Vaal River Self-Catering Accommodation: Breathe Lodge

Breathe River Retreat and Lodge is the perfect Vaal River self-catering accommodation. This peaceful getaway along the Vaal River is everything you’ll need for a relaxing weekend. I stumbled across the lodge on booking.com when looking for a weekend getaway from Joburg. I wanted to feel like I was in nature, but also have the convenience of a town nearby and the ease of driving only an hour away from Joburg.

Breathe Lodge was a lot more than the pictures promised. With just a few cabins on site, the lodge is mostly geared towards couples. The cabins are self-catering. With the Vaal River as a backdrop, you’ll be encouraged to braai.

Breathe Lodge Self-Catering Cabins

There are 5 cabins at the lodge, in addition to a family house. Four of the cabins sleep 2 people (Units 2-5). One cabin (Unit 1) can fit 4 people, 2 on a king bed and 1 each on the 2 single beds. Prices range between R1300-1500 per night for 2 people. The family lodge can sleep up to 15 people.

All of the units come with an indoor braai, gas stove with 2 plates, kitchen amenities, microwave, and French press (worth noting because we brought our own in case). There are en-suite bathrooms in each room with a shower, tub, and toilet. There is also a TV in each room. Plan to bring oil and spices for cooking. You can purchase wood for your braai (bring cash) or plan to bring enough coals with you.

Unit 1 and Unit 2 have their own private braai area right along the Vaal River. Other units can use the shared lapa lounge space, which is beautiful as well.

The décor in each of the units and the lounge space has an earthy and modern vibe that really suits the atmosphere of the Vaal River.

Unit 1

We stayed in Unit 1. Although it is a 4-person cabin, from the pictures this looked to be the cabin with the best view. And it was. Units 1 and 2 are conjoined and face the Vaal River at the end of Breathe Lodge’s property. That said, Unit 1 is on the end and so it’s the most private.

Unit 1 has the largest private boma and braai area. I had to call to make sure we were using the braai area correctly as we hadn’t even put coals directly on cement without a grill before!

I recommend booking Unit 1 if you can.

Breathe Lodge Lounge

There is a shared Lapa/Lounge at the lodge. Situated right along the Vaal River, this space is perfect for multiple couples to cook or hang out together while also having their own private cabins. There is a boma and two braai areas here for those cabins that don’t have braai spots along the river.

Activities at Breathe Lodge

River Walk— Take a short walk along the Vaal River. This will just take you 10 minutes to do.

Swimming— The small pool at Breathe Lodge is perfect for taking a dip on a hot day. It seems you can also swim in the river but at your own risk. The water was flowing quickly when we visited so it seemed dangerous to me.

Fishing—You can fish on the property. I saw some fish jumping out of the water a couple of times so they are there.

Boating and Tubing— Borrow one of the canoes or tubes and take a little trip on the Vaal River. However, I’m not sure how you would get back to shore if you go tubing…

Is Breathe Lodge Kid-Friendly?

The cabins can accommodate a cot for children if requested in advance. Otherwise, choose Unit 1 for 2 single beds or splurge on the family house. Kids will likely enjoy the grass and swimming pool. However, the lack of barrier at the river’s edge may be a little nerve-wracking for some parents who will have to keep a close eye on their kiddos.

What to do around the Breathe Lodge

Visit Parys

Honestly, it was hard for us to leave the lodge! However, with the Vaal River self-catering accommodation, there is really no need to leave as long as you bring enough food. That said, Parys is an easy 20 minutes away so you can grab lunch or dinner.

Eat and Drink at Hoi Polloi— If you only have time for one thing in Parys, make it Hoi Polloi. This quirky brewery and restaurant will be something you’ve never seen before. From Iraqi flag cushions and Louis Vuitton city travel guides to a Garfield bumper car, you won’t know where to settle your eyes. There is a huge range of drinks. Although we only got a beer here, the menu looks incredible and it looks worth the drive even for a day trip.  

Stop at Lekker Bistro and Paris Antiques—We had a simple lunch at Lekker Bistro. The antique store has interesting items and is also cool for a photo opp.

Spices on Bree— Purchase a range of spices from Spices on Bree. Complete with funny names like “Mother-in-law” and “Parys leaf,” get a tub or two of spices to take home. We purchased the braai spice to use the same evening for our cauliflower steaks.

BON-AF Berry Farm

On your way back home to Joburg, stop at BON-AF Berry Farm. The farm has been in the family for 180 years! Depending on the season, you can go berry picking. We visited in March and had plenty of blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. There are so many different varieties on the farm. It was so interesting to taste all the different kinds of blueberries; I had no idea how varied the tastes could be.

Berry picking costs R50 for entry to eat and pick as many berries as you’d like in 40 minutes! You can fill up a little “bakkie” of berries. A full bakkie will cost around R70. We filled up two.

All the berries and grown organically and no pesticides are used.

Additionally, there is a little museum located above the shop. There are odds and ends of old items donated from families around the areas. The shop has jams and other products available for sale.

This is a perfect activity for all ages!

Pont de Val Winery

If you want a second stop on your way back to Joburg (like we did), make your way to Pont de Val Winery for a little picnic. Entrance is R50/pp. The picnic shop has several picnic items available including pizza, bread, and baked goods. I wasn’t a huge fan of the pizza, but it was made fresh. The bread on the day we visited was stale as well. However, our spinach and feta pie was incredible and we enjoyed picking out all the little items to go along with our picnic: olives, cheese, onion jam, and pesto. We spent around R300 on all our picnic food.

Although there is seemingly a winery here, these grapes are meant for eating, not winemaking! Go ahead and taste them. Wine grapes are brought over from the Cape Town wine region and made into wine on-site. Wine tasting is available for R95.

Pont de Val is family-friendly. There is a play area for kids.

What did you think of Breathe Lodge for Vaal River self-catering accommodation? Let me know in the comments!

Check out Breathe River Retreat and Lodge here.