Travel bucket list idea:
Babylonstoren Gardens
Franschhoek, Western Cape, South Africa
Last updated: 15 July, 2024
Babylonstoren Gardens, located in the heart of the Cape Winelands, is a historic farm and garden that offers a unique blend of natural beauty, history, and contemporary farming practices. Established in 1692, Babylonstoren boasts one of the best-preserved Cape Dutch farmyards and a stunning 8-acre garden inspired by the historic Company’s Garden in Cape Town.
The gardens feature a diverse array of plant species, including fruit orchards, vegetable patches, indigenous plants, and fragrant herb gardens, all arranged in a visually appealing and functional layout. Visitors can explore winding pathways, tranquil ponds, and scenic vistas, experiencing the farm’s rich biodiversity and seasonal changes. There’s also an excellent on-site restaurant, and an elegant farm shop that sells local foods and homewares.
They offer daily walking tours guided by the estate horticulturists. These showcase both the sustainable farming techniques and the historical significance of the estate.
A must for gardeners and food-to-table devotees.
Logistics
Price: Free
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
The estate is an easy day trip from Cape Town. See our recommendations below for tours of the region that include it. If you’re going independent, ot’s a 60km drive from Cape Town on the N1 highway towards Paarl. Take the Klapmuts exit and follow signs to the estate located in Simondium.
When to do it
The estate is open all year round, seven days a week. At time of writing, daily guided tours start at 10am (no booking required). They also offer tours of their ‘collections’ with the expert gardener: Mondays & Fridays for the succulent collection and the cycads; Tuesdays for the Healing Garden; Wednesdays for the vegetable gardens and Thursdays are all about bees.
