Sederkloof Lodge, Baviaanskloof

Sederkloof Lodge, set in the Baviaanskloof Mountain, in the Eastern Cape boasts a luxurious and tranquil environment, hidden away in the mountains. Run by Thys and Alice Cilliers, Sederkloof consists of 6 private chalets, each hosting 2 people, and a communal lodge area complete with dining area, bar, lounge and pool. At 1,500 rand per person a night it may seem an expensive luxury but one that is well worth the money.

When a friend ...
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The journey to Sederkloof was fairly long and arduous as it was mainly via a dirt road so we couldn't get very far very fast in our little rental Yaris. However the scenery more than made up for the gruelling drive, despite the fact that certain sections of the road were dangerous (there had been pretty bad flooding before we took our trip) our excitement to be in the mountains and reach our beautiful tranquil retreat kept us in good spirits. ... more

Sederkloof Lodge, set in the Baviaanskloof Mountain, in the Eastern Cape boasts a luxurious and tranquil environment, hidden away in the mountains. Run by Thys and Alice Cilliers, Sederkloof consists of 6 private chalets, each hosting 2 people, and a communal lodge area complete with dining area, bar, lounge and pool. At 1,500 rand per person a night it may seem an expensive luxury but one that is well worth the money.

When a friend recommended a trip to the Baviaanskloof Mountains we immediately did some research online to find out about accommodation in the area and stumbled across the website for Sederkloof. The pictures and descriptions on the website were enough to convince us this was where we wanted to stay.

The journey to Sederkloof was fairly long and arduous as it was mainly via a dirt road so we couldn't get very far very fast in our little rental Yaris. However the scenery more than made up for the gruelling drive, despite the fact that certain sections of the road were dangerous (there had been pretty bad flooding before we took our trip) our excitement to be in the mountains and reach our beautiful tranquil retreat kept us in good spirits. On eventually arriving at Sederkloof, Thys and Alice greeted us at reception before we were packed into a 4x4 and transported up the mountain to see our accommodation and lodge. Even though we had spent time looking at the website we were still completely gobsmacked to see how beautiful our surroundings were and to see the amazing accommodation.

Each of the 6 chalets are built out of stone and glass and positioned to look down at the gorge, somehow they've managed to build them so that each one is completely private and you can't see the other chalets. The inside of the chalets can only be described as sheer indulgence and well worth every penny we paid.

Whilst at Sederkloof you are given a choice of activities ranging from nature drives, game drives and walks or if you prefer you can simply relax in your lodge or by the pool. There was no urgency to do anything and all activities were provided as and when desired. On our first afternoon we opted to take a game drive with Thys, we were however a little disappointed with the animals we saw. They do clearly state on their website the type of game you can expect to see but neither of us had paid any attention and didn't realise that only animals we would see would be kudu, oryx (gemsbok), grysbok. Nonetheless it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience with a very knowledgeable guide who gave us a lot of fascinating information about the local flora and fauna. We also took part in a nature walk the following day, through the mountains and along the stream where we were able to see some amazing forestry.

Meal times again were sheer indulgence. Alice's love of good simple food means that you will experience a simple yet tasty mixture of foods. Sourced from local, good quality suppliers you can be sure that whatever is on the menu will be mouth wateringly delicious. Most meals will be served by Alice, along with a couple of student chefs, in the main lodge however you will more than likely be taken for a wonderful meal away from the lodge at least once during your stay. I wouldn't want to give away too much as this meal was a highlight for us and is supposed to be a surprise for guests, I will however say it was an amazing experience.

Overall our experience of Sederkloof was thoroughly enjoyable and we would highly recommend a stay there. Thys and Alice are excellent hosts who make the stay at Sederkloof first class.

Summary: Amazing mountain retreat in the heart of the Baviaanskloof
 

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