DEFINED BY PRIVACY, SPACE
& INDEPENDENCE.
Whether seeking complete seclusion, time with family, or a shared stay with friends, each cottage at Aardvark offers the same underlying principle: private living within a vast Karoo landscape.
Positioned independently across the reserve, the cottages combine contemporary comfort with a slower, more self-directed approach to hospitality — shaped by open space, quiet, and the freedom to experience the reserve at your own pace.
"The Karoo makes one realise many so-called important things are really insignificant, so many insignificant things are important.”
– Story of an African Farm, Olive Schreiner
Whether seeking complete seclusion, time with family, or a shared stay with friends, each cottage at Aardvark offers the same underlying principle: private living within a vast Karoo landscape.
Positioned independently across the reserve, the cottages combine contemporary comfort with a slower, more self-directed approach to hospitality — shaped by open space, quiet, and the freedom to experience the reserve at your own pace.
"The Karoo makes one realise many so-called important things are really insignificant, so many insignificant things are important.”
– Story of an African Farm, Olive Schreiner
Berghuisie
The Karoo, Completely Your Own.
Berghuisie is the most secluded cottage on the reserve — a one-bedroom retreat positioned above the Miertjieskraal dam with uninterrupted views across the surrounding landscape. Designed for privacy and stillness, the cottage combines understated interiors with expansive outdoor living.
A freestanding bath, private wood-fired hot tub, splash pool, indoor fireplace, and generous braai area create a setting shaped by horizon, silence, and complete independence within the Karoo.
ZEBRA
Spacious Living for Families & Longer Stays
Zebra Cottage combines generous indoor living with direct access to the reserve’s trails and surrounding landscape. The two-bedroom cottage includes an additional study and TV room, making it particularly well suited to families, remote working stays, and longer visits.
A covered stoep, wood-fired hot tub, indoor fireplace, and fully equipped kitchen support relaxed year-round living, while proximity to the mountain biking and hiking network makes Zebra an ideal base for exploring the reserve.
Gemsbok
Positioned Between Movement & Stillness
Located on the western side of the reserve, Gemsbok Cottage is designed for guests who move easily between outdoor activity and slower time within the landscape. The cottage overlooks one of the reserve’s waterholes and sits close to the mountain biking and hiking routes.
Large outdoor living areas, a private wood-fired hot tub, indoor fireplace, and fully equipped kitchen create a balance between comfort and openness, while a dedicated bicycle storage area makes the cottage particularly suited to active stays.
Springbok
Quiet, Elevated & Adults-Only.
Springbok Cottage is positioned along the edge of the reserve and working farm, creating a uniquely layered Karoo setting where grazing sheep, wildlife, and open veld meet naturally within the landscape.
Designed for couples, the cottage overlooks the Miertjieskraal dam and surrounding plains, with a secluded lapa, private wood-fired hot tub, indoor fireplace, and expansive stoep creating a slower and more intimate atmosphere within the reserve.
Opstal
A Farmhouse Designed for Gathering
Die Opstal is the historic farmhouse at the centre of the reserve — restored as a space for shared stays, long meals, and extended time together. Surrounded by fruit trees, grazing land, and open Karoo views, the house combines the atmosphere of a working farm with access to the broader reserve experience.
Large communal areas, a wood-fired hot tub, braai space, splash pool, bicycle storage, and proximity to the trails and dam make Die Opstal particularly well suited to families, retreats, and group stays.
Manor house
Coming Soon
A new chapter is taking shape at Aardvark Bioreserve. The Manor House will introduce a larger-scale private residence designed around the same principles that define the reserve — privacy, architectural restraint, and a deep connection to the Klein Karoo landscape.
WHAT AWAITS YOU. CURATED COMFORT, THOUGHTFULLY INCLUDED.
Every stay at Aardvark includes complete privacy, fully equipped contemporary kitchens, wood-fired hot tubs, and direct access to the reserve’s hiking, trail running, and mountain biking routes.
Additional experiences — including guided nature drives, curated Karoo produce selections, fire-prepared meals, conservation experiences, and seasonal events — may be arranged to personalise each stay further.
2 GUESTS | 1 BEDROOM | 1 King Size BED | 1 BATHROOM | WOOD-FIRED HOT TUB | SPLASH POOL | FIREPLACE | BOMA
BERGHUISIE
Complete seclusion above the Miertjieskraal dam. A private splash pool, wood-fired hot tub, freestanding bath, indoor fireplace, and expansive Karoo views define the reserve’s most secluded cottage.
4 GUESTS | 2 BEDROOMS | 3 BEDS | 2 BATHROOMS | WOOD-FIRED HOT TUB | FIREPLACE | WORKSPACE
Zebra
A refined family cottage positioned along the reserve’s open plains, where roaming zebra, expansive outdoor living, and uninterrupted Karoo skies shape a slower, immersive stay.
4 GUESTS | 2 BEDROOMS | 3 BEDS | 2 BATHROOMS | WOOD-FIRED HOT TUB | FIREPLACE | BOMA | BICYCLE SHACK
Gemsbok
A contemporary two-bedroom cottage positioned close to the reserve’s trails and waterholes, combining expansive outdoor living with dedicated bicycle storage for active stays.
2 GUESTS | 1 BEDROOM | 1 BED | 1 BATHROOM | WOOD-FIRED HOT TUB | FIREPLACE | BOMA
Springbok
An adults-only cottage overlooking the reserve and working farm, designed for slower stays shaped by privacy, open space, and uninterrupted Karoo views.
8 GUESTS | 4 BEDROOMS | 8 BEDS | 5 BATHROOMS | WOOD-FIRED HOT TUB | FIREPLACE | BOMA | BICYCLE SHACK
Opstal
A restored Karoo farmhouse designed for extended gatherings and slower family living, combining generous indoor-outdoor entertaining with direct access to the reserve’s trails, orchards, and working farm.
COMING SOON
Manor House
A private contemporary Karoo residence designed for secluded luxury stays, where expansive architecture, curated interiors, private wellness spaces, and panoramic reserve views create Aardvark’s most elevated experience.
WARM WATER UNDER WIDE SKIES
PRIVATE HOT TUBS, QUIET POOLS,
AND UNINTERRUPTED KAROO VIEWS.
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