City life can sometimes sap all the romance out of our daily living. A weekend getaway can certainly rekindle the flame - and Magoebaskloof is a pretty good setting for such matters...

This valley is found about three hours outside of Joburg, high up on the escarpment above Tzaneen’s rich agricultural land. It's decorated with forests and waterfalls, trout laden dams and rolling hills: a perfect spot to enjoy the romance that slips us by in city living.

Legends of Magoeboskloof

Our Magoeboskloof stay found us exploring the surrounding area a scrap one day, driving up to the ancient cycad forest at Modjadji. This is supposedly the largest growth of a single cycad species that dates back 50 – 60 million years. The legend has it that the protection of the local Modjadjis over generations is the reason it has survived.

A local man from the tribe Bolobedu explained to us about their rain queen, who recently passed on. She leaves behind her a three- year-old daughter, who upon her 25th birthday will become the new Rain Queen… what a life! I also wanna be a queen! Click here for the gallery.

Liquid autumn lends itself to nothingness

But there were also lazy days, which found us tucked up in a pocket of afternoon sunlight reading, snoozing or snuggling until we felt the urge to wander. Leaves dance in the light or crunch below our feet as the twinkle of the stars trickles into the sky.

Whether it’s fishing or just a spot of chilling you're after, you’ll find it here.

After obtaining a permit from the Elms Fly Fishing Shop, there are dams and mountain streams that open up to you. Here you will find both brown and rainbow trout, and if you’re lucky, just a little bit of bass. You can also partake in the Trout Festival that happens every August, and maybe fit in one or two fishing clinics before to tighten up your game.

I heard rumours of a great spot to go kloofing and ziplining, but my adrenaline zest was sadly not there this weekend.

It was chill time for this little lass.

The mountains I could see in the distance are said to hold some great hiking trails - a good recommendation for the next time being the official Magoebaskloof Hiking Trail itself.

You can tailor it to your needs and hike for anywhere between two and five days. There are you'll apparently find great little huts along the way, but the area gets a fair bit of rain, so come prepared.

Horse rides are available too for those who prefer our four-legged equestrian friends. One can even do a cheese making tour. You can buy your cheese, build a picnic and hit one of the recommended picnic sites at the lovely Debegeni Waterfall – a wonderful way to pass an afternoon.

To every season...

In springtime Cheerio garden come alight with azaleas, crab apples, rhododendrums and cherry blossoms - a truly romantic affair.

Spring is such a glorious time where we can defrost our winter chills and awake to the scent of flowers and new life unfolding in all corners.

Why not put ourselves in the middle of it all, rather than our concrete jungle? Magoebaskloof allows you to marvel the possibilities the new summer quite serenely indeed.

Find you own little pocket of paradise with these holiday packages. Enjoy and let us know how it turns out.