FAQ's | geckohouse

Is it safe?
1. Security of the house - lock doors & close windows when leaving the house. This is mainly to prevent monkeys & baboons getting in! When in the house always keep the flyscreens closed to keep out insects & snakes.
2. When parking the car on shopping trips always lock it & double check that it is locked (there have been incidents of car jamming - where thieves electronically cancel the locking procedure). Do not leave valuable items like cameras & laptops in full view when leaving the car.
3. When walking round the estate most of the wildlife will observe you from a comfortable distance & will run if you you move too close. Be aware that leopards & wild dogs are occasionally present on the estate. Again they will keep away from adults although children may be at risk!
What anti-malaria precautions do you take? Up to 1 month we use malarone (Atovaquone/Proguanil): more than 1 month we use doxycyline. The Kruger Park website has excellent advise on malaria prophylaxis (Click here). Use Tabard or Peaceful Sleep sprays/lotions at dawn/dusk. The house has fly/mosquito screens on all the doors & windows.
Is it safe for young children? Leopards are present on the estate which can pose a threat to young children. Scorpions, snakes & spiders likewise. The plunge pool is small but deep so young children should be watched.
How do you get in and out of the estate? A plastic card is used to operate the security gate on entering & leaving the estate.
Is the water drinkable? Yes, although you may prefer to drink bottled water.
What happens if there's a power cut? Torches, oil lamps & candles are all present in the house. The fuse box is in the utility room to the right of the back door. Alway check the trip switch if the power fails.
Use of mobile phones? South African SIM card.
Is there anywhere nearby to eat? Yes. In Hoedspruit there are several restaurants - details are in the house.
Is there a nearby golf course? Yes. There is a beautiful 9 hole golf course at Drakensig in Hoedspruit (Click here) with warthogs grazing the fairways.
How do we go about booking any activities? Kruger Park accommodation can be booked on line (5% discount) click here. Most other activities can be booked on the phone.
Where would you buy food and drink? There are several supermarkets in Hoedspruit - Spar, Pick 'n Pay & La Bamba (which we prefer for fresh fruit & veg) are the main ones. Next to La Bamba is the Bosveldt Slaghuis which is excellent for meat and a good bottle store for beer & wine. Safari Wines (south of Hoedspruit on the R41 on the way to the airport) is well worth a visit.
How do you buy things from the side of the road? Be prepared to haggle in a good humoured way. Wooden bowls, carvings etc 25% below the asking price Fruit & veg is very cheap so usually pay the asking price. If you are getting a lot then try for 10% off.
What's the protocol with the local wildlife? The wildlife always have right of way. On the KNP website there is some very sound advise on this subject especially when encountering elephants! Also watch out for small, less obvious creatures in the road like tortoises & chameleons.
Rules of the road. Drive on the left, always stick to the speed limit, always wear seat belts & always stop fully at 4 way stop streets. If pulled over by the police smile & be polite. They usually are just carrying out routine checks on vehicles & will also want to check your licence.
Top things to bring! Camera, binoculars, a small backpack, a head torch & trail shoes.
What are the kitchen facilities? 4 ring gas hob & electric oven. Braai (barbecue) area with equipment. Fridge, freezer , top loading washing machine, toaster & electric kettle.
The mezzanine floor. A spiral staircase leads to the mezzanine floor on which the are 2 futons - it serves as an overflow dormitory.
Nearest bank/ATM? There are ATMs outside Spar, in Pick 'n Pay & outside First National Bank (opposite P 'n Pay)
How big is the estate? 2,500 acres. There are 3 signed walking trails (Lion, buffalo & aardvaak) each marked by coloured footprints. Each trail takes about an hour to walk. There are 3 dams & 1 bird hide.

Gecko House

Is it safe?

Security of the house - lock doors & close windows when leaving the house. This is mainly to prevent monkeys & baboons getting in! When in the house always keep the flyscreens closed to keep out insects & snakes.

When parking the car on shopping trips always lock it & double check that it is locked (there have been incidents of car jamming - where thieves electronically cancel the locking procedure). Do not leave valuable items like cameras & laptops in full view when leaving the car.

When walking round the estate most of the wildlife will observe you from a comfortable distance & will run if you you move too close. Be aware that leopards & wild dogs are occasionally present on the estate. Again they will keep away from adults although children may be at risk!

Is it safe for young children? Leopards are present on the estate which can pose a threat to young children. Scorpions, snakes & spiders likewise. The plunge pool is small but deep so young children should be watched.

How do you get in and out of the estate? A plastic card is used to operate the security gate on entering & leaving the estate.

Is the water drinkable? Yes, although you may prefer to drink bottled water.

What happens if there's a power cut? Torches, oil lamps & candles are all present in the house. The fuse box is in the utility room to the right of the back door. Alway check the trip switch if the power fails.

Use of mobile phones? South African SIM card.

Is there anywhere nearby to eat? Yes. In Hoedspruit there are several restaurants - details are in the house.

Is there a nearby golf course? Yes. There is a beautiful 9 hole golf course at Drakensig in Hoedspruit (Click here) with warthogs grazing the fairways.

How do we go about booking any activities? Kruger Park accommodation can be booked on line (5% discount) click here. Most other activities can be booked on the phone.

How do you buy things from the side of the road? Be prepared to haggle in a good humoured way. Wooden bowls, carvings etc 25% below the asking price Fruit & veg is very cheap so usually pay the asking price. If you are getting a lot then try for 10% off.

What's the protocol with the local wildlife? The wildlife always have right of way. On the KNP website there is some very sound advise on this subject especially when encountering elephants! Also watch out for small, less obvious creatures in the road like tortoises & chameleons.

Rules of the road. Drive on the left, always stick to the speed limit, always wear seat belts & always stop fully at 4 way stop streets. If pulled over by the police smile & be polite. They usually are just carrying out routine checks on vehicles & will also want to check your licence.

Top things to bring! Camera, binoculars, a small backpack, a head torch & trail shoes.

What are the kitchen facilities? 4 ring gas hob & electric oven. Braai (barbecue) area with equipment. Fridge, freezer , top loading washing machine, toaster & electric kettle.

The mezzanine floor. A spiral staircase leads to the mezzanine floor on which the are 2 futons - it serves as an overflow dormitory.

Nearest bank/ATM?​ There are ATMs outside Spar, in Pick 'n Pay & outside First National Bank (opposite P 'n Pay)

How big is the estate? 2,500 acres. There are 3 signed walking trails (Lion, buffalo & aardvaak) each marked by coloured footprints. Each trail takes about an hour to walk. There are 3 dams & 1 bird hide.

Nearest bank/ATM? There are ATMs outside Spar, in Pick 'n Pay & outside First National Bank (opposite P 'n Pay)