2014 south africa telegraph supplement

Saturday, January 25, 2014 telegraph.co.uk/africatravel

SOUTH AFRICAYour 16-page guide to holidays from Africa Travel, from exotic wiilderness lodges to idyllic beach retreats

A land full of memorable

experiences

In association withDistributed with

The Daily Telegraph

Tom Kerridge on Food Þ allan lamb’s easTern cape Þ THe mandela Trail Þ Family Fun Þ saFaris Þ cHic reTreaTs

| SATURDAY,JANUARY25,2014 2 |

SOUTH AFRICA | INTRODUCTION The Daily Telegraph

Such a wonderfully diverse landSouth Africa is a feast of a country with so much to savour and Lisa Grainger

never tires of sampling its delights

There’s a reason why, almost every year of my adult life, I have travelled to South Africa. It’s because I’m greedy about life. I want to savour every minute of every day – and in South Africa there is always something delectable to sample. It isa feast of a country in which, as an adventurer, foodie, bush-walker,wine-buff, culture-lover, sailor and diver, I can have it all.

Helpfully, getting to this great cultural buffet isn’t terribly difficult. It’s a country that takes just 11 hours to get to, without jetlag. Leaving behind grey and wintery Britain in the evening, I can be in my bikini by mid-morning, warm southern sun warming my almost-blue English skin. Or, G&T in hand, I can be marvelling at elephants drinking at a waterhole in the Kruger Park, or be indulging my tastebuds in the wine country. Or I could simply be driving off into the distance, seeing what little treat is lobbed my way.

In South Africa there is a surprise around every baobab. It’s somewhere that is still wild enough for things to pop up unexpectedly, enormous enough that there’s always somewhere to explore and varied enough to guarantee cameras are kept busy. With 1,500 miles of coast, mountain ranges topped with snow and numerous game reserves populated with wild beasts, from big cats to 850 species of birds, there’s always something to snap.

Not that the country is one big wilderness. Thanks to the range of cultures that have inhabited the tip of southern Africa for centuries (Xhosa, Dutch, Zulu, French Huguenot, English, Indian), the cities are the most sophisticated and varied in Africa.

Last year more than 9 million international visitors passed through them, many stopping to play the golf courses designed by top sportsmensuch as Gary Player; to gamble andrelax in Sun City; to be terrified by the great white sharks at Durban’s uShaka Marine World, to scream in gold-mine theme parks just outside Johannesburg, and to visit the townships in which the country’s apartheid struggle grew.

Decades ago, visitors to South Africa wouldn’t have dreamt of visiting townships. Today, almost 20 years after Nelson Mandela cast his first vote, many specifically request a visit to the home of millions of South Africans, to learn about the struggle against apartheid and the evolution of the country into a modern democracy.

Popular stop-offs include the Hector Pietersen Museum in Soweto and the Apartheid Museum in Gold Reef City, just outside Johannesburg, Robben Island, where Mandela was incarcerated for 18 years, and the streets in which leaders such as Desmond Tutu and Mandela lived, guided by organisations

such as Soweto Guided Tours. Not that guides are essential. Travelling around this part of Africa is remarkably easy, particularly if you drive.

In spite of the fact that the country is about five times bigger than Britain, roads are generally well maintained, signposts clear and in English. Fornon-drivers, there are three international and numerous domestic airports within easy reach of most towns (as well as a handy one beside Kruger National Park), and fleets of air-conditioned buses and slightly more basic trains, as well as the more luxurious Blue Train and Rovos Rail.

Where to go if this is a first visit? Most visitors begin in Johannesburg, taking in the Apartheid Museum, a tour of Soweto, a play at the Market Theatre, and some craft-shopping at Rosebank market or the newly renovated buildings in Downtown Johannesburg.

Others begin in Cape Town, with the obligatory cable-car trip up Table Mountain and beach-hopping trips (Clifton for people-watching, Muizenberg for warm-water swimming, Noordhoek for long walks, Boulders for penguins) before heading off to explore coastal towns such as Hermanus, particularly in whale season (July-December), or quaint old Cape Dutch towns such as Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek.

Even for those who aren’t serious oenophiles, there is plenty to do in the wine regions, with pretty mountain scenery and elegant gabled Cape Dutch homes, museums and quaint streets, as well as terrific farms such as

Babylonstoren. Although many of the old family-run vineyards such as this are cultivated with vines that were planted generations ago, all over the Cape, owners have created state-of-the-art wineries, with gourmet restaurants, galleries, museums and shops in which to browse and graze. The food around here is among the best in the country; last year Stellenbosch was home to three of the country’s top 10 restaurants and Franschhoek two.

For those who prefer action-packed holidays rather than gourmet journeys, the Garden Route is popular, withstop-offs at such surfer towns as

Jeffrey’s Bay, chic beach resorts like Plettenberg Bay and Knysna, and nature reserves such as Storms River and Tsitsikamma. For adventurers, there is also the world’s highest commercial bungee jump, Bloukrans Bridge; shark diving in cages at Gansbaai; rafting and canoeing in the Breede River Valley; hiking in coastal mountain ranges –as well as kayaking, windsurfing, surfing and kite-boarding in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.

For most visitors to South Africa, though, it is access to African wildlife that most appeals, whether that is

taking an inexpensive self-drive safari holiday through the Kruger National Park or jetting in to some of the world’s most luxurious bush retreats, suchas Royal Malewane, Londolozi and Leopard Hills.

One of the great joys of the country is its access to wildlife and natural beauty at all budget levels. While many of the top-end reserves will cost up to £1,000 per person a night, there are plenty of middle and lower-end guesthousesand lodges to suit backpackers and families, as well as romantic cottages for the self-sufficient. Meals and wine are inexpensive, too, particularly at the current rate of exchange, at almost 17 rand to a pound.

An additional bonus for families is that, unlike many other safari destinations in Africa, South Africa also has several game reserves that are malaria-free and offer bespoke children’s programmes run by guides who have a magical way of infecting children with their Attenborough-like appreciation of nature.

As I can vouch, having visited the country since I was a toddler, the welcome from local people is warm wherever you go – particularly today. South Africans have endured decades of unrest and are desperate to rebuild their country and reap the benefits for which they have fought for so long.

It’s not difficult to fall in love with their land: with its gargantuan landscapes that stretch beneath sunny skies; the rich, earthy smells of woodsmoke and thatch; the rawbush-sounds of the savannah at night;

Why I love South Africa

Charley Boorman,TV adventurerSouth Africa is unique.

It is a country where

travellers can enjoy so

many experiences.

I love it for all

the exhilarating

adventures I had while

filming there; you

could spend your

whole life in South

Africa and never finish

exploring it.

Of all the coastlines I

covered, one of my

favourite stretches, if it

is possible to pick just

one, is the Wild Coast.

In South Africa there is always something delectable to sample

All included: beautiful beaches, abundant wildlife, fine art, wonderful food and a great range of accommodation are all on offer in South Africa

SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2014 | | 3

INTRODUCTION | SOUTH AFRICAThe Daily Telegraph

British Airways is slowly

incorporating its new state-

of-the-art Airbus A380

aircraft into its long-haul

fleet, and Johannesburg is

the third destination which

has been chosen for this

aircraft type to serve.

Commencing services on

February 12, the new A380

can carry 469 seats in four

different classes of travel,

with the First cabin

boasting a new design

which provides increased

privacy and personal space.

The Club World and

World Traveller cabins are

split between the main deck

and the upper deck, with

those seats upstairs

promising to be the most

popular as there are two

fewer seats per row in

World Traveller when

compared to downstairs.

World Traveller Plus is on

the upper deck and unlike

on British Airways’ other

aircrafts the configuration

in this cabin is 2-3-2,

offering more couples

the opportunity to sit

together alone.

Initially beginning with

three flights per week,

from March 10 onwards

the A380 service will

increase to six times

per week and will operate

as the first evening

departure in both directions

between Heathrow

and Johannesburg.

Getting there with British Airways

How many people do you know who

dream of taking a trip to Africa? We

all possess an inner explorer and can

imagine the magic of sitting beside a

waterhole watching hippo and

elephants at play, hearing the lion

roar and discovering how vast

landscapes can ease the stresses of

everyday life. Now imagine visiting

South Africa, a sophisticated country

that offers all of this and more.

Perhaps you’d like to experience

the delights of Cape Town, voted the

best city in the world in the 2013

Telegraph Travel Awards, or look in

wonder at the Drakensberg peaks.

Maybe you’d like to explore some of

the world’s finest winelands, dine on

exceptional cuisine, luxuriate in five-

star beachside retreats and some of

the world’s best safari camps.

So how do you achieve all or any of

this? You need to know which camp

will give you the dream experience.

Where is the wildlife at its richest and

which has expert guides. You want a

thrilling adventure that you and your

family will remember for ever. And

the chances are that once you’ve

visited, you’ll soon be back for more.

This is where Africa Travel plays a

vital role. Africa Travel is a specialist

luxury tour operator which, with a

wealth of expert knowledge, can

hand-craft the most authentic holiday

itineraries and exclusive experiences

in South Africa.

With more than 30 years of

experience and the best connections

in the industry, Africa Travel is always

up to date on the latest trends and is

able to offer the very best advice.

All of Africa Travel’s staff have

travelled extensively — indeed some

were born and brought up in South

Africa. They have been to every camp

they ever recommend. They’ve been

out with the guides and have made

it their business to know the

managers. They’ve seen the

game and watched the magical

sunsets, eaten the glorious food,

got the very measure and the

intimate feel of every place.

The company’s longstanding

position in the travel industry also

allows it to negotiate the best rates,

ensuring that you not only get your

perfect holiday but also excellent

value for money. Africa Travel even

offers a best-price guarantee on any

like-for-like itinerary quoted by any

reputable and bonded UK tour

operator. It is also one of the few tour

operators with its own office and staff

in Cape Town.

Whether you already have an

itinerary in mind, are looking for

guidance or don’t even know where to

begin, Africa Travel is passionate

about South Africa and is waiting to

share that passion with you. It can

tailor make your dream holiday,

whether you want to get close to

nature staying in a rustic hideaway or,

if you want to be pampered in the

height of luxury, Africa Travel knows

exactly what to recommend and can

arrange that too.

South Africa can be filled with

magic moments. It has so much

variety and there is so much choice

that it takes an expert to know them

all and to tailor each and every

holiday to the very particular needs of

every client.

That’s what Africa Travel does.

They’ve been doing it for years

and won’t let you down.

Jacquetta Bayat

For more information,go to africatravel.co.ukor call 020 7843 3586

the singing that accompanies life,from weddings to funerals; and the good-humoured people who continue to fight to make their country a better place.Whenever I’m about to leaveSouth Africa, Ernest Hemingway’s lines from Green Hills of Africa come back to

me: “All I wanted to do now was to get back to Africa. We had not left it, yet, but when I would wake in the night I would lie, listening, homesick for it already.”

That’s the problem with feasting so richly on life here: you can have too much of a good thing.

Cape crusaders: Africa Travel can create your dream trip

It pays to travel with the experts

Take flight: on the British Airways Airbus A380


INTRODUCTION | SOUTH AFRICAThe Daily Telegraph

British Airways is slowly

incorporating its new state-

of-the-art Airbus A380

aircraft into its long-haul

fleet, and Johannesburg is

the third destination which

has been chosen for this

aircraft type to serve.

Commencing services on

February 12, the new A380

can carry 469 seats in four

different classes of travel,

with the First cabin

boasting a new design

which provides increased

privacy and personal space.

The Club World and

World Traveller cabins are

split between the main deck

and the upper deck, with

those seats upstairs

promising to be the most

popular as there are two

fewer seats per row in

World Traveller when

compared to downstairs.

World Traveller Plus is on

the upper deck and unlike

on British Airways’ other

aircrafts the configuration

in this cabin is 2-3-2,

offering more couples

the opportunity to sit

together alone.

Initially beginning with

three flights per week,

from March 10 onwards

the A380 service will

increase to six times

per week and will operate

as the first evening

departure in both directions

between Heathrow

and Johannesburg.

Getting there with British Airways

How many people do you know who

dream of taking a trip to Africa? We

all possess an inner explorer and can

imagine the magic of sitting beside a

waterhole watching hippo and

elephants at play, hearing the lion

roar and discovering how vast

landscapes can ease the stresses of

everyday life. Now imagine visiting

South Africa, a sophisticated country

that offers all of this and more.

Perhaps you’d like to experience

the delights of Cape Town, voted the

best city in the world in the 2013

Telegraph Travel Awards, or look in

wonder at the Drakensberg peaks.

Maybe you’d like to explore some of

the world’s finest winelands, dine on

exceptional cuisine, luxuriate in five-

star beachside retreats and some of

the world’s best safari camps.

So how do you achieve all or any of

this? You need to know which camp

will give you the dream experience.

Where is the wildlife at its richest and

which has expert guides. You want a

thrilling adventure that you and your

family will remember for ever. And

the chances are that once you’ve

visited, you’ll soon be back for more.

This is where Africa Travel plays a

vital role. Africa Travel is a specialist

luxury tour operator which, with a

wealth of expert knowledge, can

hand-craft the most authentic holiday

itineraries and exclusive experiences

in South Africa.

With more than 30 years of

experience and the best connections

in the industry, Africa Travel is always

up to date on the latest trends and is

able to offer the very best advice.

All of Africa Travel’s staff have

travelled extensively — indeed some

were born and brought up in South

Africa. They have been to every camp

they ever recommend. They’ve been

out with the guides and have made

it their business to know the

managers. They’ve seen the

game and watched the magical

sunsets, eaten the glorious food,

got the very measure and the

intimate feel of every place.

The company’s longstanding

position in the travel industry also

allows it to negotiate the best rates,

ensuring that you not only get your

perfect holiday but also excellent

value for money. Africa Travel even

offers a best-price guarantee on any

like-for-like itinerary quoted by any

reputable and bonded UK tour

operator. It is also one of the few tour

operators with its own office and staff

in Cape Town.

Whether you already have an

itinerary in mind, are looking for

guidance or don’t even know where to

begin, Africa Travel is passionate

about South Africa and is waiting to

share that passion with you. It can

tailor make your dream holiday,

whether you want to get close to

nature staying in a rustic hideaway or,

if you want to be pampered in the

height of luxury, Africa Travel knows

exactly what to recommend and can

arrange that too.

South Africa can be filled with

magic moments. It has so much

variety and there is so much choice

that it takes an expert to know them

all and to tailor each and every

holiday to the very particular needs of

every client.

That’s what Africa Travel does.

They’ve been doing it for years

and won’t let you down.

Jacquetta Bayat

For more information,go to africatravel.co.ukor call 020 7843 3586

the singing that accompanies life,from weddings to funerals; and the good-humoured people who continue to fight to make their country a better place.Whenever I’m about to leaveSouth Africa, Ernest Hemingway’s lines from Green Hills of Africa come back to

me: “All I wanted to do now was to get back to Africa. We had not left it, yet, but when I would wake in the night I would lie, listening, homesick for it already.”

That’s the problem with feasting so richly on life here: you can have too much of a good thing.

Cape crusaders: Africa Travel can create your dream trip

It pays to travel with the experts

Take flight: on the British Airways Airbus A380


Escape to breathtaking beauty,

It’s not as if most people are looking for an excuse to visit Cape Town but if you are, here’s one: it’s 2014’s World Design Capital. The design scene is vibrant, different and buzzing with a distinctly African vibe. But if that seems a rather obscure reason for travelling more than 6,000 miles, South Africa has many other beguiling charms that have helped make it one of Britain’s favourite holiday destinations.

There’s the fact that the rand has not been as low as it is now (about 17 to the pound) for a long time, making a trip that’s always good value seem more like a steal. Britons don’t need telling that while it’s all grey and gloomy in Europe, in what Sir Francis Drake called “the fairest cape we saw in the whole circumference of the Earth” the sun is almost certainly shining, the sea is blue, the vineyards are bursting with promise and

the restaurant scene just gets better and better. And while there are many who love the grand established hotels – such as the Mount Nelson, the Cape Grace, The Cellars Hohenhort and La Residence in Franschhoek (they are among many people’s favourite hotels in the world) – there are some brilliant newcomers that add to the mix.

Ellerman House, considered by many to be Cape Town’s most luxurious hotel, with tremendous views over Bantry Bay and minutes from two great beaches at Camps Bay and Clifton, has a stupendous new private villa.

It offers privacy, space and the attentive service of a great hotel. Crafted in sumptuous contemporary style, it has an infinity pool, three vast bedrooms each with an open-plan bathroom and terrace – perfect for dinner under the stars overlooking one of the world’s most beautiful bays.

Then there’s The Marly, a spanking new 11-suite boutique hotel right on the beach at Camps Bay which, besides all the usual luxuries today’s spoilt traveller needs (bath-butler service, 24-hour room service and all the rest), it has a private pool and what looks set to be a fantastic Japanese restaurant, the Umi.

But while where you stay matters greatly there’s not much point in travelling all that way if you don’t do some exploring while you’re there.

There are the beaches – try to visit some of the less well-known such as Llandudno and Kommetjie, St James and The Boulders – where you’ll find fewer crowds – and Table Mountain itself is always a must. Explore its charming little museums – Koopmans-De Wet House, the Bo-Kaap Museum and the District Six Museum, not to mention the world-famous gardens of Kirstenbosch.

There are wonderful grungy little streets in the centre of the town that are gradually being smartened up. They offer terrific shopping: most are small, quirky and a refreshing contrast to the ubiquitous bland international high-street chains.

Head to Long Street, Loop Street and Bree Street and you’ll find a lively shopping centre with constantly changing owners and wares, while every morning there’s a wonderful market, full of African arts and crafts, in Greenmarket Square. The Old Biscuit Mill, in Woodstock, which used to be a working-class area of Cape Town, is now the place to be seen on a Saturday morning – both for the quirky craft shops

SOUTH AFRICA | CAPE TOWN The Daily Telegraph

and for the markets full of fresh organic food. It’s also home to one of South Africa’s best restaurants, The Test Kitchen. Standards of cuisine are high in South Africa: it has several restaurants rated in the world’s top 100. Many are in the ravishingly beautiful Franschhoek and Stellenbosch valleys, both within a 45-minute drive from Cape Town and a must for every visitor.

Overture, which is owned by chefs Bertus Basson and Craig Cormack in Hidden Valley in the Stellenbosch area, has won many awards. It’s based at a vineyard so there’s always a fine partnership to be made with one of the farm’s own wines.

The Tasting Room at Le Quartier Francais, a hotel with a tremendous restaurant where South Africa’s only female Grand Chef, Margot Janse, runs the kitchen. Her eight-course surprise menu with paired wines, is an umissable experience. Work up an appetite with some vigorous swims or climb Table Mountain up the back route from Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and sleep it all off by booking a room in the hotel.

Meanwhile, The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel in Constantia offers a different experience – it’s set in more than nine acres amid the verdant hills of the

Constantia valley with beautiful views and yet is a mere 15 minutes from the centre of Cape Town.

The Greenhouse restaurant has Peter Templehoff, Cape Town’s first Relais & Chateaux Grand Chef, and the menu celebrates local South Africa produce and draws on its rich cultural mix with overtones of Malay, Huguenot and British influences.

But besides these world-class restaurants almost every winery offers wine-tastings as well as home-cooked local dishes (bobotie or a Cape Malay curry being a must) and even humble establishments will serve South Africa’s starry sea food – cape salmon, kingclip, lobster and crayfish – straight from the sea.

The towns of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are both in unimaginably beautiful settings with ravishing mountain ridges and repay some leisurely wandering. The streets are lined with quirky, individual shops and beautiful old Cape Dutch houses. As soon as the feet get tired there’s somewhere inviting to eat or rest. But while restaurants and hotels may come and go, the main draw that brings tourists to South Africa again and again – its wonderful climate and natural beauty – is always reliable. That never changes.

Cape Town combines natural splendour with world-class urban design, says Lucia van der Post


Hanneli Rupert, fashion designerAs the World Design

Capital 2014., Cape

Town is a city that not

only inspires but also

has the capacity to

incubate those

inspirations into reality.

Cape Town’s

community is not

unaware of its

shortcomings and

chooses to tackle them

head on through clever

design and positive

thinking.


JOHANNESBURG | SOUTH AFRICAThe Daily Telegraph

Rich history: Johannesburg’s Gold Reef City brings the gold-rush era to life

Clockwise from far left: the view from

Table Mountain; Ellerman House;

Test Kitchen fare and Greenmarket

Square crafts

It has always seemed strange to me that Johannesburg is by and large considered (by the tourist that is – its inhabitants know better) to be a place to arrive at only to move on to your real destination as fast as possible.

As a Cape Townian I was always jealous of those who lived in Johannesburg – it didn’t have our beaches, our winelands or our famous mountain but it made up for it with everything else. It was faster, hipper, edgier, more alive. It has about it still the remnants of a frontier town. The whiff of the gold-rush is still in the air. You can still see the mine dumps where the fabled gold was harvested and a visit to the slightly kitschy Gold Reef City will bring it all to life.

Traditional wisdom has it that you should give the centre of the city a miss – it’s too dangerous, say some. Not so. Go in daylight, pack away your jewels, keep your wits about you and you’ll be fine. The whole of the centre is being revitalised and many of the old warehouses have been turned into galleries where vibrant arts and crafts are for sale.

Most are visibly enlivened by their connection to their African roots – you can find beautiful clay pots,

jewellery and baskets made from copper or silver wire, embroideries, bead-work and fabrics from the erstwhile homelands and wonderful sculptures. The Market Theatre, which stages challenging work by home-grown talents as well as

international stars, lies at the centre of a big arts complex and in between are galleries and restaurants that make it an unmissable destination for the visitor who is interested in what makes the new South Africa tick.

A visit to Soweto is a must. Home, of course, to the resistance movement in the apartheid era, the main point of interest is the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum. Pieterson was the small boy killed in the Soweto uprising of June 1976 and the photograph of him being carried by Mbuyisa Makhubo featured in newspapers and magazines around the world. Makhubo did not know the boy and feared for his life but could not pass a child needing help. He later had to flee the country.

In recent years, Nelson Mandela’s home in the area has been turned into something of a shrine.

There’s a lively club and restaurant scene and as for where to stay, you’re spoilt for choice. Nelson Mandela wrote Long Walk to Freedom on Robben Island but it was smuggled out and edited in what is now The Saxon Hotel. Its African roots are a potent part of its charm but it is Africa as we haven’t often seen it – modern, sumptuous and deeply luxurious.

But Johannesburg is filled with charming small B&Bs, boutique hotels (try Ten Bompas), delightful restaurants and sophisticated shops. It has it all.

Cape Town hot spotsCape Town is often considered

one of the world’s finest and

most picturesque cities and it

has a multitude of hotels and

boutique properties to suit all

tastes and budgets.

Table Bay Hotel — Victoria &

Alfred Waterfront

One of the original, yet still

one of the best hotels on the

waterfront. Within walking

distance of the many shops

and restaurants, the large

guest rooms are supplemented

by a heated outdoor swimming

pool, holistic spa, beautiful

colonial bar, friendly staff and

one of South Africa’s most

impressive and comprehensive

breakfast buffets.

Price: from £100 per person per night, B&B

Kensington Place — City Bowl

A stunning boutique property

which has many imitators but

few genuine rivals. Each of the

eight exquisite bedrooms has its

own terrace or balcony, and the

hotel’s artworks and artefacts sit

perfectly alongside the tended

garden and swimming pool.

A sanctuary from the city on

the slopes of Table Mountain,

it offers the ultimate in

personalised service.


The Last Word Long Beach —

Kommetjie

A beach-front property in a city

that sometimes struggles to

offer proper experiences

alongside the sands. Reached by

travelling over the memorable

Chapman’s Peak Drive to the

colourful fishing village of

Kommetjie, the six spacious

suites offer a superior seaside

stay, where sunset cocktails,

whale-watching and horse-riding

on the beach are all de rigueur.


Cape Royale Luxury Hotel &

Spa — Green Point

Set in the artistic heart of

Cape Town, this hotel is a

welcome home for all, with

accommodations ranging from

one-bedroom suites to the new

two- and three-bedroom villas,

which come complete with

their own private terrace,

swimming pool, driver and chef.

The spa and rooftop swimming

pool and sundeck are always

popular spots, with the many

attractions of the Waterfront

a short stroll away.

Price: from £80 per person per night, B&B.

All of the above can be booked with Africa Travel, which offers a best-price guarantee on any like-for-like itinerary. For more information, call 020 7843 3586.

Golden city with the frontier spiritJohannesburg is too vibrant to be merely a staging post for travellers, says Lucia van der Post

sun and shining sea


JOHANNESBURG | SOUTH AFRICAThe Daily Telegraph

Rich history: Johannesburg’s Gold Reef City brings the gold-rush era to life

Clockwise from far left: the view from

Table Mountain; Ellerman House;

Test Kitchen fare and Greenmarket

Square crafts

It has always seemed strange to me that Johannesburg is by and large considered (by the tourist that is – its inhabitants know better) to be a place to arrive at only to move on to your real destination as fast as possible.

As a Cape Townian I was always jealous of those who lived in Johannesburg – it didn’t have our beaches, our winelands or our famous mountain but it made up for it with everything else. It was faster, hipper, edgier, more alive. It has about it still the remnants of a frontier town. The whiff of the gold-rush is still in the air. You can still see the mine dumps where the fabled gold was harvested and a visit to the slightly kitschy Gold Reef City will bring it all to life.

Traditional wisdom has it that you should give the centre of the city a miss – it’s too dangerous, say some. Not so. Go in daylight, pack away your jewels, keep your wits about you and you’ll be fine. The whole of the centre is being revitalised and many of the old warehouses have been turned into galleries where vibrant arts and crafts are for sale.

Most are visibly enlivened by their connection to their African roots – you can find beautiful clay pots,

jewellery and baskets made from copper or silver wire, embroideries, bead-work and fabrics from the erstwhile homelands and wonderful sculptures. The Market Theatre, which stages challenging work by home-grown talents as well as

international stars, lies at the centre of a big arts complex and in between are galleries and restaurants that make it an unmissable destination for the visitor who is interested in what makes the new South Africa tick.

A visit to Soweto is a must. Home, of course, to the resistance movement in the apartheid era, the main point of interest is the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum. Pieterson was the small boy killed in the Soweto uprising of June 1976 and the photograph of him being carried by Mbuyisa Makhubo featured in newspapers and magazines around the world. Makhubo did not know the boy and feared for his life but could not pass a child needing help. He later had to flee the country.

In recent years, Nelson Mandela’s home in the area has been turned into something of a shrine.

There’s a lively club and restaurant scene and as for where to stay, you’re spoilt for choice. Nelson Mandela wrote Long Walk to Freedom on Robben Island but it was smuggled out and edited in what is now The Saxon Hotel. Its African roots are a potent part of its charm but it is Africa as we haven’t often seen it – modern, sumptuous and deeply luxurious.

But Johannesburg is filled with charming small B&Bs, boutique hotels (try Ten Bompas), delightful restaurants and sophisticated shops. It has it all.

Cape Town hot spotsCape Town is often considered

one of the world’s finest and

most picturesque cities and it

has a multitude of hotels and

boutique properties to suit all

tastes and budgets.

Table Bay Hotel — Victoria &

Alfred Waterfront

One of the original, yet still

one of the best hotels on the

waterfront. Within walking

distance of the many shops

and restaurants, the large

guest rooms are supplemented

by a heated outdoor swimming

pool, holistic spa, beautiful

colonial bar, friendly staff and

one of South Africa’s most

impressive and comprehensive

breakfast buffets.


Kensington Place — City Bowl

A stunning boutique property

which has many imitators but

few genuine rivals. Each of the

eight exquisite bedrooms has its

own terrace or balcony, and the

hotel’s artworks and artefacts sit

perfectly alongside the tended

garden and swimming pool.

A sanctuary from the city on

the slopes of Table Mountain,

it offers the ultimate in

personalised service.


The Last Word Long Beach —

Kommetjie

A beach-front property in a city

that sometimes struggles to

offer proper experiences

alongside the sands. Reached by

travelling over the memorable

Chapman’s Peak Drive to the

colourful fishing village of

Kommetjie, the six spacious

suites offer a superior seaside

stay, where sunset cocktails,

whale-watching and horse-riding

on the beach are all de rigueur.


Cape Royale Luxury Hotel &

Spa — Green Point

Set in the artistic heart of

Cape Town, this hotel is a

welcome home for all, with

accommodations ranging from

one-bedroom suites to the new

two- and three-bedroom villas,

which come complete with

their own private terrace,

swimming pool, driver and chef.

The spa and rooftop swimming

pool and sundeck are always

popular spots, with the many

attractions of the Waterfront

a short stroll away.

Price: from £80 per person per night, B&B.

All of the above can be booked with Africa Travel, which offers a best-price guarantee on any like-for-like itinerary. For more information, call 020 7843 3586.

Golden city with the frontier spiritJohannesburg is too vibrant to be merely a staging post for travellers, says Lucia van der Post

sun and shining sea


Perfect taste of paradiseSensational South Africa has chef Tom Kerridge baying for more

I’d never been to South Africa before but I have met a lot of South Africans. I spent much of the Nineties cooking in London and many had come over to the UK to work in restaurants. What they all talked about was how beautiful their country is – and it is; the place is just stunning.

First stop for my wife Beth and me was Cape Town, a city building a reputation for its buzzing restaurant scene, but there was more finger-on-the-pulse cooking than I expected. South Africans, having experienced Europe, have brought that knowledge home.

Getting to South Africa was easy. We flew in overnight, picked up the hire car, set the satnav and drove to our first hotel. The Cellars-Hohenort, 15 minutes from central Cape Town, is a Relais & Chateaux hotel on the slopes of Table Mountain. Jo Massie, the general manager, greeted us and – I mean this in the nicest way – it was like being welcomed into someone’s home by a lovely vicar’s wife. She’s a wonderful lady.

It’s a fantastic place, a small country house hotel with 49 rooms and nine acres of landscaped gardens. We ate in The Greenhouse, recently voted best retaurant in South Africa. Peter Templehoff is a great chef and we enjoyed top-class, classic French cooking South African-style – his squid-ink risotto was one of the best dishes of the trip. And his camembert cheesecake was beautifully executed. In the wrong hands you could see it being a bit too quirky, but it wassuch good cooking.

We tried some Cape Malay food at the hotel, too. The understanding of spices and flavourings – a little chilli, coriander, turmeric – was so good in chicken and beef dishes, and Beth had some massive prawns. Delicious.

Luke Dale-Roberts is another chef making a name for himself in South Africa, at The Test Kitchen in The Old Biscuit Mill market. All the South African chefs are talking about him because he is non-conformist.

It is a cool restaurant, with an open kitchen, and we had some

SOUTH AFRICA | FOOD AND DRINK The Daily Telegraph

interesting dishes with quite quirky presentation. There was a tomato and aubergine dish that was just beautiful. One thing I did know about South Africans is that they love their meat. I am a massive meat fan as well and the quality in South Africa is stunning.

For lunch at La Colombe, one of the country’s award-winning restaurants, I had beef with shallots and bone marrow, a beautiful dish that tasted amazing and looked great too.

At my gastropub in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, The Hand & Flowers, I’m much more about keeping it simple. Some chefs put all their effort into the presentation and the food isnot as good as it should be.

La Colombe, though, is one of the top restaurants in the world and does both exceptionally well. The atmosphere was so relaxed, too.

South Africans do not seem to do dressing up for dinner. They go out wearing what they want and they eat what they want, and I loved that. There was no pomp or ceremony. Eating out should be about having a great time and feeling comfortable, and that is what everybody did in South Africa. They have got it so right.

We took the scenic route over the mountains to our next hotel, and it was the most breathtaking, jaw-droppingly beautiful drive. Scenery and weather change so quickly and dramatically; I loved that.Driving was no problem at all, the roads are good and there was not much traffic really.

This was a food and wine trip, but Beth and I agree the highlight was Hermanus and Birkenhead House, an 11-room boutique hotel that overlooks the sea and is surrounded by

spectacular coastline and beaches. We are desperate to go back there. Our room had a big bed and a fantastic shower and bathroom. In fact, all our hotel rooms were wonderful, well designed, classy with a European feel, not ostentatious or over the top. We liked the welcoming, homely feel.

The food here was great again. Breakfast was stunning – fresh fruit, yoghurt, bread, bacon and sausages really nicely done. It showcased what great produce the country has.

But most memorable was our afternoon coastal walk with local guide Billy; it was just brilliant. There were 80 to 100 southern right whales in the bay; you could spot one almost every 10 minutes. Amazing.

I am a keen swimmer and would have gone in the sea if it had been warmer. I would quite like to try cage diving with great

white sharks. This time, though, I just sat outside with Beth, drinking hot chocolate and smoking a cigar – Cuban, of course – and watching the whales. It was just great.

Next day, we stopped at two vineyards on our way out of Hermanus, Newton Johnson and Creation Wines. South African wines can be a little bold and brash but thesewere fantastic. I loved the 2010 Creation Wines pinot noir.

It was an hour’s drive to our final hotel in Franschhoek and the countryside was amazing. I grew up in the city, in Gloucester, so I’m not used to seeing vast swathes of untouched landscape. I was also surprised how green everything was. We had to stop at one point to let a troop of baboons through. That was interesting – made a change from sheep in Gloucestershire.


Heston Blumenthal, chefAs I have strong family

roots in South Africa,

I have always had a

close affinity with the

country. In fact, I came

very close to opening a

restaurant in

Franschhoek a few

years ago. The South

African cuisine you see

today is refined,

balanced and quite

modern in terms of its

lightness but

showcasing South

African produce. They

have beautiful fish and

seafood down there,

from hake and

yellowtail to the west-

coast mussels and

oysters from Knysna.

The meat is also

exceptional.


South Africa’s wine-producing areas are rightly regarded as some of its most beautiful, and they are also home to a number of exquisite hideaways...

Constantia The Last Word ConstantiaHidden away among the wine estates and fine dining establishments of desirable Constantia, this exclusive property is under 30 minutes’ drive from the centre of Cape Town. The breakfasts are legendary and the suites and bathrooms are some of the Cape’s largest, making it difficult for some to tear themselves away to explore the surroundings.

Cost: from £90 per person per night, B&B

Stellenbosch Hawksmoor HouseA meticulously restored Cape Dutch homestead that sits amid the vineyards on a working wine farm near Stellenbosch. The wonderful wine tasting on offer is complemented by extensive gardens, a swimming pool, library and a choice of luxurious accommodation, which is housed in four separate historic buildings. The afternoon tea served daily is a bonus.


Wellington Grand Dédale Country HouseOff the beaten wine-region track, a magnificent six-room retreat lying on the Doolhof Wine Estate near the small town of Wellington. The saltwater swimming pool, spa room, tea lounge and landscaped gardens

offer an alternative attraction to the tastings available of the award-winning wines, with hiking, walking and mountain biking also all possible on the estate.


Franschhoek The Last Word FranschhoekA historic Huguenot-style villa tucked away off Franschhoek’s main street, which is lined with numerous eateries. Elegantly restored with just six rooms, two of which have access to private pools, it has a reputation for offering wonderfully attentive service and is perfect for those wanting to wine and dine butnot drive.

Cost: from £90 per person per night, B&B.

All the above can be booked with Africa Travel, which offers a best-price guarantee on any like-for-like itinerary: 020 7843 3586.

FOOD AND DRINK | SOUTH AFRICAThe Daily Telegraph

All our hotel rooms were wonderful, classy but not over the top... a homely feel

Land of plenty: anti-clockwise from main picture, the author loved the spectacularly located Birkenhead House at Hermanus; the great food at The Restaurant, Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate; La Residence in the Franschhoek Valley combines stunning sunsets and superb fare; the Bread & Wine Vineyard

La Residence is styled on a French country chateau and tucked away in the vineyards of the Franschhoek Valley. We were simply blown away by our room, which was opulent but not over the top.

We had dinner at Grande Provence in the valley, which served simple, lovely food. It has an art gallery attached. Beth is a sculptor, and we had a wander round afterwards.

Over the next two days we visited four more wine estates of the celebrated Cape Winelands. I think that they were used to tourists drinking more but we wanted to taste as many wines as possible, so we had to spit, not swallow. We tried more than 30 over the trip, and liked them all.

Our last evening was spent at the Chef’s Table at La Residence, with Evan, who supplied the wine, and sous

chef Labarre. It was like being entertained at the chef’s home; we chatted about food and restaurants and enjoyed sea trout, gnocchi and duck. It was a lovely evening,

On our last day, we visited Fairview Wine & Cheese, where we tasted a goat’s cheese gouda. It was a bit of a surprise, but delicious.

A bigger surprise greeted us at the Bread & Wine Vineyard Restaurant on the Môreson family farm. I walked in and a young lady said: “Hello, it’s been a long time.” I thought that she had mistaken me for someone else.

It turned out that she was Tina, the wife of a chef whom I worked with in London 16 years ago. I knew that he had gone to live in South Africa, but had no idea where exactly.

It was such a wonderful coincidence. Neil Jewel

specialises in charcuterie nowadays and of coursehe showed me his sausage collection. His charcuterie was the best that I have eaten, not just in South Africa but anywhere in the world.

It was an incredible end to a fantastic trip. We saw old friends, made new ones we will definitely keep in touch with and – without a shadow of a doubt – we will be going back.

Tom Kerridge’s visit to South Africa was arranged by Africa Travel (020 7843 3586; africatravel.co.uk). A seven-night holiday, with three nights at Cellars-Hohenort and two nights each at La Residence and Birkenhead House costs from £1,825 per person, to include British Airways flights, Budget hire car, breakfast at Cellars and La Residence, and all meals at Birkenhead House.

Wine region hideaways


South Africa’s wine-producing areas are rightly regarded as some of its most beautiful, and they are also home to a number of exquisite hideaways...

Constantia The Last Word ConstantiaHidden away among the wine estates and fine dining establishments of desirable Constantia, this exclusive property is under 30 minutes’ drive from the centre of Cape Town. The breakfasts are legendary and the suites and bathrooms are some of the Cape’s largest, making it difficult for some to tear themselves away to explore the surroundings.


Stellenbosch Hawksmoor HouseA meticulously restored Cape Dutch homestead that sits amid the vineyards on a working wine farm near Stellenbosch. The wonderful wine tasting on offer is complemented by extensive gardens, a swimming pool, library and a choice of luxurious accommodation, which is housed in four separate historic buildings. The afternoon tea served daily is a bonus.


Wellington Grand Dédale Country HouseOff the beaten wine-region track, a magnificent six-room retreat lying on the Doolhof Wine Estate near the small town of Wellington. The saltwater swimming pool, spa room, tea lounge and landscaped gardens

offer an alternative attraction to the tastings available of the award-winning wines, with hiking, walking and mountain biking also all possible on the estate.


Franschhoek The Last Word FranschhoekA historic Huguenot-style villa tucked away off Franschhoek’s main street, which is lined with numerous eateries. Elegantly restored with just six rooms, two of which have access to private pools, it has a reputation for offering wonderfully attentive service and is perfect for those wanting to wine and dine butnot drive.

Cost: from £90 per person per night, B&B.


FOOD AND DRINK | SOUTH AFRICAThe Daily Telegraph

All our hotel rooms were wonderful, classy but not over the top... a homely feel

Land of plenty: anti-clockwise from main picture, the author loved the spectacularly located Birkenhead House at Hermanus; the great food at The Restaurant, Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate; La Residence in the Franschhoek Valley combines stunning sunsets and superb fare; the Bread & Wine Vineyard

La Residence is styled on a French country chateau and tucked away in the vineyards of the Franschhoek Valley. We were simply blown away by our room, which was opulent but not over the top.

We had dinner at Grande Provence in the valley, which served simple, lovely food. It has an art gallery attached. Beth is a sculptor, and we had a wander round afterwards.

Over the next two days we visited four more wine estates of the celebrated Cape Winelands. I think that they were used to tourists drinking more but we wanted to taste as many wines as possible, so we had to spit, not swallow. We tried more than 30 over the trip, and liked them all.

Our last evening was spent at the Chef’s Table at La Residence, with Evan, who supplied the wine, and sous

chef Labarre. It was like being entertained at the chef’s home; we chatted about food and restaurants and enjoyed sea trout, gnocchi and duck. It was a lovely evening,

On our last day, we visited Fairview Wine & Cheese, where we tasted a goat’s cheese gouda. It was a bit of a surprise, but delicious.

A bigger surprise greeted us at the Bread & Wine Vineyard Restaurant on the Môreson family farm. I walked in and a young lady said: “Hello, it’s been a long time.” I thought that she had mistaken me for someone else.

It turned out that she was Tina, the wife of a chef whom I worked with in London 16 years ago. I knew that he had gone to live in South Africa, but had no idea where exactly.

It was such a wonderful coincidence. Neil Jewel

specialises in charcuterie nowadays and of coursehe showed me his sausage collection. His charcuterie was the best that I have eaten, not just in South Africa but anywhere in the world.

It was an incredible end to a fantastic trip. We saw old friends, made new ones we will definitely keep in touch with and – without a shadow of a doubt – we will be going back.

Tom Kerridge’s visit to South Africa was arranged by Africa Travel (020 7843 3586; africatravel.co.uk). A seven-night holiday, with three nights at Cellars-Hohenort and two nights each at La Residence and Birkenhead House costs from £1,825 per person, to include British Airways flights, Budget hire car, breakfast at Cellars and La Residence, and all meals at Birkenhead House.

Wine region hideaways


coast, the 84,000-acre De Hoop Nature Reserve, fronted by almost 30 miles of dune-backed Indian Ocean coastline, is the stuff of family dreams, with its smartly refurbished houses and cottages to rent, a great little restaurant, spa treatments, quad biking and walking trails and light-pollution-free nights spent picking out the Southern Cross.

South Africa was an early adopter of family-orientated safaris often frowned on by old Africa hands as too dangerous (for the children) and disruptive (for fellow guests). Now even the smartest lodges entertain and educate youngsters, and there are a growing number of private safari houses with separate vehicles and guides and cooks, such as the new Castleton lodge at Singita and Africa House at Royal Malewane, both in the greater Kruger, home to South Africa’s famously swish boutique safari camps.

Kruger National Park has long welcomed families on self-drive safaris and its government-run camps, most often a clutch of thatched rondavels (bungalows) set around trimmed lawns beneath shady trees, are comfortable and expertly managed. I once spent 10 days travelling through the Kruger, driving 250 miles from the south, where there are too many tour buses and minivans for my liking, all the way to remote and mysterious Crooks Corner in the far north, home to elephants, buffalo and baobab trees.

The further north we travelled, the fewer vehicles we encountered, until there was no traffic at all. It was a very different experience to a guided safari at one of the smart private lodges, but certainly no less enjoyable. Sabi Sand and the Kruger are in malarial areas, so preventive medication is advised, but there are also excellent malaria-free game reserves. Madikwe, four hours’ drive north-west of

Johannesburg near Botswana, has fantastic lodges and safari houses in 150,000 acres of previously derelict farmland, transformed in the 1990s by the world’s biggest wildlife translocation operation.

There are similar success stories in the Eastern Cape, where Nelson Mandela grew up and is buried. Here the vast plains of Camdeboo on the edge of the vast Great Karoo desert once thronged with springbok, elephant, Cape Mountain zebra, kudu, wildebeest and eland. That wildlife was dispatched by European settlers in the 1800s, but careful restocking on private land has made it possible to combine a family safari at one of the lodges on the Amakhala Game Reserve (it has the Big Five), with forays to the docile, bucket-and-spade seaside towns of Kenton or Port Alfred and immaculate historic towns of Craddock and Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo.

Also in the Eastern Cape, Addo Park has herds of elephants big enough to fuel the most fervent imagination of any animal-obsessed child. And for a vast and varied landscape, from dense thicket to high-plateau grassland, there is the beautiful private reserve of Samara, created by British financier Mark Tompkins and his South African wife Sarah as a sanctuary for endangered cheetah and one of my most favourite places in the world.

Whatever we expect of a family holiday in South Africa, and it delivers the wants and needs across the generations superbly, what it does best is give memories of shared adventures. I am lucky to have visited many times. But I always look forward to the next trip, and a further chance to get out the maps and plot another course.

Peter Browne is associate editor of Condé Nast Traveller

Now even the smartestlodges are entertaining and educating youngsters

Letting in the light on the open Peter Browne has never tired of the possibilities for a magnificent adventure in the greatest of outdoorsHaving grown up in Africa and driven thousands of miles on its disintegrating roads, avoiding potholes the size of meteor craters, often in beaten-up old cars with dodgy brakes and no windscreen wipers, I relish days on South Africa’s well-maintained motorways and empty back lanes.

No other African country has roads so smooth or scenic: ribbons of black tarmac rippling through fields of wild flowers or embedded into mountainsides, the Indian Ocean spewing and churning on the jagged rocks far below. I can think of no better way to enjoy the space, freedom and effervescent light of the southern hemisphere than on those open roads with family and friends.

The Western Cape is rightly celebrated for its hotels and great drives, its wine routes and glorious Garden Route, all staples on any first-time visitor’s itinerary. But for me there is something infinitely more satisfying about renting my own house and plotting my own course, combining good old-fashioned maps with a flagrant disregard for timetables (notwithstanding the sometimes pressing needs of older and younger family members).

I have spent some of my happiest times in South Africa in private houses, both owned by friends and rented locally. The villas at La Residence hotel in the sun-dappled valley of Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands are extravagant essays in how to create a blowout fantasy retreat. And the full-size pools and springy lawns at Le Clé des Montagnes, also in Franschhoek, provided the setting for a joyful family reunion around a massive braaivleis (barbecue), our own choice of cross-generation music on the iPod and drinks in the fridge.

Within two or three hours’ drive of Cape Town, there are beguiling seaside towns and national parks few international visitors know about. Until recently, savvy South Africans had managed to keep the little fishing village of Paternoster, 90 miles north-west of Cape Town, pretty much to themselves. While it is now known further afield, thanks partly to innovative chefs such as Kobus van der Merwe and Suzi Holtzhausen, it remains a relaxed, offbeat place with simple, white-washed fishermen’s cottages to rent by a safe, wide bay backed by Cape Columbine Nature Reserve.

There are other seaside settlements in this area, known as the West Coast Peninsula, such as Yzerfontein and Jacobsbaai, with superb family villas, some very grand, many in gated communities. But my favourite hideaway is Churchhaven on the remote shores of Langebaan Lagoon in the West Coast National Park, a secret slice of Grecian heaven with a sprinkling of sugar-cube cottages and simple, blue-and-white St Peter’s church.

If you set off in the opposite direction from Cape Town, along the awesome Overberg Coast, the temptations are far more sophisticated, with impossibly glamorous private villas at Birkenhead House in Hermanus and the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. Some of the country’s most complex and intriguing wines are made in the boutique wineries of the Hemel en Aarde Valley just inland from Hermanus. Here there are brilliant restaurants, such as La Vierge or Heaven, to settle back in, preferably after dispatching the teenagers to Gansbaai for an afternoon’s shark-cage diving.

From Gansbaai the back roads to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa, take in the intriguing 19th-century mission station of Elim and little-known wineries. Arniston, one of my favourite places on the Overberg Coast with its old harbour and unpretentious, laid-back vibe, is a great place to unwind for a couple of days. But a little further along the

SOUTH AFRICA | FAMILY HOLIDAYS The Daily Telegraph


South Africa, one of the world’s great family destinations, has a host of lodges and hotels that actively welcome and cater superbly for all generations, from toddlers to grandparents…

Madikwe Hills Private Game LodgeMadikwe Game ReserveA luxurious hideaway situated in the family-friendly and malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve, where families are recommended to reserve Little Madikwe, a two-bedroom villa with its own swimming pool, safari vehicle, personal butler, chef and game ranger. An innovative Junior Rangers programme offers a wide range of educational activities that ensures that all generations can enjoy the wonders of the African bush.

Cost: two-bedroom villa from £1,350 per night, full board and including activities

Grootbos Private Nature ReserveWalker BayAn outdoor adventure playground for children of all ages, this family-friendly property offers an enormous range of activities, including horse riding, nature drives, beach trips, scenic flights, quad biking and cave tours – not forgetting the main attraction, boat trips to

view whales, sharks, dolphins and seals. A 90-minute drive from Cape Town, family suites, babysitting and childrens’s meals all comeas standard.

Cost: two-bedroom family suite from £445 per night, full board and including activities

The Palace of the Lost CitySun CityAs close as South Africa gets to Disney,Sun City is an imaginative resort in theAfrican bush that has something for everyone. Adults can enjoy the spa or play golf onone of the championship courses, while children can have fun in the waterpark orjoin the activities at Kamp Kwena orAnimal World, before everyone debriefs over dinner and spends a luxurious evening at the five-star Palace.

Cost: superior luxury family room from£360 per night, B&B

Londolozi Private Game Reserve MpumalangaLondolozi has always encouraged family travel and its Londolozi Cubs programme innovates, educates and inspires the young traveller. Overseen by a dedicated naturalist and based at the Cub’s Den, the activities include bug catching, bird watching, fishing and shooting. Grown-ups can join the renowned game drives and bush walks, with the whole familyable to relax and savour the world-class accommodation.

Cost: Founders Camp superior chaletfrom £1,480 per night, full board andincluding activities.


FAMILY HOLIDAYS | SOUTH AFRICAThe Daily Telegraph

Havens on earth: clockwise from top left, rental cottage in De Hoop Nature Reserve; Birkenhead Villa, Hermanus; leopard in Sabi Sand Game Reserve; Madikwe Game Reserve cottage verandah; fishing boat at Paternoster, Western Cape

From toddlers to grandparents


Andrew Strauss, former England cricket captainHaving been born in

South Africa, I have

many happy memories

of taking trips with my

parents and three

older sisters

throughout the

country. It is an

amazing place and,

now that I am married

with two young boys,

I love to share with

them the beauty and

wildlife that South

Africa has in

abundance.

It will always remain

close to my heart and

offers an experience

for everyone.

road


SOUTH AFRICA | EASTERN CAPE The Daily Telegraph

The place that bowls me overFormer England cricketer nominates theEastern Cape as his favourite destination

Although having lived in the UK for more than 30 years, my heart is always in South Africa, especially in the glorious Eastern Cape province. My cricketing exploits took me all over the world but one of the highlights was always a visit to SA and, in particular, to the St George’s Park stadium in Port Elizabeth, from where any down time between matches could be spent on the glorious beaches or on safari in one of the neighbouring game reserves.

My wife’s parents have a house in nearby Port Alfred and the three weeks I manage to spend there every winter (when the sun is shining brightly) are always among the highlights of my year.

For me, the Eastern Cape encapsulates all the very best that

South Africa has to offer – deserted beaches, authentic cultural experiences, historic settler towns, the wide, open plains of the Karoo, soaring mountains, superb wildlife and world-class accommodation.

Although for many years a tourist backwater and very much off the beaten track, the Eastern Cape has benefitted in recent times from the increased exposure gained from being the birthplace and now sadly the final resting place of the nation’s father figure, Nelson Mandela.

Visitors can travel to the small village of Mvezo, where he was born, and to Qunu, where he spent his childhood and where the Nelson Mandela Museum offers the story behind this incredible man. The recent release of the Long Walk to Freedom film will also only put the area further into the mind of the traveller.

Most trips to the province begin with a flight into Port Elizabeth – a city often overlooked by those

collecting their hire cars and racing off along the Garden Route or to their safari lodge

However, “PE” has enough distractions to merit a night or two stopover – the beaches are good and the attractions range from the historic Fort Frederick to the Penguin Rehabilitation Centre.

The seafront had a makeover for the 2010 football World Cup and the new Boardwalk Hotel & Spa has joined the Singa Lodge as my preferred spots in town to stay and to savour the sensational sunsets.

Heading west, Jeffrey’s Bay is South Africa’s finest surfing spot, but St Francis Bay is arguably its sweetest seaside village. It is a collection of small thatched cottages and houses built around a series of canals and waterways, all alongside an enchanting beach.

My top spot here is The Sands @ St Francis, which sits overlooking a beautiful cove. It has just five large bedrooms, my favourite being the honeymoon suite, which has its


EASTERN CAPE | SOUTH AFRICAThe Daily Telegraph

Golf’s perfect playground

There are approaching 500 courses of every variety dotted throughout South Africa’s vast and very beautiful landscape. They exist not just in quantity but in quality, a testament to which is the fact that they will be home to no fewer than eight European Tour events in the 2014 Race To Dubai.

Of these, the Volvo Golf Champions is the most prestigious tournament and this year’s venue, Durban Country Club, is one of South Africa’s most historic courses. It has hosted the national open 17 times, producing great champions of the calibre of Gary Player and Ernie Els, and is a fine, lush course characterised by huge undulations in some of the fairways. The first five holes have been described as the hardest in golf and, having played the course last year, I would not disagree. Nearby are several fine courses such as Prince’s Grant and Mount Edgcombe, and I particularly liked Zimbali which is just to the north. Its verdant, undulating course has spectacular views and some very enjoyable golf.

One of the country’s most famous regions is the spectacular Garden Route which runs along the southern coast from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. If you can tear yourself away from the wineries, fine restaurants and sandy beaches, there is plenty of excellent golf including Arabella and Pearl Valley. Halfway along near George is Fancourt, above, with its three superb courses including the Links; one of the best courses I have played and a remarkable achievement with Gary Player creating a championship course from nothing. Also here, the Montagu is an extremely attractive layout that will delight any golfer.

Up near Johannesburg are many more premier league courses including Blair Atholl, Royal Johannesburg & Kensington, and Glendower. Away to the east is the stunning Leopard Creek where the amazing wildlife on and off the course adds a new, thrilling dimension. For fantasists, there are two sumptuous courses at Sun City, and if all of this does not satisfy, why not visit the Legend Golf and Safari Resort. Here, the 19th hole is a par three with the tee only accessible by helicopter. The green awaits more than 470 yards below and the flight of the ball takes 24 seconds, enough time to hit two or three provisional shots!

Blessed with its wonderful climate and the most varied and magnificent scenery, it’s easy to see why South Africa is such a draw for golfers from all over the world. Add in the many excellent restaurants, the fine wine and incredible value, and you have the perfect golfing playground.

Rob Smith is travel writer for Golf Monthly

Fond memories: clockwise from main picture, TsitsikammaNational Park;Bush Lodge, Amakhala Game Reserve; lions are among the Big Five; surfing at Jeffrey’s Bay

South Africa has it down to a tee with its idyllic scenery and climate, says Rob Smith

aficionados but my personal favourite is the Amakhala Private Game Reserve.

This 7,500-hectare, malaria-free reserve offers something for everyone – from luxurious tents at Bush Lodge to enormous two-bedroom family suites at Hlosi Game Lodge. Those keen on visiting the nearby Born Free Foundation should stay at Safari Lodge while those with a limited budget should opt for Leeuwenbosch and enjoy the owner Bill’s legendary tall tales, regaled in the cutest of stone pubs.

Whichever lodge you choose, I always find that the game drives, walks and river cruises on offer are excellent, and I have spent many terrific days and nights at Amakhala with my family absorbing the vast vistas and enjoying the great hospitality – it really is a magical place.

Continuing east you next reach the historic frontier town of Grahamstown. Site of a Xhosa

invasion and battle in the early 19th century, today the town is home to some of South Africa’s finest Georgian and Victorian architecture, and each year it plays host to the Grahamstown National Arts Festival, one of the world’s largest, with visitors attracted from all over the globe.

My final favourite is a really remote beach stay. Continue right up the coast past the town of East London to the small village of Chintsa Eastwhere Prana Lodge isa real gem.

Here, there is nothing but 17 acres of empty beach, dunes and forest ready to be explored. You can walk for miles and not see a soul, or just head to the lodge’s Wellness Centre to have a massage or to use the steam room or sauna.

What I really love is that each of the suites has its own private garden and swimming pool – perfect for just lying back and savouring the joys of this magical corner of South Africa.

own outdoor hot-tub. The perfect day for me in St Francis Bay is a round of golf on the excellent Links golf course, which was designed by Jack Nicklaus, followed by a dip in the ocean and a seafood dinner in the hotel’s excellent Octagon Restaurant.

However, Tsitsikamma, a forested coastal National Park, holds my best childhood memories. Whenever I return now I make sure to bag a room at the nearby Hog Hollow Country Lodge – the owners Andy and Debbie are superb hosts, and the combination of a wonderful location, great food and masses of nearby activities means it is always busy – so my advice is to book well in advance.

Travelling east from Port Elizabeth you hit Big Five country. A shining example of the successful reintroduction of game to an area from where it had once disappeared, the names of Shamwari, Samara, Addo and Kwandwe are familiar to safari

The Eastern Cape encapsulates all the best that South Africa hasto offer


Mark Austin, ITV News presenter I love South Africa

because I was lucky

enough to be there at

one of the most

exciting times in its

history. We were living

there when Nelson

Mandela became

president in 1994 . As

a journalist, I covered

the first democratic

elections. The same

year my first daughter

was born there. I love

the people, the

weather and the wine .

But most of all I love

the spirit of what is for

me one of the most

lively, inspiring

countries in the world.


EASTERN CAPE | SOUTH AFRICAThe Daily Telegraph

Golf’s perfect playground

There are approaching 500 courses of every variety dotted throughout South Africa’s vast and very beautiful landscape. They exist not just in quantity but in quality, a testament to which is the fact that they will be home to no fewer than eight European Tour events in the 2014 Race To Dubai.

Of these, the Volvo Golf Champions is the most prestigious tournament and this year’s venue, Durban Country Club, is one of South Africa’s most historic courses. It has hosted the national open 17 times, producing great champions of the calibre of Gary Player and Ernie Els, and is a fine, lush course characterised by huge undulations in some of the fairways. The first five holes have been described as the hardest in golf and, having played the course last year, I would not disagree. Nearby are several fine courses such as Prince’s Grant and Mount Edgcombe, and I particularly liked Zimbali which is just to the north. Its verdant, undulating course has spectacular views and some very enjoyable golf.

One of the country’s most famous regions is the spectacular Garden Route which runs along the southern coast from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. If you can tear yourself away from the wineries, fine restaurants and sandy beaches, there is plenty of excellent golf including Arabella and Pearl Valley. Halfway along near George is Fancourt, above, with its three superb courses including the Links; one of the best courses I have played and a remarkable achievement with Gary Player creating a championship course from nothing. Also here, the Montagu is an extremely attractive layout that will delight any golfer.

Up near Johannesburg are many more premier league courses including Blair Atholl, Royal Johannesburg & Kensington, and Glendower. Away to the east is the stunning Leopard Creek where the amazing wildlife on and off the course adds a new, thrilling dimension. For fantasists, there are two sumptuous courses at Sun City, and if all of this does not satisfy, why not visit the Legend Golf and Safari Resort. Here, the 19th hole is a par three with the tee only accessible by helicopter. The green awaits more than 470 yards below and the flight of the ball takes 24 seconds, enough time to hit two or three provisional shots!

Blessed with its wonderful climate and the most varied and magnificent scenery, it’s easy to see why South Africa is such a draw for golfers from all over the world. Add in the many excellent restaurants, the fine wine and incredible value, and you have the perfect golfing playground.

Rob Smith is travel writer for Golf Monthly

Fond memories: clockwise from main picture, TsitsikammaNational Park;Bush Lodge, Amakhala Game Reserve; lions are among the Big Five; surfing at Jeffrey’s Bay

South Africa has it down to a tee with its idyllic scenery and climate, says Rob Smith

aficionados but my personal favourite is the Amakhala Private Game Reserve.

This 7,500-hectare, malaria-free reserve offers something for everyone – from luxurious tents at Bush Lodge to enormous two-bedroom family suites at Hlosi Game Lodge. Those keen on visiting the nearby Born Free Foundation should stay at Safari Lodge while those with a limited budget should opt for Leeuwenbosch and enjoy the owner Bill’s legendary tall tales, regaled in the cutest of stone pubs.

Whichever lodge you choose, I always find that the game drives, walks and river cruises on offer are excellent, and I have spent many terrific days and nights at Amakhala with my family absorbing the vast vistas and enjoying the great hospitality – it really is a magical place.

Continuing east you next reach the historic frontier town of Grahamstown. Site of a Xhosa

invasion and battle in the early 19th century, today the town is home to some of South Africa’s finest Georgian and Victorian architecture, and each year it plays host to the Grahamstown National Arts Festival, one of the world’s largest, with visitors attracted from all over the globe.

My final favourite is a really remote beach stay. Continue right up the coast past the town of East London to the small village of Chintsa Eastwhere Prana Lodge isa real gem.

Here, there is nothing but 17 acres of empty beach, dunes and forest ready to be explored. You can walk for miles and not see a soul, or just head to the lodge’s Wellness Centre to have a massage or to use the steam room or sauna.

What I really love is that each of the suites has its own private garden and swimming pool – perfect for just lying back and savouring the joys of this magical corner of South Africa.

own outdoor hot-tub. The perfect day for me in St Francis Bay is a round of golf on the excellent Links golf course, which was designed by Jack Nicklaus, followed by a dip in the ocean and a seafood dinner in the hotel’s excellent Octagon Restaurant.

However, Tsitsikamma, a forested coastal National Park, holds my best childhood memories. Whenever I return now I make sure to bag a room at the nearby Hog Hollow Country Lodge – the owners Andy and Debbie are superb hosts, and the combination of a wonderful location, great food and masses of nearby activities means it is always busy – so my advice is to book well in advance.

Travelling east from Port Elizabeth you hit Big Five country. A shining example of the successful reintroduction of game to an area from where it had once disappeared, the names of Shamwari, Samara, Addo and Kwandwe are familiar to safari

The Eastern Cape encapsulates all the best that South Africa hasto offer


Mark Austin, ITV News presenter I love South Africa

because I was lucky

enough to be there at

one of the most

exciting times in its

history. We were living

there when Nelson

Mandela became

president in 1994 . As

a journalist, I covered

the first democratic

elections. The same

year my first daughter

was born there. I love

the people, the

weather and the wine .

But most of all I love

the spirit of what is for

me one of the most

lively, inspiring

countries in the world.



Jeremy Thompson, Sky News presenterIt’s the South African

people that do it for

me. They’re warm and

welcoming and love to

party. Add to that

breathtaking scenery,

sensational safaris,

great food and

wonderful wines.

That’s why I’ve had

some of my all-time

best holidays in South

Africa — whether

chilling in the Cape or

tracking leopards in

the Lowveld. I return

every year without fail.

I wouldn’t miss it.

SOUTH AFRICA | ON SAFARI The Daily Telegraph

Perfectly placedfor animal magicWhether you choose to stay in tented comfort or luxurious lodge, you will spot plenty of wildlife in South Africa, says Lisa Grainger

With more than 1,500 miles of coast, and 21 national parks comprising ecosystems from mountains to mangroves, South Africa has almost every type of safari for every level of expertise and budget.

Seasoned safari fans might go to the Kalahari to see meercats popping out of holes; cat-lovers save up to see the famous leopards of Londolozi; families pack a tent for a self-drive through the Kruger; or sea-lovers head to KwaZulu-Natal, where they might see a hippo one minute and a whale the next.

Because South Africans themselves love the outdoors, the choice of accommodation is wider than anywhere else in Africa – from simple campsites to luxury lodges – and the guides are enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Best of all, there’s no bad time to visit, although the best viewings in the drier north are between April and October when the foliage is less dense and most days are rain-free.

Best for whales and sharks: GrootbosAlthough this botanical reserve is most famous for its plants, its luxury lodges are right on the coast, with views over seas heaving with creatures. As well as offering guided plant walks, horse-rides and bicycle excursions, Grootbos will take guests to join boats at nearby Walker Bay, from which they can spot some of the biggest sea creatures: whales on their annual migration from June to November, Cape seals, and great white sharks, viewed from the safety of a cage.

Grootbos costs from £120 per person per night, full board, inclusive of horse-riding, guided walks and nature, marine and coastal drives.

Best for desert: TswaluThe Oppenheimer dynasty’s private Kalahari retreat consists not just of a luxury camp and private house, but 100,000 hectares in which only 30 guests can be accommodated. It’s one of the greatest wildernesses in South Africa in which to get a real sense of space, to spot rare creatures such as the desert rhino and black-maned Kalahari lion, and to explore mountains rich with ancient San art. The star-spotting here is phenomenal, as are horse-safaris from a fine stable of mounts.

Tswalu costs from £570 per person per night, full board, including private guide and vehicle, walking and horseback safaris and other activities.

Best for walking: Plains CampThe Kruger National Park has the greatest concentration and diversity of species in one park; Plains Camp is set within a 12,000-hectare private concession on its border. This eight-bed camp aims to provide a real “bush experience”: rooms are canvas and rustic (no air-con or electricity here) and game-spotting is mostly on foot. For the romantic, who might want to see shooting stars and to hear lions roaring at night, sleep-outs can be arranged on raised wooden platforms under mosquito-net tents.

Beauty and the beasts: wherever you stay, look out for elephant, rhino and other wildlife; get close to nature on a walking safari in the Kruger National Park

Plains Camp costs from £210 per person per night, full-board, including guided walks and activities.

Best for leopard: LondoloziLondolozi – set in 14,000 private hectares west of Kruger– has been a safari camp for eight decades, passed on through generations of the Varty family. From its five glamorous camps – ranging from treehouses to a Relais & Chateaux-standard lodge – experienced guides can walk or drive guests through the grasslands and savannah forests to spot the Big Five and, sometimes at night, bushbabies, porcupines and the leopards for which this area is famed. The family has been practising eco-tourism for decadesand its community projects are second to none.

Londolozi costs from £450 per person per night, full board with activities.

Best for meerkats: RosenhofThe town of Oudtshoorn is worth stopping at not only to visit its ostrich farms and cathedral-sized CangoCaves but also its desert landscapes in which meercats live. Meercat Adventures (www.meercatadventures.co.uk) offers early-morning forays into the Klein Karoo, to watch the creatures emerging from their burrows and going off hunting for breakfast. Rosenhof Country House is the most homely place to relax afterwards: an old colonial homestead, with cosy interiors overlooking a pretty garden with pool.

Rosenhof Country House costs from £70 per person per night, B&B.

Best for turtles:Thonga Beach LodgeBetween November and the end of February, hundreds of leatherback and loggerhead turtles come on to northern KwaZulu-Natal beaches to lay their eggs. The Thonga-style, eco-sensitive Thonga Beach Lodge overlooks these beaches and warm Indian Ocean waters teeming with marine life, from whales to 1,250 species of fish, and offers diving, snorkelling, birding and boat expeditions.

Thonga Beach Lodge costs from £170per person per night, full-board with activities.

Best for tented comfort:Chapungu Luxury Tented CampA relaxing, homely 16-bed camp in the Thornybush Nature Reserve, neighbouring Kruger, with all the comforts of a lodge (claw-footed baths, four-poster beds, a rock-pool and a spa) – but with canvas walls. Activities include drives and walks with armed guides well-versed in the environment, from the 48 mammal species here to the 112 trees.

Chapungu Luxury Tented Camp costs from £160 per person per night,full board with activities.

All of the above can be booked with Africa Travel, who offer a best-price guarantee on any like-for-like itinerary. More information: 020 7843 3586; africatravel.co.uk


ON SAFARI | SOUTH AFRICAThe Daily Telegraph

The Amakhala Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape is home to the Big Five – lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard – as well as to cheetah, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, monkeys, tortoise, 16 species of antelope, hyena and the shy bat-eared fox.

The reserve, located close to the eastern end of the Garden Route, was formed in 1999 as a joint conservation initiative between the owners of six lodges who are direct descendants of the original Frontier settlers of the early 19th century. Its 18,000 malaria-free acres encompass a section of the Bushman’s River and a valley that is the site of the first dinosaur fossil discovery in South Africa. Amakhala thus has a rich history, but it is its 21st-century mission to provide holistic safari experiences – with children welcome at most lodges – that makes a holiday here such a magical experience.

Resident vet Dr Will Fowlds is a driving force in rhino conservation. To re-introduce animals to the land they once roamed freely, the Amakhala team has had to re-establish the gamut of indigenous flora and fauna to keep the dynamic of the environment alive and expanding. “The reality is that the ecosystem is very fragile,” says Dr Fowlds.

“If we’re not mindful of poaching and social issues like environmental management,we’ll lose species. For me, the biggest tragedy of any safari – especially for a child – is not to see a rhino, because in 10 years’ time they may be extinct.”

Rhinos, he says, are misunderstood: “They appear to be huge armour-cased animals with sharp points. The perception is that they’re grumpy and aggressive but there’s a huge difference in personality between the timid white rhino, who get a fright from anything and huff and puff around, and the black rhino, who are incredibly vulnerable and charge if they’re not sure about something. They have wonderfully complicated social structures and an intelligence level similar to a horse.”

South Africa’s 20,000 rhino represent 80 per cent of the world’s population. The tipping point in terms of number maintenance is 1,000 per annum. He predicts more than 1,000 rhino in 2013 will have been lost to poachers who hack off the horns to supply organised crime syndicates in Asia. “If we don’t find a solution against poaching in our country, I don’t see them surviving anywhere. At least we have some numbers to work with; most other countries have none left.”

Dr Fowlds leads the Investec Rhino Lifeline project which focuses on the survivors of poaching attacks. The majority of butchered rhino are found dead, but the few that survive are taken through facial reconstruction and long-term rehabilitation. “Survivors serve as a real-time reminder of the brutality those animals endure; they live to tell the story of their recovery and fight to survive,” he explains. “We see an incredible human response to their limping, their suffering and pain, which seems to galvanise people into action and raises awareness of the issue.”

A holiday at Amakhala entails the classic safari activities – morning and evening game drives, an immersion in a world of abundant wildlife, diverse vegetation and dramatic landscape. You can stay in a classic game lodge where buffalo hover around a waterhole; a colonial house where an elephant might drink from your swimming pool; or a romantic tented camp with the roar of lions audible at night. You will leave with fantastic memories, a lifelong respect for the environment – and a particular affection for rhinos.

Africa Travel can arrange a holiday to Amakhala: 020 7843 3586; africatravel.co.uk

An affection for rhinosSarah Edworthy meets conservationist Will Fowlds

of Amakhala Game Reserve


ON SAFARI | SOUTH AFRICAThe Daily Telegraph

The Amakhala Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape is home to the Big Five – lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard – as well as to cheetah, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, monkeys, tortoise, 16 species of antelope, hyena and the shy bat-eared fox.

The reserve, located close to the eastern end of the Garden Route, was formed in 1999 as a joint conservation initiative between the owners of six lodges who are direct descendants of the original Frontier settlers of the early 19th century. Its 18,000 malaria-free acres encompass a section of the Bushman’s River and a valley that is the site of the first dinosaur fossil discovery in South Africa. Amakhala thus has a rich history, but it is its 21st-century mission to provide holistic safari experiences – with children welcome at most lodges – that makes a holiday here such a magical experience.

Resident vet Dr Will Fowlds is a driving force in rhino conservation. To re-introduce animals to the land they once roamed freely, the Amakhala team has had to re-establish the gamut of indigenous flora and fauna to keep the dynamic of the environment alive and expanding. “The reality is that the ecosystem is very fragile,” says Dr Fowlds.

“If we’re not mindful of poaching and social issues like environmental management,we’ll lose species. For me, the biggest tragedy of any safari – especially for a child – is not to see a rhino, because in 10 years’ time they may be extinct.”

Rhinos, he says, are misunderstood: “They appear to be huge armour-cased animals with sharp points. The perception is that they’re grumpy and aggressive but there’s a huge difference in personality between the timid white rhino, who get a fright from anything and huff and puff around, and the black rhino, who are incredibly vulnerable and charge if they’re not sure about something. They have wonderfully complicated social structures and an intelligence level similar to a horse.”

South Africa’s 20,000 rhino represent 80 per cent of the world’s population. The tipping point in terms of number maintenance is 1,000 per annum. He predicts more than 1,000 rhino in 2013 will have been lost to poachers who hack off the horns to supply organised crime syndicates in Asia. “If we don’t find a solution against poaching in our country, I don’t see them surviving anywhere. At least we have some numbers to work with; most other countries have none left.”

Dr Fowlds leads the Investec Rhino Lifeline project which focuses on the survivors of poaching attacks. The majority of butchered rhino are found dead, but the few that survive are taken through facial reconstruction and long-term rehabilitation. “Survivors serve as a real-time reminder of the brutality those animals endure; they live to tell the story of their recovery and fight to survive,” he explains. “We see an incredible human response to their limping, their suffering and pain, which seems to galvanise people into action and raises awareness of the issue.”

A holiday at Amakhala entails the classic safari activities – morning and evening game drives, an immersion in a world of abundant wildlife, diverse vegetation and dramatic landscape. You can stay in a classic game lodge where buffalo hover around a waterhole; a colonial house where an elephant might drink from your swimming pool; or a romantic tented camp with the roar of lions audible at night. You will leave with fantastic memories, a lifelong respect for the environment – and a particular affection for rhinos.

Africa Travel can arrange a holiday to Amakhala: 020 7843 3586; africatravel.co.uk

An affection for rhinosSarah Edworthy meets conservationist Will Fowldsof Amakhala Game Reserve


SOUTH AFRICA | LUXURY The Daily Telegraph

The L-word is everywhereFrom opulent lodges to a paradise beach, Jo Foley profiles seven super-luxurious ways to experience South Africa

The L-word is synonymous with South Africa – lion, leopard, Limpopo to mention just a few… but then there is also luxury, and so few places offer this in so many forms.

There is the luxury of space and the wild, the bush and the veldt, the luxury of time – you experience it at close hand while waiting for one of the big five to amble, stop or sleep close to you, or while watching a great raptor wheel above before making the killer swoop. Or, most of all, in the early morning while you wait outside your tent for the day to begin.

And then there is the sheer opulence of some of the most luxurious safari lodges you can imagine, coupled with gourmet food and award-winning wines, superior service and matchless care. Here are just seven...

pool. Difficult though it is to leave the property – for the food and service are just as stunning as the rest of the place – it is but a short distance from some of the best wineries and the people at La Residence have instituted a wine trip like no other.

While some people travel to wineries on horseback or Harley Davidson, and others opt for a limo, now you can do it by helicopter. This route, exclusive to the hotel, takes in three of the country’s top wine-growing regions – Riebeek Kasteel in the Swartland, then on to Hemel en Aarde valley in Hermanus, stopping nearby at Birkenhead House for lunch before heading home via Stellenbosch. After that it’s spa time, or a deep sleep amid some of the finest of linen sheets.La Residence costs from £210 per person per night, B&B.

2Rovos RailConsidered among the most beautiful trains in the world,

two classically built locomotives offer nothing short of luxury in motion. It’s not just the 36 finely crafted and meticulously renovated suites but the attention to detail in seating, lighting, eating and sleeping. It is the variety and thoroughness of the tours, it is the exceptional quality of everything on offer… but most important of all it is the spellbinding beauty of all that happens outside.

Watching the magic of Africa unfold before you from breakfast through to dinner time – the shifting scenes and the changing light – is one of the most romantic travel experiences available. It offers the elegance of a bygone age but in the supreme comfort demanded

by today’s traveller. You can choose from a number of journeys, including the 48-hour one between Pretoria and Cape Town, or its new extension that adds an extra night so that you can have a game drive at Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. Or you could opt for a three-day version to Durban, six days to Victoria Falls or other journeys to a host of Southern African destinations. Rovos Rail between Pretoria and Cape Town costs from £860 per person, full board with excursions.

3Grootbos Private Nature ReserveThe great outdoors in our ever- hectic lives offers an experience

that is every bit as luxurious as the most opulent of hotels – and this can be found in the eco-lodges of Grootbos. Close to the southern tip of Africa this is a nature lover’s paradise set amid 2,500 acres of indigenous bush known as fynbos, where you can also find Milkwood trees, some almost 1,000 years old.

There is such a diversity of vegetation here that it has been classified as one of the world’s six flora kingdoms. Plus from here you can also experience Africa’s other Big Five – the marine variety: sharks, whales, dolphins, seals and penguins – by boat, horseback, quad bike, 4x4 or small plane. You can even take a guided walk and there are special outings for children.

You’ll enjoy extreme comfort in your suite, in one of the two lodges which are so carefully constructed that they almost merge into the landscape. Or you can opt for the private villa which sleeps 12 adults and comes complete with its own guide, butler, chef and valet.

1La Residence, FranschhoekMinutes from the picture-perfect town of Franschhoek, renowned as

South Africa’s gourmet capital, this award-winning boutique hotel is a wonderland all on its own. Surrounded by vineyards and plum orchards and sheltered by nearby mountains, it’s a treasure house like no other.

Opulent, flamboyant and wildly eclectic it boasts Persian rugs, Indian carvings, Tibetan hangings, Italian chandeliers, French antiques and African art. It’s as if Marie Antoinette and Carrie Bradshaw were let loose at one of Sothebys great sales. It houses 11 huge suites, each more luxurious than the next and five amazing villas.

Children are not allowed in the main house, hence the villas which sleep two, four and six people, each with their own

Luxury for all tastes: clockwise from top left, Royal Malewane; the Meerkats of Tswalu; wildebeest-spotting on Rovos Rail; Grootbos Private Nature Reserve; Kensington Palace; fine dining at La Residence and The Plettenberg


LUXURY | SOUTH AFRICAThe Daily Telegraph

Wallow in the magnificent views over Walker Bay (known as the Bay of Whales as it is the breeding ground for the southern right whale from July to December), ride on the beach in the early morning, dive in a cage to get up close and personal with the great white shark or simply take a day trip to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of this great continent – these highlight the true luxury of memorable experiences.Grootbos costs from £120 per person per night, full board with selected activities.

4 The Plettenberg, Plettenberg BayAs beaches go, they don’t get much better than those at

Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape. There are simply miles and miles of the softest sand washed over by the clear waters of the Atlantic. Little wonder it’s the great golden playground for locals as well as tourists and is without a doubt Africa’s most spectacular beach town.

Such a magnificent location demands an equally lavish place to stay, which is why the Plettenberg fits the bill perfectly. The property is owner-run and offers exceptional food matched with some of the finest wines this country produces, alongside some serious labels from around the world.

Spend your day in sybaritic surroundings lazing by one of the two infinity pools, simply watching the light change or the ripples on the sea below. Should you need a little activity a gentle walk into town to view its shops, cafes and studios would do, or if you need more there are myriad land and sea excursions.

Order a picnic from the hotel and head to Robberg Beach Nature Reserve,

where along its shores are a number of designated swimming spots… or try the gentle shallow waters on the shores of Keurboomstrand.

Adrenalin junkies can do a spot of bungee jumping or surfing on “The Wedge” or take a tree canopy tour; nature lovers can head for Tsitsikamma Nature Park, one of the largest marine protected areas in the world – but true lotus eaters will stay within the confines of The Plettenberg where they can enjoy five-star pampering at the spa.The Plettenberg costs from £90 per person per night, B&B.

5Royal Malewane Safari LodgeGetting up before dawn is a much overrated activity, unless you are

on safari when it is the highlight of any day. As the sun begins to rise, covering the land with a pale silvery light, magic touches the air and all seems right with the world. So much so, if you are heading from Royal Malewane with one of the best rangers in Africa as your guide – Juan Pinto and his accomplice Wilson Masiya, the last master tracker in the Kruger – not only are you in safe hands but with the two best pairs of eyes on the planet.

Gradually the power of the bush seeps into your soul as animals and birds, once only dreamt of, come into view. This is why one safari is never enough and people return for more. Royal Malewane has set up its own Tracking Institute run by Louis Liebenberg, a fellow of Harvard determined to ensure ancient knowledge is not lost.

Trackers come from all over the world and guests can spend time with Louis when he’s in residence. But it’s not all

work at Safari Lodge, which has possibly the eight most opulent suites in the bush. Vast, smothered in comfort, it’s a wonder any guest wants to leave… Elton John found it so difficult that he returns year after year, while the spa, the Waters of Malewane, is a revelation in pampering.

Recently the owners opened their own house to guests – Africa House is hidden away from the main house and is a six-bedroomed exercise in perfection. It comes with its own staff, ranger, driver and guide, not to mention chef and kitchen staff. (Both the lodge and the villa have a kosher kitchen.)Royal Malewane costs from £790 per person per night, full board with activities.

6Tswalu, KalahariFuturologists tell us that the two most prized luxuries of the next

few decades will be silence and space – amd Tswalu has both in abundance. This is a Relais & Châteaux property in the great green Kalahari, where flat-topped thorn trees frame the horizon and carpets of flowers spring up after a rainfall. The country’s largest privately owned game reserve, 100,000 hectares in total, is owned by the Oppenheimer family, whose priority is conservation and whose mission is “to restore the Kalahari to itself”.

To this end the preservation of its existing wildlife (some 80 different mammals and 240 species of bird)is paramount, as well as the re-introduction of others which were almost lost to the Kalahari. Because the lodge accommodates no more than 30 guests at any one time, it truly does

feel like your own private paradise. Each suite is huge and comes with a verandah where you can sit out and welcome any passing kudu that comes calling.

If on the other hand you feel like more interaction, there are two colonies of meerkats who will allow you closer and closer to watch them work, play and show-off – simples!Tswalu costs from £570 per person per night, full board with activities.

7Kensington Place, Cape TownOne of the most beautiful cities in the southern hemisphere,

Cape Town offers a vast choice of hotels to suit all tastes and all budgets – from the grande dame of the Mount Nelson to the fanciful One&Only – as well as some amazing villas. However if you want to get under the skin of the city, stay in chic boutique Kensington Place. Located in one of Cape Town’s smartest residential areas, Higgovale, each room has fantastic views down to the waterfront. Better still, it is a short distance from the action, and offers possibly the best concierge service in the city.

This owner-operated beauty knows the best restaurants, cafés, clubs and bars – and, more importantly, can secure guests entrance and a table.

If you want to stay in, there’s a small restaurant, 24-hour room service, a pool and knock-your-socks-off cocktails. Kensington Place costs from £70 per person per night, B&B.

You can book all of the above with Africa Travel on 020 7843 3586, who guarantee not to be beaten on price on any like-for-like itinerary.


Sir Tim Rice, lyracist and authorI am always happy to

travel to South Africa

for three reasons:

1) no jet-lag; 2) my

brother lives there;

3) it is a country of

amazing variety

whether coast or

mountain, city or veldt,

sport or culture.


LUXURY | SOUTH AFRICAThe Daily Telegraph

Wallow in the magnificent views over Walker Bay (known as the Bay of Whales as it is the breeding ground for the southern right whale from July to December), ride on the beach in the early morning, dive in a cage to get up close and personal with the great white shark or simply take a day trip to Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of this great continent – these highlight the true luxury of memorable experiences.Grootbos costs from £120 per person per night, full board with selected activities.

4 The Plettenberg, Plettenberg BayAs beaches go, they don’t get much better than those at

Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape. There are simply miles and miles of the softest sand washed over by the clear waters of the Atlantic. Little wonder it’s the great golden playground for locals as well as tourists and is without a doubt Africa’s most spectacular beach town.

Such a magnificent location demands an equally lavish place to stay, which is why the Plettenberg fits the bill perfectly. The property is owner-run and offers exceptional food matched with some of the finest wines this country produces, alongside some serious labels from around the world.

Spend your day in sybaritic surroundings lazing by one of the two infinity pools, simply watching the light change or the ripples on the sea below. Should you need a little activity a gentle walk into town to view its shops, cafes and studios would do, or if you need more there are myriad land and sea excursions.

Order a picnic from the hotel and head to Robberg Beach Nature Reserve,

where along its shores are a number of designated swimming spots… or try the gentle shallow waters on the shores of Keurboomstrand.

Adrenalin junkies can do a spot of bungee jumping or surfing on “The Wedge” or take a tree canopy tour; nature lovers can head for Tsitsikamma Nature Park, one of the largest marine protected areas in the world – but true lotus eaters will stay within the confines of The Plettenberg where they can enjoy five-star pampering at the spa.The Plettenberg costs from £90 per person per night, B&B.

5Royal Malewane Safari LodgeGetting up before dawn is a much overrated activity, unless you are

on safari when it is the highlight of any day. As the sun begins to rise, covering the land with a pale silvery light, magic touches the air and all seems right with the world. So much so, if you are heading from Royal Malewane with one of the best rangers in Africa as your guide – Juan Pinto and his accomplice Wilson Masiya, the last master tracker in the Kruger – not only are you in safe hands but with the two best pairs of eyes on the planet.

Gradually the power of the bush seeps into your soul as animals and birds, once only dreamt of, come into view. This is why one safari is never enough and people return for more. Royal Malewane has set up its own Tracking Institute run by Louis Liebenberg, a fellow of Harvard determined to ensure ancient knowledge is not lost.

Trackers come from all over the world and guests can spend time with Louis when he’s in residence. But it’s not all

work at Safari Lodge, which has possibly the eight most opulent suites in the bush. Vast, smothered in comfort, it’s a wonder any guest wants to leave… Elton John found it so difficult that he returns year after year, while the spa, the Waters of Malewane, is a revelation in pampering.

Recently the owners opened their own house to guests – Africa House is hidden away from the main house and is a six-bedroomed exercise in perfection. It comes with its own staff, ranger, driver and guide, not to mention chef and kitchen staff. (Both the lodge and the villa have a kosher kitchen.)Royal Malewane costs from £790 per person per night, full board with activities.

6Tswalu, KalahariFuturologists tell us that the two most prized luxuries of the next

few decades will be silence and space – amd Tswalu has both in abundance. This is a Relais & Châteaux property in the great green Kalahari, where flat-topped thorn trees frame the horizon and carpets of flowers spring up after a rainfall. The country’s largest privately owned game reserve, 100,000 hectares in total, is owned by the Oppenheimer family, whose priority is conservation and whose mission is “to restore the Kalahari to itself”.

To this end the preservation of its existing wildlife (some 80 different mammals and 240 species of bird)is paramount, as well as the re-introduction of others which were almost lost to the Kalahari. Because the lodge accommodates no more than 30 guests at any one time, it truly does

feel like your own private paradise. Each suite is huge and comes with a verandah where you can sit out and welcome any passing kudu that comes calling.

If on the other hand you feel like more interaction, there are two colonies of meerkats who will allow you closer and closer to watch them work, play and show-off – simples!Tswalu costs from £570 per person per night, full board with activities.

7Kensington Place, Cape TownOne of the most beautiful cities in the southern hemisphere,

Cape Town offers a vast choice of hotels to suit all tastes and all budgets – from the grande dame of the Mount Nelson to the fanciful One&Only – as well as some amazing villas. However if you want to get under the skin of the city, stay in chic boutique Kensington Place. Located in one of Cape Town’s smartest residential areas, Higgovale, each room has fantastic views down to the waterfront. Better still, it is a short distance from the action, and offers possibly the best concierge service in the city.

This owner-operated beauty knows the best restaurants, cafés, clubs and bars – and, more importantly, can secure guests entrance and a table.

If you want to stay in, there’s a small restaurant, 24-hour room service, a pool and knock-your-socks-off cocktails. Kensington Place costs from £70 per person per night, B&B.

You can book all of the above with Africa Travel on 020 7843 3586, who guarantee not to be beaten on price on any like-for-like itinerary.


Sir Tim Rice, lyracist and authorI am always happy to

travel to South Africa

for three reasons:

1) no jet-lag; 2) my

brother lives there;

3) it is a country of

amazing variety

whether coast or

mountain, city or veldt,

sport or culture.

2014 south africa telegraph supplement

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