If you are planning to visit South Africa and do as much climbing as possible, this is a good place to stop over first. We are only 2 hours form Johannesburg International Airport by car, on major bus and train routes and geared to attend to all your climbing needs.

Once you are here, you don't need a car. This can make for a really cheap week or two of living in comfort and climbing lots.

Click here for our Tariffs...

When the first lodge (read here about that bit of history)  became just too small to handle the ever increasing traffic to this area, we started shopping around for a bigger place not too far away.

When I saw these two joined houses for sale, my mind worked over time. How will we finance it, is it the right spot for what we need and what is wrong with it that needed fixing?

My French mother-in-law said it is just a "chateau en Espagne". Translated this means a 'castle in the sky'. We kept talking about the chateau en Espagne, just like one sort of let the mind go. Well, the name stuck, our plans became reality and we still refer to it as our 'chateau'.

Inside the chateau, we have 3 high-pressure showers. With pebbles out of the Elands River, the floor in the bathroom is soothing on bare feet, as rocky as it seems as first.

Three rooms are furnished with stacked bunkbeds. Covered duvets and pillows are supplied. In winter, consider bringing an extra blanket or a sleeping bag along.

Our double rooms are not 'en suite' or equipped with a bar fridge or satellite TV, but big enough to stash some gear in and have a good night of rest.

The lounge is fitted with bean bags. So throw yourself down, grab a board game, climbing magazine or a snooze. The roof fan keeps the lounge cool in the heat of the day during summer. Whilst in winter, the fire place is logged up for a warming log-fire.

Fridge, pots, pans, toaster, stove tops, oven, plates, knives, forks, spoons, cups, glasses, cork screw and even a blender for mixing up a smoothie or milkshake...

...just bring along the needed ingredients!

PS: While your belay-buddy cooks up a storm, try some of the problems on the kitchen wall. Click for the pic--->

The deck is there to enjoy the views towards the North of the Elands valley, sit star gazing at night, sun bathing in the day and off course to slap some steaks on the braai (or patatoes & butternuts in the coals if you are a vegeterian).