OTTERS' HAUNT

Kopjeskraal Lodge

FarmStay

Large farmhouse, self-catering, hillwalks & sweeping views

Suits groups 6-16 people

The big, beautiful farmhouse at Kopjeskraal overlooks a wide valley where once Africa's wild game roamed. Nowadays, this working farm has prize cattle and great views of the Dome looking towards the rising sun.

The farmhouse has all the trappings of traditionalism. Large rooms, comfy beds, a kitchen range featuring a glorious old stove, a dining room with a huge fireplace, an adjoining bar and billiard room, and lots of space to unwind inside and outside.

Three internal rooms can accommodate 6, while outside there is a rondavel and several more double rooms to accommodate another 8-10 - with a special attic for two kids!

The braai area is set among attractive boulders under trees with a view of the valley below. Up here, you are isolated from the cares of the world and can see forever. The farm property stretches up the surrounding hills which are filled with birdlife, and long walks can be taken to see the bush-covered, granite slopes of what we have dubbed South Africa's own "Matopos".

Behind the house is a koppie - one of the many in the area after which the original Kopjeskraal farm was named - that affords 180-degree views of the Dome Bergland with glimpses of the Vaal River. The river itself lies about 1km from the farm and we can gain access for you, either through a neighbouring farm or at Otters' Haunt itself, just down the road. Christo and Gerda Meyer own Kopjeskraal and are the kind of hosts you always hoped to meet - welcoming, homely, and full of stories. Christo is a member of the Dome Conservancy and can tell you all about efforts to preserve the wilderness from the assaults of mining houses, developers, and yes, tourists.

From here we organise Vredefort Dome excursions, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, as well as horse riding, walking tours of the town, and much more - you name it, the Parys area has it all.