Have you ever wondered what it would be like to stay in an authentic African-style mud hut?
Don’t worry, they aren’t smelly, dirty dens. At Chrislin African Lodge you can have a truly authentic accommodation experience, while enjoying a little luxury!
Chrislin African Lodge is a brilliant place to base yourself if you’re looking to visit Addo Elephant National Park, which is just 15 minutes drive away. Chrislin partners with CrissCross Adventures, a tour company offering safari drives, quad biking, canoeing and much more.
And their accommodation is simply stunning, set on beautiful farmland, with lots of bird-watching opportunities.
Stay in a traditional African-style hut
Chrislin African Lodge started life as a small farm producing oranges and lemons. Owners Chris and Linda converted their farmhouse into a bed and breakfast in 1998, and found they were soon filling the two rooms easily, so decided to expand.
Chris came up with the idea of building a mud hut, basing the construction on his knowledge of building with mud with Xhosa children on his parents’ farm when he was young. In 2000, the first mud hut for guests opened – and they loved it!
You can stay in one of four types of hut, each differing slightly. They are large, round rooms, each with a separate bathroom. Walls are thick, plastered in such a way that keeps the rooms cool even in the summer heat, and warm at night. The sustainability aspect here was one I loved – how clever, creating buildings that don’t require any extra heating or air-con? (There are fans and air conditioning units if you do need them though) Roofs are thatched, pointed in the middle: so they really do look like authentic mud huts!
Onsite Facilities
Chrislin has an on-site pool where you can relax and enjoy the sun. Nearby, there’s a thatched lounge and dining area in which you can dine or sit and read. The gardens are gorgeous and you can sit and bird-watch from lots of places on site.
The onsite restaurant, Sneezewoods, is also a wedding venue and is styled in the same way as the huts. It caters food for all dietary requirements, and is usually a set menu for all guests staying at the accommodation. This lessens food waste and brings everyone together at once.
Foods in the kitchen are grown locally. The oranges you see on the trees on the property are what goes into your juice at breakfast!
Giving back to the community
Chrislin works closely with Langbos Creche and Care Centre, a project which provides a safe space for an underprivileged community of people living in poverty, without access to water or electricity, suffering with alcoholism, violence and diseases such as HIV.
Approximately 50 children attend the creche, and there is a soup kitchen twice a week and crafts once a week. There are only four members of staff; two teachers, a caretaker/cook and a gardener, and donations are vital for the establishment to operate.
Do you like the look of Chrislin African Lodge? I hope I’ve convinced you to book your stay in a mud hut when looking for accommodation near Addo Elephant Park!
Thanks for reading and happy travels!
Abbi X
Disclaimer: Isaac and I received a half-price discount on our two night stay in return for social media coverage and this blog post.
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