Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse nestles in the beautiful Kamberg region of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, set on 202 hectares of rolling hills at the foot of the Drakensberg mountains. It is owned and run by Richard and Mouse Poynton, whose many years of experience, passion for cooking and flair for ingenuity have created a rare experience in this serene mountain setting. You'll be welcomed warmly, stay in idyllic accommodation, walk in the mountains, wallow in the silence far from traffic and meetings, enjoy seven-course dinners and be pampered in the spa. Just gaze at the view and feel the tension dissolve.
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Cleopatra has 11 rooms, all designed in elegant farmhouse style. Two private cottages, decorated with personal treasures, and two executive suites each have a private veranda with views to the mountains across the trout-stocked dam. There are also two standard suites and five standard bedrooms, all dressed in super-luxurious style. The beds are huge and warm, dressed with fine linens and mohair blankets; the bathrooms are large, with heated towel rails; and there's a TV and wi-fi.
The food - and it's not even close. Owner-chef Richard Poynton's multi-course dinners are legendary, prepared with ingredients from the kitchen garden, and locally caught trout. You'll arrive for the mountains and leave talking about the meals.
Pick a wine from the underground cellar before dinner - it's stocked with an excellent South African selection and choosing your own bottle down there, surrounded by stone walls and candlelight, is half the fun.
This isn't a resort. There's no gym, no pool of activities, no entertainment programme. It's a place to eat extraordinarily well, read by the fire and walk in the mountains - and if that sounds like heaven, you're the target audience.
Start with a recommended trip or create one from scratch
Cleopatra's Farmhouse can be booked with Timbuktu as part of a tailor-made South Africa trip, rather than as a standalone room reservation. Start online, customising one of our recommended South Africa trips featuring Cleopatra's Farmhouse or get advice and suggestions from one of our South Africa specialists who will design the trip around your dates, check availability and handle every booking for you.
Stays at Cleopatra's Farmhouse start from around $260, or US$260, per person per night as part of a tailor-made trip. The exact price depends on your travel dates, room type and the shape of the rest of your itinerary. A Timbuktu travel specialist can give you an accurate quote for your dates.
Hiking or walking, driving or climbing, enjoy the country’s most dramatic, soaring scenery.
