The Best Getaway for Beetle Tracking in the Eastern Free State

It’s like a magical “TELLING” revealed in every tiny detail, of the story of the past night and early morning “doings” the daytime wanderings, the digging, chasing, hunting for food, the making of "houses" were these beautiful creatures live.

Anything from small field mice and tok-tokkie beetles to duiker, steenbuck, dassies sunning on rocks, the telltale dung where they hang out, those awesomely beautiful serval who now happily hunt during daylight hours as they know they are safe and protected in the sanctuary that is Spitskop...if you keep an eye out you will see them in the grasslands in front of cottages.

The telltale great holes in the sides of anthills, where aardvark have feasted in the night, and the massive holes that are their "houses" where they slumber in daylight hours.

The diggings of porcupines and the gifted quills they leave behind to be gathered and treasured.

Otter spoor along the sandbanks of the dams, and telltale signs of crabs that have been gobbled with glee in their droppings.

The incredible little footprints that look like a small child has wandered in the sandy parts of hiking trails, which tell the story of the beautiful little spring-hare that have hopped their way around gathering food.

The delicate structures ants have made during the night, utterly beautiful, the breakfast of a beetle they have gathered, enough surely to feed all in their "anthouse"

You will have every possibility, here at Amohela, of coming across those magnificent birds that occur only in Africa, the Secretary Birds, and have heard the hoot-hoot of the eagle owls out hunting rats, mice and gerbils in the night air.

Each Cottage has a Portfolio with a Hiking Trails map, clearly showing the walking and hiking trails and the stairway up to the Look Out on the Spitskop Mountain. The Portfolios contain information on the Retreat & Conservancy,  with maps also laying out cycle routes and birding routes, our Birding Check List with 250 species, can be downloaded on our website under Activities. There is also Local Information, eateries with superb breakfasts and lunches, eclectic shopping, cherry product shopping and fresh cherries in season.