Tomjachu Bush Retreat

Set within its own game-fenced reserve in the mountains above Nelspruit, Tomjachu Bush Retreat covers 500 hectares of Lowveld bushveld, threaded with dams, ravines, koppies and open grassland. The Fillery family bought the land in 1985, when it was still farmed for tobacco and tomatoes, and their descendants run it today. It is a compact stay. Seven rooms spread across the Homestead and three cottages sleep 14 guests, with the separate Valbonne Villa taking up to 12 more. Rooms come with verandahs, fireplaces and plunge pools, and each looks out over mountain bushveld rather than a shared view. Rangers lead nature drives and bush walks in search of giraffe, zebra, kudu and mountain reedbuck, while over 270 recorded bird species keep the reserve busy at dawn. Cyclists and hikers can cover more than 15 km of marked trail without the worry of dangerous game underfoot, and two dams offer catch-and-release fishing for bass and bream. Dinner is served in the Homestead dining room, where the kitchen draws on garden produce and ingredients grown on the property, or out in the bush by firelight under open sky. Guides recount the reserve's history on evening drives, from an old Voortrekker road through the valley to the Fillery family's own tenure since the 1980s. Check-in runs from 2pm.