Tegwaan Country Getway – The Studio

Climb – Hike – Bike – Fish – Relax...Tegwaan is the perfect place to stay if you want access to a lot of fun outdoor activities while staying in a comfortable place! Immersed in nature, Tegwaan is a little ecosystem of its own: with fresh water springs, several fish ponds and a creek, the grass is always green, the trees are tall and the birds are happy! :-). The Studio is a big open plan room, ideal for couples or families who want a bit more space than a tiny house. TEGWAAN: Set just outside of Waterval Boven (one of the most popular weekend destinations among climbers and mountain bikers form Joburg and Pretoria), Tegwaan is a destination in itself: it is the closest place to the Restaurant(-At-The-End-Of-The-Universe) and Triple Tier crags, and closely connected to some of the biking and hiking trails. We also have our own ponds and fish, so bring your rope, your hiking shoes, your bike, your fishing rod or your hammock! Your dogs will also love it – with so much space to run around and water to splash in, they will be happy and exhausted by the end of the weekend! Tegwaan is also an ideal stopover for travellers: being just a few kms off the N4 on a good road, just halfway between Jo’burg and Kruger National Park, it’s an easily accessible place to break up the drive and enjoy a properly relaxing day by the pool, followed by a braai under the stars and an evening by the fire. Tegwaan has only 5 units (two cottages, one studio, one tiny house and glamping) but 34 hectares of land, so you’ll always have space to explore. THE STUDIO: The Studio is situated between the garden and the pecan tree orchard, just along our little stream feeding the ponds, next to the Stone Cottage. It is a great home base for all of the wonderful outdoors activities in the area, as well as for spending a relaxing weekend in the quiet garden. While only about 34m² big (so fitting in the "tiny house" category), it is quite spacious and has all the essentials to make your stay comfortable. The sleeping area, the lounge, the dining area and the kitchen are all in one big open plan space. With its queen bed and two bunks, it can accommodate 2-4 people (even 5 with the use of the couch). The kitchen is obviously smaller than in a standard house but it has all essential appliances and utensils (though no oven). Outside is another sitting area with a table and chairs and a Weber braai. The bathroom is accessed from the outside (just around the corner from the front door) and has a shower and a dry/composting toilet. The Studio is all yours, but obviously you’re welcome to enjoy the rest of the property as well. Have a walk around and you’ll be amazed at how diverse this little paradise is! Or take a chair and just chill in the garden and see how many different bird species you can spot (we're not good birdwatchers but we're at about 50 and counting! – from the tiny Sunbird to the mighty Fish Eagle). The natural panoramic outdoor swimming pool is open to everyone, though it should be noted that it is a "natural" pool, meaning spring-fed and not chlorinated (so it's not crystal-clear, but it feels amazing!). Since the water is constantly moving in and out of the pool, it is just like swimming in a river. Fishing is free for guests. We’re no experts but apparently the bass in our ponds are big (up to 4kg), and we have an agreement with our partner across the road (Troutways) so that you can also test your fly-fishing skills for free. Bass-fishing at Tegwaan is catch-and-release, while the policy for trout-fishing at Troutways varies by season. We’re assuming you’re coming to Tegwaan for quietness and relaxation so we won’t disturb you, but definitely feel free to come say hi if you see that we’re around. We’re always happy to chat! Tegwaan is just off the road going from Emgwenya (Waterval Boven) up into the hills. In Boven you’ll find all the essentials: a supermarket and some shops, a petrol station, ATMs, a couple restaurants and pubs... and in the hills you’ll find all the climbing crags, the hiking and biking trails, the fish ponds, etc. Tegwaan is surrounded by wild “highveld” at the edge of the escarpment where the highveld gives way to the lowveld, and within just a couple of hundred meters you’ll find some of the mysterious Stone Circles that are still a hot topic of discussion among archaeologists. Most people will come by car, but international travellers might be interested to know that there are actually public transport options available from Johannesburg and Pretoria (including OR Tambo airport). Search for CityBug (5 shuttles per day), or JSL Transport or Lowveld Link (both 1 shuttle per day, time varies per day). JSL can drop you off in Boven itself, which is obviously a great plus, while CityBug will drop you off at Milly's petrol station (about 20km away) and Lowveld Link at the Waterval Boven exit on the N4 (about 5km away). We can arrange a pickup at both locations. The same options work for going back to Joburg. Another company is LimeTime Shuttle but we haven't tried this yet. On the east side, Tegwaan is about an hour from Nelspruit (with the same shuttles to pick you up and drop you off) -- and 1h20 or so from Kruger International Airport. Don't hesitate to inquire about the possibility of early check-in and/or late check-out. If we don't have back-to-back bookings we're happy to be flexible. Dogs are welcome but please note that we do like to let our chickens roam free when there are no dogs around, so please make sure to let us know if you have dogs so that we can keep the chickens safe and you can maybe take your dog off the leach. Furry Friends - Dog Policy - Extra charge of R60 per dog per night (R30/n for the campsite) - Dogs are allowed at the discretion of management. - Dogs must be kept under control at all times and must be leashed if other guests are around. - Please pick up after your dog around the houses. - Dogs are not allowed in the bedrooms or on the couches. - We reserve the right to add an extra fee in case of damages caused by pets. - Owners take full responsibility for any damage or injury caused. Vodacom network is generally okay, but you’ll have to walk around the property a bit to find MTN. No hi-speed Wi-Fi for now but we can give you access to our 3G wireless if you need it. Laundry washing available upon request. Let us know if you need a portable crib, a high chair or toys for your kids. We have a 4-year old and a 6 year-old, so we have a bunch of kid stuff. Additional mattresses available on request.