Thorsten and I had been wanting to stay at Sima Kade Bush Retreat, an eco-lodge in the foothills of the Magaliesberg Mountains, for ages. It was on Thorsten’s radar because of the architecture; Sima Kade’s owner, Laurence Brown, is a trained architect and builder and the accommodation is known for its beautiful, experimental, utilitarian design. Sima Kade was on my radar because I’m always on the lookout for fun, quirky getaways close to Joburg. (Sima Kade is exactly an hour from Brixton — maybe a little more depending on the time of day and how many functioning traffic lights there are.)

The only problem with Sima Kade is that it’s already popular, so it’s VERY hard to get a booking on Friday and Saturday nights. I tried several times when Thorsten and I were looking for a last-minute weekend destination. But if you want to stay at Sima Kade over a weekend, you need to plan months in advance.

Luckily, my birthday fell on a Wednesday this year. It was a perfect excuse for a mid-week getaway — getting Thorsten out of his office during the week is normally a challenge — and Sima Kade offers a winter mid-week special (about 30% off). So I finally got my chance to book Sima Kade’s Kama Cabin, which had been haunting my Instagram feed for years.

This is why Sima Kade is so popular. Look at this incredible cabin! And it goes so well with my Greylene.

Inside the Kama Cabin

Thorsten's architectural sketch of the Kama Cabin

Thorsten’s architectural sketch of the cabin. (See more of Thorsten’s sketches at @theThinking_Hand.)

The Kama Cabin is a generous tiny house with just enough space for two people to comfortably co-exist. The ground floor has a kitchen, a living area with a fireplace, and a bathroom. The upper level is a bedroom loft with enough space for a tall person to stand up. Most of the downstairs walls are glass doors that slide all the way open, making the small house feel spacious.

The lounge space and outdoor bath. The Kama Cabin sits deep in a valley and is surrounded by forest.

The fully equipped kitchen.

Thorsten in the kitchen in the early morning with a fire going in the fireplace

Thorsten preparing my birthday breakfast. (Quick shout-out to Thorsten: Food is clearly this man’s love language and he fed me well on this birthday.) We made good use of the fireplace in the chilly mornings and evenings.

The Kama Cabin bathroom with a view from the bathtub

The bathroom has a great view.

The cozy upstairs bedroom. It requires some agility to climb the steep staircase and maneuver around in the loft, so this is not a cabin for people with mobility issues.

The view from bed. It’s like being in a treehouse.

Outside the Kama Cabin

The Kama Cabin’s outdoor area is equally as well designed as the cabin itself. There’s a lovely outdoor daybed, an outdoor bath (see photo above), an incredible chair swing, and a fire pit that’s useful for both cooking and staying warm. (There’s also a Weber braai for those who prefer cooking on charcoal.)

Thorsten sketching from the daybed at sunset.

Cooking over the fire pit.

I loved this chair. (Photo: Thorsten Deckler)

Hiking at Sima Kade

We only had one full day at Sima Kade and we spent most of it relaxing. But we did take a short hike around the reserve and popped over to “Sky Terrace” — Sima Kade’s popular group venue — to check it out.

Larger-than-life cement statues in the woods.

An interesting art installation along the forest path between the Kama Cabin and Sky Terrace.

Sky Terrace, which accommodates up to 22 people, is known for these funky spaceship pods that look out over the valley. (There are also some larger cabin units.)

I love the round beds.

While we were poking around Sky Terrace we bumped into Laurence, Sima Kade’s owner, who was getting the space ready for a group checking in later that afternoon. Laurence showed us around and he and Thorsten had a great time geeking out about architecture together.

Thorsten and Laurence in the beautiful Sky Terrace gathering space. People often come here for yoga retreats.

From Sky Terrace, we hiked to the Sima Kade rock pool and up to the edge of the valley. It’s possible to hike for three to four hours at Sima Kade, but we took it easy and hiked (slowly) for about two.

Thorsten sketching the rock pool, which must be perfect for swimming when the weather is warmer. (The water is freezing in July.)

Rock pool sketch.

View from the top of the valley. We were there at high noon, during the worst light of the day, but it must be stunning at sunset.

We hiked through a dramatic ravine on the way down. (Photo: Thorsten Deckler)

Even after all these years of living here, it’s amazing to me that I can drive one hour outside the biggest city in South Africa and find myself in a remote paradise with such beautiful, affordable accommodation. (We paid R1550 — about $100 — per night for the Kama Cabin’s mid-week special.) This was a perfect birthday escape — my only complaint is that we couldn’t stay longer. Do yourself a favor and go.

Notes

1) Sima Kade has several other cabins and camps and each one is unique. I highly recommend taking a good browse around their website.

2) The dirt roads are a bit rough so a sturdy vehicle is recommended.

3) Don’t forget to bring flip-flops and lightweight clothing, even in winter. The mornings are cold in Magaliesburg but it really warms up during the day.

4) Book for at least three nights to avoid regret.