Your own piece of paradise Equipped and decorated to the highest and most soothing standards, this self-catering double-storey log cabin boasts three double bedrooms, two bathrooms and sleeps eight people. Such is its privacy, you can luxuriate in a bath looked upon only by a forest and an enormous sky. Centre-piece of the spacious open plan living area is a fitted log fire for those quiet, romantic evenings. Two decks give you a choice of forest and lake views and once sundowners are over, the built-in deck braai beckons. The second lodge is a single-storey log cabin that has three Bedrooms, one Bathroom and sleeps six people. The 2nd lodge also has an open plan living area which includes a centre fireplace for those quiet, romantic evenings. There is also a Weber braai that can be used on the amazing outside deck that leads out of the lounge and overlooks the spectacular Stanford Lake. Right at your doorstep, the 17 hectare Stanford Lake, whose waterfall feeds the spectacular Ebenezer Dam, has trout and bass to test your fly fishing skills - and the surrounding areas are perfect for hiking, birding, horse riding, canoeing, biking and 4x4 trails. Escape beyond the turmoil of the city - and those over-crowded resorts. Claim your private piece of paradise for a weekend- or more. Stanford Lake Lodge, less than 3 hour's drive from Pretoria. Just you, close friends, the water, the forests and endless skies. Birds seen at Stanford Lake Lodge The area with bracken The area with the ferns and low bushes that is found on the slopes that border Stanford Lake will offer the following birds: 1. Tawny-flanked Prinia 2. Drakensberg Prinia 3. Dark-capped Yellow Warbler 4. Barrat’s Warbler 5. Cape White-eye 6. Dark-Capped Bulbul 7. Sombre Greenbul 8. Cape Weaver 9. Spectacled Weaver 10. Cape Grassbird 11. Red-collared widow 12. Swee waxbill 13. Common waxbill 14. Brown-hooded Kingfisher 15. Greater double-collared sunbird 16. Lesser double-collared sunbird 17. Amethyst sunbird 18. Fiscal Shrike 19. Southern Boubou 20. Lazy Cisticola 21. Neddicky 22. Stonechat 23. Levaillant’s Cisticola 24. Hadeda Ibis 25. Long-crested Eagle 26. Steppe buzzard 27. Forest buzzard 28. Cuckoo hawk 29. Black-shouldered kite 30. Crested Francolin Helmeted Guinea Fow The area with reed and water In the reed borders of the the lake, and the lake itself the following birds could be found (depending on season as well): 1. Thick-billed weaver 2. Little rush warbler 3. Great reed-warbler 4. Lesser swamp warbler 5. African reed warbler 6. Marsh warbler 7. Cape wagtail 8. African Pied wagtail 9. Mountain wagtail 10. White-breasted cormorant 11. Reed cormorant 12. Finfoot 13. Red -breasted flufftail 14. Buff-spotted flufftail 15. African Black duck 16. Yellow-billed duck 17. White-backed duck 18. Egyptian Goose 19. Giant kingfisher 20. Pied kingfisher 21. Little Egret 22. Green-backed heron 23. Grey heron 24. Black-headed heron 25. Moorhen 26. African Jacana 27. Knob-billed coot 28. Little Grebe 29. Sacred Ibis 30. Fish Eagle 31. Osprey The indigenous Forest The forest is one of the most interesting areas and has the specials. Some work to know birdcalls is helpful. In different seasons the following might be seen: 1. Black-fronted bush-shrike 2. Grey-headed bush-shrike 3. Olive bush-shrike 4. Orange-breasted bush-shrike 5. Black-backed puffback 6. Green twinspot 7. Black-headed oriole 8. Orange ground thrush 9. Olive thrush 10. Kurrichane thrush 11. Narina Trogon 12. Cape Parrot 13. Square-tailed drongo 14. Olive woodpecker 15. Olive pigeon 16. Grey Cuckooshrike 17. Chorister Robin 18. Cape Robin 19. Brown scrub-robin 20. White-starred robin 21. Black sparrowhawk 22. Little sparrowhawk 23. African Goshawk 24. Crowned Eagle 25. Emerald cuckoo 26. Red-breasted cuckoo 27. Forest canary 28. Cape Canary 29. Knysna Turaco 30. Yellow-throated woodland warbler 31. Bar-throated apalis 32. African dusky flycatcher 33. Spotted flycatcher 34. Blue-mantled crested flycatcher 35. Paradise flycatcher 36. Cape Batis Relaxation Therapies Also on Stanford Farm, just up the road from the cabins, Colleen Ballenden offers foot massages and more at The Growth Centre. Activities Walks Enjoy a walking meditation in the indigenous forest surrounded by ' fairies ' flowers and animal friends. Bird Watching The indigenous forest and well placed bird baths host a fantastic variety of birds, like the 'royal ' knysna lourie, the elusive narina trogon and the majestic fish eagle. Library Choose a book to read in the relaxing atmosphere of the Centre, and even take it home! Therapies Many soothing therapies are offered.. after chatting a little, design an hour of different treatments to suit your needs.

The Capricorn-Letaba Birding Route The Capricorn-Letaba Birding Route stretches from Polokwane in the west to the Great Letaba River beyond the Letsitele valley in the east. The route runs just a few degrees south of the Tropic of Capricorn, mainly along the R71 road, which links the towns of Polokwane, Haenertsburg, Tzaneen and Gravelotte. An interesting geographical feature of this route is its varying altitude. The extreme variations in altitude result in a great range of vegetation types within a relatively small area. It is within these diverse habitats that over 500 bird species are to be found. The open thornveld habitat of the Polokwane plateau supports a great variety of both Bushveld and Kalahari-type birds. Typical species here include Crimson-breasted Shrike, African Wren-Warbler, Short-clawed Lark and Black-faced Waxbill. Just before reaching the foothills of the Drakensberg and Wolkberg Mountains, one passes through the outcrop strewn Mamabolo Bushveld. These granite inselbergs hold many rock-dwelling species including the northern-most population of Southern Bald Ibis. In the Northern Drakensberg and Wolkberg sections of the route, birders enjoy vast tracts of montane grassland, which is Blue Swallow territory and houses other sought after species such as Broad-tailed Warbler, Croaking Cisticola and Drakensberg Prinia. The afro-montane forests of Woodbush and Magoebaskloof offer amongs the best forest birding in the country with specials like Brown scrub-Robin, Black-fronted Bush Shrike, Barratt’s Warbler, Yellow-streaked Greenbul and Orange Ground Thrush. While the eastern lower slopes and valleys of Magoebaskloof prvide reliable sites for the elusive Bat Hawk and Green Twinspot. The Tzaneen area is well known for its sub-tropical fruit industry and the interesting mix of lowland habitats here support a wide range of species including Gorgeous Bush-Shrike, White-browed Robin-chat and Purple-crested Turaco.

DIRECTIONS TO STANFORD LAKE LODGE / STANFORD FARM Travelling from JHB/PTA on the N1, take Tzaneen by-pass road before Polokwane (ex Pietersburg). Turn LEFT into the R71 - this road doubles back over the highway. Keep on R71 to Tzaneen. Approximately 52 kms from Polokwane to Haenertsburg. Keep STRAIGHT as you enter the village of Haenertsburg. At first STOP street (with garage and Café on your RIGHT) - travel STRAIGHT for 5,2 kms where you will turn RIGHT into A21 Stanford Farm entrance which also. The school is on the opposite side. GPS co-ordinates: 235439.77S 295812.83E DIRECTIONS TO CABINS FROM INSIDE FARM ENTRANCE Once you have turned RIGHT into our Stanford Farm A21 entrance (from HAENERTSBURG SIDE) , you travel approx 200 metres where the road forks. Take the LEFT fork, travelling slowly as it is a farm road and bumpy in places. Carry straight on all the way down (0,9kms from the fork) with forest ahead of you and at the water pipe you turn LEFT and then first LEFT again. Then straight (with young pine trees on either side) : To Single Storey cabin: First RIGHT and this road takes you to this unit. To Double Storey cabin: Carry on straight and you will see this unit ahead of you (Kiwi plantation to the left).