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Cranes Nest - Accommodation by Lydenburg, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Malapeng’ at Cranes Nest near Lydenburg in Mpumalanga, South Africa, was named by the locals and means ‘place of the old walls’. Foundation walls dating back to 700 AD indicate habitation by indigenous people and later the Boers. Up in the mountain yonder, which forms part of the Mpumalanga Drakensberg range, you will find remains of walls used by the rainmaker for initiation ceremonies. At the bottom of this mountain are four bush-chalets.

Price: 6

Dinner bed and breakfast

4  chalets             2 self-catering cottages

The walls are semi-concrete, semi-canvas with dinky, en-suite, thatched-roof bathrooms. A sofa and table outside under a canopy overlook the mountain. These are compact, fun cottage-tents with colourful mirrors, sinks and Ndebele designs and colours painted on walls. All have private gardens. Guinea Fowl cottage is built in rock with a big open-plan kitchen, lounge and dining area and Eagle Owl is a thatched cottage surrounded by red canna flowers and indigenous trees. Guests commune in the high-ceilinged thatched dining room, cool with large tiles on the floor. Evenings are also spent around the fire in the boma where braais are popular in summer. Rosemarie’ and Lynne cook according to wants and needs and treat guests to home-made bread and muffins.

There are three trout dams where you will also spot the rare southern kneri a – fish with ears! Blimey! Enjoy the tranquillity, serenity and the beautiful verdant surrounds.
Various tourist attractions in Mpumalanga are easily accessible from Cranes Nest and provide a most interesting day excursion. These include: Sudwala Caves, Pilgrims Rest, Gods Window, Blyde River Canyon,  Bourke’s Luck Pot Holes, and numerous waterfalls. 
Adventure activities abound in the Kwena Basin and you may choose to participate in any of the following: 4 x 4 training and trails, paragliding and tandems, archery, horse riding, mountain climbing, abseiling and remember to bring your  mountain bike for a special experience in the Sappi forests. Vintage train rides from Waterval Boven to Waterval Onder occur on the last Sunday of each month.