The Old Trading Post \ Accommodation in Wilderness

We invite you to come and share and experience the old world charm of The Old Trading Post, amidst the peace, tranquility and natural beauty of the Wilderness Lakes District. Tastefully decorated Victorian style accommodation, with fine linen, antique cottage furniture and khelims, and well equipped to take care of our guests’ every need.

The Old Trading Post is a popular weekend and holiday destination where guests can relax and unwind in their rooms, or in one of the cosy corners of the garden or on the long sunny veranda whilst they are not exploring the region.

ACCOMMODATION:

All accommodation has tea and coffee facilities, fridges, television, linen and towels with many extras for our guests’ every need, including fans for summer and heaters and electric blankets for cold winter nights. All guests can use the braai facilities. A generous breakfast is served in our dining room. Well behaved pets are welcome. Guests can choose either Bed & Breakfast, Self-Catering or Bed Only.

Strelitzia Cottage (Self-Catering or B&B)
Strelitzia Cottage is fully equipped for self catering and can accommodate a family of 4 with a double bed in the bedroom and bunk beds in the living area. The en-suite bathroom has a bath and shower. The cottage has a washing machine (pay as you go) in the bathroom and air-conditioning in the living area

The Garden Room (Self-Catering or B&B)
The Garden Room in the shade of an ancient Milkwood Tree has a double bed and en-suite bathroom with shower, kitchenette for self-catering and private courtyard.

The Tin Room (B&B or Bed Only)
The Tin Room has two single beds and en-suite bathroom with a shower and air-conditioning. The Tin Room is adjoining Strelitzia Cottage and can be booked as a second bedroom of the cottage for larger groups.

Lara’s Room (B&B or Bed Only)
Lara’s Room is situated in the main house and decorated in warm shades of mauve, it has a double bed and en-suite bathroom with an original cast iron Victorian bath.

ACTIVITIES & ATTRACTIONS:

The Old Trading Post is surrounded by the wetlands, lakes and forests of Wilderness National Park. Guests may spot some of the more than 65 bird species seen in the garden which include Knysna Lourie, 4 species of Kingfishers, Woodpeckers and the Paradise Flycatcher. One can hand feed the Fork-tailed Drongos with cheese and watch the air traffic at dawn and dusk, when hundreds of ducks, geese, darters, cormorants and other water birds commute between the lakes and their roosting places.

During the day you can often hear the distinctive cry of the Fish Eagle, the melancholy song of the Southern Boubou, the hooting of Coots, or the chattering of monkeys. At night you hear the clicking and croaking of frogs, the whistle of the Nightjar and the hooting of Owls. Listen and watch as the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe steam train chugs past.

The Old Trading Post dates back to the days when the only access to the area was by ox wagon, down the Duiwe River kloof, when the locals lived off the land on a diet of fish, sweet potatoes and vetkoek, and spent their lives cutting yellowwood and stinkwood timber from the forests. Oom Frans Roelofse and his wife Rosina ran a general dealer store here since 1910.

Guests can spend time walking and cycling the local roads and trails, swimming and tanning on the Wilderness Beaches, visiting the local craft markets in Wilderness in the Milkwood Village on Friday evenings or on Sundays on the Common and alongside the lagoon. The Wild Oats and Scarab markets in Sedgefield on Saturday mornings are very popular. There are several good restaurants in Wilderness.

The Old Trading Post is well situated 1.7 km off the N2, giving easy access to the towns and golf courses and other attractions along the Garden Route. George, Sedgefield and Knysna are less than 30 minutes drive away, with Oudtshoorn, Plettenberg Bay, and Mossel Bay within an hour’s drive. People traveling on business in The Garden Route can escape the daytime stress by staying in the country at The Old Trading Post instead of in a busy hotel in town.

The climate is temperate with a daily average maximum around 25°C and seldom going over 30°C and the minimum seldom below 10°C. Rainfall is spread throughout the year ensuring pleasant weather all year round. Come and enjoy late summer evenings outside in the light of a hurricane lamp, a delicious breakfast outside or inside. Enjoy the fresh misty mornings and long mild sunny days, whilst you relax and explore the Garden Route.

Related / Useful Links

• Accommodation in South Africa
• Western Cape Accommodation
• Wilderness Accommodation
• Wilderness Attractions
• Wilderness Bed and Breakfast
• Wilderness Self Catering