Caroline Hurry
Caroline Hurry

With the fast-flowing Crocodile River running through it, Lethabo Estate enjoys a 150-acre demesne of savannah grasslands and karee trees. Close to Johannesburg and Pretoria, where else can you see Cape Clawless Otter hunt in the rapids a few feet from your lounger?

Sleek Nguni cows and horses drink from the water’s edge of this Renosterspruit estate where you can contemplate the distant Magaliesberg from a plunge pool or daybed. Hammocks on riverbanks under shady willows invite afternoon siestas following a sumptuous lunch with ingredients fresh from Lethabo’s organic garden, which proprietor Lise Essberger has transformed into a cornucopia of a labyrinth where guests can pick their own produce, if they feel like it!

Life here is all about lazy days on the deck. You can bring your dogs, best friend, or significant other for a secluded picnic on the Crocodile River banks or lie in a hot tub sipping a smooth South African red, your eyes drawn across the fragrant veld to the changing light on the distant Rhenosterkop Mountain.

You’re still secluded on silk cushions, Persian carpets, rose petals, yummy food, and champagne. Opt for a shaded, riverside lounging spot under a Bedouin tent or little thatched gazebo. So many options await.

Riverside picnic at Otter’s Hide, part of Lethabo Estate in North West. The champers was in pre-Covid days.

From the lobby with its grand piano and lounging area leading down to the riverside restaurant, Lethabo Estate gets everything right. Gourmet eco-fare is served in the restaurant, on the terrace, in-suite, or in a picnic basket.

Lethabo’s laidback glam ethic includes a spa, several great accommodation options, and secluded wrap-around bush, waterfall, or river views.