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Welcome to McBains. 

A retreat from the city, a retreat into nature.

Self-catering cabins and lodge-style living at the summit of Bainskoof Pass.

 

Come and chillax in style at McBains — just 1.5 hours outside of Cape Town.

With a variety of cabins and rooms available to suit your specific holiday needs, a river with healing powers just 100m away, and a hiking trail into a valley so happy it’s called Happy Valley, McBains is the perfect getaway for you and your lover, your friends and your family. 

We take extra care to provide our guests with a clean room, linen, cooking surfaces, toilets, and showers —  as well as easy access to river and mountain trails. With our many nooks, books and crannies you can make use of our immediate facilities and the wide expanses of nature that abound in every direction. Upon return from your wanderings you can enjoy our high-spirited communal space — relaxing around a fire or soaking in the hot tub.

info@mcbains.co.za for your booking enquiries if you don’t manage to book from the website directly. Please follow the BOOK NOW link at the top of the page.

 

General Info

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General Info

McBains is situated at the summit of the historic Bainskloof Pass, forming part of the village known as Eerste Tol. We offer Bainskloof venue hire and Bainskloof accommodation for up to 40 people in an eclectic variety of rooms, cabins, and spaces.

Fronting Deviation Buttress and the Witte River, McBains Mountain Retreat is surrounded on all sides by the Limietberg Nature Reserve. As such we are blessed with stunning views and easy access to an abundance of river pools and mountain walks that you can enjoy when you stay with us.

We are a family-run business that places an emphasis on healthy outdoor fun and then enjoying a good night's rest. We are a little bit rough around the edges – just how we like it. We have WiFi capability in the main house but strongly encourage our guests to take a break from their phones during their stay with us.

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Our priority is providing a space for you to unwind - without us tending to your every need. We have a wide range of books available for you to read while you are here. We encourage you to take some time off from your phone, to jump in the river, to explore all the nearby natural attractions (waterfalls, hiking trails, and rockhopping galore), and spend time enjoying a truly unique, Western Cape adventurous and relaxing vacay.

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The real catharsis in coming to McBains is to be found once you get out of the city, enjoy the winding the drive up the pass, jump into the healing waters of the Witte River, catch the sunset, and watch the night stars from the hot tub.
McBains is best enjoyed with a few mates: round up a crew of friends or family and book out a few rooms.
We are ideally suited to school camps, corporate takeovers, digital nomads looking for an affordable midweek getaway, and hikers and thrill-seekers looking for a safe place to make as their base camp while exploring the natural surrounds.

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If you come with good vibes, you’ll have a good time. We make no apologies for the weather. Bring your own head torch - the paths are dark at night so that we can see the stars! If you’re staying with us you’ll have your own clean bed in an awesome room.We supply a duvet, pillow, and a blanket as bedding. There’s a shared kitchen, outdoor lounge, and deck area with fabulous views of the mountain and easy access to the river below. Please bring your own towel as well as fire wood if you can. Ice is available for R20 per 2L ice cream tub, and wood is available at R120 per bag (firewood) and R100 per bag (hot tub). Alternatively a R100 contribution fee for water and firewood for hot tub use is levied. Please bring cash for ice and wood.

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If you come with good vibes, you’ll have a good time. We make no apologies for the weather. Bring your own head torch - the paths are dark at night so that we can see the stars! We supply a towel, a duvet, pillow and blanket as bedding. If you’re staying with us you’ll have your own clean bed in an awesome room. There’s a shared kitchen, outdoor lounge and deck area with fabulous views of the mountain and easy access to the river below.

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When it’s time to pack, think: I’m going camping but I’m going to get to sleep in a comfy bed and there is a kitchen there with the basics and modest facilities to keep me clean. Please pack lightly and please assist us with waste management by taking home with you whatever recycling and refuse you are capable of.

We are fully self-catering and have two communal self-catering kitchens with plenty of fridge space. Please consider when packing at home to remove all unnecessary packaging and bring your food up in a cooler box. We have plenty of braai options as well. Upon arrival, guests are requested to pack away their food responsibly. On occasion, we have baboon invasions -- and we'd hate for you to have to watch them eat your chips and treats!

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We usually light the hot tub at around 4pm and this is a great way to rinse off the day and soak away your worries. Wood for the hot tub as well as wood for braais can be bought from us for R100 per bag if you don't manage to bring your own wood up the pass with you.

We offer a variety of board and card games which you are welcome to play in the upstairs studio -- or in other communal spaces. The use of portable speakers to play music is strictly prohibited -- unless by prior arrangement.

McBains is about having a quiet drink in the evening after a great day out in nature -- anything more than a quiet drink in the evening is strictly forbidden. If you are drinking from glass, we kindly ask that you take your recycling back with you.

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The nearest shops are in Wellington at the bottom of the pass, 15 minutes away. There is a Woolworths and Checkers at Welgelee Plein, plus a SPAR on Main Road, which is probably the best spot to get any last minute supplies. We have full-time managerial staff on site 24/7 to assist you during your stay.

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Drinks. Please feel welcome to bring your own -- we do not sell alcohol on the premises. Please take your recycling home with you as well, as we have limited recycling facilities in that regard.


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Nature Therapy Thursdays

On any given Thursday, Ma'ayan and Justin set off into the rivers and mountains of Bainskloof in search of adventure, secret waterfalls, good company, and a break from the city's slickness. We round off the day with a TRE (Trauma and Tension Release Exercises) session, followed by a healthy meal.

Ma'ayan is a qualified TRE facilitator and Justin a qualified addiction counselor. And we both love sharing the providence of this beautiful area. Which make us the perfect couple for you and your friends to connect with and show you around for a full day of fun. BY PRIOR ARRANGEMENT ONLY.
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Healthy meal

Included in your stay when you book for Nature Therapy Thursday is a healthy dinner, usually vegetarian and always delicious.


Awesome adventure

Our Nature Therapy Thursdays involve hikes where a basic level of fitness is required – we usually assess the group’s combined fitness and see how the day is looking, and decide where to go from there… you’re welcome to let us know in advance as to any specific requests you may have (i.e. trail versus rockhopping).

Property Layout

McBains Layout

Cabins

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Franklin Cabin

Upcycled Toolshed / Sleeps a family of 4. Double and 2 singles / Own deck / Near to braai area / rad family vibes

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Jonathan Cabin

Sleeps 5. Double, Bunk Bed, 1 single / Nearby access to trance party loo and basin / epic vibes all round

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Sylvia Cabin

Sleeps 2 (Double Bed) / Remote access to loo and basin / romantic vibes

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Jack Cabin

Upcycled Pigeon Shed / Sleeps 2 (single beds) / Writer’s escape vibes

Rooms

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Wilbur

Sleeps 2 (Double Bed) / Self-Catering Kitchen and en-suite shower and loo / Couple hibernating and/or on-a-mission vibes

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Enid

Kids Bunk Room / Sleeps 13 / Shower and loo next door / kids and team vibes

Hunter

Hunter Room

Sleeps 2 (Double Bed) / adjacent to Enid (kids) and next door to kitchen / Sunny & simple vibes opening to outdoor courtyard

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K Sello Room

Sleeps 1 (3/4 Bed) / next door to Herman / Close to parking with one private door to the infinite mountains / Explorer vibes

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Herman Room

Sleeps 2 (small double bed) / Ensuite bath and loo / Opens to pizza courtyard / History vibes

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JK Room

Sleeps 6 (double bed, 2 singles, bunk bed, 2 futons) / next to downstairs kitchen and toilets / Super fun for kids or group bookings / Cool in summer

Accommodation

Cabins

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Franklin

Upcycled Toolshed / Sleeps a family of 4. Double and 2 singles / Own deck / Near to braai area / rad family vibes

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Jonathan

Sleeps 5. Double, Bunk Bed, 1 single / Nearby access to outdoor bath, toilet and basin / epic vibes all round

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Sylvia

Sleeps 2 (Double Bed) / nearby access to 2 single outdoor baths and basin / romantic vibes / killer views

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Jack

Upcycled Pigeon Shed / Sleeps 2 (single beds) / Writer’s escape vibes

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Rooms

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Enid

Sleeps up to 11 in Bunk Beds /
Shower and loo next door / Shares a sunny garden with Hunter / Backs onto the pizza courtyard it shares with Herman and K Sello / Great for kids with parents sleeping within earshot and for groups and families / Named after Enid Blyton /

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Hunter

Sleeps up to 2 / Double Bed / Shares a sunny courtyard with Enid / Next door to shared kitchen / Named after Hunter S Thompson

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Bob

Sleeps up to 2 / 1 big double bed / Close to amenities / Opens onto kitchen/ Views from your bed of Klein Wellington Sneeukop / Named after Bob Dylan


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Herman

Sleeps up to 2 / Small double bed / En-suite bath and loo / Opens onto pizza courtyard / Next door to K Sello / Named after Herman Charles Bosman and Hermann Hesse

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K Sello

Sleeps 1, or 2 snugglers / Three-quarter bed /
En-suite shower and loo / Opens onto pizza courtyard / Next door to Herman /
Easy access to car / Named after K Sello Duiker

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Wilbur Room

Sleeps 2 / Queen-sized bed /
En-suite shower and loo / Opens onto lawn courtyard / Next door to Hunter and close to Enid /
Reclusive vibes / Named after Wilbur Smith

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McBains Instagram

Follow us: @mcbains3000

Instagram

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Guests reserve the right to party incognito at McBains. If you don\'t want to be photographed, please let us know at the time.
What happens at McBains, stays at McBains...

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Contact

Contact Us

All our booking enquiries are handled via e-mail if you don’t manage to use our booking platform successfully or have some additional queries you’d like to make prior to booking. 

If you know someone who has been to McBains before, please mention their name and/or how you heard about us.

E-mail us on: info@mcbains.co.za