About Rietbron

Rietbron, Baviaanskloof

The town of Rietbron has pride of place as one of three towns that form part of the Baviaans area in the heart of the Cacadu in the Eastern Cape.

This is the real Karoo, off the beaten track, and the gateway to the Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area - a World Heritage Site. Hence it's inherently an outdoor adventurer's destination. Offroad vehicles are virtually essential, although you can get away with remaining on the perimeters of the Baviaanskloof with an ordinary sedan.

The Baviaanskloof has been known to run out of petrol from time to time (not diesel, whew!) but you might want to phone ahead if you're en route to Rietbron and neighbouring towns (forewarned is forearmed) with the intention of heading into the kloof.

Rietbron is quaint. It's a Karoo town in the true sense of the word – in other words it remains 'undiscovered'; a space in which you can still pick up a little three-bedroomed Karoo home for R500k - its tin roof and limewashed walls typical of the area.

Town has a comprehensive grid plan that encompasses no more than two major roads, a few tributaries - none of them tarred –, and a few blocks of houses; rush hour is a 'blink and you might miss it' occasion.

But the R332 between Willowmore and Beaufort West runs through here, the sky is wide, nights filled with stars, and life slow – a combination hard to beat in today's world. Look out for the once red 1938 Chevrolet parked on the roadside – a gift from Hennie Ferreira. There is also a museum and a (very old) petrol station.

A stay here will guarantee a drop in blood pressure and an appreciation for the little things in life.