About Us

Sycamore Avenue Treehouses is a family business that started in 2000 and is now owned by Gary Els, of the next generation, who together with his team of hosts and staff will ensure that you enjoy the unique experience with us exploring your childhood fantasies!

Ever since Gary first saw Halley’s comet in 1986, he has been a keen amateur astronomer and member of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa. Sycamore’s location is blessed with clear, dark skies, with fantastic view of the Milky Way. When he is at Sycamore – and skies permitting – guests can be treated to a guided tour of the night sky, accompanied by eye-popping views of planets and the cosmos through his large telescope.

Visit the Gallery page to view some of the stunning star panoramas, as well as surrounding berg vistas and sunsets photographed from Sycamore.

Meals

The day begins with a full English breakfast in our Dining Room.

In the evening, our chef will delight you with a delicious 3 course dinner being table d´hôte (table of the host) tradition. 

Breakfast is a selection of yogurts, fruit and cereals to begin with.

We then serve a plated cooked course consisting of eggs prepared to your liking, sausages, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms and beans.

Alternatively, try an omelette. To top it off, enjoy some home-baked scones with your filter coffee, tea or fruit juice.

After this start, you should have plenty of energy to do some Meandering!

You will experience an array of meals during your stay. 

Our resident Chef, conjures up the most delightful set meals, from starters to main courses, followed by mouth-watering desserts.

Starters include either a soup or salad of the day. Tomato, butternut and chicken soups can be expected.

For the main course you can anticipate the meat of the day being either pork chops/ribs, roast chicken, beef/chicken curry or mince bolognaise. This is accompanied by starch such as potatoes or rice and a variety of vegetables.

If you have room left, you can try to squeeze in the dessert of the day. This could be any of the many homemade delights: assorted puddings, malva pudding and milk tart.

We cater for Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian and other ranges of dietary requirements.

Unfortunately, we are not Halaal.

Activities in the Midlands Meander and Drakensberg

Activities in our Area

There are lots of activities available in the Drakensberg and Natal Midlands, the regions that surround Sycamore Avenue. This is a malaria free region of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa and offers much for the adventure seeker as well as plenty for those seeking relaxation. We are about 50km from Giants Castle with hiking trails or leisurely strolls along the contour path to the famous caves and the Bushman Paintings. This Central Drakensberg Resort “Giants Castle” makes for a great day out. Visit Kamberg reserve in the Southern Drakensberg just 40 Km away & see the bushman paintings at Game Pass Shelter. The best trout / fly fishing in the region is available in 7 well stocked dams and 4 km of river. A day permit is available for  trout fishing in Kamberg Nature Reserve itself. The Weenen Game Reserve is about 45km away from us, well known for Rhino, antelope, giraffe and zebra. There are shady wild fig trees with great picnic sites. The Midlands Meander is well known for its beautiful scenery and Arts & Crafts outlets. The Midlands Meander also offers great places for a country lunch. Horse riding in a private Game Reserve in the Uthukela Biosphere makes for a very different way to view game. These horse safaris bring you within a few meters of giraffe. Most horse rides are three hours but if you would like a full day horse riding safari it can be arranged. Horse riding outride along the Mooi River makes for an easy introduction to horse riding. Its perfect for beginners and children. Horse riding is also available in the Drakensberg Mountains. For those 4×4 enthusiasts why not do a trip to the top of the Sani Pass ? The views are spectacular but remember bring your passport. A Basutho Cultural Village can be viewed at the top. 20km from Estcourt with its history of the Boer & Zulu Wars. Go with a battlefields guide and let him bring this dramatic history back to life. Fort Durnford in Estcourt is worth a visit for the Zulu village and famous bird eggs collection. The Mooi River Country Club is just 7km away where you are able to play Golf and Bowls. Its a good choice too for lunch and dinner River Rafting is available on the Tugela River when the rivers are high, leaving early in the morning, includes breakfast and lunch with all equipment required for the river rafting. If you prefer a quiet time we have a beautiful garden with many kinds of birds that visit every day, and we have 50 acres for you to walk to watch the birds. Sycamore Ave looks on to the Drakensberg with a view of Giants Castle best viewed with a cocktail while the sun is setting Stay a few days and explore this beautiful area of KwaZulu Natal. You wont be sorry.

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