Graaff-Reinet Magazine

Now THIS is how you start a day in Graaff-Reinet.

Road to Desolation riders taking in one of Graaff-Reinet’s most iconic views before another day of adventure. 🚵‍♂️

📷 Road To Desolation

📰 𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖥𝖴𝖱𝖱𝖮𝖶 | 𝖲𝖤𝖯𝖳𝖤𝖬𝖡𝖤𝖱 2026 𝖤𝖣𝖨𝖳𝖨𝖮𝖭

Our September edition is here - and there’s plenty happening in and around Graaff-Reinet!
This month, The Furrow celebrates 240 years of Graaff-Reinet and 100 years of tourism, while looking at the people, places and stories that continue to shape our town as a destination.

Inside this edition:
☕ Restaurant Spotlight - Drostdy Hotel
🏡 Accommodation showcases
🤝 Community development news
📸 A little Graaff-Reinet inspiration in our Gallery ✨ Tourism Buzz and local stories
🚴 Gravel Burn news
📅 Upcoming events and dates for your diary.

From visitors arriving from across the world to exciting events on the horizon, September reminds us just how much there is to see, experience and celebrate right here in the Gem of the Karoo.
Grab a coffee, find a comfy spot and enjoy the September edition of The Furrow. 💚

🚴‍♂️ ℝ𝕆𝔸𝔻 𝕋𝕆 𝔻𝔼𝕊𝕆𝕃𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ 𝕎𝔼𝔼𝕂𝔼ℕ𝔻 𝕀𝕊 ℍ𝔼ℝ𝔼! ⛰️

Graaff-Reinet is ready to welcome the riders, supporters and visitors arriving for Road to Desolation 2026!

Registration takes place TODAY, Friday 25 September, from 12:00–18:00 at Te Water House. Riders can collect their race numbers, settle in with coffee and fresh roosterbrood, and there’s also a relaxed 15:30 shakeout ride covering the opening 15 km of the race route.

Then tomorrow morning, Saturday 26 September, it’s race time! The mass start is at 06:30 from Te Water House, with the compulsory race briefing at 06:15. Riders are asked to arrive at least 30 minutes before the start.

Road to Desolation takes riders through some spectacular Karoo country, with two route options: the full RTD 130 and the shorter Taste of Desolation 66. Both ultimately showcase what makes riding around Graaff-Reinet and the Camdeboo landscape such an experience.

And if you’re here to support rather than ride, make a weekend of it! The organisers recommend the Camper Feed Station on the Murraysburg road as a great spectator point, while visitors are asked to keep traffic towards the Valley of Desolation to an absolute minimum during the race, particularly between 10:30 and 14:00.

To every rider taking on the challenge: welcome to Graaff-Reinet and good luck! And to the families, friends and visitors joining them, we hope you enjoy our town, support our local businesses and stay a little longer to explore the Camdeboo.

For information on where to eat and what to see in Graaff-Reinet visit www.graaffreinet.co.za

Road To Desolation

𝗝𝗢𝗕 𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 | 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗔𝗙𝗙-𝗥𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗧 📢

Elsona is looking for a friendly, confident and motivated individual to join their team as a Manager.

If you enjoy working with people and thrive in a customer-focused environment, this could be the opportunity for you.

📍 Location: Graaff-Reinet
💼 Position: Manager
💰 Salary: Based on experience and suitability for the role

To request the full job description and responsibilities, email:
📧 [email protected]
Elsona Homeware

Please note: CVs will only be requested after applicants have reviewed the full job description.
Know someone who could be a great fit? Tag them or share this post with them.

𝙷𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚢 𝙷𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚢, 𝙶𝚛𝚊𝚊𝚏𝚏-𝚁𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚝!

Today is about celebrating who we are and where we come from - the stories passed down, the traditions we keep, the food we share, the
languages we speak and the people who make our community what it is. Graaff-Reinet has many stories, cultures and generations woven into one very special town.

Whether there’s a braai on the go, family around the table or you’re simply enjoying the public holiday, celebrate it your way.

Happy Heritage Day from Graaff-Reinet Magazine!

Heritage Day with Food Socks Graaff-Reinet!

🇿🇦 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐘. 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐀𝐈 𝐃𝐀𝐘. 𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐃𝐀𝐘.

There’s something about a South African braai that brings everyone together — the fire, the stories, the people… and, of course, the food. ❤️🔥

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘬𝘢?

This Heritage Day, let Food Sock take care of one less thing.

Our Chakalaka Samp & Beans is the perfect hearty side for your braai — packed with flavour, easy to prepare and enough to serve the whole family.

Because on 24 September, you should be spending your time around the fire, not stuck in the kitchen. 😉

Chakalaka Samp & Beans | R60 | Serves 4

📍 Available at Food Socks Grraaff-Reinet
☎️ WhatsApp 064 619 1200

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲, 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 — 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐚𝐢. 🇿🇦

This is how Graaff-Reinet does a morning walk. 🐾
Fresh Karoo air, a quiet road, your four-legged walking buddy and those unmistakable mountains in the distance. Sometimes the simplest moments are the best ones.

📷 Cornel Strydom

🦕🔥 𝘽𝙍𝘼𝘼𝙄𝙉𝙊𝙎𝘼𝙐𝙍 𝘿𝘼𝙔 𝘼𝙏 𝙆𝘼𝙍𝙊𝙊 𝙊𝙍𝙄𝙂𝙄𝙉𝙎!

Looking for something a little different to do this Heritage Day? Karoo Origins - The Fossil Centre is putting a prehistoric spin on one of South Africa’s favourite traditions with BRAAINOSAUR DAY! 🇿🇦

On Thursday, 24 September, visitors can enjoy HALF-PRICE entrance tickets to the Fossil Centre - a great opportunity to discover the fascinating prehistoric story of the Karoo and meet some of the incredible therapsids that lived here millions of years ago.

And because it wouldn’t be Heritage Day without a braai…
🌭🔥 Boerie rolls will be on sale for R30:
🗓 Thursday, 24 September Friday, 25 September
⏰ 11:00–13:00
Karoo Origins - The Fossil Centre

Bring the family, explore the fossils, learn something new and grab a boerie roll while you’re there.

A fun Heritage Day outing right here in Graaff-Reinet! 🦴🦕

🍰 ＬＩＦＥ ＩＳ ＳＷＥＥＴ ＡＴ ＣＨＡＲＧＯ!

Coffee and cake? Say less. 😍

CHARGO farm stall Graaff-Reinet has something sweet waiting for you - Chargo Baked Cheesecake at R70 a slice or their decadent Mozart Cake at R75 a slice.

And if coffee + cheesecake is your kind of combo, you can enjoy a 350ml cappuccino and a slice of cheesecake for R90. ☕🍰

Chargo is more than a coffee stop, it's a fuel station, farm stall and restaurant, making it a handy one-stop spot for locals and travellers alike.

📍 Church Street, Graaff-Reinet
⏰ Open daily 07:00-19:00
🍴 Last orders by 18:00
📲 WhatsApp: 071 964 9291
Chargo Fuel Graaff

So… cheesecake or Mozart cake? 👀 We’re not judging if the answer is both!

☕️ ℂ𝕆𝔽𝔽𝔼𝔼, 𝔸 𝔹𝕀𝕋𝔼 & 𝔸 𝕃𝕀𝕋𝕋𝕃𝔼 ℝ𝔼𝕎𝔸ℝ𝔻!

Have you visited the café at Karoo Origins - The Fossil Centre yet? It’s a great little Graaff-Reinet stop for locals and visitors alike - whether you’re popping in for coffee, meeting a friend, enjoying a light lunch or treating yourself to something sweet.

And now there’s another reason to come back!
Pick up a new loyalty card, enjoy 10 coffees, collect your stamps and your 11th cup is ON THE HOUSE! ☕️ Plus, every completed card is entered into a raffle.

On the menu you’ll find freshly brewed coffees, toasted sandwiches, light meals, sweet treats, croissants and more - perfect before or after exploring the Fossil Centre, or simply as a café visit on its own.

📍 Karoo Origins - The Fossil Centre
30 Parsonage Street, Graaff-Reinet
☕ Café open to locals and visitors - 𝙣𝙤 𝙁𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙡 𝘾𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙛é

Coffee tastes even better when the next free cup is getting closer. 😉

Follow Karoo Origins - The Fossil Centre