Pelgrims Place

18/12/2025

Consistency in running
written by current resident K.D.
“I have been running since the start of my program in March and have only really missed 2 runs. Tomorrow, I will be doing a 21km run, and I’m sure my training will have paid off. Running has helped me with my ADHD and calms me down for the day ahead. It is definitely a skill I have picked up in recovery that I will take with me through the rest of my life. It is not only a health benefit but a life benefit.”

For more information please visit our website https://pelgrimsplace.com

South Africa's leading Addiction Rehabilitation Centre has expanded to the Western Cape. Offering an affordable, world-class treatment center

16/12/2025

At Pelgrims Place we combine “back to basics” recovery principles with an innovative approach to rehabilitation. Located on the West Coast of South Africa in the village of Paternoster. Just a two-hour drive from Cape Town.

Community, work-ethic, honesty, integrity, self-discipline and awareness are the essence of any well-rounded rehabilitation program. Pelgrims Place gives the gift of sobriety.

For more information please visit our website https://pelgrimsplace.com

11/12/2025

What does the average day look like at Pelgrims place?
Wake up at 5:45am, make your bed and organise your cupboard living area before grabbing a cup of tea or coffee. At 6am, morning duties begin, consisting of a sweep and a mop throughout the living areas.

Quiet time follows at 6:30am until 7am when we meet in the dining area for the morning meeting, praise and worship and breakfast. After breakfast, the work allocations are read out for the day, the residents are split up into different work allocations, which range from working in the lands and tending to the vegetables to general farm maintenance. You will always be learning new skills.

There is tea time at 9:30am until 10am, then it's back on work allocations until 11:30am, unless it's Monday, Wednesday or Friday, then it will be until 11:15am for tuck shop. It is then lunch time followed by quiet time from 12:30pm until 1:30pm, which is a chance to refresh the mind before the afternoon program. At 1:30pm, the residents meet up for a group which varies from week to week. After the afternoon group, everyone gets ready to head down to the beach for some fun in the sun. The residents can surf, swim, fish or just relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. Once we get back from the beach, the dinner team will start prep, while the other residents have a chance to workout in the gym or to catch up on step work. This is also shower time. After everyone has showered, dinner is served at 6pm. After dinner, the residents will meet up at 7pm for the evening program that varies from group, to step work to watching a documentary. The residents then get ready for bed. Tt is quiet time in the dormitories with lights off at 9pm every night.

For more information please visit our website https://pelgrimsplace.com

09/12/2025

Finding myself through the stepwork
written by K.C. current resident
“Step work has helped me realise many things. I have been holding on to a lot of hurt and even anger from my past. I have not been allowing myself to feel certain emotions or deal with traumas from a young age. Through the step work, I have also grown closer to God and letting him back into my life has given me a new-found confidence that I never had before. Giving my will over to God daily and praying has allowed some of my more positive characteristics and thought patterns to surface. By answering some of the more difficult questions in my step work, I am learning to understand myself and my emotions better.”

For more information please visit our website https://pelgrimsplace.com

04/12/2025

FAQ: These are some of the frequently asked questions we get before admission. We thought the best way to approach this would be to ask Pelgrims Place residents to answer these.

What are the living arrangements at Pelgrims place?
The residents of Pelgrims Place are divided between three dormitories on the property. There is a communal lifestyle. We all strive to achieve and create the most welcoming atmosphere for new residents as possible.

Why a minimum of six months?
The roots of addiction really run deep. From my own personal experience, the power of a long-term rehabilitation program is realised only in the process itself. Becoming free from old habits, traumas and fears cannot be rushed. To truly make time for yourself and your emotions that you have been setting aside for years is the most liberating feeling. Breaking free from the bo***ge of addiction, pain, fear and old habits takes time and is a long process. To gain not only freedom from your addiction but also to build and solidify new habits and coping mechanisms to deal with life

For more information, please visit our website https://pelgrimsplace.com

02/12/2025

Creative Writing – Serving with love
written by current resident G.B.
“Ideally, love is a two-way street. However, that is not always the case, and therefore one has to make a compromise. I choose to help my brothers without expecting anything in return. Why? because my cup is full. I am in a position to give without hurting myself in the process. It is with absolute pride and a deep sense of gratitude that I can impart my wisdom and life experiences to others. I have a duty to help others because others helped me. I have to pay it forward. Goodness, righteousness and justice demand from me to help look after those who cannot look after themselves.”

For more information please visit our website https://pelgrimsplace.com

27/11/2025

At Pelgrims Place we combine “back to basics” recovery principles with an innovative approach to rehabilitation. Located on the West Coast of South Africa in the village of Paternoster. Just a two-hour drive from Cape Town.

Community, work-ethic, honesty, integrity, self-discipline and awareness are the essence of any well-rounded rehabilitation program. Pelgrims Place gives the gift of sobriety, the chance at a new beginning and the accessibility to a world-class rehabilitation centre.

For more information please visit our website https://pelgrimsplace.com

25/11/2025

Beautiful evening at Pilgrim's Place for the Sunset Mindfulness & Stretching session. Quietly exercising the mind and embracing presence—a vital building block for therapy and mental health recovery. 🙏

For more information please visit our website https://pelgrimsplace.com

20/11/2025

👧👶👦🌍 Today is World Children's Day, and at Pelgrims Place, we believe in serving and giving back. Our residents had an amazing time helping the Paternoster community kids build their own Go-Karts, and teaching them some valuable woodworking skills! ​It was a day full of sawdust, shared skills, and new friendships. This is what community is all about.

For more information please visit our website https://pelgrimsplace.com

18/11/2025

*Don’t measure each day by the
harvest you reap; instead, consider
the seeds you plant
– Robert Louis Stevenson*

For more information please visit our website https://pelgrimsplace.com

13/11/2025

The benefits of long-term recovery
Written by K.D. current Pelgrims Place resident.
“When I think of recovery I think of God. ‘God is everything or nothing’. The AA big book summarised is; *Trust God * Clean House *Work with others.
There is a promise, a life beyond your wildest dreams. What does this mean to me? Peace and contentment are the first things that come to mind. If I can help another addict find God, then I have used my past in a way that I’ll be proud of. If I continue to show up, take the next right action, I’ll be a very blessed man."

For more information please visit our website https://pelgrimsplace.com

11/11/2025

We take residents on regular hikes in the abundant natural beauty surrounding our farm in Paternoster. They can benefit from fresh air, exercise and being out in the West Coast sunshine 🌞👣🌱

For more information, please visit our website https://pelgrimsplace.com