Deep South Retreat — Eastern Cape, South Africa

Welcome

A secluded valley between bush-covered hills

Deep South Retreat Centre is on Firglen Farm, 20 km from Makhanda / Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape. The guest house sits in a natural valley between bush-covered hills, where the landscape varies from grassland to East Cape thicket to indigenous forest, fed by a number of freshwater springs.

The 500-hectare farm is a sanctuary for animals and plants and grazes a herd of Nguni cattle. With three biomes, birdlife is abundant and diverse. We offer quiet seclusion in a natural and safe place that caters unobtrusively for your needs.

Your hosts, Robert Berold and Mindy Stanford, are both writers and editors. We accommodate groups or individuals — primarily people who need a quiet, generative place to meditate, write, paint, or just be. Typical retreats we host are for writing, meditation, tai chi and sound improvisation, and there is studio space for visual and recording artists.

The Natural World

Walk, swim, and listen

Walk through bush, along a forest stream, or up wooded slopes. Swim in a pool of clean spring water, a ten-minute walk from the Centre. The natural soundscape changes all the time — baboon and bushbuck barks, the occasional jackal at night, and birdcalls from forest, valley bushveld and hillside.

In Their Words

What retreatants say

"If nature is a healing space for you, and you need time out, this is an ideal place to stay. The valley is breathtakingly beautiful and the accommodation very homely."
Hannelie Duvenage · solo retreat

"The perfect venue for our weekend silent retreat. Plenty of spaces to be private or together — the shady braai area, beautiful walks, and a swim in the spring dam."
Rhona Duncan · group meditation

"A home where writers can reach deep into themselves, hear the truth of their words, and discover new paths for their work. A precious gift to all who value solitude."
Kobus Moolman · solo writing retreat

The Retreat Centre

Three connected units — East, Middle & West

The Centre offers comfortable short-term (weekend) or longer-term (2–4 week) stays for solo retreatants and groups of up to eight. Each unit has its own bedroom(s) with a writing desk, a kitchen and living area, ablutions and outside space, plus a shared meeting room.

The accommodation

East Unit — one double bedroom plus two small bedrooms, a shower and toilet, a large studio-kitchen-living room, and a covered veranda.

Middle & West Units — each with their own bedrooms, kitchen and living areas, and private outdoor space, connecting to form accommodation for up to eight.

There is wifi in all units, backed up by an inverter for power outages, a braai area with firewood available, and two fireplaces in the Centre.

Catering: full catering (three meals a day) or partial catering (one meal a day), or self-cater in one of three kitchens. Mindy's home-cooked meals draw on the retreat's abundant vegetable garden.

Rates 2026

Accommodation & catering

Accommodation rates differ for Southern African and international guests; catering and transport are the same rand price for all. Choose your region below — the International view shows every price converted to US dollars, euros and pounds, updated at the day's exchange rate.

Accommodation up to 10 people

Per person, per night R450R900

Couples sharing, per person R390R780

Stays of 5 days or more Discount available

Catering same for all guests

Self-cateringthree kitchens — fridge, stove, microwaveIncluded

Full catering — 3 meals/day+R40 pp for morning & afternoon teasR430 pp

Part-catering — one cooked meal/dayincl. dessert & beverageR210 pp

Breakfast ingredients (self-catered)R65 pp

Special diets+R30 pp / meal

Return transport from Makhandaup to 4 passengersR400

Supporting Southern African writers. One third of all international accommodation payments goes to the Thekwane NPC, a non-profit fund that supports bursaries for Southern African writers who could not otherwise afford to attend writing retreats.

Writing Mentoring & Workshops

Four kinds of retreat for writers

Alongside hosting the Centre, Robert Berold offers writing support for individual writers and groups. Groups are also welcome to bring their own mentors and facilitators.

Solo retreat

Come for a few days or two weeks. Be entirely isolated and self-catering, or have more contact — walks, shared meals. Everyone has access to Robert's library.

Robert's input: if wanted, to discuss your project and give feedback on any writing you'd like to show him.

Small group retreat

Small groups of 2–4 writers over 3–5 days, whether already engaged in a project or wanting a retreat holiday with some writing.

Robert's input: meet each afternoon to read work and suggest a focus for the next day; an optional morning reading group with relevant work.

Group retreat

Up to 8 writers for 4–14 days — usually urban groups who know each other, planned and fundraised in advance, bringing their own facilitators. A mix of readings, discussion, exercises, feedback and free time.

Robert's input: planning, reading texts, assisting facilitators, adapting the programme, giving feedback, and taking part.

Mentoring poets

An 18-month one-to-one course based on the methods Robert developed in the Rhodes MA. Fortnightly Zoom sessions on new work, self-editing, and reading and writing tasks — building toward a finished manuscript. Mostly online; a visit isn't required.

Outcome: over the 18 months you generate a manuscript you and Robert shape and edit together.

"He assisted me in finding my voice as a poet. After working together my manuscript was accepted right away — they commented on how it was already fully edited."
Siza Nkosi · what happened to your bones, malume?

"Supportive and kind in his criticism, without letting me get away with weak work. I learnt to find the musicality in my poetry and trust my intuitive voice."
Sarah Frost · published by Karavan Press, 2025

"He showed me many simple ways of editing and making a book. When it was published it won the Glenna Luschei prize for African poetry."
Mangaliso Buzani · poet

Robert Berold has published four collections of poetry and nine other books, edited New Coin (1989–1999), co-founded the MA in Creative Writing at Rhodes University, and edited over 50 collections by South African poets through his Deep South press.

Getting Here

Travel & transfers for international visitors

Most international guests fly into Johannesburg (OR Tambo International), then take a short domestic connection to Gqeberha / Port Elizabeth — Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport — the closest airport to the retreat.

From the airport

Deep South Retreat is approximately [journey time — to confirm] by road from Port Elizabeth Airport, via Makhanda out to Firglen Farm.

Airport pick-up & drop-off

Transfers between the airport and the retreat can be arranged through [transport provider — to confirm], who offer the service door to door.

Already in Makhanda?

For guests travelling from town, we offer return transport from Makhanda to the retreat for R400 (up to 4 passengers).

About & Contact

Your hosts at Firglen Farm

Deep South Retreat is run by Mindy Stanford and Robert Berold, who have lived at Firglen Farm for the past 20 years. Situated between two private game farms, Firglen is a natural sanctuary for many plant, bird and animal species, and is in the process of being declared a Protected Environment.

Mindy Stanford

A writer, editor and massage therapist, and the author of two books of poems. A warm host who grew up on a farm, she loves sharing the natural environment with visitors — and the retreat's vegetable garden supplies her healthy, home-cooked meals.

Robert Berold

A writer and editor, co-founder of the MA in Creative Writing at Rhodes University, and author of four poetry collections and nine other books. He edited New Coin (1989–1999) and over 50 collections by South African poets through Deep South press.

Get in touch

We'd love to hear what you have in mind. Reach either of us directly:

Mindy Stanfordmindys@global.co.za · WhatsApp +27 71 145 3585

Robert Beroldr.berold@gmail.com · WhatsApp +27 76 815 5970

Telephone046 622 5081

WhereFirglen Farm, Highlands Road, Makhanda — 20 km from town, Eastern Cape

Getting hereReturn transport from Makhanda can be arranged (R400, up to 4 passengers)