Under Canvas, Amongst Blooms: AfriCamps’ Premium tents celebrate Spring at Cheerio Gardens

Spring does not arrive quietly at Cheerio Gardens. It spills across the hillside in clouds of pink, white and crimson, gathers along winding paths and catches in the branches of flowering cherries and crab apples. Yet, in the early morning, before the garden has fully awakened, its beauty feels private to you alone.

First light slips through the glass doors before the sun has reached the valley below. Mist drifts between the trees, pale blossoms hover against the softened landscape, and somewhere beyond the deck, a Lemon Dove begins its steady morning call. From the warmth of a king-size bed, there is nowhere you need to be - Spring is already unfolding just beyond the canvas.

This season brings the first full Spring at Cheerio Gardens for AfriCamps Magoebaskloof’s two new Premium tents, created especially for couples seeking a slower, more private escape. Set apart from the original tents on a quiet hillside within the gardens, they offer the rare chance to experience one of Magoebaskloof’s best-loved seasons from the inside.

Instead of arriving for a few hours among the azaleas, flowering cherries, crab apples, camellias, irises and foxgloves, you can watch the garden move through the changing moods of an entire day.

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There is the soft mystery of early mist, the intensity of colour beneath the midday sun, the long shadows of late afternoon and the deepening stillness that settles over the flowers as evening arrives. The Premium tents are spacious, studio-style retreats with open-plan interiors and wide glass doors that keep the hillside and valley constantly in view. At the centre is a plush king-size bed dressed in crisp linen, with warm blankets and electric blankets for cooler mountain nights.

A fully equipped kitchen includes a two-burner gas stove, refrigerator, Nespresso machine and air-fryer toaster oven, while a generous walk-in rain shower, air conditioning and an indoor wood-burning fireplace bring all the comforts of a secluded mountain hideaway. Everything has been designed to make staying in feel as appealing as going out.

For all the refined finishes, the canvas remains an essential part of the experience. Rain can still be heard moving across the roof. Birdsong carries through the early morning air, and the wind passing through the trees becomes part of the atmosphere inside. You remain aware of the weather, the sounds and the changing temperature, without giving up a proper bed, a hot shower or a glowing fire.

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The glass doors open onto a 30-square-metre elevated L-shaped deck with comfy chairs, a netted hammock, built-in braai and private outdoor wood-fired hot tub. It is a space made for lingering. Coffee can be enjoyed while the mist slowly lifts from the valley and the hammock is a great space to be after a walk beneath the blossoms. Lunch can stretch lazily into the afternoon, and later, as the mountain air begins to cool, the hot tub is the perfect place to watch the sunlight fade across the trees.

Breakfast boxes and braai packs can be ordered in advance, making it easy to retreat from the world for a while. For those who feel like venturing out, restaurants and cafés are close by, while the Cheerio Gardens Café opens over its extended four-day weekend.

The two Premium tents complement AfriCamps’ original ten Classic tents, which remain ideal for families and groups. Sleeping up to five people in two separate bedrooms, the Classic tents include an en-suite bathroom, equipped kitchen, indoor fireplace, air conditioning, braai and private outdoor wood-fired hot tub.  The difference is not simply about space or comfort. It is about rhythm.

The Classic tents lend themselves to lively family holidays, shared meals and children setting off to explore the gardens and dams. The Premium tents offer something quieter, with greater privacy and thoughtful details suited to anniversaries, honeymoons, special occasions or an uncomplicated weekend with no agenda beyond rest, reconnection and time together.

The Spring displays may be the first reason to visit Cheerio Gardens, but staying overnight reveals how much more there is to experience. Access to the gardens throughout your stay means you can wander among the flowers before the first day visitors arrive, return when the afternoon light intensifies their colour, and take one final walk as the paths grow quiet.

Beyond the blooms, the Swartbos Trail winds through forest towards sweeping mountain views. The farm dams invite catch-and-release fishing, swimming and paddling, while the gardens, forest and water attract an abundance of birdlife. Those travelling with bicycles can follow the Green and Yellow mountain-biking routes, both of which begin and end at Cheerio Gardens.

Haenertsburg, Cheerio Road, forest walks, cafés, farm stalls and local producers are all close enough for an easy day of exploring. Yet one of the greatest pleasures is the return, turning back towards Cheerio Gardens while there is still enough light to catch the last blaze of colour in the trees and the evening comes in gently over the hillside. 

The garden paths are empty, the flowers soften into shadow and the final notes of birdsong disappear into the forest. Inside the tent, the fire glows and on the deck, the hot tub sends curls of steam into the cooling air.  For a few quiet hours, the garden no longer feels like somewhere you have come to visit - it feels as though you belong within it.

Bookings: AfriCamps Magoebaskloof, +27 (0)21 300 5694, hello@africamps.com or book online at www.africamps.com. 

General enquiries: WhatsApp Cheerio Gardens on 071 771 5152 or email hello@cheeriogardens.co.za