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Stellenbosch Wine Weekend, Aimèe’s travel tip
Getting to Stellenbosch from Cape Town for our wine farm weekend was a breeze. We left Cape Town midmorning on Saturday after a breakfast at the V&A Waterfront bakery, Knead
Private Villa Retreat nestled in an unique Limpopo mountain bushveld
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Bordering on the forests and plantations of Magoebaskloof and the Woodbush Forest Reserve, Graceland Eco Retreat offers guests the opportunity to enjoy a unique type of Mountain Bushveld. The Retreat overlooks the Kudu River Valley with views all the way to Mooketsi and the mountain range beyond.
Graceland Eco Retreat is situated roughly 50km North-East of Polokwane on 85 Hectares spanning the Kudu River Valley. The area is ideal for hiking and birding enthusiasts as it is famous for its unique birdlife, where mountain bushveld with its granite formations and boulders is home to such birds as the Verreaux, Crowned and Long-Crested Eagle, Lanner Falcon, Alpine, Purple Crested Turaco, African Black Swift as well as the famous African Fish Eagle.
Graceland Eco Retreat offers an opportunity to view a variety of game including our Giraffes named Elvis, Priscilla, Lisa Marie and their children born on the farm named Memphis, Tennessee and little Nashville. There are also Kudu, Impala, Klipspringer, Mountain Reedbuck, Bushbuck and more that you may catch a glimpse of whilst hiking, enjoying your morning coffee or sundowners on one of our terraces, pergolas or at the splash pool with a view of the valley.
Graceland Eco Retreat is totally off the grid and uses solar power for all lights and geysers without compromising on creature comforts. Solar powered USB stations are available to charge cell phones and tablets.
Although we offer a 24 hour WIFI connection the cell phone connection quality fluctuates, something we aim to enjoy along with no television.
Your hosts Anders and Douglas with their Ginger cats and Cocker Spaniels will ensure that your stay at Graceland Eco Retreat will be a memorable, relaxing and exciting experience.
Graceland is a work in progress and as we develop the retreat, additional accommodation and services will become available, keeping the needs of our guests in mind.
Accommodation
Graceland Eco Retreat is farm style accommodation where all the shaded pergolas, terraces and decks have breath-taking views of different parts of the Kudu River Valley and the Schnellskop Mountain. Your hosts Anders and Douglas with their Ginger cats and Cocker Spaniels will ensure that your stay at Graceland Eco Retreat will be a memorable, relaxing and exciting experience. The retreat has a variety of accommodations.
Giraffe House
Graceland Eco Retreat’s main house comfortably sleeps 4 adults. The 210sqm space has a large master bedroom with a queen size bed and the en-suite bathroom has a shower with a view of the valley. The room has two fold-away glass doors leading out to a patio and the splash pool. A second bedroom has a queen size bed and a private bathroom and shower across the passage. The lounge area has an open fireplace and a sliding door that leads to the outdoor lounge, outdoor kitchen and pool area. The modern kitchen has a gas stove with oven and fridge/freezer and is fully equipped with a variety of modern and traditional cooking utensils. The indoor dining area caters for six people and the upstairs lounge area has fold-away glass doors leading out to a deck overlooking the Kudu River Valley.
2 Queen beds/ 2 bathrooms/lounge/kitchen/dining area/ private verandas/pool/ outdoor kitchen with BBQ and pizza oven/pergola covered dining area/coffee & tea facilities/WI-FI/hiking trails
- 4
- 1
- 1
Kudu Chalet
The Chalet is ideal for 2 adults and has a 66sqm open plan design with a queen size bed. The bedroom overlooks one part of the valley through sliding doors that lead out onto a private furnished terrace with a clear view of the look-out point. The built-in wardrobe provides sufficient space and acts as a divider between the bedroom and an open plan dining area that adjoins the kitchen which is equipped with a gas stove with oven and fridge/freezer. The large bathroom with shower leads to an outside shower and a small private spa garden. There is a seating area before a large picture window and the fireplace keeps the chalet warm and cosy during those cold winter evenings. The room is rounded off with an Indian writing desk.
Queen bed/bathroom/kitchen/dining area/private veranda/pool/outdoor kitchen with BBQ and pizza oven/pergola covered dining area/coffee & tea facilities/Wi-Fi/hiking trails
- 2
- 1
Serapana House
Serapana is a Sepedi word for a space outside a house where grass and other plants have been planted to look attractive and provide a place for relaxation as well as the cultivation of food. With Serapana House we want to create a space that works as overnight accommodation and the garden is filled with a variety of indigenous aloes and water-wise succulents. A large conversation/fire pit is located in the garden and a small pathway leads through the bush to a pergola overlooking the Kudu River Valley and the Schnellskop Mountain. This area is a favourite grazing place for our animals as it is not far from the dam. All the rooms have adjoining verandas and the rooms and garden have 24 hour Wi-Fi access.
The Impala Studio
The 35sqm Impala Studio is an open plan studio with an en-suite bathroom with shower. The queen sized bed overlooks the garden and conversation pit. The studio has a fully equipped kitchen with a gas stove with oven and fridge/freezer. There is an intimate dining nook for two and the large veranda faces the garden and conversation pit with the bush as a backdrop.
Queen bed/bathroom/kitchen/dining nook/private veranda/fire pit/coffee & tea facilities/Wi-Fi/hiking trails
- 2
- 1
The Pangolin Studio
The 55sqm Pangolin Studio has two bedrooms with a shared bathroom with shower. Each room is equipped with a queen size bed, writing desk and vanity with hot and cold water. The studio has a fully equipped open plan kitchen with a gas stove and oven and a fridge/freezer. A six-seater dining area overlooks the garden and conversation pit. The two bed rooms have individual verandas with views of the majestic Schnellskop Mountain. This studio is suitable for two couples or two singles sharing facilities.
2 Queen beds/bathroom/kitchen/dining area/private veranda/ fire pit/coffee & tea facilities/Wi-Fi/hiking trails
- 4
- 1
- Children under 16 years of age allowed after prior arrangements with the establishment.
- No pets allowed without prior arrangement.
- 50% deposit to confirm booking. The balance payable before arrival.
Totally off the grid
Uses solar power for all lights and geysers without compromising on creature comforts.
3 houses (4 units)
Total 12 guests
Total 5 bathrooms
PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY AS ANIMALS ALSO USE THE DRIVE WAY
Self-catering units
Meals/beverages can be arranged. Full-Board and Half-Board available. Meals must be ordered 2 days in advance due to the distance to nearest shopping facilities.
Transport
We recommend to hire a car at OR Tambo Airport (Johannesburg)
Take N1 north to Polokwane. Follow the R71 from Polokwane towards Tzaneen until you reach Mankweng (approx. 27km). Turn left at the traffic lights at Paledi Mall towards the University of Limpopo and Mankweng Hospital. Pass the University on your right and continue driving for another 27 km until the tar road ends.
Continue on the gravel road for approximately 2.6 km. On your left hand side, you will see our sign and the gate to Graceland Eco Retreat.
If you are travelling from Polokwane on the R81, you will reach Mooketsi after 80km. Continue past the filling station and shop towards Duiwelskloof/Modjadjiskloof and turn right to Houtbosdorp on the Kudu River Valley dirt road. Continue driving for approximately 40 km and you will see our sign on the right hand side and the gate to Graceland Eco Retreat.
Additional information
| Night(s) | |
|---|---|
| Houses | Entire venue – Giraffe House, Kudu Chalet, Separana House, Giraffe House, Kudu Chalet, The Impala Studio, The Pangolin Studio |
| Sleeps | |
| Bathrooms | |
| Housekeeping | |
| Amenities | |
| Additional charges apply | |
| Speaks |
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Graceland Eco Retreat is situated roughly 50km North-East of Polokwane on 85 Hectares spanning the Kudu River Valley. The area is ideal for hiking and birding enthusiasts as it is famous for its unique birdlife, where mountain bushveld with its granite formations and boulders is home to such birds as the Verreaux, Crowned and Long-Crested Eagle, Lanner Falcon, Alpine, Purple Crested Turaco, African Black Swift as well as the famous African Fish Eagle.
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