Rooms

Your lodgings at Three Tree Hill will be in one of airy and spacious cottages. Authentically constructed based on the housing kits brought out from Britain in the 19th Century, they come complete with tin roofs and wooden walls. Thankfully, some amendments were made to the original designs and modern extras include fans, heaters and running hot and cold water!

Inside, the cottages have a refined, elegant feel. Beds have hand-embroidered sheets and duvet covers with lovely aloe motifs (the symbol of the lodge), and historical touches such as period writing desks complete the stylish yet uncluttered décor. The ensuite bathrooms (all with bathtubs and showers) enjoy magnificent views and each is finished with simple tongue and groove panelling, a generous complement of large soft towels, and hand-made toiletries blended from olive oil and African plant extracts.

The Standard Cottages have 2 oversized single beds (these can be made up as a super-kingsize on request); there's also a Family Suite set away from the others, with a master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom, a children's bedroom with a separate toilet, and a small kitchenette. All cottages have their own veranda with wonderful views of Spioenkop Nature Reserve. Equipped with a pair of binoculars, your morning coffee can be a rewarding game-spotting session, and larger game can easily be seen with a keen eye.

Since our visit, Churchills cottage and Burchells cottage have been added to the portfolio. They both have 2 ensuite bedrooms and share all the aforementioned features of the other properties, as well as having fully equipped kitchens. Burchells can fit a bunk bed in it (sleeping 2 adults and 4 children) so is good for families; Churchills has the benefit of its own pool, but the cottage is slightly raised off the ground so is not suitable for children under 8 years old.

Features include:

• Fan

Eating

Included in the rates are 3 full meals, plus morning and afternoon tea with delicious cakes and biscuits. It's varied, wholesome and mostly homemade fare, with an emphasis on healthy South African cooking.

Meals are served by a roaring fire in the main house's dining room or, weather permitting, on the cool, wide veranda. Breakfasts are more than enough to fuel the excursion to Spioenkop itself (kop or koppie is Afrikaans for ‘hill’) and consist of the South African staple ‘putu’ porridge, a varied cooked offering, and a range of cereals and fruits. Lunch is usually fairly simple (for example lasagne and salad).

Dinner is a 3-course affair, with soup, meat from the braai and a range of fresh vegetables. Guests eat together and a generous selection of Cape wines, followed by Port or Cognac under the stars, ensures the day’s events and stories are roundly discussed before bed.

Features include:

• All meals included
• Communal dining

Activities

• Historical battlefield tours are a must for anyone remotely interested in this period of South Africa’s history. The flagship tour covers the Battle of Spioenkop, arguably the bloodiest of the Anglo-Boer War. It saw terrible fighting and involvement from famous names such as Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi and Louis Botha. Also on offer are tours taking in the Battle of Colenso, General Buller's first defeat and famous for the loss of 10 guns, and the capture of Winston Churchill by Boer forces at Chieveley
  
  
• Guided game walks through Spioenkop Nature Reserve are a fantastic way to get the feel and smell of the bush. Rangers collect walkers from the lodge and point out white rhino, giraffe, wildebeest, hartebeest, zebra, eland, blesbok, impala and kudu, as well as more than 270 species of bird. These must be booked 2 days in advance
  
  
• Guided and unguided hiking and mountain-biking is offered along the varied trails of the Royal Natal National Park and other nearby nature reserves, with a hearty packed lunch for fuel
  
  
• The lodge can arrange horse-riding, either on adjacent farms and along the game fence, with rich birdlife and game views, or inside Spioenkop Nature Reserve itself. Rides take place daily at 8am and 2pm, and must be booked at least a day in advance
  
  
• Also available by arrangement are trips to see traditional rock art, hot air balloon rides, and tickets to performances by the multi-cultural Drakensberg Boys' Choir
  
  
• Golf is available on beautiful courses in the foothills of the Berg

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Hot air ballooning
• Mountain biking
• Plantlife / flora
• Private guided tours
• Swimming
• Traditional cultures
• Wildlife

Kids

Children of all ages are welcome, and will enjoy spotting wildlife, splashing around in the pool and meeting the lodge's horses and dogs. Baby cots are provided free of charge, extra beds are available for an additional cost, and babysitting can be arranged with prior notice.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

The Family Suite is set away from the other cottages and has a second bedroom for children, as well as a kitchenette. It also has an outdoor play area with a shaded sand pit, and comes complete with toys and children's books. Burchells cottage has 2 bedrooms, one of which can also fit a bunk bed, and a full kitchen so would also work well for families. Churchills cottage also has 2 bedrooms, but it's unsuitable for children under 8 years. However the large terrace with private pool may earn brownie points with teenagers.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 3.5 hrs (Johannesburg)

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The lodge is set against the magnificent backdrop of the Drakensberg mountains, overlooking the secluded Mfazimnyama Valley in the Spioenkop Nature Reserve.

By Air
Ladysmith (40km away) is the nearest airport, but most international flights land at Johannesburg OR Tambo International (315km away) or the smaller Durban King Shaka International (289km away). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport
Transfers can be arranged, but most guests hire a car and arrive under their own steam (see below).

By Car
For car hire, see our car rental recommendations. The drive from Johannesburg airport takes around 3.5 hours, via the N3 towards Durban; the drive from Durban takes around 2.5 hours, along the same road but in the opposite direction. From the N3, take exit 230 (near Ladysmith) and follow the 610 west towards Bergville for 30 minutes.

Detailed directions will be provided when a booking is confirmed.

More on getting to South Africa and getting around