Montusi Mountain Lodge

Set on a beautiful estate in KwaZulu-Natal, surrounded by the northern Drakensberg mountains.

Montusi has ten garden suites with king-sized beds, en suite bathrooms, cosy gas fires (even though this is Africa, you’re up in the mountains after all) and stunning views out over the mountains.  These are almost like small individual cottages, with a sitting area with TV and a carport if you self-drive in. In addition to the garden suites there are also four Family Suites, which can accommodate up to 4, and two Mountain Suites, which are beautifully modern and the most spacious.

The main lodge is in a large thatched building with a terrace and bar. This is also where you’ll find the restaurant, which prides itself on the quality of the local food served, such as Moroccan spiced carrot and coconut soup with crispy leeks, grilled local beef fillet with chocolate and rosemary risotto and beetroot cheesecake with gluwein reduction.
 On warm summer days meals are eaten outside so that guests can take in the glorious views and in winter, guests will love the underfloor heating and log fireplace.

There is a massage room where you can while away a few hours with a spa treatment or you can play a game in the ‘games loft’ or on the tennis courts.

In this wonderful wilderness area, most people spend their time simply relaxing and enjoying being in Africa, but for more active types there is hiking on the estate, and a swimming pool too. Take advantage of the daily guided walks and visit the Bushman Caves to see detailed paintings that have survived for thousands of years.  There are also stables on the estate for keen riders and catch and release trout fishing in the dam. Around 10 miles away there’s an activity centre offering a pretty exhaustive range of activities from quad-biking to zip wires, and if you book in advance, it is also possible to arrange township tours.