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Safari getaway just one hour from Cape Town

Beach safaris, game drives & giraffes just steps from your stoep

Last updated: Friday, 14 November 2025

Rooikat’s Salt Mine features wrap-around glass doors that let you spot giraffes from your stoep, or even your couch. Friends gather around the outdoor braai and share stories after a day of safaris by the sea, while families slow down and reconnect over board games. Some even come to work remotely with zebras as their real-life Zoom backgrounds, all set within the coastal fynbos landscape of the West Coast Private Game Reserve.

Rooikat is close enough to the city for a quick wilderness getaway but far enough to feel worlds away. Image: Rooikat Safari Collection

SHIMMERING SALT MINES

Opened in August 2025, Rooikat’s The Salt Mine is named after the salt pans just outside the houses, which were once used for salt harvesting.

Over the years, the pans have naturally rewilded and attracted wildlife, like flamingos and pelicans in late winter and early spring. In summer, the pans dry out and turn white; in winter, they go emerald green, and in spring, flowers bloom across the landscape.

The houses are inspired by miner cabins. Designed with Black Sable Architects (known for merging luxury with conservation‑led architecture) and interior designer Caline Williams-Wynn, famous for her luxurious lodge interiors inspired by local materials (Artichoke Interior Design), the houses are solar-powered, built sustainably, and blend into the surrounding fynbos.

The houses are inspired by old miner cabins, giving them a rustic but modern look. Image: Rooikat Safari Collection

IN THE WILD WITHOUT ROUGHING IT

The houses, named Caracal and Porcupine, after the more elusive creatures found on the reserve, each sleep four adults or a family of five. Guests are surrounded by wilderness, but the thoughtful interiors mean no one will be roughing it.

Each bedroom has an en-suite bathroom, with a walk-in shower and a bathtub. Supplied with locally-made Fijn Botanical products, and Darling Olives natural bath salts. The bathroom walls are decorated with colourful botanical art, from the Grootbos Florilegium collection, showcasing some of the flora found on the reserve, and each bedroom has a desk.

Kitchens are fully equipped (there’s even plastic cutlery for children) and stocked with fynbos herbal teas, and cooking herbs and cook books to inspire you.

The lounges feature a freestanding fireplace and elegantly-scattered throws, beneath a striking artwork by artist Stephen Townley Bassett, who has spent years documenting original rock art as authentically as possible.

The most awe-inducing design choice of all, though, are the glass doors that let you see springboks, giraffes, and zebras from almost anywhere in the house.

You’re surrounded by wilderness, but it never feels like you’re roughing it. Image: Rooikat Safari Collection

GIRAFFES & ZEBRAS FROM YOUR VERANDA

The glass doors open onto a private veranda that overlooks the salt pans and reserve, where you can see wildlife wandering freely (they are separated by an almost transparent fence, erected to keep out the buffalo).

The veranda has a dining table, ideal for sunset dinners or family board games (there’s a selection provided), where you can spot Cape hares darting through the bushes and hear frogs croaking. Each house also has a braai, wood-fired KolKol hot tub, and firepit.

The houses are 100 metres apart with a connecting pathway, giving you privacy while still making it easy for families or groups of friends travelling together to mingle.

You can spot zebras, giraffes and more wildlife from your private veranda. Image: Rooikat Safari Collection

GAME DRIVES, SAFARIS BY THE SEA

Staying at Rooikat means you’re in the middle of West Coast Private Game Reserve, a wild reserve where eland, zebras and the rare golden wildebeest roam freely.

On the reserve, West Coast Safaris’s game drives happen twice daily in open-air Land Rovers, led by guides who know the land and its stories. Experienced riders can also explore on horseback, winding through dunes and fynbos with an option to finish on Yzerfontein Beach.

For something extra special, there’s a Surf & Turf Safari: Three days at The Salt Mine paired with a game drive on land and a whale-watching or eco-boat tour on the sea. It’s one of the few places where you can spot whales in the morning and giraffes that same afternoon.

See all the things you can get up to during your stay with West Coast Safaris at West Coast Private Game Reserve.

Staying at Rooikat means you’re in the middle of West Coast Private Game Reserve, a wild reserve where animals roam freely. Rooikat Safari Collection

EXPLORE THE WEST COAST

The Salt Mine is only an hour from Cape Town, 10 minutes from Yzerfontein and its beaches, and 15 minutes from West Coast National Park’s entrance, making it a great base to explore the West Coast, and combine the bush with the beach.

You can visit West Coast Fossil Park in Langebaan, or head to Darling for a sweet treat at Evita Se Perron, or a cold beer at Darling Breweries. The Atlantis dunes are also close enough for a morning of quad biking before heading back for a sunset braai.

Just down the road, you’ll find Weskus Padstal, a charming farmstall known for its freshly baked pies, homemade biscuits, and shelves stocked with local treats like nougat and craft beers.

There’s even a kids play area, small petting zoo and a cosy restaurant. Padel courts are being added, opening 1 December 2025.

And if you’re looking for a deeper connection to the land, there’s !Khwa ttu, the San heritage centre, where local guides share stories, skills, and ancient traditions through immersive tours and tastings.

Staying at Rooikat means you’re in the middle of West Coast Private Game Reserve. Image: Kellie Paxian

VISIT ROOIKAT SAFARI COLLECTION

Rooikat Safari Collection’s The Salt Mine is a peaceful getaway just one hour from the city, with wildlife on your stoep, safaris by land and sea, and plenty to explore nearby, from whale watching to local restaurants, breweries, and heritage experiences.

Find it: The Salt Mine, Rooikat Safari Collection
Website: Via Rooikat Safari Collection’s website
Bookings: Book directly

Contact on: info@rooikatsafari.com, 066 525 1994

By Saarah Gierdien

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