Children may have their own special activities or are welcome to join their parents on all activities.

Ant's Hill Game Lodge

The Ant's Hill safari lodge was created with a rustic but fun feel - stone, wild olive, waterfall showers and brightly colored fabrics to name but a few. Ant's Hill features 6 bedrooms, which includes a family cottage and can be booked either on a room per night basis, or if guests have a small group with a minimum of 6 Adults the lodge can be offered on an exclusive basis.

A wonderful team who create an open and friendly atmosphere hosts Ant's Hill game lodge. Built on the edge of a cliff, this unique bush home offers breathtaking views across the Waterberg. With spacious rooms and vast folding doors, the thatched lodge blends into the bush, while exotic furniture and brightly coloured African fabrics make it both sophisticated and comfortable. The draped four-poster beds are seven foot wide and each bathroom is spectacular, offering guests sunken baths and waterfall showers. Set in boulders on the edge of the cliff, the heated swimming pool cascades over the lip of the gorge, inducing you to relax there for hours. Ant's Hill caters for a maximum of 12 guests and can be booked non-exclusively or exclusively to one party.

The rooms consist of two privately appointed honeymoon cottages, one family cottage with a master bedroom and 2 twin rooms and, lastly, a twin room situated above the main lodge with a private verandah overlooking the spectacular gorge.

The main lodge boasts a vast living area and dining room, both with fireplaces. A spacious verandah and deck overhang the gorge so are ideal for early morning breakfasts and evening sundowners. To top it all Ant's Hill overlooks a waterhole frequently visited by a variety of game. An equipped gym is available for those wanting some serious exercise and there is a curio shop for those in need of retail therapy.

Horse riding at Ant's Hill

Both Ant's Nest and Ant's Hill offer the opportunity for some of the greatest game viewing in the African bush - from horseback. Guests are invited to canter along open sandy tracks or traverse high ridges with spectacular vistas. The pace can be as fast or relaxed as the riders would like. Often the riders get so close to the game that the experience remains unforgettable.

The horses are fit, reliable and responsive , providing a choice for both the professional rider and the absolute beginner. The herd of 60 horses is made up of big thoroughbreds and Arab-boerperd crosses and includes some fabulous children's ponies. Each ride is led by two competent guides and the emphasis is on safety at all times. The enthusiastic rider may wish to ride twice daily and turn their stay into a luxury riding safari. Families or couples, where some ride and others don't, can enjoy separate activities. As we always have two guides on each ride novices can go out with their more competent partners without slowing the ride. Basic lessons for non-riders are available at both reserves; many guests learn to ride and gain confidence here.

Guided Bush Walks

For guests who prefer walking, the guides lead them through the bushveld on foot. These walks are informative and interactive, enabling visitors to gain knowledge of the unique African flora and fauna. One can often miss the smaller details of the beautiful environment when on a vehicle or horseback, so guided walks are highly recommended. Whilst these can be in the form of a gentle stroll, the more energetic can hike over the plains and up impressive gorges. Whilst identifying insects and birds and learning about the medicinal uses of various plants, visitors also learn how to track game. Specialised bug hunts are available for children at both bush homes.

Game Drives

The guides at Ant's Hill drive open 4x4 Land Cruiser on their morning or afternoon game drives. At night a spotlight is used to find elusive nocturnal animals, such as the rare brown hyena, aardvark bushbaby and porcupine. The advantage of a game drive is that you are able to cover more ground across the reserves. Game drives and walks can often be combined to make game viewing and photography more exciting.

Game which is usually encountered is: white rhino, zebra, giraffe, warthog, blue wildebeest, sable antelope, nyala, waterbuck, impala, red hartebeest, blesbok, kudu, the rare Livingstone eland, oryx, mountain reedbuck, bushbuck and nyala, steenbok, mongoose, springhare, chacma baboon, vervet monkey, duiker, black backed jackal, scrub hare, lesser bush baby, tree squirrel, rock hyraxes. The guides sometimes spot nocturnal species such as: leopard, carcal, aardvark, brown hyena, porcupine, bush pig, bat eared fox, stripped polecat, honey badger, serval cat, African civet, genets, wild cat and klipspringer.

Family Safaris

The Ant's Hill game lodge provides children with a life-changing experience. The lodge's unique policy is to allow children of all ages to join their parents on all game viewing activities. The lodge provides a selection of wonderful ponies catering to both the novice and experienced child rider. A competent guide will lead beginners and riding lessons are also available.

The lodge has created specialised kids "bug" and "spoor" walks, although driving in an open 4 X 4 on game drives is always popular. Both lodges provide various facilities which are ideal for kids, such as the heated swimming pool, a trampoline, sand pits, a badminton and volley ball net with a selection of toys and books. Children are welcome to join their parents for dinner. Alternatively, special suppers or meal times can be arranged.

Due to the relaxed and informal atmosphere, Ant's Hill is ideal for families with children of all ages. While the activities keep all well entertained , guests will learn a lot about wildlife, gaining inspiration to last a lifetime.

Wining and Dining

The Lodge takes great pride in their sumptuous home cooking, dining in a variety of places and outside whenever possible. Often morning game activities are ended with a bush lunch, whilst at night one sits around open fires under the stars. The chefs can cater for all dietary requirements and excellent South African estate wines are served.

The day at Ant's Hill usually begins with a light breakfast of cereals, fruits, yoghurt and toast although a cooked breakfast is available on request. A light lunch, with a variety of salads and other delicious dishes is usually served around midday, followed by high-tea prior to your afternoon game viewing. A scrumptious three-course dinner or barbeque rounds off the day.

Facilities

The exclusive Ant's Hill lodge consists of two privately situated honeymoon suites away from the main lodge with stunning views, a family cottage that has two main bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and an extra loft room, perfect for kids, as well as a private sitting room and verandah. Another luxurious twin bedroom with a private verandah is located above the main lodge.

The Waterberg, South Africa

As the malaria free Waterberg region in South Africa is situated on an intercontinental divergence zone, a wider variety of flora and fauna can be found here than elsewhere in Africa. The diverse topography of the reserves also allows to naturally sustain over 40 species of game including giraffe, white rhino, sable antelope, buffalo, nyala, gemsbok (oryx), kudu, Livingstone eland, blue wildebeest (gnu), red hartebeest, zebra, impala, bushbuck, duiker, steenbuck, mountain reedbuck, waterbuck, warthog, blesbuck, baboons, bushpig, klipspringer, leopard, jackal, brown hyena, caracal, civet and genet to name but a few.

There are well over 300 species of resident and migrant birds on the reserves. Guests are always welcome to join in on any management activities on the reserves such as game capture and relocation, treating injured animals, burning firebreaks, game census on horseback etc.

Sable antelope are today one of the most endangered specie in South Africa and rarely seen in any National park. The reserve had started with a small core herd in 1998 and today have a successful, well established and viable breeding herd. The reserve also has a breeding conservation project at Ant's Hill producing disease-free Cape buffalo.

Climate

Ant's Hill is located in the Waterberg region of the Limpopo province in the northern part of South Africa. This beautiful area is malaria-free and at an altitude of 4,500 feet above sea level offers a wonderful temperate climate and can be visited all year round. Summer (November to March) - the days can get quite warm (up to 28-32 degrees on average) but it is a dry heat. This area of South Africa gets summer rainfall, normally in the form of thunder storms. These rarely affect activities and are usually in the evening, however, the African climate is still always unpredictable. Autumn (April to May) - days can still be warm but the evenings cool down. Average day time temperature 22-28 degrees. Evenings 10-15 degrees. Winter (June to August) - days are warm (temperatures in the mid-twenties) evenings and early mornings very cold with average early morning temperatures 5-12 degrees. It very rarely rains at this time when the bush is golden and dry. Spring (September, October) - days start getting hotter, evenings and mornings could still be crisp but not as cold.

Directions to Ant's Hill from Johannesburg

• From OR Tambo International Airport (formally known as Johannesburg International Airport), take R21 to Pretoria. After about 15-20 minutes you will see an off-ramp road that says Pretoria East/Pietersburg (now called Polokwane) N1, take this off ramp and continue on the N1 north.
• From Johannesburg/Pretoria take the NI north. Once on the N1 you will go past the outskirts of Pretoria and continue for at least 60-80 minutes. At the third toll station (this is known as the Kranskop Tollgate) ensure you are in the very left lane as you will coming off the highway here. Turn left towards Nylstroom/Modimolle on the R33.
• After about 10 km pass straight through Nylstroom/Modimolle and continue for 60kms to Vaalwater.
• Go through Vaalwater. On reaching the Total Garage and Kwikspar, turn right on the R33 towards Ellisras/Lephalale (the new Ellisras road).

For Ant's Hill:

• once on the R33 towards Ellisras travel for approximately 18-19 km until you see a sign hanging on two tree trunks marked Ant's Hill, with a couple of aloes around the sign post.
• turn right onto a gravel road. Go straight on the gravel road until you see a thatched entrance, which is marked Ant's Hill. Open the gate and follow the signs to the lodge which is about 3-4 kms.

Airstrip co-ordinates:

Surface =grass, co-ords = S 241208 E 280558,
Elevation = 3780 ft, Length = 1000 m, Direction = 03/21