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umSisi House

White River- South Africa

Email umSisi House Reservations: booksa@madbookings.com

Welcome to your exclusive African villa ‘just around the corner’ from the Kruger National Park in South Africa
umSisi House is a 5 star graded, luxurious farmhouse in the Peebles Valley, close to White River in Mpumalanga, offering the ultimate full-service, all inclusive private villa solution for groups of friends and family wishing to visit South Africa’s Kruger Lowveld region.

Created solely to appeal to the discerning traveller who values exclusivity above all else, umSisi House proudly offers an ‘at home in Africa’ experience for private groups (of up to 10 people) with unparalleled access to the Kruger National Park - only 15 minutes away.

Set in 60 hectares of pristine bush within the Jock of the Bushveld Conservancy, umSisi House offers guests panoramic views of their immediate surroundings.
To the south is Legogote Mountain (an imposing granite monolith known locally as the "Sentinel of the Lowveld") while to the west beautiful rock gardens lead to 10 kilometers of walking trails in the mountains behind.

umSisi House Accommodation

The northerly view encompasses rolling farmland while the view to the east couldn’t be more different and guests at umSisi House will be enchanted by scenes of an African village slowly creeping down the valley.
This is Masoyi. At umSisi House, we are privileged to offer a destination that truly embraces the essence of South Africa – its people, its wild places and its wild life.

The House:
umSisi House is a newly refurbished Lowveld farmhouse offering exclusive use for groups of family and friends wanting total privacy throughout their visit to South Africa’s Kruger Lowveld region.
The design and decor of umSisi House can best be described as stylishly African, where classic English meets contemporary African chic, with an international flair to meet the expectations of a well-travelled clientele.
umSisi is all about the small touches, and we hope our guests will be intrigued by the many special ‘pieces’ positioned throughout the house.

We can accommodate up to 10 people between the house and the cottage.
The uniqueness of umSisi House revolves around the following:
- Three ensuite bedrooms (master suite with dressing room) in the farmhouse
- Separate cottage with a further two bedrooms sharing a double shower room which is perfect for larger groups requiring additional accommodation
- An inviting swimming pool heated by the sun, surrounded by sun loungers and a nice big umbrella for those seeking shade

- A vast covered veranda with dining area and charcoal-fired oven / barbecue, comfortable plantation furniture and a day bed for those lazy afternoons
- Bespoke menus planned in advance to ensure that the dining experience is one of the highlights of your stay
- Colonial paddle fans in all rooms and on the veranda to fight off the African heat
- A roaring fire in the sitting room and heating throughout for those chilly winter nights when the skies are icy blue
- Luxuriously appointed bathrooms all with large showers, deep baths and wonderful views of the surrounding mountains

- A Jacuzzi in the rock garden to help you unwind before dinner after a day’s game viewing
- A soon-to-be indigenous forest, beautiful gardens, mountain trails and exceptional views of Legogote Mountain
- Wireless connectivity in the Media Room with a laptop, printer and Skype phone for your personal use
- A wide selection of books and other reading material in the Library (which doubles as the TV Room) including a collection of natural science reference books covering all of the region's wildlife as well as guide books and maps of the surrounding area. These are available for your use when exploring the Kruger National Park

- A TV Room for those rainy days or times when guests feel the need to catch up with the outside world offering satellite TV with an HD decoder / recorder, DVD player and a large collection of movies
- A selection of games and puzzles
- Speakers in all the entertainment areas allowing you to connect your iPod to our system
- Complete wheel-chair access to ensure that everybody who wants to experience umSisi House can
- A wonderful team of staff to ensure that your stay is hassle-free and packed with memories to take home
- A booking service for all your local activities and safaris
- A fully-inclusive price with no hidden extras

The Cottage
umSisi Cottage offers upmarket self-catering accommodation in the Peebles Valley, close to White River, in Mpumalanga for small groups of friends and family wishing to explore the Kruger Lowveld region.
The cottage is exceptionally private with its own entrance, covered veranda with exceptional views, TV with local channels, functional kitchen, braai (BBQ) and covered parking.

It offers 2 bedrooms sharing a double shower room. Accommodation options include a double room and a twin room with two singles or a double room and a king room.
The double room is our primary bedroom. There is also a travel cot available upon request as well as a high chair.
For your convenience, all linen, towels, cooking utensils, basic food stuffs and a daily maid service are included while picnic hampers and delicious home-cooked meals can be provided upon request.

The cottage is based in the grounds of umSisi House and provides unbeatable access to the Kruger National Park via the Numbi Gate entrance (only 15 minutes away), the Panorama Route and all the adventure activity companies situated in the area.

Local Landmarks:
1. Kruger National Park
2. Legogote
3. Panorama Route

The cottage at umSisi House is located only 15 minutes drive from Numbi Gate – the first, and most appealing entrance into the Kruger National Park. Numbi Gate is located in the south-western section of the park and its higher altitude provides a sweeping vista over the Lowveld to the east and granite foothills to the north and south. This is a high rainfall area allowing for a particularly high diversity of plant and animal species.

Kruger is the best-known game reserve in Africa. The park draws over a million visitors a year and the area hosts tremendous bio-diversity including 147 species of mammals, 507 bird species, 114 reptile species, 34 amphibian species, 49 fish species and approximately 336 tree species within 4,5 million acres (2 million hectares) of natural bush - an area that could easily accommodate Wales. The Kruger National Park was proclaimed in 1926 with Numbi

Kruger Safaris
We are delighted to be able to offer a safari solution for the entire family (regardless of age) that allows you to enjoy the Kruger National Park on a series of day trips while still returning to the privacy and comfort of your exclusive cottage at the end of each day.
We have teamed up with local operators, and their experienced guides, to provide you with the option of exploring the Kruger in an open game viewer should you not wish to self-drive.

These vehicles are hired on a daily basis and the guides are trained to identify everything from the smallest dung beetle to the great African Elephant. Due to our close proximity to Numbi Gate, you will be collected and returned to umSisi at the end of each day.

Features:
- A collection of natural science reference books covering all of the region's wildlife as well as guide books and maps of the surrounding area
- A library of reading material to suit all tastes
- A stereo system with speakers for your iPod
- Excellent security featuring shutter system and alarm for use when out during the day
- Picnic hampers and home-cooked meals available upon request
- Daily maid service as long as the main house is unoccupied
- Laundry service at the main house for a small extra charge as long as the main house is unoccupied
- Use of the walking trails and swimming pool as long as the main house is unoccupied
- A babysitting service (evenings only) available upon request at R50 per hour when possible with prior notice should you want to go out for the evening as long as the main house is unoccupied


The Kitchen:
umSisi House offers bespoke menus chosen by the guests themselves to ensure that all meals are to everyone’s liking.
We actually send through a selection of menus prior to your arrival along with a food questionnaire to make sure we are aware of any allergies or special diets.
Our delicious home-cooked food is prepared with care and dedication to the availability of local seasonal produce, much of which is grown in our kitchen garden.

We know that your dining experience will be one of the highlights of your time spent at umSisi House. Meals are served at the chef’s table in the open-plan kitchen or outside on the veranda depending on the weather. Paddy, the chef, either cooks on the range or a charcoal-fire oven / barbecue.

umSisi House has access to the best local ingredients and boasts a large cellar of South African wine. Wines are paired to each meal to ensure the ultimate dining experience.
Depending on whether you are ‘at home’ for the day or off on safari will determine breakfast and lunch. If you’re leaving early we will send you off with tea and coffee and home-made rusks to see you through to lunchtime which will be a sumptuous picnic hamper loaded with delicious goodies.

If you’re ‘at home’, breakfast will be that of your choice from a selection of cereals, fruit and Greek yoghurt or a full English or American fry-up.
Lunches will be a buffet of cold meats, salad, cheeses, quiches and fresh bread. While we host you at dinner, we let you enjoy the company of friends and family during the day. But we are always around should you need us!

We also operate a ‘help yourself’ policy throughout the day for tea and coffee, any drinks, a fresh supply of fruit and a snack cupboard in case you get hungry between meals.
There is also the wonderful option of having ‘dinner under the stars’ where we bring our experience of running safaris to prepare dinner in your own private, open-air dining room.

An old Land Rover will double-up as the kitchen and bar, lanterns will be twinkling around you and the fire will be roaring as you enjoy a dinner cooked in traditional African cast iron pots on the open fire.
These pots are known locally as potjie pots (pronounced poy-key). The meal will feature freshly-baked pot bread, a hearty stew, fresh salads and something sticky and sweet, with freshly ground Ethiopian coffee to finish.

The menu can be tailored to your requirements and vegetarians are easily catered for. We can also arrange ‘mountain view sundowners' at a private spot looking across the valley towards the Kruger National Park if you feel up to a bit of a hike and the reward of perching on top of a mountain with gin and tonic in hand and something delicious to nibble on. You will be returned to the farmhouse in one of the umSisi House Land Rovers in time for dinner.

The Location
South Africa is often described as ‘a world in one country’ as it offers the visitor a breathtaking variety of scenery, from desert and lush forest, to soaring mountains and vast empty plains.
Culturally as diverse as the landscape, many visitors are drawn to experience for themselves the miracle of the peaceful overthrow of Apartheid.
Others are attracted by endless golden beaches, big game, diving, snorkelling or bird watching. Whatever their reasons, visitors will find South Africa positively inviting with world-class infrastructure, transport and accommodation.

umSisi House is situated in Mpumalanga (‘the place where the sun rises’) which is South Africa’s most easterly province bordered by Mozambique to the east and the Kingdom of Swaziland to the south.
Mpumalanga is a lush, land-locked province, filled with deep ravines, verdant valleys, crystal-clear streams, magnificent waterfalls and plenty of wildlife.
It is considered to be the heartland of South Africa’s classic safari territory. Mpumalanga enjoys a subtropical climate and is very fertile.
There are many huge plantations growing produce ranging from avocado pears to bananas to pecan nuts to citrus as well as hundreds of thousands of hectares of timber plantations.

umSisi House is a mere 15 minutes away from the Kruger National Park and 20 minutes away from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA), which is the main destination for visitors flying into the Kruger Lowveld area. The airport offers numerous car rental options.
White River, the nearest town to umSisi House (15 minutes away), is the pretty floral gateway to the Kruger Lowveld region and can be found just north of Nelspruit (the provincial capital of Mpumalanga).

Nelspruit offers all the modern amenities of a first world city from shopping malls, family entertainment, medical facilities and banking to tourism services.
Looking slightly further afield Maputo, the buzzing capital of Mozambique, is only two hours drive from Nelspruit and is en route to the many pristine beach destinations that the country has to offer.
The beautiful kingdom of Swaziland is approximately three hours drive from Nelspruit and offers a world of bygone African traditions and culture.
It is recommended that you hire a car when staying with us for longer than three nights. On shorter stays, we are happy to arrange your transfers and Kruger Park activities as we know you won’t have time to experience the region’s many other highlights.

Email umSisi House Reservations: booksa@madbookings.com