Our Autumn 2027 Eastern Cape Highlands dates are now open. These weeks have become the highlight of our season—something we look forward to all year. There’s a rhythm to fishing up there that’s hard to explain unless you’ve done it: clear, narrow streams, wild fish, and long days spent completely disconnected from the rest of the world and its noise.
It’s a place that’s grown close to us over time, and one we keep coming back to for good reason. There’s also a reason most of these weeks are usually snapped up by returning guests—once people have experienced it, they tend to make a plan to come back.
If you’re drawn to small stream fishing done right, this is about as good as it gets. It’s not just another trip; it’s the kind of experience that stays with you long after you’ve packed the rods away.
Set in the Eastern Cape Highlands, between Barkley East, Rhodes, and Maclear where we spend 5 nights in old English style farmhouses that give this area the feeling of the home of fly fishing in England and Scotland.
We fish some lesser-known but spectacular rivers as well as many of the renowned water, written about in many books over the decades. The scenery varies considerably, from pastoral scenes to fishing in deep sandstone canyons on pure white bedrock runs.
This trip is ideal for all experience levels and is the perfect way to introduce your spouse and kids to the magic of the Eastern Cape Highlands and the fly fishing culture.
The focus is to catch wild, small stream Trout, and a lot of them. These streams see very little fishing pressure, which shows in the numbers and the way the fish behave. Most of our fishing is done with dry flies, working carefully upstream. As conditions change we adjust fishing techniques as needed. Fish typically sit in the 20–35cm range, with the occasional standout. Our biggest from these rivers measured 49cm, which gives you a fair idea of what’s possible.
Autumn is when this part of the world really comes into its own. The valleys turn, the light softens, and the fish start to take on that pre-spawn colour—subtle at first, then impossible to miss. It adds another layer to an already special place.
It’s more than just time on the water. There’s something about these trips that pulls you in—the pace, the setting, the way you fish. It feels familiar, even if it’s your first time there, and it tends to stay with you long after you’ve left.
The streams in the Highlands fish best from April through May. For 2027, we’ve set aside five weeks right in the middle of that autumn window, with a maximum of six anglers per week:
If the week you’re looking at is already full, or doesn’t quite have the availability you need, get in touch with us. We will make a plan to accommodate you.
