Insider’s Review of Farmhouse Royal Malewane

Accommodations at Farmhouse Royal Malewane

Staffed by its own chef and butler, Farmhouse private villa is made of three bedrooms with king-size beds and commodious en-suite bathrooms, as well as a slightly smaller room designed with younger travellers with mind, with two three-quarter size beds. Contemporary countryside is the order of the day here: bucolic touches of pale oak wood blend with painted accents of deep blue, fuchsia, or leafy green in the bedrooms and dining area, the sprawling front and back verandas, and the deck with a private pool, outdoor showers, and the whimsical daybed swing.

While this space comfortably accommodates up to six adults and two children, guests also have the flexibility to book the neighbouring Farmstead, three luxurious contemporary suites. Together, this amounts to a private estate of impressionable ease, where a group of 16 can reside, lounge, play, and explore with plenty of space left over.

Activities and Attractions at Farmhouse Royal Malewane

Thornybush Game Reserve is open only to the guests of villas and lodges like Farmhouse, and so our game drives through this lush bushveld are unperturbed by other travellers. Our Micato Safari Director will lead us through this acreage, which extends past a fenceless border into Kruger National Park, to share insight into the Big Five, as well as hundreds of bird species, reptiles, and no-less fascinating small mammals and insects.

Of course, we’re at the ready to arrange a selection of other excursions as well, including simply awe-inspiring conservation moments. You can fly over Blyde River Canyon in a helicopter piloted by an expert conservationist, or meet the Tango K9 anti-poaching tracker dogs and their rangers; on another day, you might join an ecologist with the Endangered Wildlife Trust to track endangered African painted dogs. In a humbling experience that will linger in your heart, Micato guests can also be part of a rhino dehorning, a high-stakes, essential activity carried out by reserve management and wildlife veterinarians to keep these animals safe from poachers.

Yet even after all this, there’s more: guests can enjoy a game of golf at Leopard Creek, arguably one of the best courses in the world, and families with young travellers can arrange for their children to learn about the bush and enjoy adventures with the Royal Rangers programme. For moments of relaxation, take in the healing sessions at Royal Waters Bush Spa, where you might look up from a soothing massage to see an elegant nyala stepping past your floor-to-ceiling windows.