[imagesource: YouTube / African Wildlife Adventures]

We’re taking a look at the gorgeous mountain lodge in the Drakensberg that Tom Cruise stayed in while filming the eighth instalment of Mission Impossible in February last year.

Saffas near and far were so chuffed to see the action star on our turf, so we have to know more about where he kicked his shoes off after a gruelling day of stunts and filming.

At the time, Cruise was seen flying his helicopter in and around Hoedspruit, Limpopo, exciting fans with his coming and going.

When he was asked by his adoring fans in the small bush town if he would live in South Africa, he said he “would love to” and added that “it would be nice to live here permanently”.

He was then spotted in Ladysmith in March, charming the crowd there with his generous greetings.

A few months later, in December, Cruise returned to the country to reportedly tie up loose ends concerning the film, landing his chopper at Killarney Country Club in Johannesburg where everyone lined up to get a picture with him.

Later on, he shared a video of himself flying “over stunning South Africa” while wishing his fans and followers happy holidays and jumping out of the plane in a shameless plot to promote his movies:

A special message from the set of #MissionImpossible @MissionFilm pic.twitter.com/sfnWWluLyl

— Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) December 18, 2022

When Cruise wasn’t hanging out mid-air or something else that would send any normal person into a full-blown panic attack, he was hanging out at Qambathi Mountain Lodge, the adult-only boutique lodge and nature reserve that he called home during his stay in February.

 

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Cruise and the production team stayed at the lodge nestled in the heart of Kamberg Valley, Drakensberg, in KwaZulu-Natal, for a few months in 2022 while filming Mission Impossible 8, the lodge owner Nadia confirmed via News24.

“We were very pleased and honoured to find that they chose our little lodge to stay at,” she adds, sharing the story of how she and her husband, Stephen, moved to South Africa from the United Kingdom in 2019, bought the lodge and refurbished it before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

“Post Covid, the travel industry has not yet recovered to the pre-2020 numbers and had it not been for Tom and the MI team staying with us, we would not have been able to survive as a business. It is thanks to him that the doors are still open and our staff are still able to feed their families.”

Cruise was able to enjoy locally-sourced food – “all the best that Midlands has to offer” – calling the Stable Suite, the honeymoon suite, his home away from home:

The suite is their “biggest room with stunning views right from your bed” and offers a “cosy fireplace and its own chill-out deck with hanging basket chairs to enjoy the beautiful gardens and mountain views,” per the Qambathi website.

The price of that is around R2 300 per guest, with breakfast included – a steal for Cruise, I am sure.

 

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Nadia said Cruise and co. were “just very lovely and generous”, even speaking a bit of Zulu to the staff and writing a note of thanks upon leaving:

“To everyone at the Qambathi, Thank you for welcoming us into your home and for making our stay so peaceful and memorable. We hope to see you again soon,” wrote [director Christopher McQuarrie].

“To our Qambathi family, I will never forget our magical time with you all. I look forward to my next visit. Thank you.” – Cruise

Of course, they posted a pic on the ‘Gram:

 

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A post shared by Qambathi Mountain Lodge**** (@qambathimountainlodge)

Nadia also confirmed that Cruise worked, day in and day out, with hardly any downtime in between.

Classic.

At least he had a luxurious spot to rest his seemingly never-weary head.

[source:news24]