Forum Homini & Heysbrook Country Lodge

by Billy Hare

I recently joined my partner up in Johannesburg for week end away from Cape Town…… yes, can you believe it. I have to say (and apologies to all Cape Townians) that Johannesburg has an electricity to it that you don’t find in Cape Town. It’s a very busy city and everyone is “on a mission”. The amount of new development struck me immediately as we left the airport. It does every time I visit even though I was in Jo’burg not too long ago. I saw it as a perfect opportunity to check out two properties I had heard of but had never actually seen, Forum Homini in the Cradle of Humankind near Johannesburg and Heysbrook Country Lodge towards Nelspruit near Waterval Onder.

After landing at about 6:30pm, we drove for about 45minutes to get to the hotel along a still busy N1 in the Krugersdort direction. We took the 14th Avenue exit off the N1 South bound and followed Hendrik Potgieter Avenue in the Ventersdorp direction until we saw the sign for Forum Homini. We turned off and drove along a dirt road for a little while, passing “Plot #77”, “Plot #78” and all the while I was doubtful as to what exactly we would find at the end of the road. We reached a gate and drove into the Letamo Game Estate dodging Impala and Waterbuck until finally reaching the hotel.

Nothing could have prepared me. Forum Homini is probably one of the most unique, refreshingly different properties I have seen in a long time. The architecture and the design of the bedrooms is totally unique too with a beautiful gas fireplace in the bedroom and a massive shower with a glass ceiling and a glass door that can be opened in warmer weather in the bathroom. The property has been built out of stone, concrete and wood and the design is such that grass has been replanted on the roofs of the main hotel area as well as the bedrooms to blend in with the surrounding landscape, something I have only ever seen in Norway. Obviously everything dries to a crisp in Winter but I can only imagine how even more striking the property must be in Summer when everything is green and covered in cosmos.

The hotel was very quiet and we were the only guests to enjoy Chef Patron Philippe Wagenfuhrer and Head Chef GT Lundie’s culinary delights in their Roots Restaurant. My partner doesn’t drink but he knows a good wine when he sees one and immediately commented on the excellent wine list, all hand picked by the Chef Patron. Dinners at Forum Homini are a 6-course affair where the menu changes every day and you are able to order “Wine teasers” to compliment each course for a mere R75. There is nowhere I know of in Cape Town where you can enjoy 6 different wines with your meal for just R75! The meal was excellent value for money as well with beautiful dishes such as “Crouton of Salmon Tartar, Tempura of Tiger Prawn Tiger Prawn & Quail Egg”….and this was just one dish! I realised after chatting to Philippe the next morning that Forum Homini is as much a culinary destination as it is a hotel near the famous Sterkfontein Caves, a world heritage site, where many fossilised remains of ancient forms of animals, plants and most importantly, hominids have been found. It is also very close to Lanseria Airport for flights to Mozambique and can be connected to Sun City, The Pilanesberg and Madikwe Game Reserve without having to return to the N1 and the William Nicol. I think I have just found my new favourite property!

We then drove to Heysbrook Country Lodge, a property many of us often recommend as a halfway stop for self-drive safari clients to the Kruger Park area. The trip took a bit longer than anticipated (around 3 hours) but we were rewarded with total seclusion and privacy when we got there. Heysbrook is just off the N4 near Waterval Onder. You drive into a valley after you take the turn off and the lodge is situated close by in a quiet valley. I was surprised that there was no noise from the road or any other sound in fact other than the singing of birds and the bubbling Heys Brook that runs past the side of the property. My first impression was that it is not an overnight stop as there is so much to do and see. Two nights at least would do the property justice and would allow visitors to participate in the daily morning walks headed by Willie, the property manager and also a spot of trout fishing if this is what floats your boat. Brunch was served at 10:00am after the walk and I was a little sad to leave this beautiful area after having stayed for just one night. The rooms are very comfortable with a fireplace shared by both the bedroom and the bathroom and a beautiful private outside shower. Heysbrook is situated just short of halfway between the Sabi Sands and Johannesburg as far as driving time goes and would make a perfect final couple of days to a South African itinerary.

2007/07/03 | permalink |

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Forum Homini & Heysbrook Country Lodge

by Billy Hare

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