Roxanne Reid
  • Home
  • Book author
    • Travels in the Kalahari >
      • Photo gallery: Travels in the Kalahari
      • Book reviews: Travels in the Kalahari
    • A Walk in the Park >
      • Photo gallery: A Walk in the Park
      • Book reviews: A Walk in the Park
    • The Essential Guide to Self-Editing >
      • Book reviews: Essential Guide to Self-Editing
    • Betrayed
    • Book reviews online
  • Editing & proofreading
  • In the media
    • Travel features
    • Health features
    • Online media
    • Media kit
  • Blog
  • Testimonials
  • Links
  • Contact

7 things to do at Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route

4/1/2017

6 Comments

 
Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route
​By Roxanne Reid
Everyone knows the Garden Route is beautiful. And there’s so much to do that you could pack in three activities a day for two weeks and still barely scratch the surface. On a recent trip back to the Knysna/Sedgefield area we discovered 
​7 things to do at Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route.


Tucked into a valley along the river and surrounded by indigenous forest, Blackwaters River Lodge is a place to get away from the hurly burly. Although it’s just off the N2 between Knysna and Sedgefield, this four-star lodge is surrounded by indigenous forest, a haven of beautiful gardens and bird calls. The world could go mad and you just wouldn’t know or care, that’s how peaceful it is. 
Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route
Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route
​Our river-view suite looked out across the dark tannic waters of the Goukamma River, a view that encouraged day dreaming. There are only 17 rooms at this small lodge and some look out over the swimming pool into the forest, or on to the gardens.

​My favourite place in the early morning was on the bench on the wooden deck where I could watch a Knysna turaco fly past or a family of vervet monkeys rustle and bounce through the trees. At night the air was filled with the soothing calls of river frogs. 
Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route
The restaurant deck
Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route
The bar
​Our suite was decorated in soft greys, with a king-sized bed, a couch and small kitchenette as well as a corner bath, large shower and air conditioner. For a special touch, homemade truffles and shot glasses of muscadel were delivered during the turndown service each night.
Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route
River-view suite with sitting area and kitchen (below)
Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route
There are tons of things to do in the area (more about that in another post later), but here’s what you can get up to without even leaving the lodge. 

7 things to do

1. Join a friend or family member to play 9 holes on the par 3 mashie golf course at Blackwaters River Lodge. Don’t worry if you don’t have your clubs with you, you can hire them on the spot.
2. Take one of the lodge’s single or double canoes for a short paddle on the river. Or get serious and go all the way down the river to the Goukamma Nature Reserve and the sea about 11km away. You can arrange for a pickup if you’re not up for the return trip under your own steam.
Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route
Entrance to the spa
3. Treat yourself to some pampering at the Forest Wellness & Beauty spa in the lodge grounds. It runs monthly specials. 
Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route
Inside the restaurant
Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route
You can also eat outside in the garden
4. Have a meal at the Earth & Fire restaurant. My favourite place to sit is outside on the patio or under a big umbrella, surrounded by green gardens.
5. Order a picnic basket from the restaurant and sit under a shady tree on the banks of the river to enjoy it. 
Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route
Trees, gardens and the river are everywhere you look
6. Wander around the gardens and use the plaques on the trees to identify the indigenous ones – your own informal ‘indigenous tree walk’.
7. Sprawl on the lawns and watch a Big Screen movie in the open air on Wednesdays and Saturdays during summer.

​Note: We were guests of Blackwaters River Lodge for two nights but the opinions are mine.

Like it? Pin this image!
Things to do at Blackwaters River Lodge, Knysna, Garden Route, South Africa #Blackwaters #GardenRoute #SouthAfrica
You may also enjoy
Back to nature on the Garden Route
Goukamma Nature Reserve on the Garden Route

Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from roxannereid.co.za
6 Comments
Wendy
4/1/2017 09:39:28 pm

I remember going every year as a family, in the early 2000s to Blackwater Lodge over Xmas. It looks more upmarket now. The golf course even looks more cared for. Reading your blog brought back happy memories.
A memory lane experience!

Reply
Roxanne
5/1/2017 08:57:34 am

It's a special place, Wendy, and I'm glad you have such fond memories. I think there was a time when standards dropped but the latest owners are really doing a great job.

Reply
Lee
6/1/2017 02:32:56 pm

Happy memories . We used to stay at a B&B above Blackwaters. It seems from your article that has been taken over.

Reply
Roxanne
6/1/2017 09:17:25 pm

Yes, Lee, the little place above is now the new owners flatlet, and what used to be a private house below that is where the new river-view suites are now. Same lovely view of the forest and river, though.

Reply
Keith Carreon link
11/1/2017 12:06:21 pm

This place looks like a place that my family will surely enjoy. I think it could help keep the family spirit alive.

Reply
Roxanne
11/1/2017 12:45:02 pm

It is, Keith. Lots of fun stuff to do together at the lodge and in the area.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Get email links to the latest posts

    Buy my books
    The Essential Guide to Self-Editing, amazon.com e-book
    E-book 2017
    A Walk in the Park, amazon.com e-book
    2nd ed e-book 2015
    Travels in the Kalahari, amazon.com e-book
    E-book 2012​

    About 

    I'm an independent travel writer and book editor with a passion for Africa - anything from African travel, people, safari and wildlife to adventure, heritage, road-tripping and slow travel.
    My travel buddy and husband Keith is the primary photographer for this blog.
    We're happiest in the middle of nowhere, meeting the locals, trying something new, or simply watching the grass grow.
    Use this website to discover new places to go, revisit places you've loved, or take a virtual tour of destinations you only dream about.

    Categories

    All
    Baviaanskloof
    Books
    Botswana
    Camping
    Cape Town
    Chobe
    Conservation
    Drc
    Eastern Cape
    Etosha Namibia
    Food
    Free State
    Garden Route
    Gauteng
    Issues
    Kalahari
    Karoo
    Kenya
    Kruger National Park
    Kwazulu Natal
    Lesotho
    Limpopo
    Linyanti
    Malawi
    Mozambique
    Mpumalanga
    Namaqualand
    Namibia
    Nature Parks
    Northern Cape
    Okavango
    Overberg
    People
    Photography
    Richtersveld
    Tanzania
    West Coast
    Western Cape
    Wild Creatures
    Zambia
    Zimbabwe

    Archives

    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    January 2010
    November 2009


Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without written permission from roxannereid.co.za

Privacy Policy and GDPR compliance
​* We promise that we take data safety seriously and use your private data only to offer a personalised experience
* If you subscribed to our newsletter, you will receive our newsletters. You can always unsubscribe by following the link in email or by emailing us
* If you gave us your name, it will only be used to personalise the newsletters
* We have never sold, we are not selling, and we will not sell any of your personal data provided to us
* The blog uses cookies to track activity. It is anonymous except for telling us your location and what you did on our blog
​
Photos used under Creative Commons from berniedup, Lucy_Hill