The drive from Johannesburg or Bloemfontein to Cape Town along the N1 can be a long and tedious one and finding the perfect road trip stopover point can sometimes be tricky. You want somewhere not too far off the main drag, so as not to add too much extra time to the trip, but so many of the places close to the road are dingy, dirty and noisy. Finding a place that calms the driving nerves, while providing amazing food, excellent cuisine and a comfortable place to lay down one’s head can prove almost impossible… Almost.
This perfect combination that makes a place road-trip-stop-over-worthy is what we recently discovered at Waschbank River Lodge. Leaving the N1 at Colesberg, we took a short 15km detour towards Gariep Dam and found a little piece of heaven on the banks of the Orange.
A night at Waschbank River Lodge
The sun was slowly setting, turning the river that flowed in front of the hotel a glow with hues of orange, pink and red. And as we stopped with a glass of wine to enjoy the view, the hustle and bustle of the road seemed a million miles away. The wide deck would be the perfect place to enjoy a nice meal on a warm summer’s night but as the temperatures dropped close to zero, we retreated inside where a roaring fire awaited. It was also such a pleasure to be plated a delicious home cooked meal complete with plenty of sides.
Retreating to our room with happy tummies, we relished in the small pleasures of a comfortable bed and a good cup of coffee. And in the morning, we just couldn’t help but wander around the property before hitting the road once again. During our morning wander we were delighted to discover, wrapped around the corner, a private tented camp that we are just dying to return to. There were also larger cottages with their own kitchens that looked like a great place to stay when travelling with friends and families.
As birds flocked over the river, we wished we could just stay there the whole day, fishing, canoeing and doing absolutely nothing. But alas, the road was calling our name and it was time to go. Until we return again!
