Just 20 km’s past Bela Bela is a luxury bush lodge catering to the Off-Road Community, not specifically or only for, but they do encourage dirt bikers, ATV riders and Adventure Bikers to make use of their facilities. It is a working game farm and lodge as well as a small scale working farm situated ideally in the Waterberg just outside Bela Bela. Best of all is the quality of the lodge, its facilities and its proximity to the towns of Bela Bela and Modimolle, (Warmbaths and Nylstroom in the old language), for the non-riders.
Let’s tell you about the lodge and its surroundings first. Located 20 km’s out of Bela Bela on the Modimolle road with about an 8km section of dirt road from the tar to the lodge. A word to the wise, if you are towing your bikes to the venue it is advisable to use a high ground clearance vehicle, your low slung luxury saloon or hot hatch will take some serious strain through the water eroded channels, rocky lurkers, washboarding and thick sand. This is only a short 2 or 3 km section, but it is quite memorable. After that it is actually quite a good road. And for the adventure bikers riding to the lodge make sure you have your sand riding brain engaged, because you are going to need it, also just a short section then it is plain sailing from there on in all the way to the lodge. The advantage with this road is that if you see more than five cars a day it is unusually busy, so great for peaceful bike riding.
As you crest the final hill before the gate to the lodge the view to the valleys and Waterberg opens up into a breathtaking vista of pure bushveld and blue skies under the African sun. The road from the gate to the lodge is quite tight and twisty in some places with narrow bridges here and there so take care with your big SUV’s and trailers. Once you stop at reception you know you are on holiday. The grounds are gorgeous with beautiful landscaping, a swimming pool deck right out of the Mediterranean overlooked by a two storey thatched lounge, dining room and bar set up. Across from that is a small open air gym for the fitter folks. The lodge can accommodate up to fifty people in various suites and family rooms as well as The Water Tower house and The Bush House and then, they can also take around 20 campers in tents, off-road trailers and off-road caravans.Â
The Water Tower House is the most secluded and about 2 kays from the main camp. It literally started out as a water tower on the highest point of the farm. When they got to the top of the tower they were blown away by the view and decided to build an eight-sleeper luxury unit into the tower. There is a 360 degree viewing deck right at the top that gives you views of both the Waterberg and Magalies mountains all the way to Kranskop and beyond. We reckon you could easily get 4 off-road caravans into that compound if you want to go as a bigger group – there are more than enough ablutions as well. Because of its isolation you can make as much or as little noise as you like. The challenge is to see if you can use up all the limitless firewood on hand in the firepit. The Bush House is situated within a short walk from the main lodge and can also accommodate around 8 people in luxury suites as well as another 4 or 5 caravans, tents etc with a spectacular outdoors ablution facility and a lekker boma area. Secluded enough for you to party hard without upsetting other guests but close enough to the swimming pool and facilities.
However, the ‘Pièce de Résistance’ of Rocky Mountain lodge is the riding on offer for all manner of off-road machine or Adventure bike. The farm itself offers around 30 kms of trails varying from fairly easy to quite technical and challenging. Remember this is also a game farm with free roaming wild life, be cognisant and considerate of that fact and you will have an absolute jol, bounce off a Giraffe, Zebra, Bontebok or donner into a donga and your day will not be great.Â
From the farm there is a dam about 20 kays away along the dirt road and about a 5 to 10 kay loop around the dam and plenty of picnic opportunities. Vaalwater, Ellisras, Thabazimbi and a bunch more bushveld towns can be reached from here as well and all off-road through some of the most spectacular bushveld scenery with lots of game and wildlife to look at along the way. Rocky Mountain lodge can be used as a base camp to explore the area. You can spend a week there and not ride the same trail twice.
We chatted to owners Zelda and Danie Muller and pricing does seem exceptionally reasonable for what is on offer, even possibly a little cheap. They only have 2 rules – 1.Relax, unwind and chill out – 2.Enjoy Yourself, (But we – Dirt & Trail – ask that do be considerate of where you are so that we can all keep going back).
Would you like to experience Rocky Mountain Lodge and the riding for yourself?
Well then tap or click here
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