We recently had the privilege of a second visit to Groendraai River Cottages, just outside of Vaalwater, and it just again confirmed that it’s our favourite fishing spot in Limpopo.
Although this time heavy rainfall just before our visit made the fishing a little slow, we still managed to land some decent bass. We also had some success catching barbel and kurper. But Groendraai is a lot more than fishing. The farm has a variety of activities to enjoy, and in our opinion has the best accommodation of any guest farm we’ve ever visited.
Here’s a brief summary of our Groendraai experience.
Accommodation
To us Groendraai offers the best accommodation of any guest farm we’ve ever visited. On our first visit we stayed in Sunfish, one of the beautiful two-bedroom cottages. This stunning unit is fully equipped with everything you need including some fancy luxuries we weren’t expecting. It also boasts a spacious patio area, built-in braai, outside hot tub, boma, and an uninterrupted view of the bushveld.
The unit is perfect for a romantic couple’s getaway, and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay, despite being woken up every morning by the impatient Zazu, the local Yellowbilled Hornbill, demanding breakfast 🙂
The second time around we stayed in Shadowleaf which was spectacular. It’s a spacious, private, three-bedroom unit tucked away further into the bush which made it feel especially peaceful and secluded — the kind of place where you suddenly start talking about “moving to the bush permanently.”
The whole unit was beautifully equipped, with coffee machines, an air fryer, gas oven, dishwasher, two fridge/freezers, a scullery, board games, playing cards, puzzles, and a smart TV.
Each of the 3 bedrooms has its own fancy en-suite bathroom, and the 3rd bedroom also has its own little kitchenette. There are snazzy touches everywhere which almost made us feel unworthy 🙂
However Shadowleaf’s outside area is where the place really shines. You have a firepit, two seating areas, a large built-in braai, a boma, and a hot tub. All of this with wide open spaces in front of you to enjoy the beautiful sunsets. We spent every evening by the fire just listening to the night sounds of the bushveld (lots of owls and nightjars if you’re into that).
A special treat was the luxurious extra touches provided during both our stays — the lush gowns and slippers, luxurious shower gel, shampoo, body lotion, and even makeup wipes for the ladies. It really made us feel spoilt and added to the overall experience.
Every unit has fast free WiFi (so you can still upload your fish photos immediately), and you can also hire mountain bikes and kayaks at very reasonable prices to explore the huge working farm. Essentials like wood and ice are available on the farm as well.
Another highlight was the stunning Klipspruit area on the banks of the Mokolo River — the ideal spot for a picnic, braai, or a peaceful afternoon of fishing surrounded by nature. All part of the package.
The birdlife is absolutely spectacular, and if you visit at the right time of year, you’ll be surrounded by magical fireflies at night. There is also plenty of wildlife to see around the farm — including crocodiles if you’re lucky enough to spot them.
Fishing
Groendraai itself is an angler’s playground, with several dams and stretches of river to explore, and quite a few species on offer. Right in front of the accommodation is the main dam which contains an abundance of bass, kurper, barbel, and the elusive silver carp (which we still haven’t caught). Annatjie Se Dam is also teeming with bass and barbel. While we were there it was a bit overgrown, but after some bundu bashing we reached the water and had lots of fun with the ravenous bass.
Another beautiful spot is the Klipspruit area along the Mokolo River. This is actually meant to be an alternative picnic \ braai spot for visitors, but we spent our time there fishing catching some large bass. Along with all that there are large stretches of river that is available like Org Se Brug, the section below the main dam, and various others. Your appetite for exploration is the only limitation.
Mother Nature however decided to test our fishing skills by dumping a ridiculous amount of rain just before our arrival, so the fish were feeling a little mysterious. But despite the conditions, we still managed to catch some decent bass, a few barbel, and a beautiful kurper — which officially became Martin’s PB and his entire personality for the rest of the weekend.
So no carp in the end. And even though we tried for bass from the side we had no luck there either, but we always knew that was going to be futile.
Even when the rods were quiet, it never felt disappointing because the environment itself was so enjoyable. Trips like these remind you that fishing is often about much more than just catching fish.
The elusive silver carp also live on the farm, and we were determined to tick them off the list… but they clearly had other plans. Some of the other guests managed to land a few though, so at least we know they actually exist.
Out & About
Groendraai is also conveniently located not far from some lovely pubs, a brewery, shops, and a deli, making it easy to explore the surrounding area during your stay. Mokolo Dam is also not too far away for anglers wanting to do a day trip.
Summary
We recently escaped to Groendraai River Cottages just outside Vaalwater… and honestly, we may never emotionally recover from having to leave.
Even though the fishing conditions weren’t ideal, this trip was one for the books. Beautiful scenery, peaceful surroundings, amazing accommodation, and the perfect place to switch off for a few days.
Safe to say we’re already planning the next trip back.
Even with the challenging fishing conditions, the peaceful atmosphere, beautiful scenery, and incredible accommodation made this a truly memorable trip. We enjoyed every minute of it and are already looking forward to our next visit.
(5 days)
kurper x2 (small\medium)
barbel x2 (small\medium)
bass x2 (big)
bass x30 (small\medium)
