throws at the bottom of the beds. Large glass doors open from the rooms onto patios surrounding a spacious terrace, which makes the most of the never-ending views. T

he lodge also has a guest lounge with shelves full of books and board games, and a pool deck overlooking a small waterhole. The animals tend to be shy, but you’ll see kudu, cheetah, buffalo and giraffe here, all of them truly wild and free to roam, as the name suggests.

The lodge’s swimming pool is set against the magnificently vast Karoo landscape of muted greys and browns. 

Pricing is excellent: R1,950 per person full board, including one game drive and bush walk per day. R100 per person conservation levy. A tent at Explorer Camp costs R1,450 per person, with full board.

www.roam-karoo.co.za