Heysbrook Country Lodge

Heysbrook Country Lodge is situated within a secluded valley of approximately 1,300 hectares, just east of Waterval Onder, off the Elands Valley of Mpumalanga. The lodge offers a uniquely exclusive getaway for up to 20 guests. There are ten private en-suite bedroom units, accessed via walkways that meander through the 300-year-old Bakoni ruins around which the lodge was built.

All ten bedrooms are furnished to the same standard and have similar proportions, occupying approximately 60 square meters of space, including a bedroom, dressing room, bathroom, outdoor shower, and veranda. Each room has a fireplace, with most having fires in the bathrooms as well. All rooms have private verandas and offer either mountain, river, or bush views. The twin outdoor showers have remained a highlight since the lodge's construction in 1999.

The lodge itself, with its numerous verandas, occupies an area of approximately 900 square meters. A large domestically-oriented kitchen serves as a central gathering area. An undercover braai area on the adjoining covered veranda also encourages social gatherings. The open-plan lounge, dining room, and bar each have a fireplace and sliding doors. Red wine or freshly brewed cappuccinos, accompanied by crackling wood fires, are synonymous with winter, just as the sounds of the river and riverine bird life are with summer.

Lodge residents have exclusive use of the estate, which offers numerous maintained trails and many more to be explored over the 1,300-hectare area. The estate is safe for exploration on foot or by bike. Heysbrook is rich in diverse fauna, flora, natural and human history. Numerous stone kraals, remnants of 800-year-old settlements by the Bakoni (who later became the Swazi when persecuted by dominant tribes), can be found. The valley also holds a significant Boer War history, with several block houses used as vantage/signaling points during the war.