Photo: Supplied
With travel time of only a little over three hours from Johannesburg and 30 minutes from Vaalwater, guests will find Waterberg Cottages in Limpopo. Guests can plan a family-friendly holiday or weekend with plenty of activities to keep everyone occupied on this peaceful 2 500ha private game reserve.
The farm owners have a rich family history in the area dating back to 1886. Today, one of the descendants, Juliet Calcott, lives on the section of the farm where the cottages are on, and she manages it with her husband, Dr Philip Calcott.
The original family home was built by Ted Davidson, Juliet’s great-grandfather, in 1910, and is still preserved on the nearby farm Vier-en-Twintig Riviere. Juliet, a teacher by profession, is a walking encyclopedia with a rich knowledge of the farm’s and the area’s history. Philip, who has a doctorate in physics, is a research scientist by profession and has developed a love for astronomy to such a degree that he now presents professional talks.
What originally started as hiking trails to allow city dwellers to reset over the weekends, soon evolved into the Windsong Cottages. It was later rebranded as the Waterberg Cottages.
All the cottages, except for one, were originally houses used by Juliet’s family on the farm. The Calcotts have been managing the cottages since 2004.
The cottages
All cottages are pet-friendly to well behaved pets, and two cottages, Bushwillow and Windsong, have fenced off enclosures to accommodate them.
Guests will find private braai facilities, outdoor seating, and a hot tub at each cottage. All guests have access to a shared 15m-long solar-heated swimming pool, a jungle gym and trampoline for kids, a volleyball court, and a small shop at reception where one can stock up on ice, firewood, and cold drinks.
Juliet booked Farmer’s Weekly into the Bushwillow Cottage, their latest edition, and the only purpose-built cottage that did not previously serve as a farmhouse. It is equipped for seven guests, with a large living area and a stoep. Upstairs is the main bedroom, which features an en-suite bathroom.
There is also a mezzanine with two sofa beds. Downstairs is a bedroom with three single beds, also with an en-suite bathroom. It has braai facilities and free Wi-Fi. Both the private hot tub and stoep with seating for relaxing and dining offer the bonus of views over the grassland, where horses and game roam.
Butterfly Cottage caters for four people and is ideal for a romantic breakaway for couples or a family of four. It features a large braai area, outdoor seating, and a hot tub, and offers a view of the swimming pool. It has an open-plan design with a double bed and two sofa beds, if required. The bathroom has a bathtub but no shower.
Windsong Cottage features four bedrooms, two of which have en-suite bathrooms, two additional bathrooms, and can accommodate up to 11 people. It is spacious and the ideal cottage for large family gatherings. Windsong also has a braai area, outdoor seating, and a hot tub.
Waterberg Cottages can accommodate up to 22 persons at a time, making it the ideal place for group gatherings.
Relax, have fun, learn, or sweat
Waterberg Cottages caters to all guests and offers a variety of activities to partake in. If you need more than just relaxing and taking in the views from your cottage, you can opt for game drives (day or night), horse riding, guided birding, donkey cart rides, and pony rides for kids.
Five marked walking trails between 2km and 4km are available to guests, of which one has a lookout point with stunning views. Spa treatments can be arranged with prior notification.
One of the activities guests may participate in is Dora’s Village tour. Dora Mpete is the matriarch of the village on the farm where more than 30 families live. They have been living here for more than 100 years alongside the Baber family, and Dora will show you around the village.
Farmer’s Weekly was also treated to Juliet’s ‘Step into the Past’ History tour. She first presents guests with some interesting history about the development of the area and town after her family settled there.
Thereafter follows a visit to the historic house that her great-grandfather, Ted Davidson, built in 1910, where guests can enjoy tea and freshly baked scones. Following that, Juliet shows guests the historic Anglican church designed by Herbert Baker and built in 1914. Farmer’s Weekly had immense joy from this tour. If you have any interest in history, this is a tour you must book.
Fauna and flora
Wetlands, grassland, and bushveld add to the diversity of animals and birds calling Waterberg Cottages their home.
Wildlife includes most plains game, including some of the rarer tsessebe, sable, and roan. Of the Big Five, buffalo are present, and lucky visitors may catch a glimpse of a leopard. Game drives are presented and can be booked through reception.
Birdlife is abundant at Waterberg Cottages, and guests can book guided birding excursions. Although not considered scarce globally, the African pygmy goose is considered a scarce species in South Africa. Guests may get to see them where they nest at one of the dams.
The buffalo herd is located each morning using radio collars, and if they are close or moving towards walking trails, all trails are shut down until it is safe again for hikers to stretch their legs.
Mum’s night off
All the cottages are self-catering, and with prior arrangement, guests can order breakfast baskets or braai baskets. Guests can also book a romantic champagne picnic for two, where you will be taken to a scenic spot, or catered meals can be organised as a sundown bush picnic or a luxury bush dinner combined with game drives.
The astronomy shows
Philip has turned his passion for the galaxy into a profession and now travels throughout South Africa and neighbouring countries to present professional astronomy shows. His shows are weather and moon permitting, and planetary shows can even be presented from cities.
Guests at Waterberg Cottages can attend a show if Philip is available and the weather plays along, and many lodges, corporates, schools, and even Miss World contestants have had the opportunity to be visited by him and be star-struck! Guests to Waterberg Cottages are offered these shows at a large discount.
Visit waterbergcottages.co.za to arrange your stay and book your activities.
