Owlhouse Backpackers
Tours in Graaff-Reinet

homely backpackers lodge in the heart of Nieu-Bethesa.

Stone water furrows still line the wide, dusty streets. Night skyscapes are unpolluted by streetlights, and the air is still fresh and clean. In times gone by, agriculture was the driving force of Nieu Bethesda's economy; the region's Angora goats and Karoo lamb are famous. Whether your interest lies in art, bushman paintings, fossils, climbing, hiking, bird-watching, mountain-biking, horse-riding, game-viewing, star-gazing or stoep-sitting, you'll never be at a loss for things to do in Nieu Bethesda. Helen Martins' Owl House, often cited as South Africa's finest example of outsider art, is an extraordinary, other-worldly home of concrete and ground glass sculptures. At Ganora Farm there are fossil beds dating 240 million years, Bushman etchings and Boer artifacts. Horse-riding, mountain-biking and bird-watching are all possible. It offers different degrees of difficulty and phenomenal Karoo views. A half-day hike along the canyon will take you from Ganora Farm to De Toren, offering the opportunity to experience the Karoo's wildlife at close quarters. With scores of museums and monuments, it has plenty to offer those interested in the history of the region and its settlers. When you're in or near Nieu Bethesda, stay at the Owlhouse Backpackers or find accommodation through our facebook page.