Our African Dream Adventure
After almost thirty years of adventurous travel through the breathtaking wilderness of Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, we have finally made our dream come true, our own house "Villa Upendi" on a beautiful wildlife estate in Hoedspruit, South Africa.
"Upendi" means "love" and comes from Swahili and stands for a loving place. It became known for the song in the Disney film The Lion King II: Simba's Pride.
Here, at the foot of the Drakensberg Mountains and surrounded by the sounds of nature, we have found a place where giraffes, zebras and impalas, among others, walk quietly along the veranda and the African sun warms the days.
It is an oasis of peace, nature and freedom — a home in the heart of the bush.
The wildlife estate has secure access and is not a Big 5 reserve, making the area freely accessible for hiking and mountain biking, among other things.
Luxury and comfort in nature
Villa Upendi is a stylish and spacious bush villa that combines luxury, comfort and tranquility in the middle of African nature.
Set on a plot of no less than 12,000 m² of private land within a secure wildlife estate, the villa offers plenty of privacy and an authentic bush experience.
The villa features three beautifully decorated bedrooms, each equipped with king-size XL beds with luxurious mattresses and high-quality Egyptian cotton bed linen.
Each bedroom has its own bathroom with walk-in shower and outdoor shower, and the master bedroom bathroom also has a stylish bathtub.
An extra sofa bed in the chill area offers sleeping accommodation for one adult or two children (on request).
Space to relax
The spacious living room is furnished with a comfortable large lounge sofa, a cozy sitting area with two chairs and table, and a bar with six bar stools — the ideal place to enjoy a drink or a good conversation together.
The modern open kitchen is fully equipped with an oven, large gas stove with four burners and separate wok burner, Nespresso machine, kettle and an XL fridge with freezer.
The complete kitchen inventory is designed for eight people, so that nothing is missing.
In the utility room you will find extra comfort with a dishwasher, washing machine, microwave and toaster.
Enjoy the outdoors and views
From the living room you walk directly onto the terrace, where you can relax by the private pool or enjoy the panoramic view of the Drakensberg Mountains and the bush.
The terrace has a lounge set, large dining table with 8 chairs and 2 sunbeds.
In the evening, you can dine under a twinkling starry sky by the fire in the boma with braai stand and eight Camp master chairs, a true African experience.
Facilities
Villa Upendi features Wi-Fi, a smart TV with AirPlay and a Sonos sound system. Furthermore, the villa has a carport, weekly cleaning, and both bed and bath linen are provided.
When we are traveling ourselves or staying in the Netherlands, we like to share this special place with others who are looking for the same magic of Africa that has enchanted us for years.
Would you like to experience the silence of the savannah for yourself, smell the scent of the bush and enjoy a twinkling starry sky by the campfire in the evening?
We would like to welcome you, experience Africa as we know it: pure, adventurous and unforgettable.
