"Rivers of Living Water"
(John 8:37-38)
Hidden away, not so far from the center of SA, is a family-friendly game farm, with a treasure trove of soft adventure activities for young and old, to choose from.
Eingedi Retreat is a 2-star self-catering exclusive establishment, situated on a 530Ha game farm, in the E.Freestate between Ladybrand and Hobhouse. The beautiful views of the Maluti Mountains, together with the wildlife, numerous birds, natural forest, plains, mountains and valleys, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, all work together to create a space of tangible peace, tranquillity and quietness to refresh and restore the body, soul and spirit.
We definitely love families and children. We have gone the extra mile to create a place where different generations within the extended family can get together and enjoy building relationships, by spending time together playing, resting, and sharing experiences.
Venue Hire
We encourage groups of families to come and enjoy celebrating the biblical feasts together – something really close to our heart and vision. Facilitators of ladies’ retreats and youth groups have found Eingedi a logistically practical venue to meet, with guests booking in from all over South Africa – being in the E.Freestate, we are pretty central in our country – This is an important point to consider when organising family reunions or camps. The infrastructure can comfortably house 50 guests. (See: Location Map and Venue Hire).
We are also available to host small conferences during the week – such a beautiful and ideal setting for attendees, as the conference facility and accommodation are in the same location! With a variety of self-catering accommodation options to choose from (we do provide meals on request) – ranging from camping/caravanning to backpacking, rustic log cabins to upmarket chalets – each unique in style and size, you are guaranteed to find one that best suits your requirements for a special getaway. You can view photos and rates of all 11 units on the website, and choose just the right one for a memorable experience.
(See: Accommodation)
With campers and caravanners in mind, we are excited to present Eingedi’s Camp Warren and Holstein Ablutions. The campsite is large and spacious with 8 power points, easily accessible water points, numerous trees, and sandstone or portable braai facilities. It is suitable for large or small groups, and can accommodate around 60 guests. The ablutions become a real off-the-grid experience in self-sustainability, by offering a ‘Rocket’ donkey boiler to heat the water for the washing up area & 6 showers; and a lovely wood stove for those who would like to try cooking the old-fashioned way. The washing-up area has electric points, tables, braais, and a windy-dryer available for use. (See: Accommodation)
On Eingedi we encourage our guests to eat, enjoy, experience and explore, by making full use of our facilities and activities of all sorts, for all age groups. We also host day visitors. (See: Day Visits)
Wildlife and Game Drives:
You can hike, cycle, drive or stroll through the mountains and plains, and get really close to the fascinating wild animals, while trying to spot our nearly 200 different bird species. We have a variety of plains game for you to marvel at, including Zebra, Eland, Wildebeest, Hartebeest, Blesbok, Impala and Springbok among others. You can also book for an exhilarating guided game drive on Caleb, our big 4×4 Unimog, to have the full wildlife experience. This is definitely our top experience and highly recommended!
(See: Game Drives)
Our 2 stunning official Eingedi Hiking Trails are a close second when it comes to experiences. The hiker is challenged with the 11km Eland Hike, and/or the 6km Zebra Hike. These trails take you up and down hills and ladders, across game filled plains, and through interesting sandstone rock formations with spectacular views in all directions. Additional features include old British war forts, ruined Basotho huts and villages to explore. (See: Hiking)
These hikes would be an ideal educational outing as well as a team building experience, as they offer opportunities for studying history, geography, nature and wildlife, as well as challenging the endurance of the participants, while enjoying the thrill of being surrounded by Eland, Zebra, Red Hartebeest, Blue and Black Wildebeest, Springbok, Impala, Blesbok, as well as Ostrich.
For our avid sportsmen, we have maps for breath-taking cycling or running routes of various distances. The fresh unpolluted air, together with stunning views of the Maluti Mountains and quiet backroads = cycling/running heaven. Guests are also welcome to enjoy the unique experience of cycling or running up and down our 4×4 tracks, as well as across our plains amongst the game. (See: Cycling, 4×4 Driving Trails)
More of What Eingedi Offers
The fresh cool waters of our 2 pools (a large one with a slide – just for fun, and a splash pool for the littlies), are perfect on a hot summer’s day or after a strenuous hike, cycle or jog. The Lapa is a great spot for a picnic. (See: Swimming)
We hire out the boma and fire pit for larger groups and day visitors. (See: Day Visits; Braai and fire pit)
The playground with swings, roundabouts, trampoline and jungle gym, is guaranteed to provide hours of fun for the children, and help get rid of all the wiggles and loads of energy, while Dad and Mom can enjoy relaxing with a good book or cup of coffee. (See: Playground)
Sunrise and Shama Dam, not far from the chalets, are ideal for picnics, fishing outings and rowing fun. Both of them have small boats that our guests can enjoy. (See: Picnicking, Fishing and Paddling)
Our favourite short walk with a story attached, Dorcas Walk, takes you through Gilead Garden, a natural forest with 2 benches set in strategic places for a quiet alone-time amongst the cooing doves and rustling leaves, or a little further up above the treetops, overlooking the valley with its heavenly sunsets and purple-blue mountains as a backdrop. (See: Walking)
Eingedi has around 200 species of birds to detect, which makes it an exciting adventure for bird watchers. (See: Birding)
We are really keen to share the location of our numerous coffee and picnic spots with you. Please bring along a picnic blanket and basket, as well as your hot water flask.
Children love our farm lifestyle and are welcome to join in as we milk our cows, Eliza and Daisy, in the mornings and feed the geese twice a day. A short walk will take them to ‘Jolly Farmyard’ to view our dairy cows and small flock of sheep, and ‘The Friendly Farmyard’ where they can find our dancing ostrich, Dorcas, and our hand-reared snorting guanaco/Llama, Snowflake. In season they can coo at the baby chicks, goslings and ducklings kept safe from harm in our aviaries. (See: Farm Life)
Our summers are warm and vibrant, and winters crisp with cosy nights and mild days. This makes it ideal for all year round visits, depending on whether you are coming to swim, hike, braai, cycle, fish, do some birding or game viewing, or sit around a roaring fire with a cosy warm water bottle…and go for early morning walks through the crunching frost.
We offer an incredible buffet breakfast outside under the Pavilion, weather-permitting. Enjoy the delicious, healthy, home-grown, homemade spread in the beautiful garden setting – it really is an incredible meal experience! Apart from breakfasts, we also offer lunches and dinners. Please make sure to pre-book. We do not serve fast-foods! Much thought, care and love goes into every plate of food. (See: Kitchen and Dining)
We grow most of our own food organically, with non-GMO heirloom seeds, and do not spray anything with pesticides and herbicides. In the harvest season the produce is usually plentiful, and we may have sufficient to sell to you, in order to eat and enjoy during your stay with us, or take home. We may even have meat and dairy products to sell. Please ask us. Our juicy home-made wors is worth trying!
To keep the food through the winter months, we have a lot of preserves coming out of our busy kitchen, from sweet jams to savoury chutneys and all sorts of pickled veggies. Our little shop is in the Reception area. You may find something to take home as a gift as well. (See: Kitchen and Dining)
Come and experience the wholesome living and peace that can be found at this unique retreat from the rat-
race. May you leave refreshed, restored and re-envisioned as you enjoy what this beautiful piece of our
Father’s creation has to offer.
Neighbourhood (Location and Attractions)
Eingedi Retreat is located on the R26, the E.Freestate mountain route, which hugs the Western frontier of Lesotho. This important North/South link road journeys through the Eastern edge of the Free State prairies. For more or less the entire distance the massive ramparts and pinnacles of the Maluti Mountains in Lesotho are etched along the horizon, as you drive through cattle, sheep, maize, cherry, and sunflower farms, with roads edged by pink blossoms in Spring, from the many peach trees growing wild. Golden sandstone cliffs, as well as random spurs and outcrops, complete the picturesque scenery. The random little towns along the road, have numerous buildings built from sandstone, hewn from the hills in large quantities down the ages. These settlements bore the brunt of many border hostilities in the second half of the 19th century.
An exceptionally stunning part of our country.
Eingedi Retreat is located 30km from Ladybrand, our nearest town, 2,5km off the R26, on the way to Hobhouse/Wepener. The R26 is a link road from Mpumalanga, Gauteng, & KZN to the Western & Eastern Cape provinces. You can find us in the Eastern Free State, South Africa,. We are approximately a 3,5 hour's drive from the Kwa-Zulu Natal Drakensberg border; 2 hrs from the Eastern Cape border, and 1 hour 30 min from Bloemfontein, the capital city of the Free State.
We are literally situated not far from the centre of South Africa. Eingedi is strategically located 35 km from Maseru, the capital city of Lesotho, and is ideally situated for exploring Lesotho with day trips to the Mountai Kingdom.
Things to Do
The soft adventure activities offered by Eingedi (See Below)
- The Eastern Freestate Landscape and historical sites Lesotho Mountain Kingdom with its passes, mountains and dams
- Guided 4×4 Unimog Game Drives
- Official Hiking Trails
- 4×4 Driving Trails
- Cycling Routes
- Walks
- Picnic and Braai Sites
- Fishing
- Paddling
- Playground with Trampoline
- Farmyard Animals
- 5-star Buffet Breakfasts
Accommodation
Log Cabins, Chalets and Cottages:
- Private bathroom
- Well-equipped kitchenette
- Fridge
- Stove and oven
- Microwave
- Kettle
- Toaster
- Dining table
- Living area
- Pedestal fan
- Heater
- Mosquito Nets
- Zapper
- Towels
- Complimentary teas, coffee, rusks and milk
- Outdoor furniture
- Braai facilities
- Mini fire-pit
Campsites:
- Electricity
- Water points near the campsites
- Ablutions with hot showers, toilets and basins for gents and ladies
- Donkey boiler
- Washing up areas with tables, chairs and plug-points
- Laundry basin with hot water
- Windy drier
- Braai facilities: built-in and portable
- Wood Stove
- Mini fire-pits
House Rules
- No music, portable sound systems or sound systems in cars
- No alcohol abuse; substance/drug use, incl. hubbly bubbly
- No unruly or rowdy behavior
- Fires only in designated areas with no fires left unsupervised
- No littering or damage to the natural environment
- No pets
Cancellation Policy
Forfeit 100% of total if cancelling 14 days (2 weeks) or less before arrival
Forfeit 50% if cancelling 15-29 day (3-4 weeks) before arrival
Forfeit 0% if cancelling 30+ days (1 month or longer) before arrival
Thank you for choosing Eingedi Retreat as your destination. May your stay with us create many happy memories! Aufwiedersehen! i.e. We hope to see you again!
