The Jimny crew gets cheesy in Tonteldoos

There are quite a few Barberton residents who own the nifty Suzuki Jimny and belong to the Suzuki Lowveld 4x4 Club. As has happened several times this year, the group gathered in Nelspruit last Saturday for another adventure. This time, however, the destination was all about cheese! As Letitia Entres said: “Sweet dreams are made of cheese, who are we to dis-a-brie?”

The mission was to reach Josante Cheese Farm in Tonteldoos. But before setting off, there was one rather important question to answer: where the @#?! is Tonteldoos? They were to find out soon.

At 07:00, the convoy left Nelspruit, ready for a day of adventure. Their first photo opportunity came at the giant orange at Joubert & Seuns, where the obligatory cry of “Cheese!” was accompanied by a few photographs. Naturally, no self-respecting traveller can simply drive past a farm stall, so the group stopped to stock up on goodies and padkos for the dusty journey ahead.

From there, the convoy took the De Goedewil gravel road towards Dullstroom. The scenery was spectacular, with stretches of sugarbush (Protea caffra), lining the route. But admiring the landscape was not always easy, as the road was rough, rocky and riddled with bumps, and holes. The little Jimnys bounced and rattled their way along, and it was time to engage four-wheel drive.

Several game farms lay along the route, offering plenty of wildlife sightings. Zebras, bontebok, albino bontebok, black wildebeest, waterbuck, ostriches and even emus made appearances along the way. There was certainly no shortage of scenery to enjoy, although the rough road demanded plenty of attention from the drivers.

After what felt like hundreds of kilometres of gravel road, some parts quite nerve recking, the sight of Dullstroom’s tarred streets was a welcome relief. Happily, none of the Jimnys appeared to have suffered any damage. The convoy unanimously decided that a refreshment stop was well deserved, and the iconic Dullstroom Inn proved to be just the place. Its fireplace is said to have been burning for 44 years, making it an appropriate spot to warm up and recharge before the final stretch.

From Dullstroom, another 24 kilometres of gravel road led the group to Tonteldoos, a tiny settlement seemingly tucked away between nowhere and nowhere in particular. The little village has a post office, The Hungry Otter and a handful of other buildings, but it also has an interesting history.

According to online accounts, Tonteldoos forms part of the historic Mapochs Grounds, which were allocated in 1883 following the Mapoch War. The name is linked to the tontelbossie (Haokicaroa scaposa), a plant whose leaves were traditionally used to make tinder for starting fires. It seems that even the most remote destinations have a story worth discovering.

Welcome to Josante Farm Cheeses

Experience the revival of artisanal farming and traditional cheesemaking - a movement that's more than food.

The main attraction, however, was waiting at Josante Cheese Farm, where José and Santie Botha welcomed the group warmly into their farmhouse. Surrounded by a beautiful garden filled with roses, daisies, lavender, geraniums and purple Mexican bush sage, the setting was every bit as inviting as the food promised to be.

The feast began on the veranda with grilled halloumi, freshly baked ciabatta bread, farm butter, berry jam and a glass of wine. It did not take long for the visitors to realise that this was going to be a memorable culinary experience. Then came the main event: a magnificent cheese buffet that would have made any cheese lover weak at the knees.

The spread included Belper Knolle, chilli cheese, butter cheese, Lazy cheese, garlic cheese, smoked cheese and Manchego. These were accompanied by sweet makataan pieces, honey, homemade salami, fig jam and chilli sauces. It was a celebration of flavour, with something to tempt every palate. And just when everyone thought the meal could not get any better, cheesecake arrived for dessert. Smooth, rich and melting in the mouth, it was the perfect finishing touch to an already indulgent feast.

With full stomachs and happy faces, the group eventually had to tear themselves away from the farmhouse hospitality. There was, however, one final stop to make before leaving Tonteldoos. The convoy popped in at The Hungry Otter to collect a Tonteldoos sticker, a small souvenir to commemorate the adventure and proof that they had finally discovered where this elusive little village was hiding.

The return journey was just as dusty and bumpy as the outward trip, but nobody seemed to mind quite as much after such a satisfying day. As the sun began to set, the mountains changed into beautiful shades of blue and grey, and the last stretch of the journey offered a spectacular sunset to round off the adventure.

It had been a long day, without a doubt. A delicious day? Absolutely! And will José and Santie see the Suzuki Lowveld 4x4 Club again? Almost certainly. After all, when a group of Jimny enthusiasts discovers a destination serving exceptional cheese, the chances of a return visit are rather high. Tonteldoos may have been a mystery at the start of the day, but it is now firmly on the club’s map, along with a very good reason to return.