Ants Nest Waterberg

The Ant Collection of South Africa offers two unique bush home experiences in the following game lodges: Ant's Nest and Ant's Hill. Ant's Nest lodge is beautifully situated on a private game reserve in the malaria free Waterberg in South Africa, Limpopo Province.

The reserve is located on an escarpment looking out over the Waterberg Plateau in the Limpopo Province, 3 hours north of OR Tambo International Airport (formally known as Johannesburg International Airport). The Ant's Nest is a 3.5 hours drive east of the Madikwe Game Reserve and a 5 hours drive west of the Kruger National Park.

This magnificent bush lodge provides great and adventurous game viewing experiences, which can be enjoyed on game drives, guided bush walks, mountain bike or on horse back. Ant's Nest possesses 60 horses and offer a superb game viewing experience from horseback catering for both experienced riders and novice riders as well as children.

Ant's Nest in South Africa's beautiful Waterberg region is a wonderful bush getaway for couples and honeymooners alike who can enjoy the romantic options such as bush lunches, private dinners and others at the lodges. Furthermore, Ant's Nest is a breathtaking destination for groups of friends travelling together as they can book either of the lodges on an exclusive basis. For the experienced riders an exciting riding safari awaits at Ant's Nest. As children of all ages are welcome at Ant's Nest, unforgettable family safaris are available. Children may have their own special activities or are welcome to join their parents on all activities.

Ant's Nest Game Lodge, Limpopo Province (South Africa)

The exclusive Ant's Nest game lodge in the Waterberg, South Africa, is the original homestead. This game lodge provides 6 bedrooms and operates generally on an exclusive basis offering guests a very personal and flexible bush experience.

Nestled in a natural amphitheatre the original homestead, with its wide verandahs, provides its guests with a classic, relaxed African atmosphere. A wide variety of game visits the waterhole in front of the bush home where horses and dogs abound. A stylish warmth is brought to the colonial house by using classic furniture fashioned from local fabrics, timber and stone.

The six luxurious en-suite bedrooms accommodate a maximum of twelve guests. The 15 meter swimming pool in the garden is ideal for those needing some exercise or for purely cooling off after an active day. This is great for kids as it's heated all year. Extensive lawns with indigenous plants surround the pool and there is a wonderful thatched chill-out spot with vast sofa beds where you can relax during the heat of the day.

Ant's Nest consists of a main house where the upper floor features a stunning honeymoon suite with an adjoining twin bedroom, a large sitting, dining, living room and verandah. The downstairs of the main house also has of a double and a twin bedroom with comfortable library, dining room and verandah.

There are two additional privately appointed bedrooms away from the main house each with a double and single bed, their own large verandah and comfortable furniture. All bedrooms at Ant's Nest are en-suite and equipped with necessary amenities. There is a well-stocked curio shop offering both local and other African goods.

Horse riding at Ant's Nest Game Lodge, Waterberg

Ant's Nest offers 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. Two competent guides lead each ride 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 Nest 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

Ant's Nest 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. The Ant's Nest game lodge provides 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 Nest 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 Nest 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 at the Ant's Nest Game Lodge

The Ant's Nest game lodge consists of the main house, which features two double suites downstairs and two double suites upstairs, all with private lounge areas. There are also two double suites, with private bathrooms and verandahs across the lawns.

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 Nest and Ant's Hill are 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 Nest Game Lodge from Johannesburg, Gauteng (South Africa)

• 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).

To Ant's Nest Game Lodge:

• Follow this road for 11kms - take right hand turn down the wide gravel road to Dorset.
• Follow this for 10.5 kms on the left you will see a sign for Ant's Nest, with a thatched entrance.
• Open the gate and follow the road for about 3kms down into the valley and to the lodge. There are signs indicating lodge.

Please note that there is a very steep pass down into the valley, but a normal saloon car will make it down fine if you take it slowly in 1st gear.

Airstrip co-ordinates:

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