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About a 3-hour drive (roughly 300 km) from Johannesburg or a 2.5–3 hour drive from Durban (King Shaka International, DUR), just 27 km off the N3 highway near the base of Van Reenen's Pass, an easy self-drive and a natural halfway stop between the two cities; there is no airstrip.
Nine individual colonial-style "wood and iron" cottages, each with unique fixtures and fittings and outstanding views over the reserve and battlefield (some with views straight from the bath). Six are double cottages ideal for couples and single travellers, while the three two-bedroom family cottages suit families and groups.
Warm, farm-style country cooking made with fresh, locally grown and sourced ingredients, served long-table style for a convivial, meet-the-other-guests atmosphere, with a lounge, library and wine cellar alongside, and packed lunches for days out exploring the battlefields and trails.
Layers for the Drakensberg's changeable weather, warm clothing for cold winter mornings and evenings (May–August, it can be near-freezing at altitude), a rain jacket for summer afternoon storms, sturdy walking shoes for hikes and battlefield walks, a sun hat, sunscreen and binoculars (great birding), swimwear for the pool, and closed shoes for horse riding, no malaria precautions needed here.
The flagship experience is the guided Spioenkop battlefield tour, widely rated exceptional, so build in time for it (the lodge sits roughly on the old British HQ site), and it's within easy reach of the Colenso battlefield and about two hours from the Anglo-Zulu battlefields of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift. It's a superb, genuinely convenient halfway stop between Johannesburg and Durban (27 km off the N3), and beyond history there's hiking, horse trails, mountain biking and game walks (rhino, giraffe, eland and zebra in the malaria-free reserve). Come for character and warmth over five-star polish, this is homely, owner-run hospitality.
A Fair Trade Tourism-certified, four-star family lodge placing strong emphasis on sustainable, responsible tourism, Three Tree Hill sources fresh local ingredients, employs and supports the surrounding community (village tours are offered), and sits lightly on the edge of the malaria-free Spioenkop Nature Reserve, home to white rhino, giraffe, eland and abundant birdlife.
