Search

Run the Lowveld. Stay for the Bush: Tomjachu Bush Retreat Trail Run entries open

Trail runners are invited to experience the raw, untamed beauty of the Lowveld when Tomjachu Bush Retreat hosts its annual Tomjachu Trail Run on 30 May 2026, a new autumn date allowing runners to escape the city and turn race day into a bushveld weekend away.

Set within the private Tomjachu Nature Reserve near Nelspruit, this trail run takes participants across granite hills, along historic wagon paths, through lush bushveld, and deep into the dramatic Tomjachu Gorge. Expect a technical yet rewarding route featuring flowing gravel roads, challenging single-track climbs, and the iconic ascent of Zebra Heights, offering sweeping panoramic views across the valley. Giraffe sightings are not uncommon.

Wild trails, dramatic scenery, and pure Lowveld magic await runners on the day. After the race, participants are welcome to relax at the Homestead and enjoy the pool, scenery, and company of fellow runners, with freshly brewed coffee, local craft beer from Sabie Breweries, or a G&T from the Gin Co, and refuel with freshly prepared prego rolls from the fire.

All race entries include:

·  Clearly marked routes

·  Well-stocked aid stations

·  A conservation fee supporting wildlife and habitat preservation within the reserve

DIARY LISTING | TRAIL RUNNING

Date: Saturday, 30 May 2026
Venue: Tomjachu Bush Retreat

Participants can choose between 6 km, 12 km and 20 km distances, with entries limited to 300 runners. Start times are as follows: 20 km – 6:30, 12 km – 7:00, and 6 km – 7:15.

Runners are encouraged to stay on and enjoy the full bush retreat experience with Tomjachu’s all-inclusive Runners Package (R2,200 per person per night sharing; R1,100 for children under 12), which includes:

·  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner (including a relaxed braai night and fireside stories after the race on Saturday)

·  A guided nature drive or bush walk on Sunday morning with a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide

·  Trail Run entry

No minimum stay applies, with a maximum of three nights and limited availability. All accommodation has been exclusively reserved for the event.

Day runners who are not staying at the lodge are also welcome to participate, with race-only entry options available, and can choose between:

6 km race (R150)

12 km race (R300)

20 km race (R450). 

The route is  limited to a maximum of 300 runners.

To enter visit: https://racepass.com/za/races/tomjachu-trail-run

Bookings and enquiries must be made directly with Tomjachu. Contact the team on reservations@tomjachu.com, 082 704 4804 or via the site: www.tomjachu.co.z

For more articles like this click here.   

If you enjoyed this website then check out our other sites: Wedding and FunctionKids ConnectionThirsty TravelerBoat Trips for Africa, Bargain BuysBusiness Link.   

Need help with your online marketing then visit Agency One. 

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

About us

Actually, Home Food and Travel offers a lot more than just reviews of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities.  We also visit great destinations, receive advice from interior designers and stop to smell the roses and taste the coffee.

Our team of journalists are seasoned travels and love visiting the myriad of exciting places around South Africa.  Whether it is off the beaten track or in the heart of the top attractions of the country, we’ll be there,

Home Food and Travel advice on finding the right accommodation

So what is the right accommodation?  Well more often than not, it’s your travel budget that dictates the type of accommodation that you choose. 

Expensive is not always better.  Our team at Home Food and Travel will tell you that they have camped in areas with limited ablutions and had a wonderful holiday.  They have also spent a night in a five star hotel only to be disappointed because their expectations exceeded the experience.

The reason for your travels will also affect your choice.  A business trip requires different amenities to a beach holiday. 

Our articles, reviews and experiences can certainly help you make your decision.

Restaurants with a good mix of service, food and ambiance

To my mind a great restaurant offers three things – excellent service, great food and a wonderful ambiance.  Of these, service is the most important. 

No matter that the food is delicious and the setting delightful, poor service can ruin the occasion.  However, great service combined with mediocre meal and a plane jane restaurant can still be a pleasant night out.

We’ve eaten in restaurants that are really dirty but with incredible food and couldn’t help but give a rave review.  We’ve also hardly noticed what we ate because the setting was just amazing.

However, the best restaurants come with the best of service, food and ambiance.

Spas are the ultimate relaxation aid

How do you know when you have had a great spa experience?  The answer, of course, is when you doze off on the treatment table. 

Well that’s our theory anyway.  It also doesn’t take a grand location with enormous facilities for a spa to be really good

A small, personal spa that is owner run can result in the best massage you have ever experienced.  However, the grand spas in five star hotels offer unsurpassed facilities in an environment that just makes the stress in your shoulders and neck melt away before you even finish checking in.

Adventure!

You don’t have to be an adrenaline junky to enjoy an exciting experience.  In fact, what are commonly termed adventure activities usually have incredibly high safety standards and unblemished safety records.

Ziplining, bungy jumping and shark cage diving are all very safe.  It’s just that our mind tells us we are craaazzzzyyyy to be doing this.

On the road to great places of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities

If you’re driving, be safe and make use of all the wonderful farm stalls that populate South Africa’s open roads.

If you overhear somebody asking a lot of questions or see someone taking photos of empty bedrooms chances are it’s one of our Home Food and Travel team members.

We’re out looking or those great places of accommodation, restaurants, spas and adventure activities.

See you on the road!

 

Recent Posts

Archives