As soon as the weather starts cooling down here in South Africa i have an insatiable need to head to the Karoo. nothing, nothing beats a Karoo winter. Growing up our family used to take road trips into central South Africa during our long winter school holidays, so I’ve had an appreciation for Karoo dorpies since I was a kid. I have one particular memory of staying in a house in Prince Albert, and the hosts had left the most delicious fresh local milk and cheese for us in the fridge. I think I ate that entire block of cheese myself.
Johannesburg based couple Marc and James seem to have a penchant for the Karoo too, as they renovated a 142 year old building in Nieu-Bethesda, and turned it into a luxurious yet homelike self catering accommodation called Mukti (pronounced moek-tea – which is sanskrit for spiritual liberation). I visited Nieu Bethesda for the first time many years ago, it is a tiny village snuggled inside an oasis of a valley in the heart of the Karoo desert…
We have always wanted a soulful, peaceful space where we can go to to clear our minds and hearts and we found our little paradise in Nieu-Bethesda. We renovated the property extensively, whilst paying respect to the heritage and character of the home. The interiors have been beautifully curated and designed, with top quality bedding and utilities.
You can book to stay at Mukti on Airbnb here. photographs by Emma Jude Jackson.















It looks incredible! That Prince Albert milk and cheese is the best… Almost sweet it’s so fresh!
I just Love it.