Mount High Blog - Mount High Luxury Country House

Mount High Weddings: Juan & Xandré

2023-09-04T00:00:00+02:00

Mount High Weddings: Coenie & Juliaan

2023-09-04T00:00:00+02:00

Mount High Weddings: Steven and Alecia

2023-05-08T00:00:00+02:00

Mount High Weddings: Karel and Lize

2023-05-08T00:00:00+02:00

Mount High Weddings: Jimmy and Tinette

2023-05-08T00:00:00+02:00

Mount High Weddings: Jannie and Carmen

2023-05-08T00:00:00+02:00

Ho Ho Ho Here we Go - Christmas time is upon us!

2022-12-02T00:00:00+02:00

As we wade our ways around the glittery tinsel and shiny baubles, the brightly coloured elves and golden angels, a flutter of excitement ensues. It is indeed that time of year already. And though we might not feel ready for all of the festivities and family gatherings just yet, we know that as soon as they begin, as soon as we surrender and give in to the madness, and allow ourselves to celebrate the most sacred time of the year, we begin to enjoy the very best days the year has to offer.

Every month that has lead up to this time has been in the making of the celebrations. We look back over the year and recall all of the moments that have tried and tested us, pushed us further and made us stronger, brought us closer to one another and given us the motivation and invigoration for the bright new one that lies ahead. We are grateful for the people we have around us, the ones that are new and the ones that are part of our tapestry of life, furnishing every memory. We are grateful for new discoveries and adventures, for our furry family members and young children entering our lives. For love, for health, for faith and for hope. As we move into the final month of another remarkable year, let’s celebrate each other and all of the things that we have in the palms of our hands, that are sacred to our lives.

To kick-off the fun and frolics of the festive season, we thought it would be good to share what we know is going on around us in this spectacular part of the world. So that you and your friends and family can spend quality time together, doing what we all love to do best. A little scouting and shopping, a little dancing and singing, a little sipping and cheering. Aside from all of the beautiful scenic routes and trails that await your exploration in the wilderness, we have been on a little search for those fun Christmasey things to do. Like Carols by Candlelight and Christmas Craft Markets. Christmas Ornament Making Workshops and charitable Santa Paws Gift Wrapping initiatives. We cannot believe the time has come for us to set the wheels in motion and start preparing the Christmas banquet menus, decorate the huge fireplace and source enough tinsel for the tree. But we’re excited. We’re surrendering to the madness and diving straight into the joy of it all. For the people that we get to share our Mount High Christmases with and all of the merry-making magic that comes with it. Here are our tips for the season, on where to spend some quality time with your loved ones, over the month of December…

The Lowveld is home to some of the most authentic and unique Christmas markets in the country. Making that gift shopping experience so much more fun and memorable:

How about a Christmas Angel Ornament Workshop? Something that you will treasure every year as your creations take centre-stage in the living room, reminding you on those moments when you and your besties got Christmas Creative!

Date: Wednesday 30th November 2022
Time: From 11h00 until 13h00
Place: Nitali Re-Invented Decor, 8B Silva Street
Cost: R350 per person or R300 when you bring a friend along

Riverside Christmas Market. The best way to get into the Christmas spirit with all of the stalls lit up in twinkly stars and merry-makers singing carols.

Date: Friday 2nd December 2022
Time: From 18h00
Place: Riverside Park, Aqua Street
Cost: Free Entry

Innibos Christmas Market. There is something for everyone at this lovely Christmas market as you stroll around the stalls, selecting the best crafts and curious gifts.

Date: From Wednesday 30th November until Friday 2nd December 2022
Time: Wednesday - Friday 08h00 until 19h00, Saturday 08h00 until 14h00
Place: Nitali
Cost: Free Entry

Crochet Christmas Tree Launch - Bring your blankets and join the Lowveld 67 Knitwits as they unveil their crocheted Christmas tree and you listen to carols by candlelight.

Date: Saturday 3rd December 2022
Time: From 15h00
Place: Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre, White River
Cost: Free Entry

Casterbridge Country Market - The perfect time of year to join this wonderful country market serving great food, local craft beer alongside good music and amazing artisanal works of art.

Date: Sunday 4th December 2022
Time: From 09h00 until 13h00
Place: Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre, White River
Cost: Free Entry

Holiday Market @ Elmswood - For some live music, locally brewed craft beer & gin, a yummy selection of food and curated Lowveld products. Crafts, fashion, homeware and art. Sunday Funday!

Date: Sunday 4th December 2022
Time: From 10h00 until 15h00
Place: Clay & Coffee @ Elmswood Showroom
Cost: Free Entry

Carols by Candlelight - Pack the picnic basket, bring the whole family and sing along under the stars making those merry Christmas memories!

Date: Sunday 4th December 2022
Time: From 17h30
Place: Vollies Church Amphitheatre
Cost: R20 per person

Joy to the World - A Christmas Play. What better way to get into the spirit of the season than watching a Christmas play hosted by CFCI Mbombela?

Date: Wednesday 7th December 2022
Time: From 18h00
Place: Supa Corner Building, Unit 2A, Car Silva Street
Cost: TBC

Christmas Fair @ 192 - A beautifully curated fair with a good cause. All stall fees are directly donated to Grace Baby Haven.

Date: Saturday 10th December 2022
Time: From 09h00 until 16h00
Place: Miz Good Berry, Haapschehoop
Cost: Free Entry

Mpumalanga Wine Walk - Enjoy this fabulous event of amazing craft stalls, great food, wine stations, walking routes and live entertainment. Proceeds from this event hosted by Ms Mpumalanga finalist Minette, will be in aid of Pro Gratia Learning Centre.

Date: Saturday 10th December 2022
Time: From 14h00 until 18h00
Place: Eagles View Park
Cost: R250 per person

Another Carols by Candlelight for the family - Pack the picnic basket and sing along under the stars making those merry Christmas memories!

Date: Saturday 10th December 2022
Time: From 17h00
Place: Sabie Horse Trails, Sabie
Cost: Free Entry

FUN RUN…Or Walk - Bring the whole family - including the furry family members - and get involved in the action. A 5km run in aid of Millennium House of Hope. There are also lots of prizes to be won and some great live music to go with it.

Date: Friday 16th December 2022
Time: From 07h30
Place: White River Rugby Club
Cost: R75 Registration

Market @ Friends - Visit one of the most creative and beautiful markets in the Lowveld that offers over 60 stalls all selling unique and delicious goods, set on the banks of the river.

Date: Friday 16th December 2022
Time: From 09h00 until 13h00
Place: Friends Café
Cost: Free Entry

Wishing you and all of those closest to you, a very Happy Holiday Season.

A leisurely drive down Waterfall Lane - Spectacles on the famous Panorama Route

2022-10-20T00:00:00+02:00

One of the many wonderful attributes of Mount High Country Estate is its perfect positioning, nestled at the start of the famous Panama Route. Whilst the activities on the farm and its immediate surroundings allow for endless hours of relaxation and mountain invigoration, indulging and unwinding, it’s exhilarating to head out onto the open roads and explore what this magnificent part of the world has to offer. Revered as one of the most breathtakingly beautiful routes in the country, that’s centred around the Blyde River Canyon - the world’s third largest canyon - there are an abundance of spectacular nature trails, waterfalls, winding roads, scenic lookout points, quaint towns and age-old sites to visit. As you pivot from the homestead of Mount High, taking to new routes every day, you can spend the time you wish to, slowly cruising through the vastness of the valleys, along mountain roads and return back to the comfort and familiarity of the country estate. One thing we often forget to do when we venture out into the wilderness on an adventurous holiday with our beloved friends and family, is to take it all in our strides. Instead of overdoing the activities with jam-packed itineraries, flinging ourselves from pillar to post in a frenzy of ticking it all off the list, it’s often way more fun to travel with an easy schedule. To go slow and take it all in as we go. Absorbing the wonderment of the beauty that surrounds us. Removing all sense of urgency and allowing the flow of the fun and discoveries to unravel.

We recently took a day trip out onto the meandering mountain roads that begin from our front doorstep. From Lydenburg we traversed the roads that lead us through the Mount Anderson Catchment Reserve, hunting picnic spots beside waterfalls, easy hiking trails, quirky towns with their creative cafés and delicatessens, trout farms and tobogganing tracks, craft breweries and market stalls. Without putting too much pressure onto our driver’s shoulders and into our itinerary - knowing that there’d be a lot of marvelling at the scenery and the need to stop off whenever we chose, to snap away at the beautiful sights and breathe in the mountain air - we leisurely cruised the country roads.

As we drove the R37, that later becomes the R532 - through Alpine forests and timber plantations - we came across a plethora of magnificently beautiful waterfalls cascading over cliffs. The odd signpost lead us down gravel roads to some lovely scenic spots and lookout points where freshwater streams and rivers flow through the valley. Named after the Scottish gold miners of the late 19th Century, Mac Mac Rock Pools, between Sabie and Graskop, was the first stop-off. Laidback picnic spots are scattered beneath the trees beside the rock pools. Though they are beautiful to look at, unfortunately swimming in the pools is not permissible. Should you feel like a wander along the riverbeds, a 3km hiking route - the Secretary Bird trail - leads you through the grasslands. A little further upstream and you arrive at the Mac Mac Falls which are as high as 65 metres. Its verdant indigenous vegetation below the waterfalls has been declared a national monument. Lisbon Falls in Graskop is the highest waterfall in Mpumalanga. Named after Portugal’s capital city, in honour of the European miners that worked the gold mines in the area, the majestic views of the falls can be enjoyed from the platform as you witness the water spray the air and fall a total of 94 metres. Berlin Falls - of course, another European capital, named for the same reason - is a result of the Sabine River dropping 45 metres down a cliff face, forming what appears to be a depiction of a candle flame. We advise you to plan ahead of your day trip with more information on all of the waterfalls of the area, and the ones that you’d like to visit most - as well as any entrance fees or tariffs to consider when visiting the falls - as there are too many to fit into one day without it being a big rush!

We ventured on to the Graskop Gorge Lift that’s embedded into the canopy of the forest. A wonderful few hours can be spent here alone, with its incredibly informative and educational gallery spaces, listing the plant species, conservation practices and protected vegetation that’s all

indigenous to the prevailing nature reserve. You’ll get to walk the long, winding walkways through the trees, beneath the waterfalls. Perhaps the big swing or zipline across the gorge as you get to take in the most incredible views. Or just a long, meandering walk over the suspension bridge, down the lift and through the forest. There’s also a café and a huge curio store for a quick meal and some holiday memorabilia. For more information - Click Here.

Given the gradual escape of time with the day, having immersed ourselves in so much natural beauty and sheer exhilaration of the expanse of the landscape, we began the winding road home. A little stopover at Long Tom Toboggan at Misty Mountain for some more cheers and shrills from the adrenalin fanatics in the family. Then onto Hops Hollow Country House for a delicious craft beer. Deemed the highest pub in the country, you’ll get to enjoy your brew with the view!

Then - just like we did - you’ll return home to Mount High, to the fire, the feasting around the long dining table, with all of the kitchen stories coming to life. It’s been a glorious day exploring just a tiny tip of the enchanting Panorama Route. There’s so much more still to come in the days ahead of your family holiday in one of the most beautiful areas of the country. So many more memories to make and so many more little treasures await. As we venture out onto the open roads, exploring everything on the beaten and not-so-beaten paths, we plan on letting you know all about them.

The Palette & Palate Event At Mount High Country Estate

2021-09-29T00:00:00+02:00

During your stay at Mount High, art and cuisine enthusiasts will be spoiled and transported to a world of colour and flavours - a place where visual treats and culinary feasts collide. The tastefully decorated Manor House will exceed all of your expectations. Luxurious rooms, expansive living areas and in the heart of the House - the open plan kitchen, where like-minded people will create special food memories.

*To reserve your spot, please submit a form to us through the button below.

Artist Christoff Kruger and Chef Tippie Enslin will present art and cooking classes during this not-to-be-missed event. If you have a taste for art and also know the art of tasting, then you should not miss out on this event - it was created especially for you!

Be Inspired by Christoff's Art Techniques

Meet Christoff (CHRISTOFFLÉ), our artist extraordinaire who hails from Mpumalanga, and offers training for professional artists as well as classes for amateurs and hobbyists at his art school on his farm, Olyfenbosch. He covers new techniques each month and during your stay with us, you'll be taught some of the various nuances in drawing, etching, watercolours, oil painting, textile design, charcoal and graphite sketching, ceramic and sculpting.

Of course, food is art and art is food, it's food for the soul and filling for the heart, and it's certainly something we need to get us through the last stretch of this year. Find inspiration and joy in being present with every brush stroke, pencil etch and shaded sketch. This can be the very first time that you bring your artistic ideas, thoughts and visions to life, with Christofflé on hand to guide you on your visual journey and finding fulfilment in life through the medium of art.

Taste Chef Tippie Enslin’s Creations

While Christofflé offers an artist's escape, our resident Private Chef Tippie Enslin, will showcase the art of plating and tantalising your tastebuds. Chef Tippie is known for his fun interactive cooking classes at Mount High. He is ‘fluent’ in many different cuisines and you will get to taste and try your hand at various techniques and flavour profiles. Just to wet your palate, you will master the art of sourdough bread baking and you are welcome to adopt your own sourdough starter to take home. You will also get to sink your hands into Italian cooking classes where you’ll make *pizza, *pasta, and *gnocchi. However, there are many other cuisines that you will try - and taste - during your stay.

Look forward to also broadening your skills in the kitchen with knife classes and deboning tips. Learn how to brew your own Kombucha, and even try out Duck Procito and salt baked trout.

This is a Culinary Experience Not to be Missed!

Look forward to breakfast, lunch and some fine “wining & dining” to round off a splendid experience with luxury accommodation available to all.

You are most welcome to bring your own art supplies or Christoff can supply you them at an extra cost. Grab your paint brushes while we take out our finest wine glasses and get ready to toast and welcome you to the Palette & Palate Event at Mount High.

The world is full of new friends waiting to meet you.

Event Details

Venue: Mount High Country Estate
Date: 19 & 20 October 2021
Total Price for 2 Nights: R2 200 (Sharing a double room) or R3 000 (Single occupancy in a double room).
Including: All classes, food and accommodation.
Excluding: Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages.
Bring your own drinks of choice.

Fun - New Friends - Art - Cooking - Relax - Experience - Food - Creativity

A Foodie's Ultimate Mpumalanga Farm Stay

2021-05-11T00:00:00+02:00

Foodie Heaven Awaits in Mpumalanga

In keeping with Nigella as our food inspiration, we live by her quote, "good olive oil, good butter, milk - they give food taste and depth and a richness that you can't reproduce with low-fat ingredients."

We're situated on a farm far removed from the queues of supermarkets and convenience foods; our produce is sourced locally from farmers who certainly don't remove any of the natural whole fat goodness. Although we understand that some of our guests may be prepping for summer, we certainly can whip up dishes low in fat and full of flavour.

We also encourage guests to walk through our healing garden, where we grow our own herbs and specific ingredients. When you dine with us, you're certainly getting an authentic taste of a Mpumalanga farm stay.

Forget King or Queen, This Is A Culinary Experience Fit For Family

Our Culinary Experience can be added to any bookings made at our Manor House, with our Chef de cuisine Tippie and his wife Santie taking the lead. This power couple has over ten years of experience in the world of flavours. They're able to please even the fussiest of palates, so don't worry if there's a member of your party partial to substituting ingredients or claiming special dietary requirements.

Chef Tippie is fluent in all styles of cooking - and prepping - so if you'd like to learn how to sharpen knives, make bread, roll pasta, or even debone a chicken, Mount High is where it's happening. It's up to you how long you'd like your add-on Culinary Experience to be because we know that no holiday is complete without hearty dishes. And yes, we have the fireplaces, pool tables, wine, G&Ts and infinity pool, but nothing brings people together quite like a farm-style plate of food.

Food For The Soul

How you want to experience Mount High is entirely up to you. Whether you want hands-on experience learning the tricks of the trade alongside a professional chef, or if you'd prefer to relax poolside while Chef Tippie curates your dish, our different Culinary Experiences suit every type of holiday vision. A stay with us promises much delight and food for the soul, that's for sure!