River View Cottages

The River View Cottages are situated on The River Farm near Calitzdorp in the Little Karoo. They overlook a sweeping bend in the Gamka River. There are three self-catering, free-standing cottages, each unique and accommodating a couple. The Old School House is available for families with children. Each cottage has a bedroom with a double bed and an en-suite shower, where bed linen and bath towels are provided.

The living room in each cottage contains a comfortable lounge area, dining table, and a fully-equipped kitchen with spring water on tap. Guests only need to bring food. Each cottage has an indoor fireplace and a private outdoor barbecue facility. There is also a central boma with barbecue facilities, ideal for groups of friends occupying the cottages.

The River View Cottages are situated in the heart of a world biodiversity hotspot, one of the most biologically-rich and endangered areas on earth. It intersects the succulent Karoo, Fynbos, and Subtropical Thicket regions. To be declared a biodiversity hotspot, an area must contain at least 1500 endemic plant or animal species and have lost at least 70% of its original habitat.

Guests can take leisurely walks on the farm roads, along the river's edge, and explore the Karoo koppies. For those seeking more exertion, there are various hikes into the pristine wilderness. The Gamka River offers fly-fishing for yellowfish, as well as opportunities for catching black bass, mogga, and eel. The area is a bird watcher's paradise, with over 118 different species spotted, including resident fish eagles, grey herons, hamerkops, cormorants, kingfishers, weavers, bee-eaters, and swallows. The region also features the highest concentration of Pale Chanting Goshawk in the southern hemisphere, and black eagles can be seen gliding over the Swartberg in search of prey.