Welcome to AfriCamps at Kam’Bati in Swellendam
Dear Glampers
AfriCamps at Kam’Bati is situated in the popular Kam’Bati River Resort about 20 km west of Swellendam in the Western Cape. The Sonderend and Breede Rivers meet on this Overberg farm which allows plenty of river activities for the whole family. Thirteen AfriCamps boutique glamping tents are located in a beautiful section of the resort overlooking a wetland abuzz with birdlife. The outdoor wood-fired hot tub next to each tent is the perfect place to listen to the birdsong or relax under the stars at night.
Kam’Bati River Resort adds plenty of family-friendly activities to your glamping experience. Rent a canoe from the camp to explore the Breede River from up close, try your luck at fishing from the riverbanks, or challenge the whole family to a round of mini-golf. The kids will love swinging into the river from a rope, they’ll also love the three swimming pools with slides and the playground. Take it a bit slower and cycle along the endless farm roads which are especially beautiful during canola season when the farm is covered in bright yellow fields. Explore the river walkway with the kids. They will receive a scavenger hunt checklist on arrival. See if they can find all the items on the list! The resort has a bar and lounge which is open over weekends, so you won’t miss the big sports matches!
The town of Swellendam brings its own adventures. Swellendam is the largest youngberry growing area in the world and is bursting with heritage, culture, and architecture. Visit the famous Drostdy Museum, enjoy the iconic view of the Dutch Reformed Church, or take the kids to the fairy sanctuary. On the fringe of town, you will find Bontebok National Park and Marloth Nature Reserve; nature parks popular for hiking, and bird watching. Swellendam has a vibrant food culture, with plenty of restaurants offering everything from fine dining to traditional farm-style meals to coffee shops serving delectable cakes.
Swellendam is a perfect weekend destination as well as a great stopover on your way to the Garden Route.
AfriCamps at Kam’Bati and Kam’Bati River Resort is located on the Jubileeskraal farm just outside Swellendam, which has been owned by the Badenhorst family since 1958. Bati Badenhorst was the first farmer in the family, and today the two brothers, Jaco and Francois Badenhorst handle all the farming and leisure activities. The Swellendam area has always been considered the breadbasket of the Cape and is largely given to grain farming. At Jubileeskraal the family farms with corn, wheat, barley, canola as well as sheep.
Jaco and Francois have always felt very privileged spending time in nature and enjoying the immense feeling of space and tranquility on the farm. Sharing this experience with others just seemed like a particularly good idea and they decided to welcome people to stay on their farm. This was the beginning of Kam’Bati River Resort, named after their late grandfather Bati Badenhorst. To cater to nature lovers who don’t necessarily want to rough it, Kam’Bati decided to partner up with AfriCamps. In 2016, the first five fully equipped boutique glamping tents were built above a beautiful wetland area close to the river on this stunning farm. Since opening this AfriCamps, Jaco has ventured further to continually improve the camp's offering. In 2019, the tents were upgraded, refloored, new decks were built, and each tent received an outdoor wood-fired hot tub! Today, AfriCamps at Kam'Bati has grown to 8 boutique glamping tents!
Today Swellendam and Kam’Bati are much more than a pit stop on your way to the Garden Route – thanks to the innovation of Kam’Bati’s super team, it has evolved into a jam-packed family holiday escape on its own and one of the AfriCamps group’s most popular glamping destinations!
Jaco, Dene, and their two kids.