THE LODGE AT LEOBO PRIVATE RESERVE

Charming Bush retreat….

OVERVIEW

Leobo Lodge is part of the malaria-free Leobo Private Reserve. which is situated in the beautiful Waterberg region and overlooks the lush Palala Valley. The a 8000 hectare (20 000 acre) estate is abundant in wildlife and rich in archaeological history and Bushman paintings as well as a mesmerising stretch of savannah interspersed with natural, crystal- clear streams. This vast teems with plains game, birdlife and a crocodile named Stevie. No time constraints, no rules (except safety) and no limits. It is one of only a handful of sole-use private reserves in allowing guests full access to the entire reserve and all its facilities. Complete privacy and exclusivity is what Leobo Private Reserve is all about.

Leobo, which is the name for chameleon in Northern Sotho is a fitting name for this reserve. Just like this enchanting creature, guests can change their day at the drop of a hat, pretty much do whatever they want and be accommodated by the most obliging staff!

The Lodge is located at the top of an escarpment and can sleep up to 18 people in beautiful chalets overlooking the Palala Valley. It’s the perfect destination for a significant celebration, a long-awaited family reunion, small executive getaways or incentivised trips for corporate groups. With staff paying special attention to every requirement and nature providing a splendid background, your African bush venture will be as mesmerising as a starlit night sky in Africa.

Rooms that can accommodate children are available and the lodge is fully staffed. Meals can be enjoyed inside, on the enormous deck complete with sunken seating fire-pit, or in the Boma, where everybody eats around a fire under the stars.

There are 8 chalets on the side of the escarpment looking over the valley. 4 chalets are equipped with king size beds, 2 chalets with 2 single beds, one chalet with a double four- poster bed which sleeps 1 comfortably and 1 cottage with 2 bunk beds ideal for 4 children. All have en-suite bathrooms punctuated with warm copper features and a wooden outside deck with never-ending views towards the vast horizon. At night, lanterns lend a cheerful glow to the wooden paths that lead up to your door.

Leobo Lodge has a really comfortable rustic feel with two open fireplaces and plenty of space for relaxing inside, on two levels. The large dining table can seat fourteen people — there is also an outside dining table with a large parasol where you can have any meal with wonderful views over the bush. A covered verandah with large sofas, coupled with the huge deck, provides a number of fantastic places where you can sunbathe or relax in the evening. For a truly African experience, guests can enjoy a succulent braai in the boma.

The swimming pool has been carved into the side of a hill and sits perched high – with amazing views of Palala Valley. If you feel like relaxing for the day it is an amazing spot. If you need to escape the sun, there is also a thatched cabana.

A cook caters to any special dietary needs as well as to create magnificent meals to delight all tastes. As the ambiance is informal, food is served wherever the guests feel comfortable, whether it’s in the spacious dining room, the rustic boma or a magnificent picnic spot in the bush.

Activities are tailor-made so guests can choose the times in which to view game, either in a traditional Landrover or on a quad-bike, enabling a close –up experience. Wildlife includes , zebra, Cape buffalo, hippo and the occasional leopard sighting. An immense variety of buck roam the area: impala, wildebeest, kudu, eland, red hartebeest, blesbok, steenbok, gemsbok, tsessebe and nyala. Horse-riding is also available, led by an experienced guide, at whatever pace you choose.

Fishing in one of the dams where the hippos laze is a relaxing pass-time, unless you happen to catch a 2kg bass, which is a regular occurrence and for the more adventurous guest, the privately-owned helicopter can be booked for a breath-taking flight over the mountains and the surrounding valleys. Target shooting with sniper rifles is fun for the competitive guests who enjoy group activities and team-building.

ACCOMMODATION

LEOBO LODGE

Leobo, located at the top of an escarpment, is a safari lodge that can sleep up to 18 people in beautiful chalets overlooking the Palala Valley. Rooms that can accommodate children are available and the lodge is fully staffed. Meals can be enjoyed inside, on the enormous deck complete with sunken seating fire-pit or in the Boma where everybody eats around a fire under the stars.

Leobo Lodge is available for exclusive hire all year round.

FEATURES AND FACILITIES:

Leobo Lodge

 Heated Swimming Pool  Sauna  Fully stocked bar  Pool Table  Table Tennis  Music System  Wi-Fi  Chef  Boma  Fire Pit  Sunset deck  TV with Satellite  Safe  Quad Bikes  Motor Bikes  Polaris Buggy  Telescope  Mountain Bikes  Game viewing vehicle  Game ranger  Fishing equipment  Horses

GENERAL ACTIVITIES

There are endless things to do at Leobo Reserve. Our accommodation is rented exclusively to one group at a time. This unparalleled freedom means that you can do as much or as little as you like – and you can do it at your own pace. Here are a bunch of activities which we think you’ll love. Take your pick or enjoy them all...

Quad bike safari With 8000 hectares (20,000 acres) of inescapably beautiful Waterberg countryside and with over 240km of tracks, we have a lot of space to play in. We’ve got six sturdy and speedy quad bikes for to enjoy the African wildlife and countryside at a slightly faster pace. You can career around the farm and get to places you never would in a normal game drive car. You can race wildebeest, stop and enjoy the wildlife close up or just be a big boy as you burn around. There’s even a child’s quad bike as well so your little one can come along for the ride.

Cross Country Polaris We’ve got an army of quad bikes and they’re great fun. But those who like to live life in the slightly faster lane; we’ve got a beast of a cross-country vehicle called a Polaris that takes things a little further. Strap yourself in for the ride of your life! With eye-popping acceleration, super- spring suspension and hi-spec performance, you can pretty much explore every inch of the Leobo Reserve in this awesome machine - on dirt tracks, across the bumpy bush, through rivers, over rocks - wherever you want.

Helicopter flying We highly recommend booking the helicopter for part of your stay. You’ll get the opportunity to see some extraordinary sights from a vantage point that few will see. It also will give your stay a completely different dynamic as some of the most beautiful and remote areas of the estate are only accessible by helicopter.

Clay Pigeon Shooting Take part in a shooting race where you can go and try to shoot at a few clays. We take you out and provide you with clays and cartridges. Take aim at these moving targets, squeeze the trigger and feel the shock wave as you watch a bullet rocket away. A fun time guaranteed!

Riding Safari There is nothing like taking in the sights and sounds of Africa than on horseback. We’ll saddle you up and give you a guide as you walk, trot or gallop around the farm and really get the chance to see the animals in total peace and tranquillity. Walk through dams (avoiding the hippos), take a picnic and truly absorb the heart of Africa on board your very own steed.

GENERAL ACTIVITIES

Star Gazing We are blessed with clear skies with no light pollution. The sky is ink black and you will see stars that you have never seen before. We invite a fascinating local astronomer Dr Phil Cal cot to come and give you a spellbinding tour of the stars. With his laser pen at the ready, he will point out stars, planets and constellations. Ask him anything you want: What’s the Big Bang? Where’s Jupiter? Did man really land on the moon? What’s a shooting star? What is a light year? It really is an evening you’ll never forget.

Gone fishing Our dams are stocked with a selection of bass and trout and we can provide all the rods and bait you’ll need to hook a fish. Fishing experiences are made exciting by the presence of groups of inquisitive hippo. What could be more relaxing than sipping a drink while fishing in one of the dams, listening to the sound of hippos as the sun goes down? We are proud to report that we regularly catch bass over 2kg.

Hippo camping We are lucky enough to have 11 magnificent hippos on the reserve that wallow away all day. And we offer you the chance to sleep just yards away from these magnificent creatures. We have hand-crafted a huge tree house equipped with a 4-man tent above the hippo dam and from here you can feast yourself on a typical South African braai around a roaring fire pit.

Game Viewing Leobo is vast reserve teeming with plains game, birdlife, hippos and a crocodile named Stevie. The reserve has none of the big five, making it very safe for families as the children can explore and learn about the bush from Leobo’s expert guides in absolute safety. The reserve also boasts some archaeological significance and bushman paintings.

Tandem Sky diving If you’re someone who really loves extreme sports, then how about a skydive above the African plains. We’ll take you by helicopter to 14,000 feet as you look down at one of the best views you will ever see. Then prepare for an adrenalin rush like no other as you skydive with an instructor attached and hurtle towards earth.

Kids Fun Even though there is a lot of adult fun to be had, Leobo Reserve is built around the enjoyment of families - indeed the owner himself has four children. Your kids will love being on the reserve, and especially will love seeing animals so close up. They will experience and learn so much - from seeing the tracks of a giraffe, to feeling the velvety-soft leaves of the “loo paper” tree; from walking on a rock-hard ant hill, to holding a lizard. They can swim, relax, play, watch TV or do what they want, but they’ll never be bored for a moment and they’ll sleep like babies.

MOUNTAIN ACTIVITIES

Accessible only by 4x4, horse or quad bike, the large flat topped mountain offers the most unbelievable 360° views stretching over 50km. Offering an array on adventure and activities, the mountain is the perfect place for adventure and nature enthusiasts.

Cliff Top Mountain and Cave Walks Ringed by 4km of 60m high cliffs containing all kinds of interesting features such as caves, crevasses and huge stone pillars, this area offers fascinating walks at the base of the with unusual vegetation reminiscent of something out of Jurassic Park! This area is largely unexplored and according to the locals, is an important historical site home to bushman paintings and evidence of ancient habitation.

Cliff Top Picnics With the most beautiful sunset and sunrises at different vantage points, there are multiple areas where one can enjoy cliff top picnics and sundowners.

Rock Climbing From sheer cliff faces to large boulders, there is something for every climbing enthusiast with incredible variety, hard rock formations, many long cracks and overhangs. This sport requires a lot of physical fitness, endurance and skill and we have enlisted the services of a local mountain climbing expert who he can be booked for the day; either as a climbing partner for experienced climbers or as an instructor for people wishing to learn the basics. These cliff structures and surrounding areas are largely unexplored and ready for some interesting discoveries to be made.

Cliff Top Camping This dramatic cliff-top position with stunning views over the Palala Valley offers the most remote and secluded camping stay.

RIVER ACTIVITIES

With clear flowing waters of the Palala River, Leobo offers 8km of completely unfenced, pristine and unexplored river terrain. The setting is incredible as the river winds its way through canyons and gorges and arrives at natural sandy beaches in some areas. Accessible only by road to one small part of the river means that the majority of the 8km river section has been untouched by people for a very long time.

Fishing and Heli Fishing Both with fly and spinner, Bass and Yellow Tail are the catch of the day! Some of these areas are only accessible by helicopter.

Fly Camping The river makes an ideal place for fly fishing combined with camping. We offer guests any kind of tailor-made combination such as kayaking downstream, casting line along the way en-route to your camp, already set up for you in a prime position of your choice with an awaiting fire.

Kayaking We have two kayaks that are suited for the 8km stretch of the river. There are long, slow deep parts interspersed by rapids and depending on the rain, river levels may be high enough to get some good white water in some of the sections. The kayaks are equipped with fishing rod holders for those who would like to combine fishing whilst gliding down the river.

Heli Sundowners Choose a remote location of your choice and the Leobo team will have the most delectable sundowner set up prepared and waiting for you.

River Picnics Few things in life rival the bonhomie of sharing a picnic with friend and family. Add a shady spot on a hot summer’s day, delectable treats, and a glass filled with the best bubbly and you’ve certainly got the ingredients of the good life.

DIRECTIONS By Air

There is a small landing strip at the farm, suitable for light aircraft. The Coordinates are: S24.09.19 E 028.24.06 It is also possible to arrive by helicopter. You can be collected from OR Tambo (Johannesburg International Airport) and flown to the lodge. A flight by helicopter takes about an hour depending on the wind. *Air travel prices to be quoted at the time of booking.

By Road

We can arrange road transfers based on the size of your party. Transfer prices to be quoted at the time of booking. This is a journey of approximately three hours.

From Johannesburg International Airport to Leobo Private Reserve

Take the R21 north to Pretoria, then the N1 north to Pretoria and Polokwane (Pietersburg) Carry on with the N1 past Pretoria heading north. At the third tollgate, exit far left towards Modimolle/Marble Hall (Nylstroom direction) (R33) Drive strait through Modimolle (Nylstroom) towards Vaalwater – about 70km In Vaalwater at the first and only 4way stop turn right. Drive for approximately 33 km past Eventieria/Mpatamacha game pens and take the next turn off to the right that reads Sondagsloop (green sign). This is a gravel road (about 11km) Drive to a T junction and turn right past Waterberg Game Park. 2km further you will go through a security check point. 2km further you will get two signs reading Ditoro, Sediba and Leobo. At these signs turn into the gate on your left. At the next sign reading Leobo, turn right fork. Leobo Lodge will be lying in front of you. Drive around it and come in from the back.

It takes about 3 ½ hours from Johannesburg.

CONTACT DETAILS

Central Reservations: Tel: +44 (0) 208 354 0458 Mob:+44 (0) 7779 410481 (Kate) or +44 (0) 7875 025544 (Sacha) Email: [email protected] Web: www.leoboprivatreserve.com / www.waterbergobservatory.co.za

Sales & Marketing - South Africa Claudia B Representation Claudia B: +27 (0) 11 884 6990 Mob: +27 (0) 83 560 3945 Email: [email protected]

Sales & Marketing - United Kingdom Hand Picked Africa Kate Coleridge: +44 (0)7779 410481 Email: [email protected]

Lodge Management: Taryn Lockhart: General Manager: +27 (0) 83 452 9855 Chris Borstlap: Operations Manager: +27 (0) 60 526 9820

Lodge Emergency Numbers: Mob: +27 (0) 60 526 9820 (Lodge) Mob: +27 (0) 83 452 9855 (Taryn)