Fruit picking, picnics & hikes on a charming family farm

Apricot and peach picking, & picnics in the hydrangea garden

Last updated: Tuesday, 30 September 2025

Every farm tells a story. At Murludi, it’s written in the orchards heavy with sumptuous cling peaches, apricots, and nectarines. The working farm, which has been in the Van der Westhuizen family since the 1970s, welcomes visitors for picking days where you’ll pick fruit that’s “sweeter, juicier and much more flavourful than anything picked early for supermarket shelves,” says co-owner Ilse. 

Murludi is just under two hours from Cape Town. Image: Murludi

FRUIT PICKING IN DECEMBER & JANUARY 

Murludi’s charm lies in the fact that it’s rustic and unpolished. The working farm has dirt roads, tractors, and orchards heavy with sumptuous cling peaches and pears. The 70-year-old owner, Kobus, still walks the orchards almost daily. 

The fruit picking days are a highlight of the farm’s summer calendar. Two key days to plan for are 13 December, when visitors can pick apricots, and 31 January, when the orchards are open for peach picking, a rare occasion in the valley. “Most farms pick their peaches earlier for packing,” says Ilse. “We’re one of the only places where you can still come and pick in January.”

Some of the fruit even goes to Rhodes and Ceres Fruit Processors for juice and canning.

GRAB FRESHLY-PICKED FRUIT  

Those who can’t make the fruit picking days can bring their own containers and fill them directly from the wooden harvest bins (paid for by weight). 

Since a lot of the fruit is designated for drying or processing, it’s picked only when it reaches peak ripeness. “You’re buying fruit that you won’t get in a shop,” Ilse explains. “It’s been ripened on a tree, not in a box.” This makes the fruit sweeter and much more flavourful. 

This is available December to March and the bins are filled daily. Expect apricots in December, peaches, nectarines and tomatoes from January to March, and pears and fresh prunes in February.

The drying trays are laid out in the sun for anything from two days to two weeks to dry. Image: Murludi

PICNIC BY HYDRANGEA GARDENS, RIVER

Outside of the picking days, families and couples from Tulbagh and beyond come for picnics. 

In summer, it’s cool under the willow trees that line the river. By autumn, the hydrangeas trade their bright summer colours of red, blue and purple for softer shades of pink, brown and green in the garden. 

It’s a setting that feels alive with the seasons. Guests can pre-order one of the farm’s cheese boards filled with treats like savoury biscuits, jam, olives, and nuts. There’s plenty of spots to enjoy it, like along the river, by the wooden benches under the trees, or even in the flower garden as a well-earned reward after a hike. 

Couples often book the garden for quiet dates (one visitor even proposed there), while families choose the lawn area because of the jungle gym. You can also bring your own picnic. 

Bookings must be made 72 hours in advance and there’s a small permit fee to pay when you bring your own picnic. Image: Murludi

4KM FAMILY-FRIENDLY HIKING TRAIL 

The two hiking trails at Murludi each offer a different glimpse into the farm. 

The River Route is a short loop that takes 1.5 hours and winds through orchards and along the irrigation dam. It’s well-suited to casual hikers and families with younger kids. 

Children are drawn to the river and rocks, splashing in the water or collecting sticks along the way, while parents get a glimpse of farm life: Workers picking fruit in summer, pruning trees in winter, or planting tomatoes in spring. 

The climb is gentle and the dam, which you reach at the trail’s highest point, is open for swimming.

Be sure to bring towels and extra clothes if you plan to swim. Image: Murludi

8KM HIKING TRAIL IN TULBAGH VALLEY

The Elsbos Route is a much longer, rewarding hike. It climbs 400m over three hours with rockier sections and big boulders to climb over, making it suitable for adults and older kids. 

The route weaves through swathes of fynbos like buchu and suikerbos before opening to a full panoramic view of Tulbagh Valley and the town itself. At its highest point, on a clear day, you can see all the way to the top of Table Mountain. 

Both trails start at the farm, where you can purchase a permit at the office and find ample safe parking. A visit to Murludi allows you to step into the rhythm of a real working farm, where you’re almost guaranteed to leave with a basket full of peaches.

To hike at Murludi you’ll need a permit. Image: Murludi

VISIT MURLUDI FARM

Murludi is open: 

• October to May; Monday to Sunday, 8am to 5pm

• June to September; Monday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm 

Find it: Murludi Farm, Misgund Road, Tulbagh

Cheese board cost: R230 for two (available on weekends in October to May, from 10am to 5pm)

Permit cost: Free for kids under 6; R20 for kids 7 to 18 years old; R50 for adults

Contact on: 063 725 5850 | info@murludi.co.za 

By Khadeeja Adams

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