Letsatsi Guided Tours

At Letsatsi Lodge there are more than 2000 Aloes and succulents on the property. It is a very unique collection of Aloes. Some of the Aloes are very rare. With the climate in Vanrhynsdorp the succulents are the perfect plants for gardening.

There will be guided tours at Letsatsi Lodge to learn more about the Aloes and the succulents of the area a must for any plant lover or enthusiast. The tour leader has a lot of experience in his respective field. Here is a short bio of the tour leader Brink van der Merwe.

“I actually am a qualified diesel mechanic. For 11 years I worked at the old S.A. Railways in Johannesburg but gave it up to move back to Vanrhynsdorp where I grew up as a child.

The best decision I made was to start working for and with Oom Buys Wiese – known as the “Succulent King”. Under his guidance I became an expert on the cultivation of succulents and aloes.Ernst van Jaarsveld Botanist and Horticulturist at Kirstenbosch, has also played a big role in my life with his frequent visits.
Over the years I learned to do things my way, sometimes I was successful and sometimes nothing would go my way, but as the saying goes “practise makes perfect”!
My biggest successes was the growing of Aloe dichotoma and Hoodia gordonii. I was the first person in the world to cultivate Hoodia gordonii from seeds to trees and the WNNR came to me to learn the trades. All the Quivertree`s (Kokerbome) planted at Letsatsi Lodge was cultivated by me when I was working at Kokerboom Nursery – the nursery Oom Buys started +- 56 years ago.

I worked for 18 years at the Nursery and now I will have the pleasure to see them grow at Letsatsi Lodge for the next 18 years!”
Here at Letsatsi Lodge our guests come first.