Previously known as the Woodlands farm, Cheetah Ridge, has been a big part of the history of the local Ladysmith area. The fig tree that stands tall on the property is over 144 years old! During the Anglo Zulu war of 1879 the British built a temporary post office near the old fig tree at the Cheetah Ridge and when the post office was closed and messengers arrived, instead of using a postal stone to hide the post until the postman’s return, the post would be placed in-between the branches of the fig tree for the postman to collect upon his return.
The Anderson family bought the land in the mid 1900s. When Humphrey Anderson’s son, Dudley Charles Anderson, was of age, he and his son rode out from Ladysmith to a site nearby where Cheetah Ridge now stands. Humphrey gifted Dudley a piece of land to build himself and his family a home, Dudley went on to build a farmhouse, the very farmhouse forms a part of the lodge at Cheetah Ridge today.
The farmland was used to rear cattle and grow citrus fruits to feed the family and take to the local markets. Dudley nicknamed the valley to the north of the farmhouse, ‘Honey Valley’ due to the abundance of bee hives, which produced the most delicious honey from the pollen and nectar they gathered from the flowering acacia trees, citrus trees and winter aloes.
Around 1980 the farm was bought by a Colonel Odendaal of the South African army. Based in Ladysmith, the Colonel was a clever man, who used the military manpower to conduct training exercises for the troops and engineers having them construct many of the dams around the farmhouse, ultimately training his troops but also much improving the land.
Upon retirement the Colonel sold the land and it eventually made it into the hands of Rob Le Seur who founded Nambiti Private Game Reserve from the Woodlands farm land and surrounding cattle farms in 2005. A place with a soul. That’s what conservation visionary, Rob, was searching for when he serendipitously stumbled on the land that now forms the backbone of Nambiti Private Game Reserve. Rob decided to convert the original, grey-stone farmhouse on one of the properties into a luxury lodge, where Mother Nature’s bounty could not only be preserved, but enjoyed in comfort in lodgings built into the surrounding environment, for generations to come. And so, from modest beginnings, Cheetah Ridge Lodge was born.
Hi! In the last few year I took on the opportunity to change careers working in the city to living and working in the bush.
I’m also an artist turned photographer using my photos as references and combining both passions into being a guide giving guests a unique experience of knowledge with the African bush along with great photography opportunities and pointers.
My favourite land animal is a cheetah, I find my character is similar to a cheetah’s behaviour, quick fast paced but needs rest after a hard day’s work
I love anything that flies from planes helicopters to birds and flying insects.
Hi, I’m Brandon, and I am a passionate nature guide. I moved from the city to take on a new adventure and immediately found my passion for the bush and its wildlife, and it became my safe place away from all the stresses in life.
Meeting new people from all over the world and hearing their stories has become a favourite for me. I hope to continue this wild journey and gain all the knowledge I can and share it with others.
Nature has always left me in awe. I’m fascinated by the inter-relatedness of everything. Every species exists for a reason and without them all, the ecosystem suffers. Nature is complex and beautiful. Our ecosystem covers every aspect of Mother Earth, including the evolution of the earth & life, the various cycles, all the living things, and more. Collectively, they create something so beautiful and perfect that it can be hard to believe it exists.
The beauty and power of nature can be quite overwhelming.
This is the reason it has reinforced my wish to pursue a lifelong career working in the South African Bush. My desire for the future is to share the knowledge and passion I have for the phenomenal wildlife.
I am a young and eager learner, passionate about nature and growing professionally in the guiding industry. A practical person and a specific passion for Photography. I have a wide variety of skills from constantly exposing myself to new challenges. I consider myself an all-rounder, a natural, keen birder, and passionate about trails, tracks, and signs.
I’ve grown up in the bush and out in nature, so, becoming a guide was always the goal. After studying in the city for two years I decided to chase my goal and ended up achieving it. I love learning, whether it’s from colleagues, mentors or even guests, I’ll take in the information. I enjoy track and sign and trailing the animals as it feels more rewarding once you find them. Catch me by the dam, in my off time.