Mpushini Falls Resort, Eshowe, North Coast, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

We booked the accommodation with the hopes of being able to have access to the Mpushini Falls which look incredibly beautiful! The promise of a heated pool also added to our excitement, and the fact that we had never visited Eshowe together before.

The drive up there was stunning - hills and trees on either side of the curving road and we were pleasantly surprised by the lack of litter around the informal settlements along the way. 

On arrival we were greeted by geese, ducks, guinea fowls and lots of chickens, we felt like we were on a farm! The 'Bachelor's Log Cabin' is right at the bottom of the property and has it's own private garden and the most stunning view of the surrounding trees and vegetation. 

Entrance to log cabin

Private garden

View from the deck

The cabin sleeps 2 - 4 people with a double bed and two singles. It is open plan except for the bathroom which has a room divider that offers some privacy. The kitchen has a large fridge and a freezer for storing your perishables, a microwave, mini stove, kettle and toaster. Aside for a few missing essentials it was ample for preparing basic meals.

Table, single beds, bathroom through the room divider

Kitchen with appliances

Double bed

The fowl pen is right next to this unit and we often had the resident guinea fowls and ducks walking right across the lawn in front of us.

Visiting ducks

Guinea fowls

Unfortunately it was a very cold and raining on the Saturday so we did not get to visit the falls or do the Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk as we had hoped, we spent our time on the deck admiring the view and listening to the chickens and also took walks around the property which is lush and green. 

The fowl pen and lone bunny

Beautiful tree on the property

Flowers

Over-all our stay was pleasant enough and we would recommend The Bachelor's Log Cabin for anyone who enjoys greenery and the crow of roosters!

Great features:

* Surrounded by beautiful trees and plants

* When the roosters are quiet, you can hear the falls from the cabin

Not so great features:

* We were told there is no direct access to the falls from the resort and that it was a dangerous place to visit by both the owner and a resident tenant. However it was later discovered that you can access the falls from a gate on the property.

* The heated pool mentioned is on the owner's property right next door and one has to go through his gate to access this and the gym.

* The kitchen needed a few basic items: Sponge  for washing the dishes (there was only a soft cloth available), a rinsing dish, sharp knife, bread knife, frying pan, chopping board and egg flipper

* The pillows are not very comfortable and you must definitely take your own 2 ply toilet paper

* No two-pin plug for charging your phone - make sure you pack yours in!

* Obviously a work in progress, there was quite a bit of used / discarded materials in the garage next to the parking

* We were so glad we did not stay in the 'Cottage' as this is right by the reception area where you enter the property and has no nice view and a less than desirable seating area:

Price:

We felt it was slightly over-priced compared to some of the other places we have stayed in. (Less than R500 per person)

Recommended for:

* A couple / small family

The host/s:

Very friendly on email and in person. He very kindly offered to drive us to the falls in his 4 x 4. 

For more information and bookings:

mpushinifallsresort@telkomsa.net 

Agape, Tugela River Mouth, North Coast, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Agape sets a new standard for affordable luxury! 


As budget to mid-range travellers, we were delighted to be spoilt with all the comforts one would expect to come at a 'break-the-bank' price - access to a lovely swimming pool, jacuzzi (hot-tub), pool table, bar, modern kitchen with a scullery, comfortable beds with quality linen, stunning garden and direct beach access - to name but a few!

Bar

Lounge

Pool table and pool

Modern kitchen

Scullery

Jacuzzi

The downstairs en-suite (shower, toilet, basin) bedroom with one eighty degree sea and river views has a queen sized bed and opens directly onto the deck.

Downstairs bedroom

View from downstairs bedroom

Downstairs en-suite bathroom

Upstairs the second and third en-suite bedrooms (shower, toilet, basin) have double beds. The one has stunning sea and river views and the other looks onto the garden at the front of the house. 

Upstairs bedroom with garden views

Upstairs bedroom with sea and river views

The master en-suite is the ultimate treat with it's own balcony, king sized bed, couches and chairs, massive walk-in closet and a bathroom huge bathroom with a shower, bath, toilet and bidet. 

Upstairs Master bedroom

Master bedroom balcony

Master bedroom en-suite

Our favourite feature of course was the outdoor area - a massive partially-covered deck that looks over the sparkling pool and colourful garden. We spent hours soaking up the sun and taking in the glorious views of the sea and river to the front and mountains and bush to the right. 

Sparkling pool 

View from the patio

View to the right

With stunning views, modern comforts, virtually no traffic noise or light pollution, Agape is the perfect place for complete relaxation!

Great features:

* See above!

* The unit is also pet friendly (with prior arrangement) 

Not so great features:

* At first we thought the one not-so-great feature would be the fact that the on-site care-takers are literally next door but they gave us our space and privacy so this was not a problem at all. 

* The beach is not really great for swimming but you can still enjoy long walks 

* Unfortunately there is a lot of pollution near the river mouth, thankfully this is not visible from the house. 

Price:

Budget to mid-range but a lot less than what you would expect for all the benefits! (Less than R500 per person)

Recommended for:

Families / groups

The host/s:

The lady we made the booking through was extremely helpful and kind! On-site care-takers take exceptionally good care of the place and are also very friendly. 

For more information and bookings:

www.tugelamouth.com 

Tillietudlem Game and Trout Farm, Impendle, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

The first thing that struck us about this beautiful private game farm is the complete raw and natural beauty that surrounds you. The second thing was the incredible silence - absolute bliss for the soul. For our entire stay all we heard was the occasional cry of a bird of prey and the constant soothing sound of the river running over the rapids. 

One of the waterfalls on the property

Acres of trees and open space

One of the dams 

Untouched 

There are no bells and whistles - the self catering unit is clean, comfortable and equipped with all you need. Ample heating is supplied by the fire-place in the lounge, three gas heaters, two electric heaters and electric blankets on the beds. As we arrived on what felt like a winter's day, we were extremely grateful for the warmth all of the above provided. 

Lounge with fire-place

Kitchen - small but well equipped

There are four bedrooms, three of which have two single beds (and share a bathroom with a bath, basin and toilet) and one with a double bed. The main en-suite bedroom (with a shower, basin and toilet) has stunning views of the river and dam on either side. 

Upstairs bedroom 

Downstairs bedroom 1

Downstairs bedroom 2

Bathroom 1

Main bedroom 

Bathroom 2

View from the main bedroom

View from the main bedroom 

One of the many great features is the massive partly covered patio with stunning 180 degree views of the natural surrounds. We sat for hours just admiring the beauty and listening to the river. The game did occasionally pay us a visit and we spotted quite a few birds, including fish eagles. 

Wildebeest in front of the patio

Spacious and partly covered

We also took walks along the river and to our own private rock pool - possibly the best part of this self-catering unit (besides for the fact that you are miles away from the anybody). The water was crystal clear and we drank straight from the river! 

View of the rock pool from the patio

Up close - crystal clear water

Good enough to drink!

If you are looking for a place to get away from everything and everyone, to find your peace and calm your mind, Tillietudlem is the answer. We cannot wait to go back and would highly recommend it to any nature loving person.

Great features:

* Everything mentioned above!

* No cell reception in the unit and no wifi - just be in the moment and appreciate what is right in front of you (you can take a drive up to the North Gate if you are desperate to make a call)

Not so great features:

* The outdoor furniture is not very comfortable and a pair of loungers would make it ideal (we made our own out of the sleeper couch mattresses)

* The roads for the drives around the property are only suitable for 4 x 4 vehicles so you might have to do your exploring on foot

Price:

Mid-range but you cannot put a price on the experience! (More than R500 per person)

Recommended for:

Couples or families 

The host/s:

Absolutely fantastic over email and in person!

For more information and bookings:

www.tillietudlem.co.za

The Beach House and Beach Cabin, Clansthal, South Coast, KwaZulu Natal

There are two separate units available for rent - The Beach House and The Beach Cabin - we stayed in the cabin and felt like we were back at Illovo River Lodge when we walked in!

The wooden cabin has exactly the same lay-out, with lovely wooden floors and two en-suite bedrooms on either side of the kitchen, lounge and deck . 

Entrance

Lounge with sleeper couches

First bedroom

En-suite

Second bedroom 

We loved the view from the wooden deck - trees to your right, a lovely pool down below and partial sea views in front. This is where we spent most of our time as usual - the outdoor area is the most important feature for us!

Outdoor furniture - not conducive to relaxation

Trees to your right

The pool / entertainment area is for use by the guests of the house and the cottage but we were grateful to have it all to ourselves for the weekend. There is a table-tennis table (not sure where they keep the rackets and balls though) and 3 braai-stands available. 

Pool and sea

The kitchen was small which is not a problem but there were a few essential items missing - like plugs for the sinks (!), a can opener, a sieve / colander and a wiping up cloth. 

The unit is fairly close to the beach, approximately a 10 minute walk but you do have to cross the railway line. Otherwise a short drive takes you there in less than 5 minutes. We loved that you can hear the sound of the waves crashing in the distance when you lie in bed at night. 

Great features:

* Nice view

* Lovely pool and loungers 

* A second bathroom is always a plus

Not so great features:

* The place needed a really good clean - the top of the fridge was covered in a layer of dust, shower had lots of mold, windows could use a wash

* The kitchen needed a few essential items mentioned above

* Furniture was uncomfortable - the bench on the deck as well as the sleeper couches in the lounge (we borrowed two chairs from the house to put on the deck)  

* There are only single beds which are pushed together. This is not normally a problem except they did not fit very well next to each other so we had to use an extra duvet in the middle to make it more comfortable. 

Price:   Budget / mid-range (Less than R500 per person)

Recommended for: Couples / small families

The host/s:  We never met the owner even though she lives on the same property. We were grateful for a later check-out on the Monday though.

For more information and bookings:

rainbow@yebo.co.za