Bakkrans in the remote Cederberg Mountains, South Africa.

Considering its remoteness, I’d imagined absolute silence would resound from the dramatic Cederberg rockface that surrounds Bakkrans. Yet it was gentle birdsong, the whispering wind and occasional grunt of a rock hyrax that were the soundtracks to my stay.

My article in House and Leisure Discover, Spring 2024.

Arriving at the extreme eastern part of the Cederberg, magnificent mountain ranges, a variety of plant species and much indigenous game await. Here in the Rooi Cederberg Karoo Park lies a pristine, uninhabited 6 000-ha concession in a largely undiscovered part of the wilderness that offers a uniquely private experience in a remote, off-the-grid camp that’s completely integrated with nature – Bakkrans.

The preservation of Bakkrans is credited to Johan van der Westhuizen, who acquired it in 1998 and has shaped the last 25 years of its history. His family has farmed in the Cederberg for over 300 years, and the Bakkrans Reserve formed part of his childhood reference as ‘a place of special significance and spirituality’. Bakkrans once served as winter grazing land,d and shepherds would drive the livestock there, staying for months in rustic thatched huts.

My visit was far more sumptuous and hosted by current custodians Turkish-born travel evangelist Ozzy Yerlikaya and his artist partner, Ree Treweek. Ozzy, renowned for expertly connecting travellers, and Ree, an architect of imaginative worlds, have spent the past years renovating, building and applying their creative genius to the rebirth of the camp as they consciously craft the next chapter of Bakkrans,

Raised on a farm in KwaZulu-Natal, Ree inherited her artistic talents from her grandmother and mother, as well as her interest in history and antiques and the ability to identify quality cottage furniture from her father, who once traded in these pieces. Some now hold pride of place in the Cederberg.

Ozzy shares how Bakkrans transported him back to where he grew up in Eastern Turkey. ‘I hadn’t thought about it for years, and exploring these mountains opened up the memories. The ancient landscape, silence and solitude, and cooking over open flames reminded me of travelling with my father. We knew that when he brought out his kebab stick,s it meant road trips, feasting and fireside stories.’ Those very skewers and sentiment have made their way to Bakkrans.

Reached by challenging 4×4 tracks, which Ozzy navigates with prowess, Bakkrans accommodateseight people in four sensitively renovated, thatched, stone-walled cottages that stand on the footprint of the original shepherds’ huts. Local craftsmen used materials obtained from the reserve, such as reeds for the roofs, poplar for the ceiling beams, and stone for the walls to enhance them.

Unpretentious yet comfortable, with crisp white linen, custom-made beds, and amenities carefully selected with the environment in mind. The bathrooms feature copper fittings and have indoor and outdoor showers designed to disappear into the landscape and with impressive views of the TankwaKaroo.

Gathering in the open-plan lounge and dining room is enhanced by the family-style table, deep Chesterfield couches, antique ammo boxes, and a well-stocked library of books themed to the environment, mostly amassed by Ree’s father over two generations. Persian carpets, art and gently considered touches abound while Melville & Moon pieces form a natural part of Bakkrans camp life.

Cooking was on an open fire. Lanterns and candles provided atmospheric light, and the stars brightened against the blackened sky. In the kitchen, antique tins have become Ozzy and Ree’s best friends, proving the best way to store food away from the ‘resident’ mice and wilderness creatures.

The deck is perfect for sundowners, and in the evening, swallows, martins, and swifts swoop in to feed on the flying insects that emerge as the sun sets. The coffee is ground by hand in an antique grinder, infusing aroma into the fresh air and symbolically slowing down time.

The eco-pool is a welcome reprieve on blistering days and is as popular with the birds and the animals as the people. The cottages completely blend into the landscape and, just a few steps off their decks, the land remains undisturbed, exactly as it has been for millennia.

Bakkrans is where the Cape Leopard Trust began and twenty years later, it serves as a permanent monitoring station with four active cameras on site, which can be visited. The area is home to hundreds of endemic birds, mammals and reptiles, as well as endangered wildlife such as the Cape Mountain zebra, oryx and the world’s smallest tortoise.

I filled my time with nature drives, leisurely hikes, and in search of ancient fossils. We visited rock art attributed to the indigenous Khoi and San who once lived there. Some date back thousands of years, as do the many artefacts unearthed in the region.

Before reluctantly leaving, I lingered over the Bakkrans welcome book with its pages of indigenous creatures lovingly painted by Ree and beautifully supported with words from Johan.

This is where guardians of the earth gather in a celebratory ode to the setting and the rich history it encompasses. I leave not just with memories of Bakkrans as a place, but with a deeper understanding of our place in the world thanks to it.