Wild Olive Guest Farm has been in the Harding family since 1993, set on the banks of the Goukou River in the Western Cape, near Still Bay on the Garden Route. It was a working farm long before it welcomed its first guests in 2001.

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In 2000, we established an organic vegetable garden on the farm. It’s still going strong today, run without chemicals or shortcuts, supplying fresh vegetables, fruit and eggs. Over the years we’ve also planted olive groves, taking advantage of the Western Cape’s Mediterranean climate.

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More recently, we’ve planted Pinot Noir and a small parcel of Chardonnay, joining a handful of neighbouring farms pioneering viticulture in the newly recognised Goukou River Valley – an area prized for its pure limestone soils and cool coastal climate, and set to become one of South Africa’s most exciting new wine regions.​

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Beyond the garden and vineyard, there’s plenty of space to enjoy the farm. The river is ideal for swimming, canoeing and skiing, with a private jetty and a deck under an old milkwood tree to relax on. Further back, the fynbos-covered hills are good for hiking and birdwatching, and two spring-fed dams offer a quiet spot to get away from it all.

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Guests can stay in one of two open-plan wooden chalets overlooking the river and olive grove, or in a 100-year-old cottage tucked among the trees further back. Three decades on, it’s still a family affair, and we’re glad to share it with the people who visit us.