Best Getaways 
Riverdene Farm Lodge
The Riverdene Farm Lodge is a restored self-catering farm lodge set on a working farm 12 km from Nieu-Bethesda. The picturesque farm appeals to the adventurous spirit as there are endless opportunities for hiking, cycling and general exploration. The Gats River meanders through the breathtaking kloof, where rock pools make for a fun dip once the rains have come. It's a nature lover's paradise. The home can accommodate up to 6 guests and comprises 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area. The first bedroom has a queen-size bed and a shower en suite with a toilet and washbasin. The second bedroom contains a queen-size bed, and the third bedroom is equipped with twin beds. These 2 rooms share a bathroom with a shower, a toilet and a washbasin. The kitchen is fitted with a fridge-freezer, stove and oven, microwave, and cutlery and crockery. The dining area contains a 6-seater dining table and chairs. The lounge area contains seating and a fireplace. Outside, there is a covered patio with an outdoor dining table and chairs, where you can relax and unwind. Enjoy a crackling fire under the stars in the sheltered outdoor braai area with a built-in braai and a firepit.
Area Info
Nieu-Bethesda is a village in the Eastern Cape at the foot of the Sneeuberge, approximately 50 kilometres north of Graaff Reinet.
In times gone by, agriculture was the driving force of Nieu Bethesda’s economy; the region’s Angora goats and Karoo lamb are famous. Nowadays much of the industry is based around art. There are craft shops and galleries, potteries and sculpture gardens – most famously, the late Helen Martins’ extraordinary “Owl House”.
All around stretches the arid expanse of the Great Karoo, “where the land meets the sky”. This is a nature-lovers paradise, a high-altitude semi-desert that is home to the largest variety of succulents in the world – as well as eagles, hadedas, sacred ibises, secretary birds, blue cranes, flamingoes, otters, lizards, snakes, tortoises, bat-eared foxes, kudu, springbok, reedbuck, wildebeest, wild cats, ground squirrels and aardvarks.
