35 places to start dreaming about for 2017

How could you not love watching wildlife from your tree house? This particular unit, Dream Tree House, has a bed which can be wheeled out onto the deck so you can sleep underneath the stars. What.

I didn’t hear any South African accents amongst the guests during my stay here, but if you can afford to spend some time at this lodge I absolutely recommend it. It’s beautiful and luxuriant, and that dinner set up on the deck would be the perfect romantic splurge. I quickly nabbed it for myself, once this photo had been taken.

A deck overlooking the Crocodile River, a pool, and a fireplace to lounge around, and herds of elephant who saunter down to the river to drink. This place is a large, comfortable base with fantastic access to the Kruger.

With beautiful views and cool breezes, this tasteful spot sits high on a hill, overlooking indigenous bush filled with birdsong. A peaceful retreat with wonderful hosts.

Named after a fly-fishing lure, this fantastic farm is so far away from any real civilisation, 7kms outside of Tonteldoos. Here, you can walk with your dogs, fly-fish or 4×4 to view sites looking over expansive landscapes.

It gets HOT in Hoedspruit. Really, really hot. I once asked Google what the temperature was. Google said 37°. This was at night. So perhaps that’s why I loved this unexpected spot so much: if you have to be in Hoedspruit, then it’s an air-conned, spacious heaven with a braai and a pool that will leave you thankful down to your sweaty boots.

THIS VIEW. This view actually made me a little sad that I wasn’t sharing it with anyone. This is one of the most scenic spots I have been to in South Africa. I would love to go back.

The food here was so good, in an uncomplicated, just-off-the-fire way, that I even considered asking for the recipes. Bushriver Lodge overlooks the Olifants River. It has units close to the lodge as well as cottages set further away, which you can make into your own space with a group of friends.

There are more pre-set camping sites than you anticipate on this property, so privacy isn’t the focus. What is the draw-card though are the incredible views right from your doorstep. I stayed in a thatched self-catering cottage, but next time I’d actually like to go back and camp.

Wow wow wow. Wow wow. I visited Greenfire with my mother (pictured) and the views really are special: especially at dawn and dusk. You wind your way up a 4×4 track to get the the base of a mountain range, where you can choose between hiking or relaxing your day away.

That’s my dog, Tao! I had the most wonderful opportunity to travel with my folks and two dogs to Tugela River Lodge. You’re encouraged to bring your whole family, including hounds, and make use of the riverside and the bush walks.

Ah, what a lovely place. This little wooden cabin is so quaint, filled with family memories created by uber-friendly owners, George and Suzette. A 4×4 track takes you through to your private mountainside, with gorgeous walks and wheeling vultures and trout dam and mini-golf course. You can take pets, too! 10/10 would recommend for those wanting a down-to-earth escape.

After hearing decadent stories of the spa, meals and comfort, I finally got the chance to visit this ultimate spoil-me spot. Warm fireplaces fight the winter Midlands cold as you survey your dinner feast. It’s a family-run affair and the attention to each guest makes for a special visit.

This is about as close as you can be to Mozambique without crossing the border. Added bonuses: it’s part of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, you can do extensive 4×4 driving to hidden beaches and the snorkeling is fantastic. Pack your passport: if you have the time, a quick hop over the border takes you to Ponto do Ouro (manic during the festive season.)

Vaughn and Chantal have created a wonderful atmosphere high up on the hill with uninhibited views across to the Amphitheatre mountain range. My favourite unit is popular Phezulu, but each has its own drawcards. Mini-horses (falabellas) run around in paddocks charming your socks off with each little canter.

If you want romance, this is it. Views and privacy that know no limits. I can’t quite describe just how vast these views are: you’re going to have to see for yourself.

My aunt is an avid mountain biker, and she introduced me to this spot (out in the Dec 2016 issue). It’s set on a sugarcane farm on the side of a mountain and it’s beautiful. if you are a hiker, biker or birder, then I encourage you to visit (even if it’s just for the day.)

The best of everything important is at your disposal at the Strandloper: luxurious five-star accommodation, fynbos and wide, white beaches.

When visiting Paternoster, you wouldn’t necessarily think of staying anywhere but at the beach. This spot may change your mind: it certainly did for me. The wide outside swing bed was a huge hit.

Okay, so this outside rooftop section is on my wish-list of romantic evenings. The rooftop has a fireplace, numerous candles and fairylights, and overlooks the ocean. It’s just divine. Down below, this pool holds one of my favourite memories: awaking to the sounds of splashing, I opened the curtain of my ground-floor room to see three otters having the time of their lives, happily running and diving in the moonlight. This went on for at least half an hour and is apparently a common occurrence.

Writer Helen Walne recommended this cottage for a feature we put together on women traveling solo. It’s set in an orange grove with a small pool, and the old farm cottage itself makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time. The best part? Squeezing oranges in the morning for fresh juice.

The ideal place to go for walks and explore rivers and pools in a craggy mountainous landscape. The accommodation is basic, but has everything you need.

I hardly got the chance to explore this lovely farm, set in a private nature reserve. What I saw was enough to convince me that it should be on the cards for next year.

The conservancy-type dinner settings at this hotel really captured my imagination. The gardens are plentiful and sprawling, trees and flowers filling the courtyards and walkways between hotel units.

What a lovely place to unwind. The restaurant is nearby and serves good food, the cottages are cosy and comfortable, and the walk up to the small dam is just the right amount of stroll with mountain views.

This large house is great for groups: it has direct access to the Klein River and a long verandah for you to swing your hammock on.

Baboons and horses line the road on the way to Bhodi Khaya, a sustainable yoga, art and spiritual retreat. Surrounded by fynbos and mountains, you’ll soon forget about society in favour of being in the present.

Okay, so this place is sort-of like a beach shack. It won’t win any design awards – it’s a functional space – but the location is breathtaking. You have to walk down a steep mountain to get to this spot, and your reward is an entire section of coastline all to yourself.

Vermaaklikheid really surprised me. I didn’t expect this area to be so rich in natural beauty, from flora to fauna. Thorn and Feather is a bohemian retreat made for a group, an artsy, shabby-chic find overlooking the river below.

Ramshackled and relaxed, this converted boat shed is incredible as a rustic hideaway for two, where you can wake up to views of the river and cook or read to candlelight.

Rob, the owner, took me for an early-morning walk along the coastline of Kenton-on-Sea. That really solidified the beauty of this area in my mind, and their self-catering flats, overlooking thick bush, are good options to explore this town from.

You drive to Sibuya by boat, up the Kariega estuary to arrive at either the Bush Camp or Forest Camp. Both are immersive stays, making the nearby town of Kenton-on-Sea feel hours away. The reserve itself is filled with rolling green hills and views, with the long, winding river making for great birding and sundowner cruises.

Literally, on the edge. If you can bag these gorge-facing units, the steep drop-off is a few metres away. There is a walkway along the edge of the ravine with lookout points to stop at and take in the scene.

Silver Birch Cottage couldn’t be more dreamlike: a small, double-story wooden cottage with a tiny upstairs loft, an outside stoep with a braai overlooking the thick forest and short walks to nearby waterfalls. Magic.

Such a cute cottage set in a wide valley fringed by tall mountains. The hike to the waterfall is one of the highlights of staying here: it’s one of my best hidden swimming locations in South Africa.