Photo: Brian Berkman
One stunning sunset and a 45-minutes look around the property and Roland Vorwerk and husband Richard Delate offered the full asking price on a Sedgefield guesthouse.
“We weren’t even looking to buy a place in Sedgefield but drove around with friends that we stayed with who were looking to buy and soon found ourselves as guesthouse owners and operators.”
Vorwerk tells Farmer’s Weekly that it was only after the purchase that they drew up a business plan. He had previously worked as the marketing manager of Boundless Southern Africa, promoting tourism to the region’s Transfrontier Parks.
Now, about 18 months into their ownership of In Toto Retreat, Vorwerk is one of the drivers of an avitourism initiative funded by the Western Cape Department of Tourism and the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve that also includes building awareness of birding opportunities along the Garden Route and in the Klein Karoo.
According to Vorwerk, about 460 of South Africa’s 874 bird species are found in these areas and because of the differing landscapes and climates within relatively close proximity, the area provides an extraordinary biodiversity.
“As avitourism is one of the fastest growing outdoor pursuits globally, it made sense to help connect the dots to areas, guides and accommodation providers who can support birders,” he says, adding that in association with BirdLife South Africa, a non-profit organisation that supports bird conservation, the gobirding.co.za portal has been built to connect birding communities around South Africa.
The Garden Route of the Western Cape is already well known as a tourist destination and the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park has a number of pristine lakes and watercourses, including the Swartvlei Lake and Estuary, which is fed by three tributaries of the Wolwe, Karatara and Hoogekraal rivers.
“The Western Heads of Knysna and the ridge above Sedgefield share the same geology as the critically endangered Knysna sand fynbos vegetation type,” Vorwerk says while pointing out the natural landscape from the top of Cloud 9, an elevated location that paragliders like to leap from.
“Look at the reddish vegetation in the high tide zone of the Swartvlei. Its local name is soutbossie, and the red colour is as a result of increased salt content in the leaves of the plant,” he says.
In Toto Retreat is a corner property on the edge of the Swartvlei. It is a few hundred metres down from Sedgefield’s most famous attraction, the Wild Oats Community Farmer’s Market, held each Saturday morning.
“We offer guests bed and breakfast at In Toto, and on a Saturday if they’d rather breakfast at the market, we give guests R100 back to spend at one of the many stalls serving different breakfast options,” says Vorwerk.
This generosity is immediately palpable at the four-star In Toto. Guests, for example, breakfast at a 12-seater long table where easy interaction is encouraged and delicious dishes like coconut-milk cooked oats, sweet but spicy chicken livers along with granola and local breads and pastries are offered. Eggs, free-range, of course, are cooked to order.
The six rooms and suites are furnished to a high level of comfort and include filter coffee with plungers for in-room use. A gorgeous oval tub, walk-in shower and basin are open to the room while the loo is fully enclosed. There is a large flat-screen TV and a bouquet of channels in each room.
The outside braai area and the kitchen as a whole are available to guests who have booked the entire property as an exclusive-use rental.
One of the family-focused rooms, the Strelitzia Studio, has its own little kitchen while the others have a kettle, toaster and microwave. Two high chairs are provided for young children and many children’s toys are available in a play area adjacent to the dining area.
The book selection is also generous and speaks to Vorwerk’s wide interests, among them biodiversity and the environment. At the time of our visit, he was preparing for an audit for Fair Trade Tourism certification, and In Toto is already one of the properties recommended by BirdLife South Africa for birders.
The generosity continues in the more adult-focused toys available: cute bicycles with matching helmets in Barbie pink and neon green, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and other gear to enjoy on the water.
In Toto is more like a wonderful family holiday home than a traditional guesthouse but with the added benefit of very large rooms and private spaces to retreat to too. In December and January, and on demand throughout the year, it is let out for long stays to groups of 12 people who take the entire property.
Power and Wi-Fi are uninterrupted thanks to the installation of solar panels, an inverter and three 5kwH batteries. The same holistic and supportive environmental focus applies to the bathroom amenities provided and in the detailed recycling options.
Vorwerk says he always first tries to source locally and to support local artisans and suppliers. One of these is the new-and-full-moon low-tide night excursions guided by marine biologist Judy Dixon to explore the Swartvlei beach and the bounty of Gericke’s Point.
Another is the Sedgefield Mosaic Art Project job creation project, implemented by Masithandane, which includes estuary-front benches beautifully decorated in mosaic. A growing collection of painted rocks, aptly called Rockie, is another community-driven project led by Revive Sedgefield.
Resident birds
The Goliath heron is the largest of the heron species and it is one of the 158 bird species that make the Sedgefield Island Conservancy their home.
It was extremely fortuitous to happen on a nest with two chicks aged about six weeks when one took its first-ever flight while we watched agog. The nest, high up in bluegum trees, is directly outside the property and easily visible from the high windows in the Goliath Heron Suite, where we stayed.
There is a large-format photograph of the Goliath heron on the wall of the suite. Having high, opening fanlight-style windows on two axes in the room floods the suite with natural light and allows for easily adjusted ventilation. A fan is also offered.
From the comfy king-sized bed, which can be made as two single beds, there are views on three plains but also the privacy afforded by high windows.
The Goliath Heron and Swartvlei suites are on the second level of In Toto and have an adjoining internal door if guests wish to share.
From the timber pergola-covered outside deck the estuary and sea beyond are in the distance while the pool, enclosed by a child-protecting fence, is directly below.
One thing especially impressed me: most establishments will provide information about facilities and other things to do in the environs. At In Toto these are divided into traveller personae such as Slow Down, Enjoy Nature, Meet Locals and Get Active. While some activities are included in more than one persona it makes finding what will appeal to one as a traveller easier.
In Toto Retreat is offering discounted rates for direct bookings for stays between April and September 2024,
15% off for stays of two nights or more, and 25% off for stays longer than five days.
Visit intotoretreat.co.za.
