This holiday season, Calitzdorp Hot Springs has partnered with Open Plan Pictures and local businesses to showcase three films outdoors at our venue. Those interested to enjoy a movie under the stars can follow the links below to book a ticket for R80 (per adult) and R40 (per kid). There are also package deals available when purchasing a ticket, as well as food and wine on the night.
Their aim is to share the magic of movie entertainment with people of all ages and cultures – bringing them together in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. Whether it may be an open-air cinema & picnic, old school drive-ins or showcasing a great film indoors at a stunning venue – they promise to take you beyond the stars!
Open Plan Pictures also offer the cinematic experience & screen for private functions on a rental basis and provide live sports streaming.
Apart from the fantastic entertainment value, Open Plan Pictures is dedicated to empowering the people we work with and providing employment to the Garden Route youth who are interested in film making.
They collaborate with local charities and schools – it means so much to us to bring people together and make them smile.
Discover a relaxing resort with natural hot springs
Calitzdorp Hot Springs is nestled on the slopes of the Swart- and Rooiberg Mountains in the Klein Karoo – 25km from Calitzdorp and 45km from Oudtshoorn. It is an all-year-round breakaway holiday destination for families, groups, couples, solitude seekers, and nature lovers who wish to temporarily escape the hustle and bustle of city life. There is also nothing more tranquil than relaxing in Calitzdorp Hot Springs nestled in the Klein-Karoo. You can relax your tense muscles and ease your stress by swimming in a hot spring pool.
Upgrades over the past two years
Several improvements have been made to the accommodation facility over the last two years. Among the most significant changes was the name change the resort underwent from Calitzdorp Spa to Calitzdorp Hot Springs in June 2022, referencing the resort’s unique selling point – its hot springs. The roofs of the swimming pool, mountain chalets, reception area, and main buildings were also upgraded and replaced with steel-based Harvey tiles. The service provider who installed it did a sterling job. Be sure to visit the company’s Facebook page to see how they transform many other properties around Africa: www.facebook.com/BunduDakke.Western.Cape
Mountainbiking is a popular activity for resort-visitors.
Two-story mountain chalets.
Over the past months, the accommodation facility has gradually started to reclaim its position as an ideal breakaway retreat, reclaiming its rightful position in the magnificent Klein Karoo mountains. The four (4) campsites, pool lapas, ablution facilities, day visitor camping area, braai stands, and cold swimming pools have also been upgraded.
Five (5) new secluded campsites have been introduced which provide a unique experience that is synonymous with wild camping in the Karoo.
Roman Bath also has a new face
One of the resort’s most popular amenities is its Roman Bath area, which has been completely revamped. Both the bath and the outdoor hot spring pools are heated directly from the earth, where the ‘natural hot spring’ water temperature is around 50 degrees Celsius. Many guests who have visited the resort have mentioned relief from symptoms such as sprains, high blood pressure, bruises, and rheumatic pain, because of the healing waters offered. The Roman Bath’s windows and interior, including the floor tiles, were replaced. Several pots with indoor plants and décor were added to give it a soft and relaxing atmosphere.
Activities & entertainment offered
Calitzdorp Hot Springs is a safe and secure resort, offering several new activities for overnight guests, from family fun to something for everyone. While some children enjoy playing on the jungle gyms, others can explore the green lawns playing volleyball, ride their bicycles across the vast plains or play a game of giant chess or table tennis.
Apart from the two cold-water pools and one hot spring pool for overnight guests, there is also a tennis court. The Hot Springs is also home to dozens of springboks, mountain tortoises, and tame colourful peacocks who roam undisturbed terrain. For the nature lover, there are three hiking trails on the premises, including the Springbok Hiking Trail (3.2 km), the Tortoise Trail (800 m) and the Fish Eagle Trail (1.3 km), each of which are relatively easy to walk, run or explore with a mountain bike.
It is a bird watcher’s paradise at our resort with over 72 species observed by bird watchers. Guests can enjoy early morning sights and sounds of lovely bird calls in a roofed birdwatching spot.
The Roman Bath area offers a serene atmosphere for guests.
The Roman Bath area was recently renovated.
Activities outside the Hot Springs
The accommodation facility is surrounded by several farms that offer wine tasting, in particular, fortified wines. Locals and travelers exploring Calitzdorp, and also enjoy fruit-picking and purchasing locally produced dried fruits.
Next to Calitzdorp Hot Springs is the Gamka Mountain Nature Reserve where the Cape Mountain Zebra can be seen. The many scenic passes such as the Swartberg Pass that leads to the enchanting town of Prince Albert and the mountainous Seweweeks Poort, is probably the most picturesque 18 km stretch of gravel road anywhere in South Africa. It consists of easy gradients, multiple river crossings, and stunning geology.
Guests enjoy hiking along various safe trails at the facility.
Beautiful views surrounding Calitzdorp Hot Springs!
Hosting music festivals and movie nights
In the past year, Calitzdorp Hot Springs twice hosted the Echo Outdoor Gathering festival. On both occasions, more than 500 people from across the country attended the three-day event. Guests shared positive and encouraging reviews about the resort, and the organisers said they definitely plan to return. These events promote healthy family life, promote district resources, generate income, and increase visitor flow in the region.
We intend to add more activities to our offering and give our clients unique experiences through movie nights. This will be offered from 2023.
Popular for festival-goers all year round.
A relaxing atmosphere around the hot springs pool and cold swimming pool areas.
Future upgrades and enhancements
Passmore Dongi, the Manager: Projects, properties, facilities and resorts, said the resort will soon go green. “At Calitzdorp Hot Springs, we are going green through the introduction of renewable energy. GRDM has already implemented this successfully at one of its resorts (Dehoek Mountain Resort). As a result of the success of that project, we want to expand to our other resorts to become the leading resort in the country with climate-smart resorts that reduce carbon footprints.”
In the heart of the Klein Karoo, nestled on the slopes of the mountains lies Calitzdorp Hot Springs where Echo Outdoor Gatherings recently hosted another successful music and arts festival from 29 – 31 July 2022. Approximately 650 festival-goers from all over South Africa attended the event.
DJs, also travelled from across the country to showcase their skills at the 3-day event, which delivered a multi-sensory and sonic experience. Additionally, the use of one of the four classical elements from ancient Greek philosophy and science, in this case fire, made it an event guests looked forward to and that created a magical experience.
From early mornings till late evenings, DJs, one after another, entertained festival-goers with high-quality techno music. There were always enthusiastic dancers on the dance floor and fire shows. Others enjoyed the food stalls that served a variety of food, art stalls, and enjoyed the outdoor sun in the pools with their children. Those who preferred more privacy gathered in their own intimate groups on the lawns or in the indoor heated Roman Bath area that was recently upgraded. A couple of nature lovers couldn’t resist the opportunity to get in a few kilometres of hiking.
Jade John, a boutique clothing stall holder from Cape Town, who has attended Echo Outdoor Gatherings for almost 10 years, shared his experience by saying that he has travelled all the way to experience a community of family who comes together to have fun. “The venue is amazing and we are thrilled to support the community and to contribute to the economy in this way,” he said.
One of the DJs who performed during the event, Corrie, applauded the Hot Springs and said: “From the first time we visited Calitzdorp Hot Springs in March until yesterday, we were really impressed by all the upgrades that have been made. We hope you keep up with it, because this is really an amazing venue with great potential. It would be awesome if this could be a fully equipped festival venue that can accommodate thousands of festival goers.”
According to the Echo Outdoor Gatherings Founder, Daniel Mentz, festival-goers were very excited to return to Calitzdorp Hot Springs after their prior experience. “We decided to bring our brand to two of the Garden Route District Municipality’s venues, De Hoek Mountain Resort and Calitzdorp Hot Springs with entertainers and guests from all over South Africa. Our aim is not just to have a dance party, but a family gathering, where one can also experience music, craft, food and handcrafted art, clothing and jewellery.” In conclusion, he said that his guest felt extremely welcome and safe at both venues and that he has received numerous compliments on how well things are being run in order to make the event a success.
As previously reported, Echo Outdoor Gatherings wanted to thank the community of Calitzdorp for its warm welcome and decided to give back by holding a food and blanket drive for Friends of Calitzdorp Animals (FOCA). To supplement the Winter Warmer Drive, Echo Outdoor Gatherings and Feel Good Entertainment also donated 10% of the bar proceedings for the weekend to FOCA. A total of 6 000 worth of tickets were donated by Echo Gatherings and with the help of Dolly du Plessis who crocheted 30 Route 62 beanies, the festival raised R3000,00 (from festival goers), 326kg of dog food, 42kg of cat food, four (4) packets of cat sweets, eight (8) big cans of dog food, five (5) small cans of dog food, seven dog pillows, four blankets, and cat toys.
The Garden Route District Municipality is once again proud to have hosted the past Echo Outdoor Gatherings event. By hosting these events, healthy family life is promoted, district resources are marketed and promoted, income is generated, and visitor flow is increased.
Name and logo of Calitzdorp Spa changed to Calitzdorp Hot Springs
The Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Council has on 22 June 2022, decided to approve the renaming of the Calitzdorp Spa and to adjust its logo to Calitzdorp Hot Springs. The decision was made after several tour operators and guests expressed concerns about the hot springs that do not offer spa-related facilities. During the World Travel Market Africa, the District Municipality’s resorts and campsites were marketed and this is where similar questions arose about Calitzdorp Spa’s name. “Rename the accommodation facility to its unique selling point – hot springs,” is what tour operators said.
“The name Calitzdorp Spa is misleading in the sense that guests who have not yet visited the hot springs are of the opinion that it offers various spa-related facilities and services. It has been misleading, to say the least,” says Garden Route District Municipality’s Portfolio Chairperson for Properties and Asset Management, Cllr Jobieth Hoogbaard.
“Calitzdorp Hot Springs gives an accurate indication of what guests can expect,” says Hoogbaard.
The logo was adjusted by the communications department of GRDM and no additional costs were incurred by involving service providers during the process. The District will continue to manage the roll-out of the new identity cost-effectively.
Now that the new logo and name have been revealed with the GRDM council’s approval, an identity guideline will also be, which will include templates that can all be used for marketing purposes. To begin with, the new logo will be amended on the current social media and websites, which will be relatively inexpensive. All other Calitzdorp Hot Springs points of contact with the public will subsequently need to be updated or replaced in a phased approach.
Feature image: The old logo of Calitzdorp Spa (left) and the new logo of Calitzdorp Hot Springs (right).
