"Breathtaking tranquility."

Firstly, the location in Gamkaskloof is second to none. The bliss, tranquility and beauty are indescribable. Boplaas Cottages is very well equipped with everything you need. Large lawns to relax on on hot days and a lovely splash pool to cool off too. The history of the house, farm and the whole gorge gives one a special feeling of 'place' and appreciation! Boplaas Cottages and Gamkaskloof (Die Hel) will definitely see me again.

"Rough road on the way to oasis."

Road was really rough, wish we knew that ahead of time. Short of a car with above average ground clearance. We stayed in Vaal Johannes and it was fantastic. Abraham is fantastic and made sure nothing was wrong. Intend to go back again for the hiking and relaxation.

"Ideal place to stay deep in Hell."

Excellent location in Hel - note 56km from Swartberg exit, but worth it. A great host! House is well furnished and solar / water made the stay pleasant.

"Effort to reach, but worth every minute."

Boplaas Cottages is a real little gem in the middle of nowhere. It takes time and effort to get there - yes, the road is really bad. But once there, the cottage has everything you might possibly need. We stayed for two nights, but really wished we had another night or two. The cottage was exceptionally clean and everything worked. The lights are 12V on solar, so it is advisable to take a torch or two. Leave the hairdryers and electronics at home; you really don't need them anyway. There is an abundance of birds, and on our way to the cottage we also saw a number of klipspringers and some kudu. We saw some baboons in the valley as well as around the cottage, but they were no hassle. I would, however, not take any chances with them. The road down the valley is very rocky, and the road is quite damaged by earlier floods in some areas. Any vehicle with higher ground clearance will be able to do the road, especially if you are willing to go slow. We made the decision to enjoy the beautiful scenery, and that made all the difference. Somehow we never got a code for the entrance gate, but after some hooting, we managed to get the attention of one of the workers. There is absolutely no cellular reception in the valley, so make sure you have the code and gate instructions before you turn off from the Swartberg pass.

""Uncle Hannes" really surprised us and welcomed us with an open heart."

Bliss, peacefulness, soulfulness. Oasis in Hell 5 out of 5.

"Except for the booking fiasco, Boplaas is heaven on earth! One of our favourites."

To our greatest disappointment, the cottage we booked was not available and we had to stay in another house which changed the whole ambiance. That is the only reason why we gave only 1 star to the location and only 4 stars for "value for money". It is a beautiful world and always will be. The house where we had to stay in was not clean and there was dust, especially at the windows and a lot of cobwebs everywhere in the house. I think the house was not prepared for guests, although the beds were made and towels were ready. Except for the above, we had a wonderful time at Boplaas, as usual. The host [caretaker] was helpful and friendly. Please ensure that bookings are in order as it was a 4-hour drive from the nearest town, which we were prepared for, but the disappointment of our occupied booked cottage was really bad. Scary! In other circumstances, the house would have been fine. Nothing wrong with its location, but if you have small children the specific splash pool on the stoop [which was nice for us] and "vleidammetjie" beneath the stoop, could be a problem for their safety.

"Beautiful house in a beautiful green ravine, near a quiet stream."

Cozy and safe, with large green lawn playground for family. Safe walking routes. Lovely visit and barbecue place under the pepper trees. Cool, cozy thatched cottage and wading pool to cool off in. Friendly Abraham who takes care of everything beautifully, and goes the extra mile. What a gem in the Gamkaskloof!

"A must 1x in your life."

Road is very bad! My 3rd visit, but taking at least 1 hour 15 minutes longer than previous visits. Apart from a lot of rain, the road deteriorates like most roads in our country.

"Spectacular scenery. No water in the pool."

Horrendous road! Not able to access the gate! The key holder mechanism would not release the key. Had to use a screwdriver to open it! Could have been a serious problem.

"Anyone driving 104 km, rock climbing in first gear, must have his head examined."

Will ruin any car or 4x4. No petrol or diesel in valley. Should at least warn booking people.

"Absolutely fantastic."

So much history in this beautiful valley. Accommodation perfect. Cape nature was a disappointment. Closed down in the valley so the museum with history is unobtainable.

"Special accommodation far away from the ordinary."

Neat, clean accommodation in an old world house that has been renovated. but retained its character. Site kept tidy by Abraham, the resident manager of the facility.

"The location is idyllic. Road to it a nightmare."

If nothing changes about the bad road in the future, fewer and fewer people will come.

"Beautiful surroundings."

Don't believe the travelling time. At least 3 hours from the Swartberg turn-off. Very rough road but worth it.

"Hemel in die Hel."

Die pad is lank en jy moet stadig ry met 'n voertuig wat genoeg vryhoogte het. Blaas bande ook bietjie af. As jy eers aangekom het by Boplaas, wag 'n onvergeetlike ervaring op jou met die rustigheid wat oor jou spoel. Abraham is baie behulpsaam en maak seker niks skiet kort nie. Ons het heerlik gebly in hierdie juweel van 'n plekkie.

"Perfectly peaceful but the road was rough."

A unique experience! The cottage is beautiful and historic and real piece of history. If you want to see it you have to prepare yourself for a tough drive. The road is rough and took about 2-3 hours. My children did not enjoy the road.

"Heaven in Die Hell, as always."

We absolutely love the superbly authentic and beautifully located "Vaal Johannes" Cottage in Boplaas. The perfect romantic getaway for two, which I have reviewed previously, given this was our second visit in the past year. Simply idyllic. Rustic. Rejuvenating. Relaxing.

"True little oasis after a nightmare drive."

Neat, clean and comfortable. Friendly service.

"It was a brilliant trip. Boplaas Cottages best accommodation in Gamkaskloof will return soon."

Magical destination enjoy by all.

"Amazing amazing experience. Having Boplaas at the end was heavenly."

Once you decide to go the Gamkaskloof you can't do any better than having a place like Boplaas to finish your epic journey!

"Very calm."

Maintenance team worked till late night to fix our geyser, very dedicated.

"Refreshing for your soul."

What can I say? Wow, wow and again wow! Enjoyed it immensely. Experienced so much peace and beauty. Would have liked to stay longer, but Boplaas will definitely see us again. It is a piece of gold.

"Lovely surroundings, quiet and peaceful."

Ideal for the adventurous.

"Wonderful experience."

The splash pool had no water, wasps nest in the bathroom and ants are a bit of a problem. The freezer section of the fridge is frozen. People should know about the 3 hour long road of 47 km leading to the final destination, as well as the condition of the road. We received the travel information on the morning we drove, which is too late, especially since there is no cell phone reception in the Kloof. The information should be made known to people during the discussion. Apart from these comments, it was a wonderful experience.

"Unique character. Old world joy."

Vaal Johannes is an idyllic little house with a picture-perfect view from the barbecue area. However, the road to and in Gamkaskloof is really a challenge if you don't have a four-wheel drive vehicle.

"Breathtaking, authentic, unforgettable, night sky stars."

Great get away from the busy town, close enough, beautiful lawn, kudus seen and leopard tracks too!

"Restful."

We found the last 7 km from shop to cottages very rough and had to drive across a long and deep causeway.

"Paradise in “Die Hel”."

There is nothing “vaal” about our “Vaal Johannes” Boplaas Cottage stay! Driving through the dry and desolate Gamkaskloof, recently ravaged by fire, was reminiscent of a post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie landscape until ... we reached the gates to heavenly Boplaas. There the green green grass, giant trees and shade everywhere, surrounded by majestic mountains and close-by “koppies” all canopied with surreal sunsets followed by dark, dark skies and fairy-tale-like shooting stars takes your breath away in awe of its complete magnificence. The cosy cottage for two is an authentic experience of a bygone past, while more than meeting modern-day needs and comforts. The little infinity pool provides complete respite to the weary traveller and makes the long descent into “Die Hel” more worthwhile than we could ever have imagined. This gem of a space, secluded and far, far away from everything and everyone, was undoubtedly our highlight of an extended sixteen day road trip through the Karoo. A special space to which we will definitely return for much, much longer!

"The place is an oasis after a rough road."

Very nice and neat!

"The silence is heavenly."

An absolutely fantastic place, beautiful nature, perfect surroundings, the houses have been stylishly restored with only the most essential improvements. Everything is spotless and tidy, quality bedding and linen.

"Breathtaking!"

After the terrible pace, it was so refreshing to be able to relax in the lovely Boplaas. We couldn't get enough of the view on the mountain! It was a privilege to be able to spend the night there. Thank you very much.

"Quiet and peaceful."

The house has been very nicely redone. The garden is beautiful. Can only imagine how nice it is to lie under the big shade trees in the summer months. We will definitely go back and stay longer.

"Simple, peaceful and nice. "

Definitely recommendable - nice to relax after a long journey.