It seems as if we celebrated New Year’s only yesterday and yet we somehow suddenly find ourselves in the middle of autumn! The signs of the approaching South African winter is starting to creep into your everyday life. Getting to work gets harder with your car covered in dew and the roads darker and wetter. The fan gets put away as you reach for that extra fluffy blanket, and somehow the sun seems to have set before the seven o’ clock news even starts.
When the days become chilly and the nights longer, a nice warm getaway becomes more and more inviting. That’s why we thought it a great idea to source 10 of the best, warm winter getaways in one of South Africa’s coldest provinces, the Eastern Cape! With snow-capped mountains, frosty mornings, icy winds and beautifully clear winter days, the Eastern Cape is no stranger to winter. What better way to ready yourself for the chill than with a wonderfully warm weekend away?
Mooivlei Guest Farm between Aliwal North and Lady Grey offers a wonderful farm experience and comfortable accommodation in 2 homely stone cottages. The cottages are beautifully equipped with fireplaces, solid wood floors, thick sandstone walls and insulated roofs to keep the cold at bay. They are also pet friendly so you can welcome the winter with your furry children at your side. The farm atmosphere and lovely views promise a fulfilling winter getaway.
Ganora Guest Farm and Excursions promises a fun-filled winter break in the village of Nieu-Bethesda, 60 km from Graaff Reinet. With loads on offer, it’s impossible to be bored even when the weather outside is gloomy. There are guided tours to Anglo Boer War engravings, rock shelters with Bushman paintings and a private fossil and artefact museum with specimens dating back 250 million years. With loads of activities on offer there sure is something to entertain each member of the family. You could even schedule a visit to the Owl House for a fascinating glimpse into the life of the renowned artist Helen Martins.
Misty Mountain Reserve is a beautiful location for a family holiday, and even when the wind starts to bite at exposed cheeks, there is still plenty to keep you occupied at this stunning haven in the Tsitsikamma Mountains. Enjoy a gorgeous glass of red wine in front of a roaring log fire or cuddle up next to your sweetheart with a cosy blanket and hot chocolate as you gaze over the lush indigenous forest glittering with dew.
Dio Dell’Amore in Jeffreys Bay with its ivy-clad facade is as beautifully impressive on the outside as it is warm and inviting on the inside. Oversized leather couches invite you to disappear into their luxurious depths and you can enjoy a lovely glass of wine or a warming brandy before retiring to a gloriously cosy canopy bed for a cuddly, winter-worthy snooze.
Addo Bush Palace Private Reserve is a unique and colourful abode in the spectacular Kromrivier Valley in the Eastern Cape. The architecture is in perfect harmony with the environment and the reserve offers families and couples a tranquil, serene and exclusive getaway come rain or shine. A fireplace in the lounge is the perfect place to sit and read or chat and the undercover braai on the thatched veranda is ideal if you are in the mood for a delicious flame-grilled steak on a stormy afternoon. If however, the night is chilly and the rain stays away, the inviting boma presents the perfect place for blanket-wrapped fireside storytelling. It is also pet friendly so your four-legged friends are welcome to join in the fun.
Although A&A Guesthouse is located close to the coast in Port Elizabeth, it also makes for a wonderful winter escape. Once you step over the threshold, you will be so spoilt for choice that it makes leaving the guesthouse quite unnecessary! With an indoor pool, gym and bar on the premises, it will be difficult to find time to even look out the window, much less set foot outside!
Those interested in a wonderfully luxurious winter getaway need to look no further than Samara The Manor House. This glorious establishment is located on the Samara Private Game Reserve in the Karoo, it is close to Pearston and simply splendid. It is wheelchair friendly and boasts a snug living room with a marvellous fireplace. The grandeur of the interior, the crackling log fire and the warm and comfortable beds will all contribute to a cosy stay.
Between Willowmore and Uniondale lies Keurfontein Country House, an absolutely gorgeous house in a tranquil environment. Keurfontein is well-equipped for the winter with both an indoor fireplace and an outside, undercover braai to keep you warm, even on the coldest days! Cuddle up inside on a luxurious armchair or sit outside, wrapped in a blanket in front of a sizzling braai on a clear winter’s night.
Grahamstown is well known for its icy winters, but Crown River Safari will soon make you forget this small town’s frosty reputation. This wheelchair-friendly establishment has a luxurious living room with an enormous fireplace that will drive away even the harshest winter chill. Enjoy a candlelit dinner with red wine warming you from the inside before retiring to their sumptuous rooms for a warm night’s sleep.
The words opulent, lush and lavish come to mind when entering Zetana Guesthouse in Burgersdorp. With a predominantly black, purple, silver and grey colour scheme, the interior is richly textured and gloriously fluffy. Chattering teeth, red noses and freezing fingers will be far from your mind as you sink into the Jacuzzi, cuddle up in the soft, luxurious beds or enjoy a delicious dinner in front of a crackling fireplace.
Ten wonderfully winter-friendly places for each and every member of the family, adults, children and furbabies alike. And all this in the Eastern Cape! With a winter so cold it’s no wonder these guest houses have perfected the cosy getaway. Don’t hesitate, book your stay today and start fighting the winter chill right away!
Feature Image: Cosy, Bill Collison (Flickr)
