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Issue 6  
 
Bucking the trend
Hannah Gama Lodge is a captivating tapestry of Africa's sounds, smells and color
By Jo Kromberg

Enjoy an early morning game drive

We were on our way to Hannah Lodge, which is located on the outskirts of the little town of Ohrigstad, midway between Lydenburg and Hoedspruit in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa, along with a Certificate of Excellence recipient for 2014 from TripAdvisor, which in my book is always a big deal.

The road from South Africa's capital city of Pretoria to Dullstroom is mostly highway, so it was plain sailing up to that point. Well, pothole hell pretty much sums up the next 200 km or so, hence the travelling time. One has to seriously navigate these nasty caters in order not to damage your car. Well, all the weaving and concentration turned out to be worth it because Hannah Game Lodge, in the heart of the South African bushveld, is an absolute gem. The gentle rolling hills of the Northern Drakensberg Escarpment surround this beautiful Lodge and it spans more than 8,000 hectares of malaria free, unspoiled wilderness.

Our check in late on a Friday afternoon was seamless and before long we are shown to our splendid chalet with the most amazing views of the surrounding valley and mountains. The Lodge offers 56 elevated standard en-suite thatched roof chalets with private verandas, all with breathtaking views of this pristine private reserve. Fourteen of these units have inter-leading doors transforming into seven family units. In addition, there are four standard suites as well as four luxury suites with all the amenities and comforts for that home away from home experience.

It is bone-chillingly cold, probably one of the coldest winters I have experienced in 10 years, but before long the wall heater in the room and the amazingly warm comforters on my enormous bed make me feel snug as a bug. The chalet really is cozy. It has a thatched roof and that time-of-yore real feeling of being in the bush I remember as a child. So often nowadays the "fancy" lodges have gargantuan, cavernous cold rooms but I far prefer this cozy, intimate ambiance. Not that Hannah Lodge isn't fancy! Far from it. This four-star lodge is luxurious and beautifully decorated in earthy, African tones with contemporary touches where needed. The rooms feature lovely bath and shower products, tea and coffee making facilities and each room comes equipped with a dresser and built-in safe in the cupboards. An overhead fan and a panel heater for those winter nights complete each chalet.

We are bone tired and still sated from a late lunch so we decide to turn in early, in anticipation of the game drive the next morning and anyway too warm and cozy to dislodge ourselves from our snug cocoon. This trend continues as the sleep quality here, coupled with the calming silence prove too much for me to get out of bed in exchange for the bitterly freezing temperatures the next morning. My partner goes on the early morning game drive and instead I lie in, just absorbing the serenity and beauty of my environment. I have a cup of coffee on my veranda, watching the sun peek over the impossibly blue mountains and I feel at peace. I amble to breakfast at around 9 to find a roaring fire in the main dining area together with a wonderful feast of a breakfast buffet. The dining room has sweeping views of the surrounding veldt and the centerpiece of the room is the gargantuan, very welcoming fireplace.

Izak joins me a while later for breakfast with stories of buffalo, antelope and warthog sightings on their game drive. We decide to explore the surrounding areas for the day and are given a map by the wonderfully friendly reception manager.

The word "Mpumalanga" means "the place where the sun rises" and it really is one of the most dramatically beautiful provinces in South Africa. Within a radius of 20-50 km of Hannah Lodge there are heaps to do and see. A full day or a half-day trip allows you the opportunity of visiting this spectacular and well-known part of South Africa, famous for its scenery and known as the Panorama Route. We take the road to Pilgrims Rest on a whim and the scenery and mountains unfold before us like magic.

The tiny town of Pilgrims Rest is a living museum since the entire town was declared a national monument, taking the visitors back to the days of the old Transvaal Gold Rush.

Cool down under the hot African sun at Hannah Game Lodge

Pilgrim's Rest was declared a gold field in 1873, soon after digger Alec "Wheelbarrow" Patterson found gold deposits in Pilgrim's Creek. The Valley proved to be rich in gold and by the end of the year, there were about 1,500 diggers working in the area.

Mining was active until 1971 when Beta Mine was closed down. Tranvaal Gold Mining Estates opened again in 1999 and there is active gold mining in the hills around Pilgrim's Rest.

We linger here for a delectable pub lunch and then carry on to the world-famous Blyde River Canyon Reserve, which extends along the Blyde River Canyon's winding path; at every turn offering more and more impressive views over sheer edges dropping 800 meters into the riverbed. It is the third largest canyon in the world and the feeling of standing on top of the world looking out over these sheer drops is breathtaking.

Viewpoints are named for the spectacle they offer, and Window and Wonder View hint at the magnitude of the scenery. The adventure activities in this part of the world are legion and include hot-air ballooning, helicopter flights, cultural excursions, game drives and much more. Nearby attractions include Kapama Cheetah Sanctuary, Moholoholo Rehabilitation Centre, Elephant Sanctuary, Chimp Eden, Swadini Reptile Park, Sudwala Caves, Echo Caves Nelspruit Botanical Gardens and the Shangana Cultural Village.

Back at the Lodge, I go on a game drive and discover the endless beauty of the reserve up close. There are no predators on this 8,000 hectare reserve – with the exception of the very elusive leopard - but the Reserve offers something very special instead: they specialize in the breeding of rare antelope, especially Sable. We see buffalo and a variety of game, such as Tsesebe, Oryx, Mountain Reedbuck, Eland, Sable and Springbok. We have a lovely meal that evening, close to the warm fire, consisting of hake with lemon butter, lamb chops with mint sauce and venison stroganoff. For dessert the baked Greek coconut pudding had me speaking in tongues with delight.

It is with sad hearts that we wave Hannah Lodge good bye the next morning. This really is a little piece of heaven in the bushveld and we shall return.

Contact:

http://www.hannahlodge.co.za/

T: +27 (0)13 238 8100

F: +27 (0)13 238 8104

E: reservations@hannahlodge.co.za

P.O. Box 153, Orighstad, 1122

Getting there:

South African Airways has daily flights from Beijing to Johannesburg. From Johannesburg it is advisable to fly to Hoedspruit with Airlink and rent a car from there, due to the bad roads from Johannesburg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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