Welcome to Middelburg Karoo

Sherborne Guest House is situated between Colesberg and Middelburg on the N9 + N10 route – 80km south from Colesberg and 17km north of Middelburg. The guest house is about 500m from the route above and is between numerous trees and hills. Come and enjoy your vacation on a true Karoo farm.

Aloes Guest House is a luxury, upmarket guesthouse in the Karoo Heartland town of Middelburg. Situated on the N9/N10, halfway between Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg, and Johannesburg and the Garden Route/Cape Town, this makes it the ideal stopover.The guesthouse offers a variety of accommodation. The Guest House offers en-suite rooms that have been exquisitely furnished. The garden is spacious with braai & swimming facilities.

The St Barnabas Church, a historical building is still in use for weekly sermons. It is build with stone, and the original bell can still be viewed in the garden.

Mount Melsetter provides a superb venue to break away from the pressures of your normal day to day living. The Karoo House lies under the gaze of Mount Melsetter itself, which rises to just over 5000 feet, a landmark looming large over the surrounding Karoo, due east of Middelburg.

The school, built in 1908, once was the biggest school in the Cape Province. It was named after Mr Kalie Theron who saw his school grow from a two-teacher primary school to a high school. For 35 years he was the principal.

This rock is the oldest landmark of the occupation by the first European inhabitants. This inscription reads: “Anno 170 ik ben die plaas heft aangeleyght A.G.S.B. uyt Denemark sprenghane als sant.” Andries Godliep Schoombee fled from Denmark after the supposed death of his brother whom he threw from the window of their double-storey house after a fight.

“Piet van der Merwe is ‘n bekende in perdekringe en ‘n bekende teler van gewone Arabierperde, asook Anglo Arabiere. Die perde word op die veld groot, en nadat hulle gevang word, spesifiek geleer as uithourit-perde. Hierdie Arabiere word uitgevoer na die Midde-Ooste, na Dubai, Qatar en Bahrain. Arabiere is tussen 6 en 7 jaar oud wanneer hulle uitgevoer word. Die veld in hierdie gebied is baie geskik vir perde, aangesien dit reik is aan minerale wat die bene hard en sterk maak. Piet het al op die plaas ‘n wêreld kampioen geteël, wat in 2005 die wêreldkampioenskap uithourit in Bahrain gewen het, die enigste teler in Suid-Afrika wat dit nog kon bereik. Jaarliks bied Piet ook twee groot uithouritte op sy plaas aan, waar tot 103 perde al aan een uithourit deelgeneem het.

During your stay you are our guest and the reason for what we are putting our efforts in. We love what we are doing. Therefore, make yourself at home and enjoy your stay. We invite you to bring anything that is not to your taste to our attention. We learn by experience and if you can help us, please do so. Our logo says “Our target is – your SMILE” and we hope if you smile you are happy.

The Sneeuberg range to the south of Middelburg, were a haven for the San where they hunted and gathered plants, bulbs and fruit for food much as prehistoric man did. During winter months, snow can be seen on the mountains, and the Lootsberg Pass becomes a spectacular winter landscape.

Birdlife can be enjoyed on any farm in the Middelburg district. You can also take a stroll just outside Middelburg, to the Ouberg koppie, and enjoy the view, with birding surrounding you.

In the Oasis of the Karoo Heartland is this 3 Star country executive lodge situated in Middelburg. It is the perfect stopover midway between Johannesburg and the Garden Route. All the rooms have en-suite bathrooms, DStv and tea and coffee facilities.

Many old students know the Officer’s Mess, situated on the grounds of the Grootfontein College of Agriculture as a former hostel named House Karoo. The mess dates from the Anglo Boer War period (1903 – 1910) and was one of many corrugated iron-and-wood structures that belonged to a vast British Military encampment on the farm, Grootfontein. Both its façade and ground plan closely resemble two other famous old Officer’s Messes; viz The Wynberg Officer’s Mess and the Jan Smut’s House, Doornkloof, Irene.