Syringa Sands Forest Cottage

Looking for peace and tranquility? Syringa Sands is the perfect destination for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.

Situated on the Kransberg plateau in the malaria free Waterberg in Limpopo, you will find us halfway Vaalwater and Thabazimbi, 38km from the Marakele National Park gate and 14km from the Welgevonden South Gate. The route to the gate is a scenic journey passed several game farms; the last 40km stretch is a dirt road, a higher clearance vehicle is recommended, especially in the rainy season.

The self-catering cottage (76sqm) is nicely tucked away in the forest, it offers two equal size bedrooms, both with ceiling fans, a single and a queen size bed. The open-plan living and kitchen area lead out to a covered stoep area and onto the braai area. The kitchen is well equipped with a dishwasher, gas stove, micro wave and fridge/freezer (no oven).

The lounge features a large fire place and 2 daybeds for afternoon naps. The bathroom has a shower, basin and toilet and a utility area with a washing machine.

Syringa Sands is a remote and quiet nature farm, however should you need to work remotely for a few hours, attend a meeting, send a few e mails or study online, we have recently installed 4MBps air fibre enabling you to be in the bush, yet remain connected.

Also, the main lighting runs on solar energy, the stove is on gas and the wifi has a 2 hour back up battery, just in case the Eskom power fails.

The outside braai area is the ideal spot to enjoy a sun downer and relax around the braai. Wildlife, including kudu, eland, zebra and giraffe, roam the farm freely and the nearby wetland is a good spot to look for a variety of bird life.

Explore the farm on foot or mountain bike, game drives are available on request.

Apart from the Forest cottage, there is a Rest Camp and another smaller cottage on the farm. The rest camp (max 8 people/no overlanders) is at a distance of 2.5 km from the cottage and the Syringa Sands Mountain Cottage for 2 is located about 5km from the Forest Cottage.

On site undercover parking is available at the back of the cottage. Please remember to bring firewood or briquettes and drinking water.

booking enquiry no obligation! OR book now!

Reviews

"Couldn't have wished for a better breakaway"

11 November 2019

"Sean and Alex are incredibly welcoming and made our stay incredible. We had a magnificent late afternoon game drive and sundowners. The setting and wildlife here is incredible. We were able to enjoy our weekend to the fullest extent having our dogs with us and they had so much fun! Great catch and release fishing in the dam, wonderful walking routes and lots of fun on the district roads on my MTB. We are going to be back soon! The cottage is kitted out thoughfully with everything you could possibly need and is immaculately clean, this really feels like home from home."
"Where you get reminded you belong to nature"

18 September 2019

"Syringa is definitely one of the best places we have stayed in. Alex and Sean are both inspiring characters and extremely welcoming to this alternative lifestyle they invite us to retreat into. Waking up and walking in between giraffes and other antlopes reminded us that we are all part of nature.Thank you for the hospitality and inspiration."
"What a find!"

11 March 2018

"Syringa Sands offers a comfortable stay in a great setting. We loved walking and riding bikes in the bush, and watching the game on our routes.The house is well equipped."
"The heart of the Waterberg"

28 February 2018

"The peace and quiet was absolutely amazing. Something I doubt you'll find anywhere else. Really enjoyed the stay. Thanks Sean and Alex!"
"Off the beaten track wilderness experience"

28 December 2017

"We loved the privacy of this comfortable cottage in the forest. The walking trails were great with an abundance of game species. We spent a week at Syringa Sands - enough time to relax, get walking fit and take in a game drive in the closeby Marakele National Park."
"Silence!"

17 July 2017

"Walking trails were lovely. So nice to bring our little dog along. Every thing excellent except just maybe a softerbed."
"Fantastic Getaway"

22 May 2017

"Thank you Alex and Sean for your hospitality and opening you beautiful place for us and our fur babies for the weekend. We enjoyed every second of our stay and all city folk should go visit your beautiful tranquil place. We will see you soon again. We saw loads of antelope, Jackal and Bush Babies."
"The cottage and the bush"

10 April 2017

"If you like pristine bush, Syringa is perfect. There's no spreading lawns or pools, just the bush with endless tracks to walk and damns to swim in. The lapa down by the big damn is amazing for the evening, while the kids fished. You'll probably not see another person other than Sean the owner. The cottage is ideal, everything you need and modern and clean and with a super stoep where you can lie back and listen to nature."
"Syringa Sands"

22 March 2017

"We had a fantastic long weekend. The kids AND our dog had such fun. The accommodation was very well equipped, clean and very comfortable. Lovely setting and great walks! We will be back soon! Next time with our bikes for sure."
"Wonderful!"

25 December 2016

"Our little family had the best 8 night stay in the cottage. We could completely relax and unwind in the beautiful surroundings. The cottage is very spacious and has everything you need. We just loved the big stoep, we went swimming and and rowing in the dam. Sean and Alex are fantastic hosts and are very attentive to even the smallest details. The animals and the veld is in great condition and we enjoyed learning so much about the all of it. An awesome place for bird watchers and anyone who wants to get close to nature and escape from city life for a while. We will return soon!"
"Fantastic Bush Getaway"

01 April 2016

"What a great weekend away... Syringa Sands is a beautiful, quiet and secluded spot in the Waterberg. Cottage is perfectly equipped, with every detail thought of. Fantastic hosts made for a very relaxing and enjoyable stay - a lovely game drive with sunset stop, close-up views of roan antelope, and a lot of interesting info shared on the way by Sean was a highlight. Roads getting there were a little challenging in our sedan, after recent rains, so visitors in a higher clearance vehicle are definitely better off. But we did it, and having said that though, Sean kindly transferred us from the entrance of the farm to the cottage on arrival! We'd love to go back!"
"Een paradijs"

09 November 2015

"Een comfortabel ingericht en prachtig gelegen cottage. Uiterst vriendelijke en gastvrije eigenaars die alles doen om het de gasten naar de zin te maken. Rondritten en wandeling over het grote terrein met bezoek aan de Roan antilopen die hier worden gekoesterd."
"Love Syringa Sands"

17 June 2015

"Stunning cottage in stunning location! We were two families with small children and a baby that stayed in the cottage for three nights. Best equipped self catering cottage I have ever stayed in and it has absolutely everything one needs. We loved the game drive, spending time at the dam and walking around in the bush. The kids loved it too. Perfect spot to get away from it all. Thanks Alex and Sean for your hospitality and sharing your piece of paradise with us."
"Perfect Relaxing Getaway"

04 May 2015

"We loved our weekend away at Syringa Sands. It may not have the Big5 but it has the loveliest cottage, the most relaxing setting and some really great (and well-marked) trails. The cottage is equipped with everything so you really do just need to bring food and not really worry about anything else. It's hidden away, peaceful and the perfect spot if you really want to get away from it all. The cell-signal is almost non-existent in the cottage itself (which I loved) but a short walk will allow you to send and receive a few messages if you feel you have to. Alex and Sean were amazing hosts and made us feel so at home-we will definitely be back and this time stay for a while longer."
"Incredible!"

28 July 2014

"My dad and I decided to have a father-son getaway, as I am living in the USA and we don't see each other that much.Sean and his wife from Syringa Sands were incredible! Our stay was a real blessing!The house was very well equipped. The location was great and the hospitality was truly 5-star!I will recommend it to anyone who wants to get away to the bush!"
"Quiet hideaway in the bush"

24 March 2014

"We had an amazing long weekend as a family at Syringa Sands game farm. The farm is situated amongst diverse landscape with open plains, forested areas, dams and rivers surrounded by picturesque mountains. Sean and Alex were hospitable, meeting us at the gate on our arrival and offering to take us on a game drive in the evening to orientate ourselves with their farm so we could explore it for the rest of the weekend. In their open top Land Rover we explored their pristine bushveld, sharing stories while coming across amazing sightings of some of the species of animals they have on their farm such as giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and eland. By the end of the drive, and for the rest of the weekend, we were made to feel like the farm was our own.The cottage is situated in a corner of their farm amongst the trees and backs onto the farm store room which you would never know was there. The cottage is clean and totally self-contained with a large patio and outside fire pit where we spent most of our time relaxing and enjoying the bush sounds. At night around the fire we heard the Fiery Necked Nightjar, Pearl Spotted Owl and Scops Owl calling which entrenched the fact that we were in the bush.As a family we went on multiple walks and mountain bike rides but never once came across another house or person. We enjoy our birds and had some great sightings including Pied and Woodlands Kingfishers, European Beeaters, and what looked like an Osprey or Juvenile Fish Eagle with its full white front at their main dam. Their main dam entertained us for hours, as we tried our luck with the bass fishing and the kids played around the weir and jetty picking lilies.Overall it was a superb weekend, a huge thanks to the owners for giving us such an opportunity to explore and appreciate their bush farm."