Accommodation at Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Safari Lodges and Accommodation in South Africa

Accommodation at Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

CLEOPATRA MOUNTAIN FARMHOUSE

Deluxe country lodge
9 luxurious rooms and suites
Magnificent Drakensberg Mountains
Trout-filled dam

Having been one of the originators of the Country House movement in the 1980's, Richard and Mouse then travelled overseas working and absorbing the "foodie" world with a view to opening Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse - their intimate gourmet getaway.

In its awesome setting with splendid views of the mountains and running with crystal clear streams and waterfalls, Cleopatra is the ultimate in peace, tranquillity and solitude. It is ideal for its intended purpose as a restful refuge with professional yet understated service and most of all a gourmet experience to remember

All the ingredients are in place for a complete treat:

* warm snug beds with mohair blankets and crisp, fresh cotton sheets
* a spectacular view of the mist covered mountains emerging from the early morning sun
* the aromas of a country kitchen tempting hunger heightened by the brisk mountain air
* loving meals of hearty soups
* vegetables, freshly caught trout, local cheeses and homemade breads
* bundles of fresh herbs and vegetables just picked from the kitchen garden
* a friendly diningroom filled with the quiet buzz of contented conversations
* a roaring fire in the lounge, cantilevered over a trout-filled dam

CUISINE:
Richard has always had a love of fine food, and his ample proportions attest to this!

Passion and dedication are the keywords in the Cleopatra kitchen - his speciality is sauces, a subject very close to his heart. He has long been obsessed with reduction techniques - which allow the full intense flavour of the food to shine through.

Fresh ingredients are essential, and being able to pick from the gardens minutes before serving is a real pleasure. For the more exotic tastes, Richard spends hours hunting down local and imported ingredients of the highest quality - flying in fresh salmon from Norway and procuring genuine Parma hams and cheeses from Italy.

Join us at Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse to savour the many flavours of fine country cooking.

Choose just the right wine from the underground wine cellar and prepare your senses for the tastes and flavours that follow Richard's legendary talks extolling the pleasures and practices of his food preparation.

Dinner is a sumptuous 6 course affair with no effort or expense spared to give our guests a memorable dining experience. Our menu changes every evening according to the seasons and the availability of our local produce. Breakfasts are unusual and exciting.

CLIMATE:
As we are situated in the Drakensberg, summer temperatures may range from 20° C to 30° C during the day, often with dramatic afternoon thunderstorms. Winter daytime temperatures range from 10°C to 25°C and the night temperatures can drop to below 0° C.

ACTIVITIES:
We are tucked away in the beautiful Kamberg valley close to Giant's Castle Nature Reserve, and all the normal mountain pursuits such as swimming, walking and hiking are available.

* Visits to the Highmoor Nature Reserve are a must, being only 5 minutes drive up a spectacular road winding its way to the top of Mount Lebanon and Cleopatra Mountain. Here flat walks can be taken past trout dams with the majestic Giant's Castle in view. Eland, Mountain Reedbuck, Duiker and Baboons are often spotted as well as Bearded Vultures and Black Eagles overhead.

* Kamberg Nature Reserve is only 15 minutes away and amazing San Rock Art caves have recently been opened to the public with guides available to take you up to the mountain to see them. It is a fairly strenuous walk taking about 1.5 hours to the top. An interpretation centre has a video presentation which gives an insight into the history of the Bushmen.

* At Giants Castle - a 45 minute drive - you are in the heart of the mighty Drakensberg Mountains. Here you can walk to San Rock Art caves where a guide opens the gate on the hour every hour till 3 o'clock and gives you a comprehensive tour of the paintings. There are also other wonderful walks in the mountains with maps available.

* Anthropological Tours can be booked with Frans Prins, who has studied the peoples of the area as well as the animals. His outings are legendary and are a MUST if your stay is to be a few days.

* Sue Armstrong - a local horse expert and registered tour guide - can take you out for the day to see race horse studs and other interesting features in our area.

* The Midlands Meander is a famous craft route with many stops offering a wide range of gifts, curios and local produce all well-documented on a large map.

* Horse Rides along the contours of the mountains taking in the crisp air and amazing views are really a hit with our guests and are essential for those not wanting to use their own legs!

* There are trips to the top of Sani Pass leaving at 9.30 a.m. & returning at 3.45 p.m. You must take your Passport & lunch is available at the top. It will take about 2 hours to get to Himeville.

This is just a sampler of the activities on offer in the Midlands and Drakensberg area.

MIDLANDS MEANDER:
Arts and craft - the essence of the Midlands Meander

An experience to change your life...and your lifestyle...Welcome, or welcome back, to the Midlands Meander. The famous Midlands Meander in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is a unique mix of more than 160 places to eat, drink, sleep, shop, play and generally have fun. Started many years ago as a voluntary collection of crafters, who wondered if they could attract visitors to leave the beaten track and explore their studios and galleries, the Midlands Meander has grown into an eclectic and fascinating mix of arts and crafts, world-class restaurants and homely comforts, with a wide range of sporting, environmental and historical pursuits thrown in too. Physical, culinary or cerebral, there is no limit to the experiences you'll find here.

The many facets of the Midlands Meander are so varied that there is little chance of boredom. Each route through this lovely land offers new mysteries to explore, new places to discover.

From the silvery vastness of the waters of the Midmar Dam to tiny crystal streams, from the imposing bulk of the Drakensberg mountains to the green of the indigenous forests, from quiet country towns to patchwork fields, where cattle graze or bales of hay are bundled in white plastic covers like huge cheeses, this is a land of many faces, all beautiful.

And the seasons change the features of the Midlands throughout the year, so there are many more faces to the places that keep calling you back for more. Cool mists melt away to reveal shimmering midday sun; thunderstorms crackle over the berg and then bluster away into soft summer showers that refresh thick pastures.

Golden and burgundy leaves dazzle in autumn and settle into thick toffee-coloured drifts that rustle at your feet. And in winter, the icy chill of a true winter experience unlike any African season comes calling, often blanketing the distant hills with white, and occasionally throwing a silky snow cover over the fields and valleys too.

The Midlands Meander, the first route of its kind in the country, has opened up the wonders and beauty of the interior of KwaZulu-Natal to visitors from distant cities, distant countries. Many return again and again, finding new delights each time they visit, many making friends, and some, perhaps the luckiest, finally staying, unable to tear themselves away.

So put away your watch, switch off the cellphone. Pack a bag or two, leaving space for inevitable new acquisitions, and escape. There is a life away from the fast lane of the highway, the boardroom, the committee meetings, the tunnels of the malls.

Experience the wonder of the Midlands Meander. Discover the people, the beauty, the tastes, and above all, the time. You'll discover a new way of life, a new set of priorities. And you'll experience the country at its best.