Rocky Drift Private Nature Reserve

Reviews

• "Nice long weekend break"

  30 September 2020

  "Attentive hosts and awesome natural surroundings! Stayed in Owl House next door to the owner & 2 doors down from the hosts- not great from a privacy nor layout perspective as you feel obliged to be on 'best behaviour'. Rest of the chalets are down by the river- far more secluded and private. Our unit didn't have any braai utensils- not even tongs...asked if they had a Weber...was told no (yet all other chalets had one?!?!?!)...mattress and couches in this unit need a serious upgrade too. Otherwise, everything you need is provided."

• "The hidden little waterfalls and pools"

  19 August 2019

  "We had a great time. Was so quiet and tranquil. Will definitely go back again. Loved the peacocks and how child friendly the it was."

• "Lovely farm but accommodation substandard"

  08 August 2017

  "Advertised as a private nature reserve but they have peacocks at the accommodation disturbing the peace. Advertised as pet friendly but a very badly socialized and dog aggressive Rottweiler nearly attacked my dog. Accommodation needs TLC and caretakers willingness to help needs improvement."

• "Great scenery"

  20 June 2017

  "lovely place to stay... but very unpleasant reception of guests. We didn't even get to meet the owners, we got the keys from the worker there. we had no guidance regarding the activities stated on the website. All you get is a flip file with vague information and phone numbers which are not even answered. Improvement is NEEDED on the reception of guests."

• "Access"

  10 April 2017

  "The only downfall is that you cannot take your trailer to your front door. Judas also complained about us taking wood on the second night saying that it's hard to find and he has to get it with a wheel barrow."

• "Tranquillity"

  12 December 2016

  "We have been to Rockydrift a number of time and each time we've come back feeling rested. It's such a beautiful and peaceful place. Our kids have a blast there and we get to rest."

• "Needs some work"

  16 November 2016

  "Very beautiful view of the river front and lawn area. Very relaxing atmosphere. <br/><br/>The unit itself needs some attention. The chairs are uncomfortable, cushions are ripped, old magazines that is not relevant, wooden cabinet without glass doors, dstv remote not working properly, random decorations, broken blinds, fan in room is not working, loft without a bed, shower head that is not working properly. <br/><br/>The kitchen is extremely nice but leaves much to ask for of the remainder of the unit. <br/><br/>At the back of the unit, there is a lot excess building material and it almost looks like a junk yard. <br/><br/>It would have been a lot better if the front was fenced off so that the dogs can roam freely on the lawn without escaping into the mountains. <br/><br/>Also, it would have been helpful if there was a map of some sort to point out the walking trails. <br/><br/>The place has a lot of potential. <br/><br/>The workers are also very friendly and helpful."

• "Super"

  13 September 2016

  "We had a wonderful time. Judas and Leno are so helpful. Witvoed the local dog is such a nice dog. Our dog made friends with him and she (Mandy) and the four of us had a really good rest. We will be back."

• "A little piece of paradise"

  29 August 2016

  "Absolutely love this place. So peaceful and relaxing. Always leave feeling rejuvenated!"

• "Rockydrift Private Nature Reserve"

  11 May 2015

  "We have been here more than once and will come again. Love the fact that you can have the whole valley to yourself. It's so peaceful and the walk to the rock pools is fantastic. My kids love it here, as do my whole family. A favourite getaway of ours."

• "Peaceful Get-Away"

  25 September 2014

  "My husband and I stayed at Rockydrift from 19 to 24 September 2014, and thoroughly enjoyed out time there. Lovely chalet in a beautiful mountainous setting with a river nearby. We went on an amazing four-hour hike up the mountain, and took many shorter walks along the river on other days. It was so peaceful and relaxing; a great get-away from city life. Judas the caretaker kindly provided firewood and all the information we needed. The chalet was spotlessly clean, and the kitchen was fully equipped. The nice large fridge, microwave, Dstv, fireplace and braai area were just some of the creature comforts which enhanced our stay. Best of all, we were allowed to bring our dog Oscar, who had a great time playing with the resident dog Whisky. We highly recommend Rockydrift Private Nature Reserve!"

• "Pleasant Walks"

  18 June 2014

  "The area is very quiet and private. The walks along the river bank are great."

• "Beautiful"

  10 January 2014

  "Lovely place and lovely staff even Whiskey the dog was an awesome welcoming committee for our beloved pet. Would recommend... thank you!"

• "Absolutely fantastic"

  19 December 2013

  "We only stayed overnight but loved the accommodation. The scenery was breath taking. would love to visit here again with family."

• "Enjoyed my stay"

  23 November 2013

  "Enjoyed our stay at Rockydrift Private Nature Reseve from start to finish. Rained a bit on the day we arrived limiting activities we could do. On the second day we got to do some hiking, climbing up the top was calorie burning and so much fun for us as a group. It was 6 of us. There is a volleyball pitch as well as a ball but we didn't get to play much as we didn't have enough time. Did a small barbecue later on in the evening. The webster house kitchen is fully equipped and we found nothing really to complain about. The staff homes are close to the webster house but that didn't worry us, they didn't disturb us one bit. Nice linen, comfortable beds and wonderful antique setting for almost everything. Reserve in an area almost remote. No noise, no pollution, full of fresh air and very peaceful. If there wasn't many other areas i would like to visit i really wouldn't mind staying at this reserve in the future during my holidays. I give it 10/10. My holiday was worthy it."

• "Stunning beautiful secluded and serene"

  17 July 2013

  "Lovely venue! Great for kids. Beautiful scenery. Do it!! Rustic and lovely South African venue."

• "Pleasant stay"

  09 July 2013

  "I would just like to say that m lady and I had such a relaxing time. Definitely a place to get away from the concrete jungle and endure nature at its best. The owl's house was stunning and we Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We will definitely recommend this to our friends and family and we will def be back."

• "What a let down"

  11 June 2013

  "I left Rockydrift really disappointed. It ticked so many boxes - 3 hours from Joburg, affordable, pet friendly. And then added boxes of its own - in a private nature reserve with a network of hiking trails. My good impressions continued when we were upgraded from the one-room cottage we'd booked to the mega-better-than-home house. But here the problems began. The accommodation is right (RIGHT) by the caretakers cottage, so there is no privacy. We spent a full day Saturday looking for the hiking trails, and realised that they may have been there when the reserve was proclaimed (in 1967) but have since become overgrown and muddled with cattle tracks. We know the area well so could connect the jeep track that connects Boven Upper to the lower valley - but a network of hiking trails? Definitely not. I have the scratches to prove it. We then struggled to get wood from the caretaker and were charged - which is fine. But then do take the time to mention it in your 41 pages of rules? Then there were no matches. The final clanger for me, was when we were ordered to leave at 10am on Sunday. This i just don't understand. Why have a Joburg weekend getaway when you have to leave quickly? Every place that we've stayed at in this price range and distance from Joburg understands that if we're paying for two nights accommodation, it's really fabulous to have that little extra time on the Sunday to walk, pack, tidy and go. I'm afraid I left Rockydrift seriously disappointed. It has so much to offer, but fails on service and false promises.<br></br> <b>Establishment's response</b><br></br> <i>Hi Kerryn,<br></br> Firstly let me apologise for your experience at Rockydrift. The staff quarters have been in the same position since 1976 and yours is the 2nd complaint we have had regarding their position. We will look into having them relocated in the near future. I have also spoken to the caretaker and he admitted that one of the paths had not been cleared since February and he will have this sorted by end of June. According to the caretaker, wood was given to you for free on the first night as per our policy but thereafter payment is required as we have found some quests abuse free wood. (page 6) Matches are supplied at all times or you can ask the caretaker to start your fire for you as this is part of our service. Vacating the cottage on a Sunday by 10am (as you must have been aware when you made the booking as our arrival and departure times are clearly stated) we only required if the cottage is booked for that Sunday night (it was in your case and we clean from 10am till 1pm for the new guests), otherwise our guests are more than welcome to spend the rest of the day at Rockydrift, OR pack, tidy then walk and depart at your leisure.<br></br> Regards<br></br> Hans Ammon</i>"

• "Expectations surpassed"

  02 April 2013

  "Our stay at Rockydrift was fantastic - the hikes next to the stream, the tranquil nights, the fact that there's only two guest houses. Great value!"

• "Excellent"

  19 March 2013

  "Service as well as house was excellent! Was one of the most relaxing evenings I ever had in my life! Will definately go there again!"

• "Awesome weekend away at Rockydrift"

  11 March 2013

  "Awesome! Absolutely awesome!Breathtaking view between the mountains and stream. The surroundings was exactly what one needs for that break away from the concrete jungle.The house we stayed in also gets a thumbs up. Great job well done. Will definatly return.Thanks."

• "Clean. Pretty. Recommended."

  18 December 2012

  "Very nice kitchen area, esp gas stove and large fridge. Generally house is small but perfectly adequate size except for upstairs (kids) bedroom which is a bit small and rather dark even in the daytime due to slope of thatch roof and no windows. Bunkbeds also not good for very small kids who might fall out of bed. Chairs in lounge area not very comfy but nice to have DSTV, videos, books and magazines. Shower and bathroom area rustic but very nicely done. Garden area nice and neatly kept. Nice braai area. Units are a little close together although we were not disturbed at all by any noise because the unit next to us was empty during our stay. Lovely river and walking trail and small “dams” (rock pools artificially enlarged) looked very good for swimming although it was a bit overcast so we didn’t try. Judas met and greeted us, was friendly and helpful and was available any time on cell phone if anything was missing (e.g. dishcloths). Overall place is recommended."

• "Nice time"

  01 December 2012

  "Location easy to find despite the remoteness of the place. Some difficulty when arriving as the attendant didn't speak English - but we managed. We did find the advertised walking routes were a little difficult to find. We found one, but would have struggled to find the others. The resident dog was a delight and a good walking companion and the bird life was amazing. We had arrived with few provisions as it was the last 2 days of our holiday and intended eating at the restaurant next door. Unfortunately they were full but Anthony the hotel manager was a complete star and arranged for any food we wanted to be brought to our lodge. This worked very well for us as the heavens had opened that evening."

• "Absolutely brilliant stay"

  26 November 2012

  "What a way to spend our honeymoon. Everything was just perfect. The accommodation, the surroundings everything was absolutely magnificent! Would highly recommend it!"

• "Little paradise"

  12 October 2012

  "Need to break away and find yourself again? Want peace and quiet? Then this is where you should go. Truly peaceful and relaxing! For a quick break out or longer stay with the family, consider Rockydrift. Will visit again soon."

• "A magic place"

  07 October 2012

  "This is a place that we really recommanded because this is very peacefull and quiet near the N4 at 2 hours from Kruger Park (Malelane gate). You will appreciate the compagny of Whisky,the dog. Nature is all around with activities. The cottage itself is very charming and clean. We have everything we need for cooking in a modern american kitchen, television, a nice bathroom and bedroom. We will go again."

• "Enjoyed it"

  13 August 2012

  "We enjoyed our stay at Rockydrift. An ideal place to recharge "batteries". Staff are friendly and the accomodation is clean and neat."

• "Baie geniet"

  17 May 2012

  "Ons het dit geweldig geniet en sal definitief weer gaan! Judas en Lina is 2 dierbare mense en was baie behulpsaam!"

• "Weekend stay at Rockydrift"

  08 May 2012

  "We stayed in the Webster Cottage, and it was wonderful. Everything you need is there, very big Fridge/Freezer, fantastic gas stove and beautiful furnished rooms. It is very quiet and peaceful with only the sound of the stream in the background. Judas, the resident caretaker, is very helpful and will assist with anything. Will definitly recommend to friends and family!"

• "Great stay"

  16 April 2012

  "Had a great stay at the venue, will definitely return to them, will recommend it to everyone."

• "Peaceful"

  12 April 2012

  "Very peaceful, relaxing and beautiful environment. We enjoyed our two days stay and will visit again. If you want to get away from the rush at home or city this is the place to be."

• "Rockydrift"

  31 October 2010

  "My whole family had a wonderful stay here in this truly beautiful place. One of the most peaceful and tranquil places we have ever been. Everyone (kids aged 1 to 9 plus mum and dad) loved it. Just be aware that the nearest decent supermarket is in Belfast, the other side of the toll gate. Visit it now before it becomes more developed."

• "My stay was perfect"

  24 June 2010

  "Hi, my stay was perfect, my family enjoyed it, and thanks to safari now.com and the lady named Kelly, who was very helpful in giving us quotes. You should get more staff like that. I will be visiting the place again."