Things to do in South Africa

Kanonkop House: a lagoon retreat in Knysna

Set on a hilltop we have magical views of the native forest and Knysna’s famous lagoon…

By Liesl Rentzke

General Manager of Kanonkop House

Come to Kanonkop House for supreme views of Knysna’s famous lagoon. Set on a hilltop (Kanonkop means canon hill in Afrikaans) we have magical views of the native forest and lagoon, yet we’re only a short drive into town. Our story really starts with Mark and Adele Conyers, who bought the property around eight years ago as a family home, then slowly decided to transform it into an intimate guesthouse.

There are just seven rooms at Kanonkop House, including two penthouse suites, three lagoon facing suites and two garden suites. The Diamond Suite is the newest addition, a big, opulent space that showcases views of the lagoon. Mark and Adele have furnished the rooms with pieces they’ve collected over the years but overall the design is modern and clean – each room has its own individual character. Downstairs, we have a restaurant with a fireplace for when it gets chilly.

Our outdoor space is a highlight and features a lagoon-view bar, pool and deck where you can have breakfast. Mark has built a boma area in our forest where guests can get together for drinks in the evening. We’ll have a fire going and there’s a BBQ area – we actually just hosted our first wedding here with only 12 people. During the day, there’s plenty to do in Knysna, from boat trips to hikes and even golf, we offer guests great rates at Priscilla and Savannah, two of the best courses in the area.

Kanonkop House is very special, what sets it apart from other hotels is the fact that we provide a personal service, we’re very hands-on with guests and they often leave as friends. All of our staff are from Knysna and many of us have been here since the beginning. We like to find out what guests enjoy so we can recommend activities and help them plan their visit, whether they want to go hiking, biking or simply lounge by the pool.

Available in these itineraries…

Itinerary

Classic Garden Route Self-drive
by Helen Austin

Length11 Days

Price range£3,395 - £3,850pp

Alfred & Liesl Rentzke

Liesl Rentzke has enjoyed a long career in the hospitality industry. A hotel management graduate, she's worked in Cape Town and along the Western Cape, working her way up from roles in the restaurant and reception to management. Liesl is now general manager at Kanonkop House in Knysna, which she says is the most wonderful place to work thanks to the incredible views and close-knit team.

Liesl Rentzke, general manager of Kanonkop House

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Laura, who's travelled extensively in South Africa. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - ex banker who can show you the hottest foodie spots in Cape Town, the award-winning young sommelier who can introduce you to Stellenbosch's finest wines and the walking safari ranger who can guide you to the best game.

Laura Preston

Travel Expert for Alfred&

Having travelled extensively through Africa, Laura has a wealth of experience. She is passionate about Tanzania’s diversity from the quiet wilds of Ruaha that feel completely private to the silvery sands of Zanzibar and Stone Town’s spice-laced streets. In South Africa, she sought out the best views over Table Mountain, cocktail in hand, as well as the lesser-visited Kruger conservancies for more exclusive safaris. But her favourite place in the world has to be the Serengeti for its wide-open plains and incredible game that epitomise that feeling of Africa.
Wayne Howarth

Head Safari Guide at Kariega Game Reserve

Wayne loves being outdoors and has spent most of his life between the family farm and working on Private Game Reserves in the Eastern Cape. He has been guiding at Kariega for 12 years. His qualifications include Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA) Level 2, Advance Rifle Handling, Skippers Licence Category R and first aid. One of his career highlights was becoming a finalist in the 2021 Safari Guide of the Year competition.
Rupesh Kassen

Founder and guide of Eat Like A Local

Rupesh Kassen abandoned his decade-long career in banking to move to East Africa, where he trained and worked as a chef. He later became immersed in South Africa’s food scene and worked as a food critic before setting up Eat Like A Local in Cape Town. Rupesh now offers guided food tours to showcase the city and its diverse culture and history through food.
Fundi Ziqubu

Sommelier

Fundi was born in Durban and fell in love with wine when it was introduced to her by a few Capetonian friends. On discovering her passion she got the chance to study wine with the department of tourism in collaboration with the Sommeliers Academy. Being appointed sommelier at Lanzerac was a career highlight and in 2019 Fundi was named most up-and-coming wine steward by the Distell Inter-Hotel challenge.
Ntobeko Ntshingila

Duty Manager at Three Tree Hill Lodge

Ntobeko has been part of the Three Trees family for 13 years and describes it as a lovely journey with lots of room for growth and experience. She has her own family, including a daughter of 18, and a son, aged three. She lives in a nearby village with her parents, four siblings and three nephews. When not spending time with her family she manages her broiler chicken business, which brings her extra income.
Cheryl Blackburn

Owner and guide, Three Tree Hill Lodge

Being born in the Kruger National Park instilled in Cheryl a love of nature and wildlife. Having lived and worked as a guide in the Kruger reserve, and also in Botswana, she eventually got the opportunity to run her own lodge, with her growing family, in the lush KwaZulu Natal Drakensberg region. She still finds time to guide guests on foot, tracking white rhino in the neighbouring Spioenkop Game Reserve.