Ou Skool Guest House

Get over to Ou Skool Guest House for a South African stay surrounded by lush green vineyards – just off the R27 road around 25 minutes from the village of Keimoes and 40 from Upington town, this spot’s ace for an overnighter while on a driving tour of the country yet is also well set up for a satisfyingly long hol in the Northern Cape province...

Ample room is all around this site for kids to play safely without disturbing other guests (or their own parents while quietly reading a novel from the second-hand bookshop); for more space to run about during scenic sojourns past the grape, watermelon and pecan nut farms of the fertile Keimoes region, the flood plains of the Orange River are a couple of kilometres away – just ask at the guesthouse for tips on the top trails to tackle if you fancy a walk.

To shake off any tiredness after dusty dawdles, a hit of java from the coffee shop back at the site is just the ticket; for other drinks and meals head to the restaurant-bar, order a barbecue park and have yourself an authentic South African braai or drop by the Ou Skool Farm Stall to pick up local produce including homemade jams, pickles and preserves as well as seasonal fruit.

As the sky darkens after you've eaten, stargazing with the site’s telescope is a special way to wind down a memorable day...