Heritage site stone cottage

Entire cottage in Schoemanskloof, South Africa

  1. 6 guests
  2. 3 bedrooms
  3. 4 beds
  4. 2 baths
Rated 4.81 out of 5 stars.128 reviews
Hosted by Dee
  1. Superhost
  2. 11 years hosting

Listing highlights

Exceptional check-in experience

Recent guests gave the check-in process a 5-star rating.

Unbeatable location

100% of guests in the past year gave this location a 5-star rating.

Mountain view

Soak up the view during your stay.
The self-catering Mountain Pondokkie is an old stone cottage, originating from the late 1800's in the beautiful valley of Schoemanskloof - an ideal getaway for nature lovers and those keen on activities like birding, hiking and mountain biking.

The space
Based on Falls Fish Farm (we do goldfish and koi), the cottage sleeps 6 comfortably in one separate downstairs bedroom and two loft rooms upstairs above the lounge – these two sleeping areas are curtained off but privacy is limited so you need to share this with family or good friends! 2 extra can also be accommodated in the lounge area on a queen sized bed. The loft rooms are accessed by steep stairs and guests are required to use these with caution, especially with young children.

There is an en suite bathroom with shower, basin and loo, and a second with a bath, shower, basin and loo. Linen and towels are provided.

The fully-equipped kitchen has a gas stove and a fridge with freezer space. A wheelbarrow with a grid is provided for braai’s.

Water is provided by a mountain stream which we all happily drink but please bring bottled water if you are worried about tummies not used to it or use our water filter.

The lounge has a fire-place but no TV and the first lot of firewood is free – thereafter it is available for purchase at R30 per bag. There is also a covered patio with incredible views; ideal for relaxing.

Guest access
You will have exclusive access to the entire house, which is situated on Falls Fish Farm. Situated near the top of a mountain with magnificent views, it takes a rough, steep farm road to get there so you do need a vehicle with good ground clearance and preferably a 4x4 in rainy weather. We can ferry guests up to the cottage from the main gate on request at the beginning and end of their stay, Inbetween ferrying can be arranged at an extra cost of R100 per trip up and down the mountain.

Other things to note
The Pondokkie is surrounded by indigenous bush. Walks have been cut through the bush and the energetic can walk for hours around the mountain, 2 forested gorges, waterfalls and cascades down to the river below to explore. Also great for mountain bikers! As this is an unspoilt nature conservancy, you may come across some wildlife, snakes and bugs. The cottage is surrounded by an electric fence to keep out buck, etc.

We are pet friendly but dog owners should be aware that we do have a feral cat in residence who keeps the property rodent-free. Dogs are requested to keep off the furniture and must please be walked on leads. An additional cleaning fee for pets is payable on arrival of R 150 cash please. This does NOT cover upholstery.

Why not book a massage treatment before you get here? We can put you in touch with our talented, local therapist.

Fondly known as the Mountain Pondokkie, the house is classified as a heritage site with a number of ancient (and some believe) sacred stone circle archaelogical sites in the bush nearby which our map will direct you to.

Where you’ll sleep

Bedroom 1
1 king bed, 1 toddler bed
Bedroom 2
1 king bed
Bedroom 3
1 queen bed

What this place offers

Mountain view
Kitchen
Dedicated workspace
Free parking on premises
Pets allowed
Unavailable: Carbon monoxide alarm
Unavailable: Smoke alarm

Select check-in date

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4.81 out of 5 stars from 128 reviews

Overall rating

  1. 5 stars, 82% of reviews
  2. 4 stars, 17% of reviews
  3. 3 stars, 1% of reviews
  4. 2 stars, 0% of reviews
  5. 1 stars, 0% of reviews

Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars for cleanliness

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for accuracy

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for check-in

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for communication

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for location

Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars for value

Guest reviews mention

Where you’ll be

Schoemanskloof, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Schoemanskloof, roughly mid-way between Machadodorp and Nelspruit, is a malaria-free conservancy which boasts a variety of birds, including Knysna Louries, Narina Trogons and Fish Eagles, and other wildlife, such as Caracal, Red Duiker and Bushbuck.
Our favourite activities in the area:
. Cycle the beautiful and challenging mountains at Mankele – near the
.Sudwala caves or explore the caves themselves. This is a fun outing for kids with the Dinosaur Park included and now a new Butterfly Farm.
. Drive to Kaapschehoop about 40 minutes away. This quaint village with wild horses and a stunning walk to the escarpment is a treat!
. Enjoy a spectacular meal at The Bohemian – by far our favourite local eatery afterwards

Meet your host

Superhost
320 reviews
4.87 out of 5 average rating
11 years of hosting
Speaks English
Lives in Schoemanskloof, South Africa
From the NGO world, I worked as an HR consultant until finally giving that all up to concentrate fully on helping to manage this goldfish and koi farm. I feel incredibly blessed to live in this precious and beautiful valley and get great pleasure sharing our farm with visitors from all over the world who have loved being here.

Dee is a Superhost

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Host details

Response rate: 100%
Responds within an hour
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Things to know

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