Mount Ceder: A Perfect Escape for the Sustainability-conscious Nature Lover
- Rina Steyn
- Feb 6
- 3 min read
Updated: May 19
By RINA STEYN
Mount Ceder, a working olive farm, is a certified member of Go Sustainable Tourism (GST), using the GST management method consisting of the following four equitable legs: Conservation, Community, Customer and Company.
Why is it such a perfect escape? The customer leg of the method has to do with how customers experience their stay. My sister and I spent the weekend of 3 to 5 January 2025 in the Peperboom self-catering mini-villa at Mount Ceder and experienced it first-hand.
Upon arrival at the reception, we were greeted by Gladson, a friendly man with a wonderful sense of humour, who doubles as front of house, barman and waiter. Janine, general manager for the past four years, says that he worked for JH Vorster, part owner of Mount Ceder, as a gardener in Cape Town for 12 years before being promoted to his present job at Mount Ceder.
The deck is where lovely breakfasts, light lunches, sundowners and scrumptious three course dinners are served at extra cost.
Walking into Peperboom mini-villa I immediately saw the hand of a woman in what was provided. Never before have I found absolutely everything that was needed for a sustainable self-catering stay.
The guest book contains accolade upon accolade about Mount Ceder by local guests as well as guests from around the world: Krakow (Poland), Reunion Island, The Netherlands, England and many from Germany. These accolades pertain to the beauty of the mountain peaks, the wonderful rock formations, the tranquility of the environment, the jewel-bespectacled night sky, and the diverse activities that include guided and unguided hikes, mountain biking, kayaking, and swimming in the rock pool below the waterfall. I spoke to a German guest, Joachim Hainz, on the deck, who said: “What is not to like about Mount Ceder? My wife, Brigit, and I have visited once or twice a year for the past 20 years and always stay for ten to fifteen days”.
The community leg of the method concerns involving locals. The friendly and efficient staff members are collected from the small village of Op die Berg every morning and returned home every evening. Mount Ceder is the largest olive farm in the Cederberg mountains. It has a Mediterranean climate, and the trees are watered every day from the Groot River. Harvesting, from April to June, is done by hand and involves hiring between 200 and 250 extra people.
The conservation leg of the method is demonstrated in the preservation of the natural habitat, eco farming and the use of solar panels to charge 12-volt batteries that can be used to run camping fridges. Geysers are switched off when guests are not in residence. The olive pips are mixed to form bricks. Meat Master sheep feed on the weeds in the olive groves and at the same time fertilise the trees. The meat itself, with its high fat content, is delicious. The Bonsmara cattle eat problem reeds and also fertilise the soil. During September, they hire beehives to pollinate the trees.
The Company leg: According to Janine, Mount Ceder, as a tourism destination, is highly profitable. They are fully booked most of the time. Guests very often book for a next visit before they leave, tour guides bring 4x4 groups and they have already been on booking.com for the past three years.
If this article has inspired you to go to this great wilderness area as a perfect escape, go and experience it for yourself:
Contact Details
Tel: 023 317 0848 |
-32.64734 19.40869
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