Karoo Stone Camper is on Algerynskraal Farm, with its gate on the R62 west of Ladismith in the Western Cape. The exact point is -33.658812, 21.070687, and that pin is the one to use rather than the address, because farm addresses on the R62 are approximate by nature.
From Cape Town
Roughly 300 km, about three hours.
The fast version: N1 to Worcester, then the R60 through Robertson and Ashton, then the R62 through Montagu and Barrydale. Tar the whole way until the farm gate.
The scenic version is the same road with more stopping. Once you are on the R62 past Ashton the drive becomes the reason people take this route: Cogmanskloof through the mountain into Montagu, the long run across the Klein Karoo, and the pass down into Barrydale. Give yourself four hours if you intend to enjoy it, because you will stop.
From George and the Garden Route
About two and a half hours. Head inland over the Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn, then west on the R62 through Calitzdorp and Ladismith. Continue past Ladismith towards Barrydale and the farm gate is on your left.
From Johannesburg or Gauteng
Come down the N1 to Laingsburg, then south on the R323 over the Seweweekspoort or through Ladismith depending on the route you pick. Seweweekspoort is gravel, spectacular and worth planning a whole afternoon for, but it is not the way to arrive tired at 18:00.
The last seven kilometres
This is the part worth reading twice.
From the R62 the farm road runs about 7 km through the mountains on gravel. It is a maintained farm road and an ordinary sedan drives it without drama. What it asks for is:
- Daylight. The first time especially. It is unlit and unfamiliar.
- Speed discipline. Corrugations punish speed and gravel does not forgive braking mid-corner. Slow is faster here.
- Attention to livestock. Animals use the road. So do tortoises in warm weather.
- A spare that is actually inflated. Standard advice for any gravel in this country, and sensible here.
Allow twenty minutes for those seven kilometres and you will arrive relaxed.
Stock up before you turn off
There is nothing between the gate and the camper, and nothing at the camper but what you brought. Ladismith has fuel, a supermarket and a bottle store, and it is about half an hour away. Buy ice.
Timing your arrival
Check-in is 14:00 to 19:00 and check-out is 10:00. Arriving at the earlier end of that window gives you time to drive the gravel in good light, unpack, light the hot tub, and have it hot by the time you have eaten.