Everything you need. Nothing you don't.
The Lodge is a mountain base, not a resort. Good food, a well-stocked bar, a spa for tired legs, a conference facility for groups, and a gear shop and adventure centre for those who want more from the mountain.
Restaurant & Bar
Fuel for the mountain. Worth coming back for.
The restaurant at Witsieshoek faces east through wide windows, catching the morning sun directly. It is one of the better places to be at sunrise – hot coffee in hand, watching the light as the valley below comes out of the dark and the mountain day begins.
Breakfast is a substantial buffet, included in all accommodation rates. The restaurant is open all day for tea, light meals and a full à la carte menu from lunch through to dinner. The menu is built around honest, hearty cooking with a strong plant-based offering alongside the meat and fish. The kitchen can accommodate many dietary requirements with advance notice. Please speak to the waitstaff or let reservations know before arrival.
For early starts, breakfast can be pre-ordered as a packed take-away. Lunch packs for the trail can be pre-ordered through reception the evening before (R172 per person).
The bar is well stocked and open to Lodge guests and day visitors alike. Locally brewed Clarens Brewery craft beers sit alongside the usual wine, spirits and cold drinks. Complimentary filter coffee and tea is available in the lounge all day for overnight guests.
Good to know
No outside alcohol on the premises – the bar is licensed and well supplied.
Tipping
Tips are shared among all Lodge staff. Tip by card or use the box at reception.
Lounge
The fireplace at the end of the day.
The communal lounge is anchored by a large central fireplace — essential in the Drakensberg winters, when temperatures drop sharply after dark even in summer. Leather sofas, locally made carpets and wall hangings, and a flatscreen TV with DSTV. It is the kind of room that earns its keep after a long day on the trail.
Complimentary tea and coffee is available here throughout the day for overnight guests.
Breathe Mountain Air Spa
For the legs that climbed the mountain.
The Breathe Mountain Air Spa offers massage and beauty treatments at the Lodge. After a day on the Chain Ladders or a long trail through the valley, a massage is less a luxury than a sensible decision.
Treatments include
- Massages (including hot stone massage)
- Facials
- Manicures and pedicures
- A range of beauty treatments
The spa uses Kalahari professional spa products.
Pre-booking is strongly advised. Book through Lodge reception.
Kgotla Conference Facility
Meet in the mountains.
The Morena E Moholo Lekunutu Mota Kgotla is the Lodge’s conference and events facility – named in honour of the late leader of the Batlokoa community.
A serious venue in an extraordinary setting. No traffic noise, no city distractions – just the mountain outside the window and everything you need to run a productive event inside. High-end projector and screen, flipchart, Wi-Fi, on-site bar and restaurant.
Suitable for seminars, workshops, school events, church events, government meetings, memorial services, private business and team building. A shuttle from the toll gate to the Lodge is available at R45 per person return. No conservation fees are charged for delegates.
Capacity
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Cinema style up to 70
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Banquet style up to 70
Please Note
No outside catering is permitted when hiring the venue. When delegates take the full catering package, there is no additional venue hire fee.
Starting from R1,300 per person
Thaba Adventures
More mountain, right from the Lodge.
Thaba Adventures operates from a base at Witsieshoek and is the Lodge’s adventure and guiding partner. Their team runs guided hikes, Via Ferrata experiences and overnight mountain trips, all covered on The Mountain page. They also offer activities closer to the Lodge for guests who want more from the mountain without taking on the Chain Ladders.
Quad Biking
Guided quad bike routes through the mountain terrain around the Lodge. No prior experience needed. A good option for those who want to cover ground from a different angle - or for the partner less keen on the ladders.
Abseiling
A controlled descent on the rock faces near the Lodge. Thaba Adventures provides all equipment and instruction. No prior experience required.
Archery
Available at the Lodge for individuals and groups. A good half-hour diversion and surprisingly addictive.
Vulture Restaurant
Bearded Vultures, if the morning is right.
Bearded Vultures are among the Drakensberg’s most remarkable birds, and Witsieshoek is one of the best vantage points on the property for watching them ride the thermals above the Amphitheatre and the valleys below. Sightings are frequent, especially on clear, calm mornings, but never guaranteed. These are wild birds in wild country.
Where conditions and conservation practice allow, the Lodge may arrange limited vulture feeding on request. This is deliberately controlled to avoid encouraging dependency or habituation.