The first thing that strikes you when walking into the lounge of the beautifully appointed Lion Hills Lodge after having been welcomed, is the imposing painting of Eugene Marais above the fireplace. The reason for the prominence of Eugene Marais becomes clear when the history of Lion Hills is explored.

From 1905 Marais studied nature in the Waterberg, where Lion Hills now lies between 2 ravines and wrote about the animals he observed. His studies of termites led to the inspired work The Soul of the Ant. In the Waterberg, Marais also observed a specific troop of baboons at length[6], from which numerous magazine articles and the books "My Friends the Baboons" and "The Soul of the Ape" originated. He is acknowledged as the father of the scientific study of the behaviour of animals, known as Ethology. To this day, the baboons of Lion Hills can be heard as they bark at each other, or as their excited jabber mingles with the growls of the leopard at night.

Lion Hills is a place of peace and tranquillity. Here one can enjoy vistas of rolling hills from every angle of the artfully decorated lodge, while revelling in the wonderment of the quietness.

The lodge is built in a grove of Mountain Syringa trees, Silver Cluster Leaf, Rocksplitting Fig, Kudu Berries and Stamvrug (Transvaal Milk Plum). When sitting in one’s outdoor bath, life seems simple, surrounded by the silence of the bushveld. And after sunset the clear night sky is bedecked by starry jewels, perfect for star gazing while listening to the sounds of the nocturnal animals.

Every one of the bedrooms in this luxury lodge has its own fire place, and two fully equipped bathrooms, one inside , the other out in nature. Including 2 family suites which can sleep adults and children, the lodge can accommodate up to 10 people. It has a fully equipped kitchen. Guests could either have it as a self-catering destination or select the catered option on request.

The outdoor area blends with nature and the swimming pool is built into the rocks of the Waterberg. A family of Klipspringers shares the accommodation at Lion Hills. Here they are safely protected from the lions that roam the area.

The lodge is furnished in old colonial style with lovely South African antique country furniture made of Knysna yellow wood and stinkwood. Original works of art adorn the walls. Children are more than welcome and everyone will feel immediately at home. One could choose to visit the lodge as an escape from the city, to relax, unwind and regain one’s sanity for a weekend. Or enjoy venturing out into the open spaces with our  master game ranger who is knowledgeable about all aspects of nature, ecology and the wild life of Welgevonden. He will explain which birds produce the various calls, from the haunting call of the Grey Headed Bush Shrike (Spookvoel) to the mournful sound of the Emerald Spotted Wood Dove. And he will also help one recognise the bark of the Kudu, the braying of the Zebra and the various other animal sounds which can be so clearly distinguished in the tranquility of the reserve.

The one sound guaranteed and which will not have to be explained, is the magical roar of the lions at night as they roam Lion Hills like they have done for centuries in this Heritage site now part of a greater conservancy area of 1 000 000 hectares of game sanctuary.