Nestled in the heart of the Kwazulu Natal Midlands, The Boat House at Beacon Vlei Guest Farm offers comfortable self-catering accommodation with a touch of history. Our 50 acre private dam, and the surrounding wetland area, is home to hundreds of beautiful bird species, as well as large brown and rainbow trout. Guests need not leave the farm to enjoy fly fishing, birding, boating or a picnic after a leisurely walk around beautiful Beacon Vlei. Other outdoor activities that can be arranged in the surrounding countryside include, hot air ballooning, mountain biking, horse riding, canopy tours, battlefield tours and even paragliding. Beacon Vlei Guest Farm is a family friendly establishment centrally located on the famed Midlands Meander, and only 1 km from Michaelhouse School. The Midlands Meander offers visitors an abundance of art and craft shops. There are also many fine restaurants, delicatessens and cheese farms in the Balgowan district, within 3 to 5 km of Beacon Vlei.
We are dedicated to providing our guests with a relaxing and therapeutic stay. Whether this means taking it easy at one of the top quality day spas in the area, or challenging yourself to something more adventurous, such as mountain biking, horse riding, canopy tours, birding the Midlands Birding Route or hot air ballooning, Beacon Vlei and the KwaZulu Natal Midlands has it all! We can arrange bookings for these and other activities in the region, as well as advise on the many arts and crafts shops found on the Midlands Meander. We are also surrounded by a selection of great restaurants, and can make these reservations as well.
/.
/.Beacon Vlei is registered with Birdlife South Africa as a Birder Friendly Establishment. Some of the birds of special interest found on Beacon Vlei include the Crowned Crane, Purple Heron, African Fish Eagle, Olive Woodpecker, African Jacana and Marsh Harrier. We are a birding site on the Midlands Birding Route and are confident that during the spring and summer months the multitude of birds that flock to our dam and the surrounding wetland will delight most birders. We are also extremely lucky to have a pair of Crowned Cranes nesting in the wetland around the dam. Trails, viewpoints and picnic spots around the dam and property provide our guests with hours of entertainment and relaxation.
Depending on the season, duiker, reedbuck and bushbuck can be sighted. Other wildlife on Beacon Vlei include otters, jackal, porcupine and genet.
/.
/.The Boat House, situated 20 m from the edge of our 50 acre private dam, is a picturesque, fully equipped thatched cottage, which sleeps up to five people. It consists of one large and luxurious en suite bedroom and a large open plan living room with a bunk bed and sleeper couch, and a second bathroom. The Boat House is warmed in winter by a fireplace and heaters. Braai facilities are available, and the lounge is equipped with TV.