Brooklands Reserve - The Homestead

Brooklands Reserve is a 600HA privately owned family run game farm in the MALERIA FREE, Eastern Cape. You will experience the African bushveld and witness our wildlife roam in a diverse variety of habitats, from grasslands, river frontage, mountain cliffs, valleys and dense forests. If you have a love for the great outdoors - Brooklands is a must. Young, old, families, group of friends, team building groups or couples looking to relax. *Please note due to the drought, the river is very low. There is an array of wild game on the farm such as Giraffe, Zebra, Nyala, Waterbuck, Kudu, Mountain Reedbuck, Blesbuck, Impala, Duiker, Bushbuck & Warthog to name a few. The birdlife on Brooklands is highly sought after with birding enthusiasts coming to see the Narina Trojan, European Honey Buzzard, Scaky-throated Honeyguide, Black Cuckooshrike, Green Pigeon, Crowned Hornbill, Crown Eagle and Fish Eagle to name a few. Recently we witnessed a Crown Eagle making a baby Impala kill - although sad, it was an insight into nature afforded by few. Whilst The Homestead is a old farm house , the rooms are comfortable made up of 2 bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms. The kitchen is well equipped to ensure your stay is as peaceful & relaxing as possible. There is a patio with a comfortable seating area, dining table and braai area. One delivery of braai wood will be supplied per booking. Additional braai wood can be ordered at additional cost. Activities include: Mountain biking, trail running, nature hikes, game viewing, river fishing (tag and release), canoeing, bird watching, swimming in the reservoir pool or the river, tennis, reading your book under a tree, having wild fun or meditating! There is something for everybody to enjoy. All equipment, I.e. bikes, fishing rods etc to be supplied by yourselves. Every city dweller needs to fill their ‘well-being tank’ with the outdoors. Brooklands is truly a special place. You will be amazed at what nature has to offer - whether it’s a weekend, a week or a month - you will smile, laugh and feel grateful for what South Africa has to offer. Including our famous Rooster-brood which can be arranged by prior request. * Rooster-brood is a traditional South African bread roll baked on an open fire and are truly delicious as an accompaniment to any meal - or as per our sons' favourite way of making a small hole in the top and drenching it with honey! It is our greatest wish that every visitor leaves Brooklands with a full, happy and peaceful heart. The greatest joy when visiting Brooklands is to have this large space all to yourselves. Activities to enjoy (Website hidden by Airbnb) Game viewing on a self driv (Website hidden by Airbnb) Nature walks, hikes and trail run (Website hidden by Airbnb) Bird watching: the birding community love visiting Brooklands. There is an abundance of bird life and many rare sightings have been made at Brooklands. Owls, Toucan, Knysna Loerie and Hoepoes are all regular sightings on the farm however other rare species such as the Narina Trojan, European Honey Buzzard, Scaky-throated Honeyguide, Black Cuckooshrike, Green Pigeon, Crown Eagle and Fish Eagle have also been spotted at Brooklands. (Website hidden by Airbnb) Mountain biking trails which enables you to see a lot more game than if you were in a vehicle. Biking equipment not supplied (Website hidden by Airbnb) Fishing: Talapia and Wide Mouth Bass. Fishing permitted on a catch and release basis only. Please bring your own fishing equipment with you (Website hidden by Airbnb) Canoeing up the river (dependant on the drought). There are two double canoes for your use (Website hidden by Airbnb) Tennis. There are tennis rackets available for use (Website hidden by Airbnb) Swimming (there is a pool net if required, please note that due to the self catering nature of your stay, securing the pool is the responsibility of the guest). - Please note that the use of quad bikes is not included in your stay. The property is on a self check in basis. All cooking, cleaning, additional services, food and beverages will be the guests responsibility. Please ensure all food and drinking requirements are brought with you as the closest town is 20mins away The closest town to Brooklands is Grahamstown. The following distances are guides as to its location: - c. 1hr 20min drive from Port Elizabeth - c. 25mins drive from Grahamstown - c. 45min drive from Port Alfred or Kenton on Sea (although the distance is the same as the crow flies, road conditions cause the trip to be longer to Port Alfred and Kenton - The roads are gravel. When wet a 4x4 vehicle is needed in some areas but not all. - No hunting or shooting of any sort is permitted. Hunting safaris are not included and will need to be arranged privately. - Fishing is permitted on a catch and release basis only. All fishing equipment to be supplied by yourselves. An indemnity form is required to be completed for EVERY guest. The contract will be emailed to you upon booking however, failure to return said form - by booking your stay you are automatically agreeing to the conditions of this Indemnity Agreement for all visitors to Brooklands Reserve. Water safety advice: There is a swimming pool and during the rainy season, our dams will have water. Please note this for children who cannot swim. There are no dams within the immediate garden of the property. The river is a short drive away which is a lovely way to spend your day - however small children would be advised to wear a life vest/water wings as an additional safety precaution (to be supplied by yourselves). Please note: there is no tv or WiFi available. Cell phone reception is good at the main house for most cellular providers but at the river and certain areas on the farm there is no reception.