Zwakala River retreat

Capacity

Style

On-site stay

Catering

Gorgeous riverside retreat with stunning cabins and a beautiful spot for wild swimming. The road down was still being graded when we arrived but it was fine for our 4x4. We arrived late after a long drive and everything was waiting for us, including an upgraded room! Keys were in the door and we were able to make ourselves at home quickly. As it wasn't the weekend we couldn't get pizza or beer so we took the short drive to Haenertsburg for food and drink. Our morning swim and outdoor bath was gorgeous and the perfect halfway-house between the weeks of camping we had been doing and the city-based end to our trip. Sadly we couldn't get beer at the brewery in the morning as they'd sold out of cases - a sign of good beer!

Zwakala River Retreat and Minas Farm never disappoint! The hospitality and service are great. I love how they seamlessly operate with nature and always place great emphasis on sustainability. They recently updated the Noka Spa to a suite and WOW! It's so cosy - the bed is huge and has the best view. They have cute baskets and dinners you can order that they deliver to your unit (did not know about this but will be trying it next time round). IYKYK, their food is fantastic! Highly recommended for a couples' getaway.

The first night in our cottage we had to deal with a very heavy storm. It rained through the ceiling in several places in the house, on the children's bed, on the luggage.. This cottage is absolutely not so charming as the website suggests, it’s warn out and we found much better value elsewhere. It’s in urgent need of renovation and should simply not be rented out. The next day they moved us to a beautiful (new) cottage on the river. Unfortunately, the first night made quite a big impression on the children, and our son continued to sleep restlessly. We asked for a refund for that first night - you simply do not want to pay for such an experience. The staff passed our questions to the owners, but they did not respond. We believe that you should care about your guests but that did not seem to be a priority. Some personal contact would have been appropriate, not everything is solved by a so called upgrade. Too bad!

I did an intentional self-care week here, totally unbothered. I was wrapped in nature, myself and my maker. Time was not of the essence, I took my walks, runs, meditation, cozy long naps, cooked, journaled by the river, read, drank and loved on me. It was extremely cold but I never ran out of firewood. Healing sometimes requires one to disconnect from servicing others and just completely focus on you, take stock and do some serious spiritual flossing. Nature is beautiful. Being wrapped up in nature is divine. I'm such a green baby. This is where I thrive.... peace beyond passion. Book early though.