Our weekend getaway this past weekend was nothing short of pure relaxation. Unspoiled surrounds, rolling hills, roaming wildlife, no cell reception and afternoon naps on a hammock is what weekends should be all about.
Only 2½ hours from Johannesburg, Komati Gorge Lodge is a convenient stop over point from either Gauteng or KwaZulu Natal. However, to really appreciate the beauty of the surroundings, a 2 night stay at Komati Gorge Lodge is recommended.
Awarded a four star grading by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa the lodge offers an unparalleled experience to nature lovers. The biodiversity creates a perfect environment for the abundant birdlife and a wide range of indigenous trees, shrubs and wild flowers. Game on the farm includes zebra, blue wildebeest, eland, kudu, blesbok, warthog, duiker and many more. Along with the incredible wildlife and being a pet friendly accomdation, there is plenty of activities to do at the resort such as 4×4 drives, canoeing, trail hike, fly fishing, clay pigeon shooting, rock climbing, guided horse riding, rafting and for the not so adventurous type, a luxury spa.
Arriving at 19.30 in the evening, traveling through very dark roads might I add, we were welcomed with a warm smile by the lovely owner and were escorted to our River Lodge Hotel Suite. These suites have a spacious bedroom , lounge area with a gorgeous fireplace for those cold rainy days and full bathroom with romantic corner bath. The Suits are situated right on the Komati River with a private veranda that allowed us to view the gorge and the river right from our room. The lodge does offer self catering lodges as well.
The staff at the Komati Lodge were kind enough to wait for us for dinner and I couldn’t have thanked them enough- we were starving and the food was delicious! After dinner we retreated to our suite and called it a night.
Morning came and man was it a treat! The view was incredible! There is nothing quite like hearing water flowing and the sounds of birds chirping with a background like we had. We had an early start to the day, since we were only there for the weekend, we tried to do as much as possible.
Breakfast was served at the Breakfast room along the river bank. A log fire and the smell of bacon filled the room and gave it the perfect setting. After breakfast we were excited to discover the gorge, so we opted to do the 5km hike first then whatever we found along the way we would do.
We set off on our hike and got to experience the most incredible views. There is nothing quite like it. Unfortunate for us that the weather was changing and not wanting to get caught in the rain on top of the mountain, we missed all the little detours like the waterfall and the stone ruins.
The view from the top is breathtaking. Scenes of natural beauty, mysterious gorges, dense forests, cascading water, indigenous trees and creatures of all kinds – I find it really amazing that we got to experience all of this in one place.
The rest of the weekend kept up indoors due to cold rainy weather and I wasn’t complaining! The rest of the weekend consisted of afternoon naps on hammocks, dining with really great company and watching movies in bed. It was bliss. (KITA FRAGRANCE GIVEAWAY)
Komati Gorge Lodge and Wildlife reserve really offers nature at its best. The pristine beauty and peaceful surroundings guarantee to put your mind at ease and let’s you escape from the world, especially with no cell reception. We are so caught up in this technology run world that we often miss out on the beauty that surrounds us.
I was blown away by how much we actually rely on technology and because of it often miss out on the world around us. More often then not we reach for our phones to catch up on social media apps or to document our every movement for our social media status.
There was definitely a lesson to be learned on our little getaway. It taught me to appreciate moments with my own eyes and not that of my camera lens. To enjoy watching a movie in bed with my spouse or a beautiful dinner without the distraction of a message or phone call from a friend. To be wholeheartedly in that moment and to truly appreciate it.
These are moments that we take for granted and we shouldn’t, life is too short to not live in the moment- be present, always.
For more info and bookings you can contact them here.