If your holidays include getting up at the crack of dawn to climb a mountain, hike a trail or otherwise spike your adrenaline, you’re in luck! We’ve rounded up a handful of wallet-friendly places for those who like their getaways packed with adventure

Blyde River Wilderness Lodge | Mpumalanga
This beautiful thatched lodge is surrounded by the majestic Drakensberg Mountains and the tranquil Blyde River. Here you can enjoy panoramic scenery, abundant birdlife and the exquisite fauna and flora of the region. You’re close enough to the Kruger’s Orpen to get your big five thrills in, and you can hike the many trails on the farm at your leisure. Those wanting an adrenaline rush can head to Graskop Gorge and take the lift 51 m down the gorge into the indigenous forest. You can also venture across the suspension bridge 70 m above the forest or take the Big Swing to plunge 70 m down into the foliage in just three seconds. Blyde River Wilderness Lodge is also ideally located for those wanting to go rafting and tubing, or explore the beauty of the Panorama Route from a hot-air balloon.
015 793 2274 
blyderiverwilderness.co.za

Bayside Lodge | Western Cape
You’ll find this four-star bed and breakfast only a three-minute walk to Plett’s signature beach, Robberg. It is in this remote stretch of coastline between the Beacon Island Resort and Robberg peninsula that you’ll find surfers and swimmers – and a helping hand if you’re a novice! Bayside Lodge offers a Surf ‘n’ Turf menu of self-guided day hikes that differ in length and difficulty, and they can tailor-make a trail package just for you. The trails explore the beauty that is Plettenberg Bay and all its surroundings. And best of all? Bayside Lodge’s saltwater swimming pool is the ideal cool-down spot after a day or five of hiking the trails in the area.
072 060 6646
baysidelodge.co.za

Bezhoek Private Nature Reserve | Mpumalanga
When you book a tent at Bezhoek, you’re essentially booking the right to explore 4 500 hectares of pristine nature in the Olifants River Valley. The tented camp is located within the Bezhoek Private Nature Reserve, about 25 km outside Middelburg and Emalahleni. It has 301 bird species, six mountain-bike trails, 200 km of open road and more than 1 000 animals. The large en-suite canvas tents each have a deck and luxurious beds, where you can relax after your adventures.
082 458 6850
bezhoek.co.za

Kei Mouth Guest Lodge | Eastern Cape
The glorious, unassuming splendour of the Wild Coast is what awaits when you check in to Kei Mouth Guest Lodge. Here it’s all about empty beaches and incredible, unspoiled nature. Your adventure can be as relaxed as a barefoot beach walk or as wild as a deep-sea fishing expedition. Our favourite experiences are the beach rides with Wild Coast Horse Trails and exploring the mountain-bike and off-road running trails. Kei Mouth Guest Lodge has comfortable rooms at a price that’s hard to beat.
082 567 0972 
keimouthguestlodge.co.za

Cape St Francis Resort | Eastern Cape
Here, they make your holiday fun their business. Bordering the beach, the resort has a unique selection of accommodation options – from conventional hotel rooms to three-and four-bedroom cottages and luxury beach villas. These can all be booked on a bed and breakfast or self-catering plan. A water sports paradise, you can choose between surfing, kite-surfing, surf skiing and canoe paddling on the beautiful waters off both Cape St Francis and St Francis Bay, as well as on the nearby Kromme River.
042 298 0054 
capestfrancis.co.za

Words by  Mart-Marié du toit
Photography: Courtesy Images