Stay on the banks of the
Beautiful & tranquil Goukou river
The Wild Olive Guest Farm
Looking for a Farm Stay where you can enjoy freshly picked organic vegetables, eggs, freshly baked farm bread and other farm produce? Welcome to Wild Olive Farm, “A Little Piece of Heaven” on the river in the Goukou River Valley, near Still Bay on the Garden Route, Western Cape, South Africa.
Wild Olive Guest Farm is located in the Western Cape about 300 kilometres from Cape Town near Still Bay, at the start of the world renowned Garden Route. Situated on one of the most tranquil rivers in the Western Cape, we offer homely and comfortable farm accommodation, with the river being ideal for swimming, canoeing and skiing. Our back lands are rich in fynbos and are perfect for hiking and bird watching alike, while our two spring-fed dams tucked into the hills are a special place to escape for solitude and ultimate peace and quiet.
Alternatively, spend a lazy day alongside the river on the deck under an ancient milk wood tree and enjoy swimming and boating from our private jetty. Or if you love your birding as much as we do, have fun ticking off as many of the vast species that occur in the area as you can.
Taking advantage of the Western Cape’s Mediterranean type climate, olive groves have been planted and in addition, the farm produces organic fruit, vegetables and eggs which are available in our shop as well as jams, marmalades, preserves and farm fresh bread, on request.
Self-catering accommodation comprises of two open-plan wooden chalets overlooking the river and olive grove and an historic 100 year old cottage situated further back amongst beautiful old trees. Summer or winter, our accommodation provides home from home touches for your comfort and well-being.
Wild Olive Guest Farm is a place of bird song, peace and tranquility, and as many guests have discovered, a little piece of heaven, so whether you are looking for weekend stop-over Garden Route accommodation, a longer stay with your family or simply tranquil accommodation in the Western Cape to rest and recuperate, we look forward to welcoming you to Wild Olive Guest Farm – you won’t be disappointed.
Apple Tree Cottage
• 2 bedrooms
• 1 bathroom
• fully equipped kitchen
• OUTDOOR BRAAI
• INDOOR FIREPLACE
• hot outdoor shower
• organic garden / Shop
• jetty
• skiing / canoeing
• numerous animals
• hiking
• bird watching
Sunbird Chalet
• Open plan
• 1 bathroom
• Well equipped kitchen nook
• OUTDOOR BRAAI
• INDOOR FIREPLACE
• covered deck
• organic garden / Shop
• jetty
• skiing / canoeing
• numerous animals
• hiking
• bird watching
Hoopoe Chalet
• Open plan
• 1 bathroom
• Well equipped kitchen nook
• OUTDOOR BRAAI
• INDOOR FIREPLACE
• covered deck
• organic garden / Shop
• jetty
• skiing / canoeing
• numerous animals
• hiking
• bird watching
The Goukou river originates in the Hessequa range of mountains and then finds its way into our beautiful valley. The river, previously known as the “Kaffirkuils”, was renamed as the Goukou River after a local Griqua chief of the same name.
Today properties along the river have been upgraded from what one may call subsistence farms to mostly lifestyle farms, but there are a few large-scale olive farms and some cattle and sheep are raised.
Many of the farms offer accommodation where visitors can enjoy the tranquil lifestyle, the river and just chill and enjoy the natural beauty of the valley.
The river itself is a well managed estuarine system and although there are many varieties of fish, due to protection measures fishing is only permitted from the mouth to the 5km mark upstream.
Boating, sailing and safe swimming can be enjoyed but in keeping with good management practises, certain zones are demarcated as “wake-free” zones where no skiing or speeding is permitted, thus allowing all to use the river safely and preserve marine life.
Goukou Valley
History of the Town
In the late 1700s the area where Still Bay is today consisted of farmland. The environment was rough and bushy with an abundance of game and other wild beasts, snakes and even elephants.
One or two of the original homestead are still standing today, albeit extensively restored. By 1873 the first plots were marked out and only around the turn of the century the town’s name became Still Bay.
At first people crossed the river in flat-bottomed boats, later by means of a ferry until 1955 when the bridge was built. For many years some of the locals made a living through fishing and selling their fresh catch straight from their boats.
Looking at the town today, one can’t imagine a time that there were almost no houses in the area.
Wild Olive Guest Farm is located in the Western Cape about 300 kilometres from Cape Town near Still Bay, at the start of the world renowned Garden Route. Situated on one of the most tranquil rivers in the Western Cape, we offer homely and comfortable farm accommodation, with the river being ideal for swimming, canoeing and skiing. Our back lands are rich in fynbos and are perfect for hiking and bird watching alike, while our two spring-fed dams tucked into the hills are a special place to escape for solitude and ultimate peace and quiet.
History of the Area