What makes Three Tree Hill, South Africa different from other hotels?

Three Tree Hill is a Fair Trade certified lodge owned by Simon and Cheryl Blackburn in KwaZulu-Natal's Drakensberg foothills. Twenty-four beds and locally grown farm-style food offer hospitality rooted in a passion for Africa's wildlife, history, and culture.

What should I expect when dining at Three Tree Hill, South Africa?

Three Tree Hill serves farm-style food grown on the property, earning Fair Trade certification. The Blackburn family's hospitality extends to every meal featuring local Drakensberg ingredients.

South Africa, Africa

Three Tree Hill

Escape to the beauty of South Africa at Three Tree Hill Lodge, a Fair Trade haven with stunning scenery, warm hospitality and delicious local food

Three Tree Hill is situated in the foothills of the Kwazulu Natal Drakensberg range, where rolling green hills are dotted with flat-crowned Acacia trees, giving it the quintessential “Out of Africa” feeling.

This Fair Trade certified lodge, places great emphasis on Responsible Tourism and offers spectacular scenery, locally grown farm-style country food with superb hospitality. It is the ideal environment in which to unwind and be rejuvenated. This intimate, luxury 24 bedded lodge is owned by Simon & Cheryl Blackburn whose passion and enthusiasm for Africa’s wildlife, history and culture is immediately evident when you visit. You are welcomed into their home, and invited to experience the warm hospitality, and relaxed atmosphere in their four star family-run lodge.

Travellers staying at Three Tree Hill are impressed by its unique approach to unpretentious luxury and fresh farm-style fare while remaining true to an admirable sustainability philosophy. Three Tree Hill provides an authentic personalised, owner-hosted experience in the foothills of the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg Mountains, a World Heritage Site. The lodge encourages guests to participate in the vast diversity of experiences on offer in the area, and boasts a 3,000-book library and an underground wine cellar showcasing the best South African wines.

The focus is on preserving the rich historical heritage of the Anglo Boer War and the local Zulu culture for future generations. Sourcing sustainable goods and employing, training and uplifting the local community are all part of the lodge’s mantra.

A diverse selection of activities on the property include hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, archery, Zulu village tours and game walks in the neighbouring Spioenkop Reserve. A 45-minute drive takes you to the Drakensberg Mountains, where numerous hiking trails are the attraction.

ULTIMATE RELAXATION SURROUNDED BY NATURE

Recharge your mind & body in beautiful surroundings with the sights & sounds of nature

FRESH FARM FARE

Creating unpretentious, wholesome meals with local produce

SPECTACULAR SCENERY

Perched on a hill overlooking a game reserve, river valley and dramatic Drakensberg mountains

COMMUNITY EXCURSIONS

Visit the neighbouring Zulu village, feel part of the community & learn about the culture

Your Hosts - Simon & Cheryl

South African-born, Simon & Cheryl Blackburn are both experienced safari and mountain guides who have travelled to many wild places on the African continent with their children.

Together, with their shared passion for conservation and responsible tourism, they have curated an authentic experience at Three Tree Hill. They live at the lodge, so they are hands-on with their guests, recommending experiences to suit every guest’s ability and interest.

Our insights..

Transparency is essential if we are all going to grow and improve together and this is why we have dedicated this section to sharing what we love about each place and its hosts. We work with each of our hosts to improve their guest experiences, sustainability practices and local impact, this is where you can learn more about that along with what still needs to be improved, the measures being taken to ensure our hosts continue to move forward and every now and then we’ll come back to update you on their progress.

Lars von der Wettern

Visited the property in November 2023

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COMMUNITY EXCURSIONS

Visit the neighbouring Zulu village, feel part of the community & learn about the culture

FRESH FARM FARE

Creating unpretentious, wholesome meals with local produce

SPECTACULAR SCENERY

Perched on a hill overlooking a game reserve, river valley and dramatic Drakensberg mountains

ULTIMATE RELAXATION SURROUNDED BY NATURE

Recharge your mind & body in beautiful surroundings with the sights & sounds of nature

Your Hosts - Simon & Cheryl

South African-born, Simon & Cheryl Blackburn are both experienced safari and mountain guides who have travelled to many wild places on the African continent with their children.

Our insights..

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Lars von der Wettern

Visited the property in November 2023

Community & Sustainability Commitment

Here are some key sustainability & community practices that these hosts are committed to. Please use the key below the icons for reference. You might see that some measurements are not currently in place and that’s okay, we choose to support our hosts on their imperfect road towards a better world and we understand that that takes time.

Sustainability Practices

Community Commitments

Not in Place

Eco Certifications & Efforts

Just as we admire each of our hosts for their singularity, we appreciate that their sustainability journeys are also unique. Because of this, we do not require our hosts to have an eco certification or two under their belt, we simply guide them on improving their sustainable business practices one imperfect – but positive – step at a time. If a host has eco certifications they will be shown below, if not, then know we are working towards this together.

Fair Trade Tourism

Fair Trade Tourism is a not-for-profit company that provides a networking platform, business support, and certification to support the tourism sector to operate with Fair Trade Tourism’s six principles and responsible tourism embedded in their day-to-day tourism offering. We work in partnership with the entire tourism value chain – from micro enterprises in the destination through to large tour operators in key source markets.

Fair Trade Tourism

NGOs & Local Impact Projects Supported

Each of our hosts strive to have a positive impact on their local communities. Some of our hosts already have established connections with local partners to enrich the lives and wellbeing of their communities, others are in the process of creating these long term relationships. If a host has local NGO connections they will be shown below, if not, then know we are working towards this together.

Supporting local entrepreneurs

Hambrook Village represents a small, but vibrant portion of the approximately 10 million Zulu people in South Africa, speaking the native tongue of isiZulu. The majority of the working population in the village are employed on local farms & businesses in the Bergville/Ladysmith district, but the unemployment rate is high. Traditionally men would go out and work, with women remaining at home to look after children and maintain the household, but, living expenses have increased, and there are limited job opportunities in the area, so the women in the village have decided to do something for themselves & we are assisting them with their dreams. Local businesses and people we support through our shop include:

Maduna’s Marvelous Mats
Imbokodo Women’s Sewing Group
Amanjandu doileys
Mama Bhengu’s Dolls

Three Tree Hill Foundation

Three Tree Hill Foundation, set up by the lodge, supports community projects in the area, such as Zamokuhle creche in Hambrook & Sakhile Centre of Learning in Amazizi villages.
Through our Community & Conservation Levy (together with generous guest donations) we are able to fund small (& large) community & conservation projects in the area.

Since many of our guests visit the World Heritage Site (Maloti Drakensberg Park), we also support the community in that area through the Legacy of Grace SA project, started by a guest that stayed at Three Tree Hill.
Spioenkop Game Reserve, managed by Ezimvelo Wildlife, neighbours the lodge property. Guests are privileged to join guided walks in this special 6000ha reserve where rhino, giraffe & zebra roam wild. The fund helps to support various conservation projects in & adjacent to this reserve.

Three Tree Hill Community Foundation

Local team

Three Tree Hill employs local staff from the nearby Zulu Village, Hambrook, 8km down the road. Most have no previous work experience or formal education, but their great personalities & honest enthusiasm have made up for any shortfalls in this area. Over the years they have aquired extensive training and skills development through the lodge, with ongoing workshops that inform the staff on current events, technologies & service trends.

The lodge encourages open & honest communication through regular meetings. Staff provide input on various operational issues & suggestions on how to assist the community with upliftment projects.

The Four Cs

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Conservation

72%

Highlights:

Community

43%