Ant's Nest, The Waterberg

rooms

Ant’s Nest consists of a main house where the upper floor features the stunning Sable Suite with en-suite master bedroom and adjoining twin room. This spacious suite boasts a large living/dining area and veranda with incredible views overlooking the gardens and bush beyond.

Downstairs in the main house, The Davidson, has an en-suite double room and a twin room with a cosy sitting room and veranda.

There are two additional privately appointed rooms away from the main house; the Weaver Suite (upstairs with expansive views) and Rondavel (ground level), each with their own large veranda and comfortable furniture.

facilities & activities

The main lodge boasts a spacious living area and dining room, with fireplaces, created with an atmospheric setting. Having grown up in Kenya, Tessa brought stylish warmth to a colonial house using classic furniture fashioned from local fabrics, timber and stone.

Complimentary activities include game drives, horse riding, bush walks, mountain biking, badminton, volleyball and swimming. Tours of Bushman paintings, Iron Age villages and local farms, massages, clay pigeon and target shooting are charged additionally. 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.

dining

Ant's take great pride in their sumptuous home cooking, dining in a variety of places and outside whenever possible. They often end morning game activities with a bush lunch, whilst at night you will sit around open fires under the stars. The chefs can cater for all dietary requirements and they serve excellent South African wines.

family

Children of all ages are welcome at the Lodge and on the game drives. Those age 5 plus can also ride out, with pony rides closer to the Lodge arranged for younger children. The rangers here are particularly pro-active in taking children out to explore the African Bush. From making a fire, changing a wheel on a tractor, to bug collection and identification, even Rhino transportation for the brave, guests both young and old will be enthralled.

They have a selection of wonderful ponies. Beginners will be let by a guide and riding lessons are available. Children under 5 years will be led on a pony in and around the lodges as they are too young to be taken out on long rides.

Trampolines / badminton and toys and games are available for use between activities at both Lodges.

Children are welcome to join their parents for dinner. Alternatively, special suppers or meal times can be arranged. Bespoke children meals can also be prepared whilst in-house staff provide babysitting services.

Ant’s Nest can accommodate 2 adults and 2 children sharing the Weaver Suite on an existing day bed and extra bed, or 1 child can share in the Rondavel on a day bed. Alternatively connecting rooms (Sable Suite upstairs in Main House / The Davidson downstairs) can be allocated.

location

The Waterberg lies approx 3 hours North East of Johannesburg by road, and 4 hours East of Madikwe and 5 hours west of the Kruger National Park. Private shuttle flights can also be arranged.

Since the Waterberg lies on an intercontinental divergence zone there is a wider variety of flora and fauna than elsewhere in Africa sustaining 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!