Frequently Asked
Questions

Book online on our booking page: choose your dates, see what's available and book straight away. Or send Mariska a WhatsApp or email with your preferred dates and number of guests; she will confirm availability and send you payment details, and once payment is received your booking is confirmed. Either way, you will receive the full house guide with all arrival details.

Weekday rates (Sunday to Thursday) are from R2,650 per night. Friday and Saturday nights are from R3,150 per night. Every booking is a minimum of 2 nights. A typical weekend — two nights, Friday and Saturday — is from R6,300 for the whole lodge, split however you like between the guests you bring. Mariska confirms the current rate when you ask.

All rates are for the full property, not per person. Extra people on the stretchers, child or adult, pay R250 each a night; babies under 2 are free.

Direct EFT (bank transfer) is the preferred payment method for direct bookings. Mariska will provide banking details once your dates are confirmed. Platform bookings (LekkeSlaap, Airbnb, Booking.com) follow their respective payment processes.

A minimum 2-night stay applies to every booking, weekdays and weekends.

No breakage deposit is required. We trust our guests to treat the property with care, and to date this approach has worked well. Any accidental damage should be reported to Mariska on departure.

For direct bookings: a 50% deposit is due on booking, and the balance is due 14 days before check-in. Cancellation terms: cancel more than 21 days before arrival and your deposit is refunded. Within 21 days of arrival the deposit is forfeited, and within 14 days, or for a no-show, 100% of the booking total is charged. Card transaction costs may not be refunded. Platform bookings (LekkeSlaap, Airbnb, Booking.com) follow that platform's own cancellation policy.

Check-in is from 2:00 PM. Check-out is by 10:00 AM. If you would like to arrange a later check-out, please ask Mariska in advance — it may be possible subject to availability and will be confirmed before your stay.

Once your booking is confirmed and paid, we send your booking confirmation with directions and arrival instructions. Show it at the Shona Langa security gate. Please do not share these details publicly.

Shona is a self-check-in property. The house will be prepared and ready for your arrival. Mariska is always reachable by WhatsApp and phone throughout your stay. You are welcome to reach out at any time with questions.

Shona sleeps 4 in two bedrooms, plus two stretchers if needed. Extra people on the stretchers, child or adult, pay R250 each a night; babies under 2 are free. There's no camp cot — guests bring their own. Please mention it when booking so stretchers are ready for your arrival.

The kitchen is fully equipped — pots, pans, crockery, cutlery, a dishwasher, and all appliances. You bring your own groceries and anything personal (toiletries, etc.). We leave a supply of firewood for the braai and boma, but it's never enough — bring extra. For a fuller list of what to bring (and what to leave at home), see our packing guide.

Yes, free WiFi is available at Shona. It's a rural nature estate, so we don't promise speed or coverage — details are in the house guide.

Yes — air conditioning is in both bedrooms and the living area. Limpopo summers can be very hot, so it's a welcome comfort.

No — Shona runs on Eskom grid power, which is mostly reliable but does sometimes go off. There's no backup power, just a couple of battery lights kept for power cuts. Please treat electricity with consideration.

Yes — a final clean is included in your stay at no extra charge. You are expected to leave the property in a reasonable condition — dishes done, general tidiness observed. The professional clean is done after your departure.

Yes, children are very welcome at Shona. The property is family-friendly and the estate is a wonderful environment for children to experience nature. Children must be supervised at all times, particularly around the hot tub, braai, boma, and anywhere outdoors near wildlife.

Extra people on the stretchers, child or adult, pay R250 each a night. Babies under 2 are free. Up to 2 people can be accommodated this way. There's no camp cot — guests bring their own. Please mention it when booking so stretchers are ready for your arrival.

Unfortunately, pets are not permitted at Shona. This is a requirement of the nature estate due to the roaming wildlife. We understand this may be disappointing — please plan accordingly.

The hot tub is wood-fired. A supply of firewood is left out for you, but it's never enough for a full stay, so bring extra. You load the fire, and it heats the water over 1.5 to 2 hours depending on conditions. Full instructions are in the house guide.

Yes — a game viewing vehicle is included with your stay at no extra charge. You are welcome to use it to explore the Shona Langa Nature Estate at your own pace. No guide or booking is needed. Instructions for the vehicle will be provided in the house guide.

Giraffe, kudu, zebra, wildebeest and impala live on the estate, along with plenty of birdlife. Many guests spot them right from the lodge or on a game drive at dawn or dusk.

Shona is located inside the Shona Langa Nature Estate in Limpopo, near Bela-Bela. The property is about 2.5 hours by road from Pretoria and Johannesburg. Precise directions and GPS coordinates are sent to guests after booking confirmation.

No — a standard car is perfectly fine. The majority of the route is on good tar road. There is approximately 9 km of government-maintained gravel road towards the end. This road is manageable in any normal vehicle.

Bela-Bela is the nearer town, about 55 km (1 h 20) away, with shops, fuel and a pharmacy. Thabazimbi has a wider range of shops and is about 95 km (1 h 45) away. We recommend stocking up before heading to the estate so you can fully settle in on arrival.

Cell signal can be limited in parts of the estate as with most rural nature reserves. WiFi is available at the lodge. We recommend downloading offline maps and any media you need before arriving.

Yes. Shona Langa Nature Estate is in a malaria-free area.

About 2.5 hours from Pretoria, making it an easy weekend escape from Gauteng without an early start.

The estate is home to giraffe, kudu, zebra, wildebeest, impala, warthog, and plenty of birdlife.

There are no Big Five and no predators, so nothing out here will hunt you. Walk, cycle, let the kids roam. It's still the bushveld, so there are snakes and spiders, though not many snakes. Our one rule for children: if you see a snake, turn around and walk away, and never touch it.

Game viewing is good year-round. The dry winter months (May to August) tend to offer better sightings as vegetation is low and animals gather near water. Summer (November to February) is lush, green, and excellent for birdwatching, with plenty of birdlife on the estate.

Yes. The game viewing vehicle is included with your stay and there is no guide required. You explore the estate at your own pace, on your own schedule. Dawn and dusk are the most rewarding times for game viewing.

No parties, events, or large gatherings are permitted. Shona is a private retreat in a nature estate, and the peaceful environment is something we actively protect — for your benefit and for neighbouring properties. The maximum guest count is the booked number of guests.

Quiet hours are from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM. No loud music is permitted at any time of day. The sounds of the bush are the soundtrack here — please respect that.

No smoking is permitted inside any indoor areas. Smoking is allowed in the outdoor areas away from the thatch structure. Please be considerate of fire risk in a dry bush environment.

Day visitors can be arranged in advance with Mariska, subject to estate access rules. Only the confirmed booked guests may stay overnight unless pre-arranged. Please do not bring unannounced visitors to the estate.

Yes — Shona is listed on LekkeSlaap, Airbnb, and Booking.com. These are valid ways to book. However, booking directly with Mariska means no platform fees, personal communication from the start, and a more tailored experience.

The nightly rate is the same. The benefit of booking direct is that there are no additional platform service fees added on top, and you deal personally with Mariska from the very first message.