South Africa - Places To Stay

Hornlee, Knysna - South Africa's homestays are based around the presence of strong, skilled women, who are able to drive developments within their communities and at the same time empower themselves. Be welcomed into colorful, vibrant and friendly communities and experience true Knysna hospitality. A Homestay offers you a truly holistic experience, revealing a different aspect to the usual scenery - the local culture and the people - whilst directly supporting the poorer communities and contributing to their livelihoods.

Magda Kock, owner of Bethany's Homestay, offers a very comfortable homestay with a beautiful garden. She will welcome you into her home with her warm hospitality and a sense of humour. Bethany's has three immaculate rooms with comfortable and warm beds. One room has an en-suite bathroom with shower cabin. The other two rooms share a bathroom with bath & overhead shower and a separate toilet. All comes with clean linen, towels, warm water, flush loos and electricity.

Magda offers innovative breakfasts, including fruit kebabs and wonderful options for vegetarians, and delicious home cooked dinners (by prior arrangement). She also offers a very special experience called 'Cookup with Kammamma', where you have the opportunity to cook with your hostess and learn more about the culinary traditions of the Garden Route area.

Hornlee - a small settlement near Knysna

Accessible by car, approx 2 mins off the N2 and directions available on request. Transfers can be arranged.

1 double en-suite and 2 twins with shared ablusions

£75 per person sharing year round

Breakfast, 3-course home-cooked dinner and half day cultural tour.

Children over 12 are welcome

A Knysna Homestay is not complete without a slice of life of the wider community. On the face of it, townships seem merely to be sprawling, chaotic zones overflowing with South Africa's most disadvantaged communities. This is to some extent true, but make a point to delve deeper and you will recognise that they are also places of great strength, courage, song and dance, survival, love and yes, happiness.

Here, there are no high walls dividing neighbours, and people gather in the streets to live a life in communion. This half day cultural tour will give you a true insight into township life of today with its challenges and achievements. Your guide, Ella Mahlulo will charm you with her childhood stories, while you meet local shop owners, visit the pre-school, enjoy local refreshments, learn some of the Xhosa language, and test your sense of rhythm on the African drum. This tour promises to change your outlook on life forever.

Please note that this activity is included in the accommodation price.

Homestays provide a vital income for rural communities in general and the homestay owner in particular.
Emzini Tours provide an income for people involved in these unique cultural tours and also support a host of causes within the Knysna Township community, including animal welfare, a soup kitchen, and a safehouse for women and children.

Cash in South African Rands ONLY is accepted.