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Brides leap Waterfall is the second highest waterfall in Mpumalanga, at 275 feet it is second only the famous ‘Mac Mac’ falls

PLANTATIONS AND THEIR IMPACT ON WATER
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The estate situated as it is on the lip of the African escarpment is a wonderland of waterfalls which stream into gullies and gorges that feature giant tree ferns, sparkling pools and a multitude of rare plants.

 

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The area is well know for the many falls and there are also a number of walking trails available to the more energetic walkers to these falls.

 

 

 

 

 

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FIVE ASSEGAIS COUNTRY ESTATE is situated just three hours from Johannesburg, exactly 275 kilometres from Hyde Park Corner, halfway to the Kruger Park, between Machadodorp and Badplaas.

The estate straddles the Skurweberg on the very lip of the mighty African Escarpment with vast views over the Komati River valley all the way to Swaziland. This spectacular estate is over 1250 hectares in extent featuring a wide variety of terrain, from the ancient grasslands to Yellow wood forests, with a multitude of springs feeding into the Bankspruit, Elands and Komati rivers the farm is a kaleidoscope of waterfalls and streams, with VIEWS, VIEWS, VIEWS

Five Assegais Country Estate first opened the guesthouse in 2003 and has since established an enviable reputation as a fishing and wildlife venue of note and asdesirable luxury country retreat half way to the Kruger Park.The lodge offers a single very private and exclusive luxury country house, with 4 double bed rooms en-suite and a kid’s room for 4 for the discerning lover of country life. The estate renovated and extended the original building that was built in the 1850’s and was established in this spot with a small dam on the then main route to the then newly discovered gold fields in Barberton as an ‘Uitspan Plek / Resting Place’ for the wagon trains that were bringing the people and material to exploit the gold rush.

Situated at the top of the infamous ‘Hells Kloof Pass’ this resting place was a welcome respite after the arduous 400 meter climb from the base of the Komati Valley up to the peak of the escarpment and many famous people are reputed to have enjoyed this oasis among the rocks of the Skurwerand, from Paul Kruger to Jock of the Bush veldt.

Five Assegais Fishing Lodge

The Five Assegais Fishing Lodge is a very cute old stone home from the turn of the century, nestled in a protective valley overlooking large dams.
Graded 4 star by the TGCSA and AA Highly recommended, the lodge offers an intimate country house atmosphere, which is exclusive and private.

The open plan sitting, dinning and kitchen area is perfect for both catered, we provide hearty country fare, and self-catering guests. The kitchen is fully equipped and the there is the full bouquet of DSTV.

The house has 3 double bedrooms en-suit and a fourth bedroom also en-suit with two single beds sleeping 8 altogether. All beds are equipped with electric blankets and fab linen and loads of soft cushions to ensure a duvet wilderness experience.

The lodge is the epitome of 4 star comfy, shabby chic luxuries where one can set aside the troubles of the world.

DIRECTIONS to the lodge.

Take the N12 from Johannesburg to Witbank, which joins the N4, go past Belfast and take the SECOND turning into Machadodorp.

Go into town over the river and get to a 4 way stop by the FNB, turn LEFT on to the R541 to BADPLAAS.

Follow the road for 17.5 kilometres and take the BLOEMFONTEIN turn of to the RIGHT.
This becomes a gravel road, go for 2 kilometres to the T-junction turn LEFT and follow the road, through one farm gate, and follow the signs to the lodge.

Plus VAT @ 14%

A 50% DEPOSIT SECURES YOUR RESERVATION. NO CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS ACCEPTED Five Assegais Country Estate (Pty) Ltd. Standard Bank, Carolina Branch, Code:05-25-51-40 Account Number: 033264643

BANKING DETAILS

Five Assegais Country Estate (Pty) Ltd.
Standard Bank Carolina Branch Code:05-25-51-40
Account Number: 033264643

PLEASE USE THE DATE OF YOUR BOOKING AND NAME AS REFERENCE

Cancellations 0 to 14 days prior forfeit 100% of the deposit.
Cancellations 14 to 28 days prior forfeit 50% of the deposit or 15% (+ VAT) of the booking quote value, whichever the greater.
Cancellations more than 28 days prior forfeit 25% of the deposit or 15% (+ VAT) of the booking total, whichever the greater

ACTIVITIES

TROUT FISHING.
The lodge is a fishing paradise with 4 large dams heaving with lively fat trout to temp the sportsman, the weary traveller and lovers of the country. There are 4 large spring fed crystal clear dams of about 3 hectares lavishly stocked with rainbow, brown and golden trout.
 
HIKING & WALKS
The estate has been extensively laid out with walking paths and hiking trails that make the spectacular places in the kranse and gorges easily accessible. These self guided paths will allow you to explore places that one can only dream about, they are set out so that you can choose the length of your walk from a ‘nice little walk’ to the full day Escarpment Trail and everything in between.
 
GAME VIEWING
The state is fenced and game is being introduced, already there are many of the unique bucks only found on the high veldt, which are distinctive from the game in the low veldt.
 
TREES
The estate is also a showcase for a wondrous variety of trees to satisfy the most demanding dendrologist with 108 trees already identified just along the paths.

 

 

 

For many years this property was neglected, infested with Black Wattle and Eucalyptus plantations, both highly destructive alien invaders that devastated native grassland and gorge habitats. Now after eight years of ferocious battling by a dedicated team of Wattle Warriors the area is virtually free once more from these nasty interlopers.

Now, once again, the Skull Rock is visible and smiles down over the lodge and the whole of the Skurwerand, a natural Stonehenge of ancient weathered rocks that give the mountaintop its name of Scaly Back, is again pristine. And with this clearance so nature has returned, many more bird and animal species are recolonising their original home. Also the water table has risen dramatically where the purest water gushes again from erstwhile dry springs.

These waters feed a series of lakes, the largest of which sweeps out around the hillside and leads to a set of dammed cascades that will be filled with large feisty trout. On one side the estate boasts ‘Bride’s Leap’, a magnificent waterfall with a tragic history in its name.

A bride and groom decided to have their wedding photo should be taken with them posed on the rock that juts out over the cliff. Unfortunately they forgot that wind travels up the face of a cliff and a gust raised the bride’s flowing dress and she was dashed to her death on the rocks below. Distraught, her husband followed her.

The original house, that has been expanded to become the Lodge, was discovered hidden within Eucalyptus forest, and is rumoured to have belonged the great Oom Paul Kruger, last president of the Boer Republics, though this has yet to be verified.

It certainly was the watering place, an 'uit span plek', for trek wagons that serviced the Barberton Gold Rush of the 1880s as they finished the long haul up the old Hells Kloof Pass road- now replaced by the highway to Badplaas in the valley below.

Close by is the battlefield of Dalmanutha, where Kruger’s army fought its last pitched battle against the overwhelming odds of the advancing British before the start of the guerrilla campaign.

The complex rock formations provided a home for 200 Boer refugees during the Boer War and hidden on one of the pastures overlooking the road is a carefully concealed sniper post- so well hidden that in seven years of looking it has only been found twice, only to vanish again.

The views from this part of the estate are truly spectacular; from atop the Bobijaanskrans- home to the local hooligan troop of baboon, across the Bankspruit and Komati headwaters, one can just see the mountains of Swaziland in the distance.

Of all the properties along the edge of the plateau Five Assegais is, without doubt, the finest in terms of views and location. It contains several ecobiomes, with high veldt and middle veldt grassland clothing sweeping hillsides, yellow wood gorges with tree ferns and patches of undisturbed natural vegetation.

Which, with phase three of the Estate Development Plan now in place, will be fenced and restocked with the sort of game that would have roamed these heights before the arrival of the San People- the original human inhabitants of the place.