Highbourne Cottages

Location very close to the reserve is great with beautiful views of the mountain

The towels smelled of mould

We stayed at Protea Cottage, which is well-equipped and comfortable. It's located at the end of the R600, near the entrance to Monk's Cowl area of the Drakensberg. You can access many nice trails directly from the cottage. The view from the porch is glorious, especially at sunset. Cathkin Park is a great location, and we easily filled our 6 days there. We went ziplining, hiking, swimming in the streams, horseback riding at uShaka, and saw the Falcon Ridge Bird of Prey show. We unfortunately missed whitewater rafting and the Boys Choir show. Leslie communicated thoroughly ahead of time about check-in and other details so there were no surprises. We also loved that it was off the grid, but with the solar panels, who noticed? The kitchen had all the necessary items, including a camp toaster and a French press for coffee. Lindsey and Brett don't live on site, but they stopped by a couple of times, and they were friendly and helpful. Their caretakers were there daily and kept everything in good order.

The last bit of the R600 is littered with potholes, so take care, especially at night or in the rain when they're hard to see. The driveway is steep and rough. It's best with a 4 x 4, but we did it with a Corolla type sedan and made it. It did, however, keep us from going out sometimes.

Relaxing and very enjoyable stay in an absolutely stunning location with beautiful views of the mountains in Monks Cowl. Well-equipped cottage with comfortable beds and good wi-fi. Host Lindsey very friendly and helpful and check in process with additional information of area attractions all sent to me well before arrival. Protea Cottage is very special with its incredible view and location so close to the mountains.