Each tent has its own outdoor wood-fired hot tub. The tub is cleaned and refilled before each new check-in and after four days of your stay.

HEATING INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1 – Ensure the water is never lower than 70 mm from the rim of the hot tub.

Step 2 – Place the plastic thermal sheet on the surface of the water. The sheet will help the water heat up faster.

Step 3 – Remove the lid of the firebox. Light your piece of firelighter/'blitz' outside the firebox and place it in the firebox using braai tongs. Using kindling wood, get a fire going and systematically add wood to the fire. Do not smother the fire by placing all the firewood in the box from the start. Seven to 10 pieces of wood should be enough at first. When you have a strong fire going, move the fire as far into the firebox, under the chimney, as possible. You want to concentrate the heat under the flue/chimney where the water will flow through three tubes.

Step 4 – When your fire is burning strongly, place the lid of the firebox back on. You will see a separate section on the side of the firebox, which is designed to let air in. Never close this section of the firebox. Do not leave the hot tub unattended without the lid.

Step 5 – Once the wood is burning well, continuously place additional logs in the firebox to maintain a strong fire until the tub is almost warm. This should take about two hours.

Step 6 – When the desired heat is almost reached, only add small amounts of wood every 30 minutes, or as required. The water gets extremely hot if a strong fire is maintained after the water has warmed up.

Step 7 – Regularly feel the temperature of the water and stir using the wooden oar. Hot water will rise to the top of the tub. The water needs to be stirred manually to heat properly throughout.

Step 8 – Get in and enjoy!

Tip: When you get out of the tub, place the thermal sheet on the water to maintain heat. This will reduce the heating time the next day.

WARNINGS

Keep children away from the firebox and chimney. This is extremely hot.

Never burn the snorkel heater without sufficient water in the tub. If the water level drops between uses, there is a tap underneath the deck that fills up the tub. Ask for assistance from your host if required.

Never burn wood in the snorkel heater unsupervised.

Don’t overload the firebox.

Hot tub water can be reused for about four days of usage.

Contact the camp management to drain the tub when required.

Only use pine wood to burn in the snorkel heater. Briquettes, coals, or hardwoods with a higher burning temperature may damage the firebox. The guest will be charged for any damages to the hot tub, snorkel heater, or deck caused by the overloading of wood, using incorrect wood, or recklessness.

Loved the hot tub? You can order one of our outdoor wood-fired hot tubs for your home. Visit buitengewoon.co.za.

 

Step 1 – Open the air control fully. If the air control is almost closed: Fewer flames and heat but longer burning time. If the air control is fully open: More flames and heat but less economical on your wood usage.

Step 2 – Place a piece of firelighter (blits) at the bottom of the firebox. Place a few logs of wood loosely in the firebox and light the firelighter.

Step 3 – Close the door.

Step 4 –  Once the wood is burning well, place another log onto the fire.

Step 5 –  Once the temperature is reached, regulate the fire with the air controls.

Please note:

Don’t leave the fireplace unattended whilst warming up.

If any difficulty is experienced to keep the logs burning, this is often because the air control has been shut before the fire has properly taken.

Keep the door closed when burning. Only open when adding more wood or realigning the burning logs.

Never cook any food in the indoor fireplace

 

Step 1 – Make sure you have at least 20 pieces of braai wood.

Step 2 – Stack approximately eight pieces of wood in levels. Start by placing two pieces of wood at the bottom. Place two more pieces on top of the first two, facing the other direction. Do not place the two pieces too close together, your fire needs oxygen to burn stronger. Repeat this until you have a tower of at least four levels. Add another four pieces to the four sides of your wood tower.

Step 3 – If you have thin dry wood, place this in any of the gaps. This will catch alight quicker and help your bigger logs burn.

Step 4 – Light a piece of firelighter (blits) and slide it into the bottom of the tower.

Step 5 – Allow the fire to burn, adding more logs as required. Once you are ready to braai your meat, spread the coals evenly on the surface of the braai. Feel the heat of the coals and decide how high or low your grid needs to be. Use a braai triangle or bricks to secure your grid. Keep a small fire burning on the side to keep generating coals, especially if you are braaiing more than one grid of meat.

Step 6 – Keep monitoring your meat and the heat of the coals. Adjust the height of your grid as necessary and turn the grid regularly. Remove the meat as soon as it’s cooked to your liking.

Step 7 – Place the meat in the braai bowl (provided in your tent) to keep the meat warm on the side of the fire until you are ready to eat.

Enjoy!

 

Need more firewood? 

Firewood can be purchased from reception/shop.

Due to the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (PSHB) Beetle threat, no firewood may be brought into the reserve. Safely sourced firewood can be purchased from the shop.

Cost: R60 per bag

Shop hours: 06h00 to 21h00

Please drop by the reception at check-out to settle your bill.

Request extra wood via WhatsApp:

Alternatively, contact your host at +27 (0)81 339 4181.