About Us »

Previous owners Andrew Ardington, and the late David Rattray (world-renowned Anglo-Zulu War historian and owner of Fugitives Drift) had a vision for Three Tree Hill Lodge similar to what David had for Fugitives Drift: bringing to vivid life the struggle between one of the largest Empires in history and one of the smallest nations in the world.”

Proprietors Simon and Cheryl Blackburn (ex Singita Private Game Reserve and ex Kwando Safari Experience) continue with this vision. They are both experienced safari & mountain guides, African-born, with the bush in their blood. They have spent their time together exploring remote parts of Africa & connecting with local communities. Their four children, Kei, Neo ,Jos and Cas have joined them on many of these adventures.

The Blackburns are both dog and horse lovers, and so expect to encounter most of the six dogs and some of the eight horses during your stay at Three Tree Hill Lodge

Our Philosophy »

Our philosophy at Three Trees is to involve the local community with sustainable employment, goods & services procurement, recycling projects, health education & school support. Community Development & Environmental Ecology are our focus whilst our long term vision is to develop the area into a sustainable wildlife destination.

The Wilderness Foundation

Part of The Wilderness Foundation, the Green Leaf Environmental Standard is an Internationally recognised standard that measures environmental impact in hotels and lodges. The aim of the standard is to reduce the effects of consumption on our environment and improve upon environmental management and awareness in an eco friendly manner.

How Three Trees helps the Environment :

- Energy

We have procedures and systems in place to reduce electricity and gas usage and reduce our overall carbon footprint. All our staff receive a sustainability induction where they learn more about our environmental practices. We use energy saving light bulbs throughout the lodge and appliances and equipment are purchased with energy saving in mind. We have replaced all our oil heaters with Econo heat pads, which run on a lower wattage & surface temperature. All our geysers are fitted with energy saving electronic timers and SABS approved insulating thermal blankets to reduce heat loss. The thermostats are also adjusted with the seasons & kept to a minimum. When the rooms are not in use, housekeeping staff are trained to switch the geysers off. We also have a monthly electricity monitoring chart in the kitchen, which helps everyone in keeping a tab on energy expenditure. On the swimming pool, we have an insulating blanket which keeps the heat in during the night. Walls & ceilings are insulated with Aerolite, which is produced from a combination of naturally occurring minerals such as silica sand which is a sustainable resource and up to 80% recycled glass. The main lodge has a wrap-around verandah & sufficient ventilation to keep the building cool in summer with only fans, no air conditioners.

- Procurement

All cleaning chemicals are biodegradable & diluted on site. Guest Amenities are phosphate and paraben-free and are made in South Africa. Fresh produce is all obtained from the local farmers co operative in Bergville. We have our own vegetable & herb garden which is used daily in preparation for guest meals. Compost & Vermi-compost is made on site & used to nourish the garden. Only organic pesticides (garlic & canola oil) are used in the garden. We have also tried to replace foods in the kitchen with reduced preservatives, additives & colorants, purchasing only South African made products, where possible. Replacement linen & furnishings are bought locally in South Africa by South African designers.

- Waste

No waste is kept or disposed of on site. Separate recycling bins are used by staff to separate paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and tins which are all recycled via the Bergville depot. Printer cartridges, old stationery, soap and candle wax are recycled. Cereal & biscuit boxes, toilet rolls & old magazines are taken to the community pre-school for use in their art classes. All staff are made aware of our recycling initiatives during their sustainability Induction. When ordering from suppliers, reduced packaging is requested, and it must be of a type than can be recycled or reused. All garden and kitchen waste is composted in our onsite compost bins. The remainder is fed to our earthworms, which produce vermi-compost & plant-tonic for the vegetable garden. Our neighboring farmer collects what is left for his pigs to feed on. We have a waste reduction policy, and strict rules in place to keep recyclables, hazardous, sanitary and controlled waste streams separate. Guest amenities are free of packaging & decanted into glass containers. Monthly roster in place to dose all septic tanks with bio salts.

- Community

All staff employed are from the local Hambrook village. We supports all 3 schools in some small way, by cutting their grass, donating stationery & art materials. We sponsor the community driven creche with a feeding programme, and facilitated the building of a sponsored (by Black Star Fund Managers) jungle gym for the creche. We are in the process of helping the Nobomi High School in Hambrook set up a Computer Classroom with 25 computers. Old towels, sheets, and clothing are all distributed in the community. We also sponsor a local long distance runner to attend marathons around the country. He is the herdsman on the farm. ANY DONATIONS FINANCIAL OR OTHER WOULD BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED!!

- Water

Water in the jugs in rooms and on dining tables is fresh from our aquifer, which is 120m (430ft) deep. Please do not leave the taps running while you are brushing your teeth or shaving. Don’t run the water to wait for it to heat. Please, only put towels and sheets under the basin when you want them washed; we will normally only replace them when you leave. All our showers are fitted with low-flow heads. We have rain water collection tanks at the garage, water from which is used for washing the guests vehicles before departure. All the plants in our garden are indigenous & therefore use minimal water. The vegetable & herb garden is only watered after 4pm to reduce evaporation. Regular checks are done for water leaks in hoses, taps, pipes etc.

General information »

Climate

Summer is our rainy season and we often have thunderstorms in the afternoons. The days are hot but by nightfall it cools off. However please be prepared for the occasional cold snap. Our winters are generally mild and dry with warm days and chilly mornings and evenings – a wonderful time for visiting KwaZulu-Natal. This is a malaria free area.

What to bring

The dress code at the lodge is casual. For the tours you will need comfortable walking shoes, a sun hat, sunblock, binoculars, sunglasses and a light jersey/jacket for the summer and in winter a warm jacket/fleece. A light rain/wind proof jacket is recommended.

Road condition

There are approximately 8kms of dirt road. This is a good gravel road and 4×4 vehicles are not necessary.

Map

More on the Drakensberg

The average height of the KwaZulu Natal Drakensberg Mountains or uKhahlamba (onomatopoeic Zulu for a Barrier of Shields and Spears) is about 2900 metres (9800 ft) with numerous peaks, domes and buttresses exceeding 3000 metres. Although they don’t challenge other famous ranges for altitude, the visual spectacle of sheer rock walls of 500 m (1600 ft) or more places them in the top league (the Thukela Falls plunge 850 metres making it one of the highest waterfalls in the world).

Jaynee Levy says in her Complete Guide to Walks and Trails in Southern Africa: “The Drakensberg, the highest mountain range in southern Africa, is noted for its magnificent buttresses and peaks. The numerous trails which traverse the Little ‘Berg, with its enchanting waterfalls and pools and lush, forested gorges, have a magnetic attraction for mountaineers and hikers, while the magnificent views from the escarpment lure those with an adventurous spirit. Here, the summer heat is tempered by altitude and the occasional spectacular afternoon thunderstorm; the very cold winters cap the peaks in snow”.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

The KZN Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg was proclaimed South Africa’s fourth UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of only 30 sites in the world that will be preserved for both its natural (mountain scenery) and cultural value (over 35% of all San rock art in Southern Africa is found in this area). The other World Heritage Sites in South Africa are the Sterkfontein Caves (Cradle of Humankind), Cape Floral Region, Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape, Richtersveld Cultural & Botanical Landscape, Vredefort Dome, Robben Island and isiMangaliso Wetland Park.