10 weekend getaways near Joburg

The Cherry Grove apartments are reminiscent of a Tuscan piazza

These luxury en-suite apartments have private balconies which overlook the piazza on the edge of Dullstroom. The piazza itself houses The Duck & Trout – a vibrant watering hole for Dullstroom locals – as well as an art gallery, coffee shop, and gift shop. With fireplaces and DStv, these apartments are perfect for cozy nights in. It will be difficult to drag yourself out of bed in the morning, but excellent trout fishing in the area will reward those who do. The rise of trout will be the only thing which demands you be on time, however, as Dullstroom is all about relaxing and recovering from the stresses of big city life.

Mabalingwe Nature Reserve, near Bela-Bela, consists of 12,500 hectares of malaria-free bushveld and has all the features of a good family resort. Reader John Miles says, ‘If the traffic plays along, you could leave the city after work on a Friday afternoon and reach Mabalingwe with enough time to pitch your tent and still enjoy the sunset. There’s a good network of game-viewing roads within the reserve, most of which you can drive with a Citi Golf. There’s a large caravan park with 67 shady stands and an assortment of self-catering options.

Tussen-i-Bome offers a variety of accommodation including camping, self-catering chalets, and three ox-wagon camps, sleeping four people each. These unique camps give you the opportunity to spend the night in authentic ox wagons, dating back to between 1860 and 1935. Hiking trails provide a way to stretch your legs and admire the bush, while the swimming pool and kids play area mean that youngsters are unlikely to be short of entertainment. Drink sundowners on the hilltop deck overlooking the whole farm in the evening before baking bread in the traditional clay bound to go with your braai. If the novelty of sleeping in a wagon isn’t enough, the huge half-barrel bath will certainly be the cherry on the top of a blast-from-the-past weekend.

Cost: From R350 per night (camping/caravan stands), from R400 per person per night (ox wagons), from R350 per person per night (bos-lapas)
Contact: 0825111169, [email protected]

7. Villa Paradiso Country Manor, Hartbeespoort

Travel time from Joburg city centre: 1 hour

Villa Paradiso is a country manor with 60 double bedrooms 

Villa Paradiso sits in a lofty location, overlooking the town of Hartbeespoort and the Hartbeespoortdam. With most rooms boasting private balconies or access to the manicured gardens, there is a certain grandeur to the villa. It is a great base from which to explore the town of Hartbeespoort, which is big enough to explore for a couple of days, but small enough to feel like you’ve escaped from the rush of big city living. Visit Jasmyn Plaasprodukte farm stall – chockablock with produce from local farmers, from fresh fruit and nuts to home-baked goods.

Cost: From R899 per person per night in a double room
Contact: 012 253 1847/8

8. Brookwood Estate and Trout Farm, near Krugersdorp

Travel time from Joburg city centre: 50 minutes

Brookwood Estate and trout farm. Photo by Villiers Steyn.

Walking down to the five dams on Brookwood Estate and Trout Farm, on the banks of the Blaauwbank River near Krugersdorp, you’ll think you’ve stepped into the rural English countryside. The grounds are well maintained and dams are fully stocked. All fishing gear is available for daily hire and fishing advice is free. The two cosy, four-sleeper chalets and one two-sleeper cabin on the property are popular, so make sure you book in advance.

Cost: Entrance per adult R100, self-catering chalets from R350 per night per person, camper cabins from R180 per night per person (minimum 2 night stay)
Contact: 082 856 2448 (Wed-Sat) / 072 256 7561 (Sun-Tue), [email protected]

9. Cruise-N-Snooze, Vanderbijlpark

Travel time from Joburg city centre: 1 hour

Try something new and spend your weekend on water instead of the boring old ground

Be adventurous and rent a Cruise-N-Snooze houseboat on the Vaal River. The fully-equipped luxury houseboats, which sleep four people and are moored in a private lagoon, are separated from the main river by a small island. From here there are approximately 55km of navigable waters with various tributaries to be explored at your leisure. On-board activities include fishing, bird-watching, swimming or just relaxing under the sun or starry sky. Places of interest on the riverbank include restaurants, bars, family entertainment venues, a casino, golf courses, and spas.