Visit our Garden

Discover the secret life of bees

Only 15 places available

Cape honeybees are honoured workers on the Babylonstoren Farm – not only do they produce an abundance of honey for the breakfast table at Babel Restaurant, but they also play a key role in pollinating many of our garden fruits, herbs and vegetables.

We host our workshops during the warmer seasons, when the garden is buzzing with Cape honeybees, hard at work foraging for pollen and nectar. The workshop starts with a guided walk through the garden to explore the bees’ favourite spots, from nectar-filled annual flowers to pollen-rich trees. We’ll then invite you to put on your beekeeping suit and discover a collection of diverse beehives – including the traditional woven skep, the practical Langstroth with moveable frames, and the much-talked-about flow hives. Our beekeeper, Arné Stander, will share the story of the indigenous Cape honeybee and explain the basics of beekeeping.

**Please bring along your sun hat for the garden walk and closed shoes such as gumboots or wellies or high-ankle hiking boots for the practical session with beekeeping suits.

Steaming coffee from the Farm Shop is served upon arrival.

A refreshing lunch at the Greenhouse Restaurant is included.

Learn how to make sun prints at Soetmelksvlei

Only 10 places available

When the sun is bright and the sky an endless blue, we present a workshop that harnesses these elements through the photographic process known as sun printing.

Join us at Soetmelksvlei for this unique workshop. Following a short ride along the picturesque slopes of Simonsberg, we’ll descend towards the historical farmyard of Soetmelksvlei, which represents a time when life was simpler and craftsmanship was treasured.

This workshop is fun and experimental. Inspired by the cyan-blue prints invented at the dawn of photography, we’ll explore the Soetmelksvlei garden to collect natural objects for our compositions. Each participant will paint their own with the photosensitive paint and create unique sun prints to take home. A sun print is also called a cyanotype to describe the cyan blue photographic print that is created when the specially painted surface is exposed to sunlight. The print is processed when the ink that was hidden by the shadow of the photographed object is washed away by running water.

We’ll enjoy a hearty lunch at the Old Stables Restaurant before heading back to Babylonstoren.

Heirloom tomatoes : bake your galette with traditional butter pastry at Soetmelksvlei

Only 10 spaces available

Having a trusted shortcrust pastry recipe in your skill set opens a world of delicious bakes from your own kitchen. Join us in the heritage kitchen of Soetmelksvlei to make the best and most versatile all-butter pastry to use with seasonal heirloom tomatoes.

Following a short ride along the picturesque slopes of Simonsberg, we’ll descend towards the historical farmyard of Soetmelksvlei, which represents a time when life was simpler and craftsmanship was treasured.

Here, master baker Martjie Malan will teach you the art of making her very best butter pastry. Using our own pastry, we’ll create a beautiful free-form galette with fresh heirloom tomatoes, and a quiche with oven-dried tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella. Our heirloom tomato grower, Elzé Bresler, will also showcase the best of her summer crop to enjoy with our pastry party.

After a hands-on morning in the farm air, we’ll enjoy a hearty lunch at the Old Stables Restaurant before heading back to Babylonstoren.

Lavender & essential oils

Only 15 places available

Harness the abundance of Babylonstoren’s fragrant lavender fields in this essential oil masterclass. Pack your hat and a pair of sturdy shoes as you’ll be exploring beyond the garden to harvest aromatics and other indigenous herbs for their fragrance. From there, guests will be taken to the Scented Room to see the steam-distilling process that captures the natural essence of the plant.

Guided by Babylonstoren’s in-house compounder, Gavin Hendriks, you’ll be able to create your own body products to take home, using a selection of our essential oils.

Steaming coffee from the Farm Shop is served upon arrival.
Lunch at the Tasting Room is included.