Gorge Cottage Oranjekom: Augrabies Falls

Augrabies Falls: it has a room with a view

Gorge Cottage Oranjekom, wow!  How do you end 3 weeks of camping, 7,056 miles of driving and sightseeing across 3 countries in Southern Africa?  Well, by staying, here. Just look!  The King of the wilderness castle.

Firstly, there are rooms with views, and then I newly declare, there are views, with rooms attached.  Hence, this is the latter!  Only this morning I wrote that feeling rich is to understand nature  (Namib Desert: the solitude and the tree).

Well now, I have just become a millionaire.  And okay, for those who are thinking it, it did cost more than a campsite with our Savanna-the-Vanna.  It was around £85 for the night, a built-in treat, one of these Guilt-Free Croissants: Because I’m worth it moments!

I did say in the About Us page, this is Generation X backpacking style!  Consequently, for this treat in Augrabies Falls, we gave up a Bottomless Prosecco Afternoon Tea, a regular occurrence back in old London Town.  But look what you get and I can tell you it was worth the ’sacrifice’.  A bit of everything is good for you.  And this is most certainly good for you.

Oranjekom: View of Orange River

Above the cottage is the viewing deck, for the tourists.  But in about 2 hours they will all be gone.  Tourists have to leave the park at 7 pm until 7 am the next day.  Then, that leaves you, the sky and this awesome view.  Wonderful.

Not that there have been many tourists, however. One passing couple asked if there was water. Iain led her to the ‘tourist’ toilet. Gorge Cottage has its own outdoor private toilet and shower, of course.  While I talked to ‘him’.  I did consider inviting him in for a look around as we had just arrived and I was very excited to show it off.  However, he had a touch of the Rutger Hauer’s about him and ever since The Hitcher anyone who looks like that definitely cannot be trusted.  (Millennials and younger you will just have to google it).  Scary.

Anyway, Rutger Hauer aside if ever you get the chance you must come here.  We booked it through the main South African National Parks website, which unlike some attempts at booking through websites in Africa, actually worked pretty well.

In short, what better place could there be to get out your braai, open a beer and watch the setting sun in blissful silence?  Cheers!