Little Carthage

Rustic, affordable bushcamp on the Olifants river.

If you enjoy the simple things in life, this is the place for you. We dont offer luxury and fantastic service, we offer you comfortable accommodation in a beautiful location at an affordable price.

This is a place to relax and unwind in peaceful and quiet nature. The outdoor kitchen looking onto the pooldeck and river combined with Hoedspruits almost perfect weather, means you will be spending most of your time outdoors. There are two modest chalets, a 4 sleeper and a 2 sleeper, which are only available booked together as one unit guaranteeing you privacy and exclusive use of the outdoor kitchen, pool and braai facilities. The owner and family live on the property but separate from the guest area.

We are deep in the bush, there is a 12km dirt road to get here. You dont need a 4 x 4 but very low cars will battle. There is also a R150 conservation levy per car valid for 7 days.

Little Carthage is a great getaway for people who love the bush, but please be prepared for the bush. There are geckos, lizards, spiders and the occasional snake, monkeys and baboons. We try not to kill anything except mosquitoes and flies, and so on.

We are set within the 1000 ha Ndlovumzi Nature Reserve with giraffe, zebra, kudu, nyala, warthog, eland, water buck, black-backed jackal and more, and there are crocodiles and hippos in the main stream of the Olifants. The adventurous can explore the island, potholes and waterfalls right in front of Little Carthage.

The pool deck is right on the river with a swimming pool, a braai area and an eight-seater table under shade. The open kitchen has an eight-seater table under thatch, a full size fridge-freezer, a gas oven and stove, a microwave and cutlery and crockery.

* The Loft Chalet sleeps four, with a queen-size bed downstairs and a loft bedroom with twin beds. There is a bathroom with a shower. The ladder to the loft is very steep and not suitable for very small children or older folk. There is a kitchenette with a medium fridge, a kettle, and basic cutlery and crockery.

* The Rondavel sleeps two and is a very basic but neat open-plan room. There is a double bed and a bathroom with a shower that are separated only by a half wall. Cooking and catering needs to be done in the outside kitchen. It is not available to rent on its own, only for those hiring both the Loft Chalet and the Rondavel together.

No loud parties or loud music allowed.

booking enquiry no obligation!

Reviews

  • "The view"

    12 April 2021

    "This is a little gem. The most beautiful view. Heather thank you for your hospitality . We enjoyed our stay and cant wait to be back again"

  • "The absolute peace and quiet"

    17 December 2020

    "We loved the tranquility of the house. It was so peaceful and quiet, that it allows you to completely switch off to the hustle of everyday life. The kids loved playing in the river and going for walks. And the pool was just what was needed for the hot days. Lucas was so helpful and built a boma fire every night for us and although it was 38 degrees everyday, we still lit the boma. Heather was so accommodating by allowing us to bring our dog and was lovely to chat too. If you are looking for 5 star treatment, this is not the place for you. But if you looking for a place to relax and unwind with no other people in site, it is definitely the place for you! The only thing we could advise is the the game resort as a whole should grade the roads again as it made for really rough terrain when trying to do game drives. And that was on the normal roads and not the 4x4 paths. We will definitely be back! Thank you Heather, Lucas and team!"

  • "the trip to the waterfalls with (sorry)?"

    18 August 2018

    "The property could be improved a bit for visitor comfort (eg carpet/lino cover for bouble bedroom floor to cover 'decking' flooring gaps, + a few proper hooks for clothes/towels/solar lights etc. The whole family loved this place and the kids discovered that life without Wi-Fi is great fun. Probably the best location of the whole 3 week holiday - but don't despair on first arrival!!"

  • "The view from the deck and the friendly hostess"

    08 July 2018

    "It was perfect...so relaxed and we would love to go agian. The kids loved plating in the river and walking on the rocks. The host is so friendly. Heather really takes pride in her cottages. We were very happy."

  • "The peace and quiet ."

    25 February 2018

    "The open plan kitchen outside was great. At the pool with a awesome view. The view point with the waterfalls was also very nice. Pet friendly. What more can you ask for. A lot of game to view. Heather a great host. Made us feel very welcome and always prepared to help."

  • "Peace and rest"

    13 February 2018

    "No cellphone reception was the best of all. The nature and peace full atmosphere contributed to the real place to rest."

  • "Fantastic place in the bush"

    02 January 2018

    "Outside area was lovely, fantastic view and pool/braai area. My friends, first timers to South Africa, rated this one of all the places we stayed as having the best living/outside space. We had a great time and loved the place. Heather was lovely to chat to and her staff very pleasant. Road in was a bit worse than we expected but once done the first time you get use to it and it's fine. A high clearance car is recommended."

  • "Piece of paradise!"

    18 August 2017

    "We loved every minute of our stay! Absolute perfect getaway! Gracious host. Heather was always available when we needed anything. Our fireplace, pool and surrounds were cleaned and sweeped early every morning by friendly staff. We went boulder hopping everyday in the river for hours. Amazing scenery. Never seen so many stars in the sky and fireflies dancing on the river at night. Plenty of game spotted on our drives. This is our happy place and will make an annual trip. If you want to get away from everything, this is the place!!"

  • "A lovely place"

    13 August 2017

    "It's a quiet place to stay with wonderfull view. We were happy to found so charming owner."

  • "Tranquility"

    14 July 2017

    "A place to get away from it all!!! Spend lovely hours around the bonfire. The first time we looked at the time was on the day of our departure."

  • "Paradise"

    05 March 2016

    "We had just such a wonderfull stay at Little Carthage. It was just like a dream came true. We felt very welcome because of the hospitality. The place was very neat and everything you needed was available. Just wonderfull views from the deck and the pool. We surely will come back to Little Carthage!"

  • "A piece of heaven"

    19 October 2015

    "Little Carthage has all the ingredients for a magical family getaway. A fantastic private pool, deck and open dining area at your disposal for R&amp;R and magical outdoor dining, gorgeous views over the Oliphant's River, easy access to adventurous walks to go game or waterfall spotting, a perfect positioning to enjoy stunning lowveld sunsets and a dark sky for beautiful star gazing opportunities.<div>Our Host Heather was very friendly and ensured our every need was met.</div>"

  • "Superliciuos"

    07 April 2014

    "We had the best time, Heather is a fantastic hostess and the place is beautiful."

  • "Wonderful place to stay"

    31 December 2013

    "Our first time to Little Carthage and found it to be a little piece of heaven. Heather and family were so friendly and helpful, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay for the week. Would recommend to anyone who loves the bush and nature, the views of the river are amazing and enjoyed exploring the area by foot. Thank you very much."

  • "Little Carthage"

    17 December 2013

    "We had the best time ever. The view is stunning the accommodation is comfortable and Heather is the greatest host. Looking for peace and quiet and natures beauty to go with it then I recommend Litte Carthage."

  • "Relaxing and peaceful"

    21 September 2013

    "We stayed for 1 night at Little Carthage but wish we could've stayed longer, such a relaxing, peaceful & beautiful place!We had booked the rondavel but upon arrival it turned out we had the entire facility to ourselves and we were given a free upgrade to the chalet, how nice! The pool deck and its views are simply stunning. Heather and her father are such nice hosts, very helpful and friendly.5 stars, highly recommended!"

  • "Moooi!"

    13 April 2013

    "Hier waant men zich echt in de 'Bush'. Natuurlijk zijn de gebouwtjes niet helemaal zoals de hutten van de zwarten oorspronkelijk waren. Wij zijn immers te veel luxe gewoon. Maar als u een impressie wil hebben en avontuur wilt beleven, moet u hier naartoe."

  • "Gem in the bush"

    02 April 2013

    "We stayed at Little Carthage over the Easter Weekend. The lodge was comfy and cozy and very intimate and private. The views from the pool deck were spectacular and all the facilities were excellent. Our hosts Heather and Bill were more than inviting and warm. The nature reserve the lodge is in - Ndlovumzi- was an interesting adventure, wild dogs and lots of Giraffe and Zebra on your doorstep. Definately worth the drive and definately worth another stay. Lovely stay!!"

  • "Not so great"

    28 January 2013

    "Road very bad, not for a car. Chalet not on standard. It rained during night and water came through walls.<br></br><b>Establishment's response</b><br></br><i>They arrived after 4 days of heavy rain, and then there was a severe storm on the night they were here. The torrential rain and flooding in the Limpopo area and Kruger Park was all over the news, and the whole area had damage, not just me. Rain had never come through the wall before, and there is normally no problem with the road. My mom lived here for 15 months driving a little Chevrolet Spark which coped fine. They said that they understood that it was beyond my control when they left and I thanked them for being so nice about it.</i>"

  • "Wonderful"

    14 January 2013

    "Little Carthage is the place to go if you need to relax and find yourself again. We had a wonderfull relaxing time. And I have invited the whole family to go with us next time. Great meeting Heather, she is a wonderfull person."

  • "Affordable and comfortable"

    05 January 2013

    "We booked for 1 night and ended up staying for 2, awesome stay. Heather was extremely helpful, friendly and professional. We will definitely return, I strongly recommend Little Carthage if you want relaxing and affordable accommadation."

  • "Wonderful getaway"

    23 October 2012

    "Dear Heather, thank you so much for a wonderful weekend. It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen and very relaxing. We will definately see you soon. I am really impressed."

  • "Relaxing"

    06 September 2012

    "What a lovely place. Had such a relaxing evening, would loved to have spent more time there. Next time we will bring the boys and play in the river. Heather and family very welcoming and friendly."

  • "Paradise in the bush"

    22 May 2012

    "A beautiful well equipped and clean place. Thank you Heather for a wonderful two days, we will definitely visit again."

  • "Beautiful"

    17 April 2012

    "Little Carthage is a beautiful place with lovely surroundings, but more for the older folk. Not child friendly."

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