Selina and her three daughters welcome you to Lubanzi! Selina’s Wild Coast Rondavel is the perfect place to get back to basics and enjoy the rural beach lifestyle while experiencing authentic isiXhosa village life. If you are looking for a place to practice your isiXhosa, be immersed in the amaXhosa culture or simply relax by the ocean, then this little turquoise rondavel would be something you would enjoy.
· Room furnished with: 3 x single bed frames and mattresses; 1 x table; 2 x benches; shelves
· Community wifi mostly available
· Good cellphone reception
· Self-catering (with the option of eating at Wild Lubanzi Backpackers 5 min away)
· No indoor plumbing – tap and rainwater tank 10m outside hut
· No electricity expect for one overhead solar light
· No shower facilities – be prepared for bucket baths
· No laundry facilities
· Accessible by two wheel drive cars except in very bad weather
· Bring your own linen, kitchen utensils, cutlery and crockery
· Washing line provided outside
· Outdoor longdrop toilet (shared with Selina’s family)
· No braai facilities but you can bring your own
· Small grocery shop 15min drive from hut and large wholesaler 45min drive away from hut
What to expect
You will be living in a one-roomed, thatch rondavel that is part of the isiXhosa village of Lubanzi. Your neighbours will be part of Selina’s family who, while welcoming and friendly, will not be able to speak English. You will be a 5min walk from a lovely swimming beach and there are amazing hikes in the area. You will be sharing your toilet with the rest of your “family”. You car can be parked on the hill next to your house. You will have to collect water from either the tap or the rainwater tank, both of which are about 10m from your hut (so remember to bring water containers). In essence, what you will get from your stay here is time to relax into the slow rhythm of village life and spend your peaceful days however you choose.
Directions
From the N2, take the Coffee Bay turn off (about 20km from Mthatha). Follow the road for about 50km until you see the BIG sign to Zithulele Mission Hospital/Hole in the Wall. Turn right onto the new tar road. Follow the road for about 17km. Turn right onto a dirt road about 1km before the hospital, at the little orange sign to Wild Lubanzi. There is a big square silver water tank on stilts at that corner, and immediately afterward a shop called Emthunzini Store. If you have missed the turn off, just turn around at the hospital, drive back for about 2min and take the first road on your left. Follow the road for 5km. (The road has been graded and is currently driveable even by small cars, though still a bit bumpy over the last bit. And please arrive by daylight! It's a bit difficult to manage the road in the dark.) Just before you take the last little hill to reach the beach you will pass a broken down red Toyota bakkie on your left with "Spa's Shuttle Service" written on the side. Selina's rondavel is one of three rondavels (hers is the closest one to the beach) standing in a neat row just 100 metres before you pass the red bakkie. Jump out here and ask around for Selina and somebody will point you in the right direction :) Alternatively, you can continue past the red bakkie towards the beach and turn left at the sign to Wild Lubanzi Backpackers (you can't miss it). Once at the backpackers someone will happily point you towards your rondavel.
PLEASE NOTE:
1) It's about a 2 hour drive from the N2 to Selina's Rondavel. Please make sure you arrive in daylight - the road is difficult to manage at night!
2) The GPS is likely to give you the quickest route and NOT necessarily the best. We strongly advise rather using our directions to get you here :)
Check out the posts on this page for more peeks into rondavel living, tips on what to bring, reviews and ideas of things to do!
