Things to do at Babylonstoren
A wide range of activities are offered at Babylonstoren, depending on how energetic you want to be. We cater for staying guests who want to cycle, or gym or jog or swim or hike or merely stroll, to those wishing to pamper their bodies and revive their spirits. Or those wanting to sip wine and read, reclining.
THE GARDEN
Whatever the season, there is always something happening in our garden. Guests are invited to join in the harvesting, pruning, planting or picking of our many fruit, herbs, nuts, spices and vegetables. Walks span over three kilometres in the garden and the gardeners would love to give you a guided tour every day at 10h00. Bookings essential.
SPA, GYM AND SWIMMING POOL
After a workout in our gym overlooking the garden, guests can relax at our GardenSpa. The swimming pool is a restored farm reservoir and perfect for hot summer days.
WINE
Every day at 11h30 visitors are welcome to come on a guided cellar tour that takes them through the whole winemaking process, starting in the vineyard, through to the finished product inside the bottle, in a structured way and without turning around in your track. This is then followed by a hosted tasting of our wines. Costs are a R100 per person and bookings essential.
OUT AND ABOUT ON THE FARM
Go for a run or stroll up the Babylonstoren koppie - the views and fynbos vegetation are worth the effort. Guests may also choose to canoe on the farm dam, cycle through the vineyards and orchards or amble down the spruit which is lined with 7000 clivias. There are 200 hectares of this working farm to explore.
EAT
Come and enjoy superb cuisine in our restaurant called Babel, or enjoy a cup of tea and other various liquids and infusions in our Greenhouse while nibbling on fresh salads being cultivated inside and also from the garden, breads from the old wood-fired oven along with a variety of dressed meats and handcrafted cheeses.
THE WERF (FARM YARD)
Discover Babylonstoren’s 320 year old Cape Dutch werf. The Manor House dates from 1777 and pioneer structures go all the way back to the founding of the farm in 1690. The Koornhuis (for storing wheat), old cellar, ornate fowl house, pigeon loft, leaning bell tower and historic gates all embellish a traditional courtyard surrounded by a low, whitewashed wall.
BIRDWATCHING
Over and above the variety of domestic farm fowls and pigeons in the historic Fowl House and the 100 snail-harvesting ducks, Babylonstoren is home to a myriad of bird species. Armed with binoculars, guests spend gentle hours ticking off birds from the farm’s list.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Follow the light and let your camera capture the beauty of the historical buildings, the vineyards, the garden and the surrounding amphitheatre of mountains.
ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA
Babylonstoren provides easy access to the wine farms of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek also Cape Town, Cape Point, whale watching and shark diving are all close enough for a day’s adventure. Golf courses within easy reach.
