umSisi House
About the Host
Member since: 20 Jan. 2010
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umSisi House invites guests to be 'At Home in Africa' at their 5 Star Country House Villa and Gourmet Getaway. The house is available on an exclusive-use basis ONLY (minimum 2 and maximum 10 guests). A choice of rates are available to include DBB, FB and self-catering. umSisi House offers three en-suite, luxuriously decorated bedrooms with elegant styling and magnificent views to Legogote mountain and the Peebles Valley. In addition, umSisi Cottage offers a further two comfortable bedrooms sharing a bathroom with double shower and far-reaching views to Pretoriuskop in the distance. umSisi Cottage is booked alongside umSisi House for groups of more than 6 guests and is available as a self-catering property (maximum 4 guests) the rest of the time. A single night supplement is charged at umSisi House during high and peak seasons and will be added to your final balance.
In Room Facilities:The house ONLY caters for private groups on an exclusive-use basis (minimum 2 and maximum 10 guests) on either a dinner, bed and breakfast basis, full board or self-catering basis. It is particularly suitable for those looking for luxury accommodation near the Kruger National Park either as a base from which to explore the Kruger on a bespoke safari in private game viewing vehicles (particularly for families travelling with young children who cannot book into the lodges with age restrictions) or as relaxing break pre or post safari. The cottage is strictly self-catering unless booked in conjunction with umSisi House.
Area Information:Set in 60 hectares of pristine bush, within the Jock of the Bushveld Conservancy, umSisi House is strategically located in the Peebles Valley between the town of White River and the Numbi Gate entrance to the southern Kruger National Park (20 minutes away).
Property Facilities:With panoramic views of Legogote Mountain and the African village of Masoyi, guests at umSisi House enjoy beautiful gardens, majestic trees, abundant birdlife, hiking trails, a relaxing jacuzzi, inviting swimming pool, enormous veranda, stunning interiors, extensive library, WiFi internet access throughout and a state-of-the-art TV Room when at home. A booking service for local activities (including bespoke Kruger safaris in open game-viewers) is also provided. All meals are planned with guests in advance to ensure that the dining experience is a daily highlight. umSisi House welcomes children of all ages. TGCSA 5-Star Country House. This is a destination offering Kruger Lowveld accommodation at its best while truly embracing the essence of South Africa: its people, its wild places and its wildlife.
Attractions:This is the perfect destination for private groups wishing to visit the Kruger Park, the Panorama Route and enjoy all the adventure activities available in the immediate area. A local activity booking service is provided for anything from bespoke Kruger safaris in private game-viewing vehicles to walking with elephants, exploring the Panorama Route, visiting rehabilitation centers, horseback trails, extreme golf, white water rafting, aerial cable trails, gold panning, ghost tours, the fascinating Geo Trail, the Lowveld Botanical Gardens and even some retail therapy at boutique craft and clothing stores.
Map
Extra Info
| Property Type | Cottage, Holiday Home, Self Catering, Villa |
| Conditions Show | |
| Check-in after | 03:00 PM |
| Check-out before | 11:00 AM |
| Cancellation Policy | No Refund |
| Can Be Used For | Film Location, Still Shoots, Wedding |
| For more info | |
Reviews
f you’re looking for a truly authentic Out-of-Africa-style luxury safari minus the hefty price tag, you can’t get better than the slice of African heaven that is umSisi House.
Nestled on a hillside watched over by the sacred Lion Mountain of Legogote, there are few spots this beautiful on the fringes of the Kruger National Park.
Yes, you can pay more for a more chichi (aka contrived) experience as provided by some better-known game reserves within the park - where guests are flown in and out without their feet ever really touching African soil. But if a lovingly crafted mix of homespun charms, high-class comfort and authentic 21st century colonial Africa sounds more your thing, umSisi House will deliver above and beyond.
The British owners have managed to capture Africa’s heart and stitch its soul into the very fabric of the place. Personal touches abound, alongside high-end creature comforts that create the kind of ‘At Home in Africa’ that a discerning traveller could spend years trying to find.
The lodge’s owners and managers, Amanda and Paddy, are charming hosts who possess the rather uncanny ability to know exactly when to appear and disappear. If you’re lucky enough to get to know them, you’ll probably want to sit up and chat the night away in their company (and we did) - not least because of their warmth and hospitality. But, having travelled around more than 75,000km of Africa in the last twenty years, their deep and passionate knowledge of their magical country, and the continent beyond, gives rise to unrivalled conversation.
Quite apart from their conversation, you can rest assured that at the very least you’ll fall in love with this duo for their exceptional skills in the kitchen. Let’s just say that if Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson partnered up and set up a guesthouse in Africa, they’d have a hard time competing with umSisi House. The menu planning begins before you arrive, when you’ll receive a long list of meal options to choose from. They cater to every taste and dietary restriction - you can pick and choose from a selection that would leave Anthony Bordain spoilt for choice.
Early evenings are best spent lounging on the colonial-style wrap-around veranda, aperitif in hand, sampling some of White River’s finest local biltong. My elephant sightings aside, watching the lingering rays of a setting African sun dance upon the dome of Lion Mountain made for some of the finest memories of our trip. Decked out with animal skins and elegant local art, this is the perfect spot from which to contemplate the vast continent stretched out before you. It’s a view that’s probably not changed in centuries.
The same however, can’t be said of umSisi House, which has clearly undergone a facelift worthy of a sizeable spread in Conde Nast Traveller. Kitted out with all the high-end boutique hotel accoutrements you could wish for in the wilderness - wireless, iPod docks, HD TV, rainwater showers, oversized tubs - it’s the ultimate oasis to come home to and swap sighting stories after a day getting dusty in the Kruger.
Day safaris, which are arranged by your hosts, leave at dawn. If like me, you’ve never been on safari before, you’ll come back a different person. There aren’t words to explain the feeling of stepping into Attenborough’s shoes for a day or the profundity of seeing your fellow mammals up close in the wild. I daren’t even imagine how many digital camera slideshows Amanda and Paddy have had to sit through on their guests’ return, but you can bet your bottom dollar you’ll want to show them yours.
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About the Host
Member since: 20 Jan. 2010
About the Host
Member since: 20 Jan. 2010
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