Kolgans Restaurant Boat, Robertson
Being someone always searching for unknown activities to do, I did some research on fun things Courtney and I could do during our stay in Nuy Valley and, found Kolgans Restaurant Boat in Roberston.
“Kolgans” happens to be the Afrikaans name for the Egyptian Goose and is named for the “kol”, the spot or target on its chest.
With a 20 minute drive from our cottage and another 6km stretch of pure gravel road, the drive to our destination is surrounded by mountainous serene views and beautiful wine-farm landscapes. On nearly every corner stood a wine cellar; inviting us in with their scents and, reminding us that the towns ahead were truly meant for wine lovers.
Upon arrival, we got out of our hatchback car, only for me to stare into Courtney’s face who looked highly annoyed that the bottom half of the car was wrapped in an orange layer of dust from the gravel road. I couldn’t help but smile at how unimpressed he stared at his beloved vehicle.
Don’t assume every place has a card facility. Between Courtney and I, we were R40 short to pay for our trip. We realised that my phone had no sign of service connection so Courtney stood in an open field to find a signal to do an eft payment with two dogs and a chicken surrounding him.
The trip started with a ride to the river, Breede River to be exact. Renée, the woman standing by the horses was the captain of the boat and needed to distract these beautiful creatures with food in order for us to bypass on a short yet muddy road leading to the boat.
Once we parked, we hopped onto the wooden structured boat; accompanied by another couple and Renée’s daughter, Allett (3). The table’s decked out with real Afrikaans dishes like kudu pie, roast potatoes, bobotie, an amazing bean soup, wine (of course) and, various other delicious dishes that made my tongue hang in delight. My advice: show up hungry.
Strolling down the Breede River, devouring ourselves with food, Renée spoke to us about how long she was doing this, hilarious stories about how the boat sunk on many occasions, her love for horses and the number of children she has and how very different they are from one another while overlooking the beauty surrounding us with an array of bird life and picturesque mountain backdrops.
I can’t describe how much fun we had. I loved every moment of the two-hour boat tour from one end of the river to the next; celebrating my birthday in a sheer outdoor style. The ride was not wobbly at all; probably because there was virtually any wind. If you planning a trip to Robertson any time soon, I highly recommend you make a turn to Kolgans for an adventure you’ll thoroughly enjoy.
Until the next adventure.