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Plan Your Getaway
Allura sits in the middle of three of Gauteng's loveliest day-out regions. Walk the Hennops valley at sunrise, go underground in the Cradle of Humankind, ride the cableway over Hartbeespoort Dam — and still be back in a treatment room by the afternoon. Here is what we recommend, and how far each one is from our door in Erasmia.
±20 to 35 minutes from the spa
The Hennops River valley begins just past our gate. Trails through the koppies, picnic spots beside the water and the working farms of Irene make this the easiest place to add a slow morning to a spa day — you are back in a treatment room by lunch.
Hiking & 4x4
Marked trails of two to ten kilometres through the Hennops valley, with river crossings, koppies and a 4x4 route for those who would rather drive it. Start early and the whole valley is still cool.
Go at first light. A sunrise walk here, then breakfast and a massage back at Allura, is our most booked day.
±30 min drive
Picnic & braai
Grassed banks and shaded braai spots along the Hennops River, where families and couples spread a blanket for the morning and swim in the shallows in summer.
Bring your own basket — most spots ask a small entry fee per car and let you stay the day.
±30 min drive
Working farm & restaurant
A working dairy farm in Irene with a farm shop, a restaurant under the trees and calves, chickens and tractors for the little ones to meet.
Ideal for a long lunch between treatments — it is the closest of these to the spa.
±20 min drive
Nature reserve
Some 4 000 hectares of grassland and wetland on Pretoria's edge, with self-drive routes, picnic sites and a dam where rhino, buffalo and hundreds of bird species are seen from the car.
A quiet, unhurried drive — best in the golden hour, on your way home.
±35 min drive
±45 to 55 minutes from the spa
The Cradle of Humankind lies west of us in Muldersdrift and Kromdraai — a UNESCO World Heritage Site of caves, fossils and open grassland. Pair a morning underground with an afternoon in our garden, and the day carries both deep time and deep rest.
UNESCO site
The caves where Mrs Ples and Little Foot were found, reached by a guided walk down into the rock. Cool, quiet and genuinely remarkable, an hour underground.
Wear closed shoes — the descent and the walkways are steep and damp in places.
±50 min drive
Museum & exhibition
The Cradle's official visitor centre, with a boat ride through the story of our origins, fossil displays and a grass-roofed building that rises out of the landscape.
Book the Sterkfontein and Maropeng combo ticket — they sit minutes apart and pair naturally.
±55 min drive
Cave
A vast dolomite cavern at Kromdraai, fifteen metres underground, with stalactites, stalagmites and a lift down to the floor. Cool and cathedral-quiet.
A good rainy-day alternative to the trails — the caves are sheltered and open all year.
±55 min drive
Sculpture park
Large-scale sculpture set across lawns and wetlands, with a café and a programme of outdoor concerts. A slow, beautiful wander rather than a walk.
Check the weekend programme before you go — picnic concerts and exhibitions run seasonally.
±50 min drive
Game reserve
A day-visitor reserve in the Cradle with self-drive game viewing, lion and wild dog enclosures, a vulture restaurant and a children's farmyard.
Go early for the best game viewing, then come back for a late afternoon treatment.
±50 min drive
Lodge & trails
A lake at Muldersdrift with hiking and mountain-bike trails around it, a restaurant on the water and picnic spots under the trees.
The closest Cradle stop to us — a good half-day if you want the outdoors without the drive.
±45 min drive
±50 to 60 minutes from the spa
Hartbeespoort Dam sits in the Magaliesberg north-west of us, ringed by the cableway, craft markets and wildlife sanctuaries. It is the region's day-out capital — come back over the mountain in the late afternoon and finish with a treatment or a thermal soak.
Cableway
A cable car up the Magaliesberg to a lookout over the dam and the valley, with a restaurant and walking paths at the top.
Go up late afternoon for the light over the water, and you will be back at Allura before dark.
±50 min drive
Craft market
A sprawling craft and curio market beside the dam — carvings, textiles, leatherwork and a bird park, with restaurants and a coffee stop in the middle of it all.
The bird park and reptile park are inside the village and worth an hour on their own.
±50 min drive
Wildlife
The De Wildt cheetah centre, running guided tours that introduce cheetah, wild dog and vultures, and the conservation work behind them.
Tours run at set times — book ahead, and pair it with a Harties lunch.
±50 min drive
Dam & boat trips
Ski-boat and pontoon cruises out onto the dam, past the wall and the shoreline, with sundowner trips in the warmer months.
Sunset cruises fill up in summer — reserve a few days ahead.
±50 min drive
Wildlife sanctuary
A walk-through sanctuary in the kloof above the dam, where rescued monkeys and bush babies move freely around you on a guided trail.
Tuck in loose items — the residents are curious. Closed shoes are essential.
±55 min drive
Cheese farm
A cheese farm at Skeerpoort making gouda and other Dutch-style cheeses, with a farm shop, a picnic lawn and a short walk down to the river.
A quiet end to a Harties day — buy a cheese board and take it back to your room.
±60 min drive
Making a day of it
Share the places you want to see and the day you have in mind. We build the treatments around your timing, not the other way around.
A private return shuttle can be arranged to the Hennops trail, the Cradle or Hartbeespoort, and treatments are scheduled so nothing is rushed.
A 50% deposit confirms your date. Weekends and school holidays fill first, so it is worth booking a few days ahead.
Tell us the places you would like to see and the dates you have in mind. We will put the treatments, the timing and the shuttle together, and send it to you by email.
Have questions or ready to book your treatment? We'd love to hear from you.
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