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Phophonyane Falls Ecolodge is nestled in the dramatic mountain landscape of north-west Swaziland, amid tumbling waterfalls and lush natural forests. It is a favourite destination for discerning travellers and nature lovers seeking a romantic and revitalising hideaway in a setting of stunning natural beauty. The Ecolodge is designed to maximize the experience of our special environment, and to ensure that we fully live up to our motto of "Peace, Privacy, Paradise".

The accommodation is set in spacious gardens with running streams, ponds and waterways. A maximum of 28 guests have the choice of luxury beehive huts with spectacular valley views, well-equipped self-catering cottages with large private gardens facing the rugged Gobolondo Mountain or safari tents on decks tucked in the natural forest above the river.

Our distinctive, spacious a-la-carte Driftwood Restaurant offers a diverse menu and extensive list of quality wines. You will be served fresh home-cooked meals by our attentive and friendly staff who personify Swazi warmth and charm.

The Phophonyane Falls Nature Reserve falls within the Barberton Centre of Plant Endemism and protects the rich biodiversity of the increasingly threatened middleveld habitat. Besides its rich botanical diversity, the 600 ha reserve is home to a remarkable 240 species of birds and some of the world's most interesting geological features. Walk along the magical forested trails and hear the mysterious hoot of the scarlet and emerald feathered narina trogon, the curious whistle of the red duiker, and bark of the elusive bushbuck. Rest and breathe the revitalizing air of the legendary Phophonyane waterfalls and cascades which tumble over several kilometres of beautifully exposed ancient gneiss, the world's oldest rock (formed over 3.6 billion years ago).

Phophonyane is 70 kms south of the Kruger National Park's Malelane Gate, and strategically located for independent travellers visiting the KNP and eastern Mpumalanga, and the attractions of northern KwaZulu-Natal such as Isimangaliso Wetland Park, St. Lucia, Hluhluwe-Mfolozi, and Kosi Bay and Sodwana Bay.

We look forward to your stay.

The Legend of Phophonyane

Swazi legend relates the romantic tale of a beautiful maiden and her love for a handsome warrior. For her hand he had to present her with the skin of a leopard which he had to hunt for on the rugged Gobolondlo Mountain.

Misfortune befell her suitor and he was seized by witches who inhabited the mountainside and transformed into a white flower, condemned for his trespassing to bloom and die among the mountain grasses.

When after many days the warrior had still not returned, the lamenting maiden sat on the river’s edge where her inexhaustible tears flowed to form the Phophonyane waterfalls, which still flow today. Phophonyane Falls Lodge lies magically next to these falls and their thunderous roar can be heard throughout the Nature Reserve.

The lodge gardens extend to the river just above the falls where, from the bridge, you can view the ancient rock formation (3, 5 billion years) and the gorge below.