Drumbeat Spring 19

South Africa’s Hidden Gems REPORT BY LOUISA Cape Town, the Winelands and Kruger National Park are South Africa’s headline acts for good reason; indisputably offering all sorts of unforgettable experiences. Dig a little deeper and there are a number of gems, lesser known maybe, but more than able to hold their own against these big names. Louisa, expecting a baby shortly, explored on a malaria-free babymoon. BEACH Instead of turning east down the Cape’s famous Garden Route coastline many Capetonians will set off west to the traditional fishing village of Paternoster. Under two hours from ‘the mother city’ and off the tourist trail it’s a local favourite for very good reason. It’s the sort of place to kick off your shoes and soak up the natural beauty, to kayak in search of penguins or dolphins, or simply walk along the shore. The handful of top notch restaurants will ensure you won’t go hungry and among several charming guest houses and hotels is the Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel. Tucked away on a quiet corner of the beach and surrounded by a nature reserve, the minimalist design and sweeping floor to ceiling glass manages to bring the outside into the 13 rooms here. It’s the perfect place to relax pre or post a busy few days in Cape Town. WINELANDS Head north from the celebrated Cape Wineland towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek and you reach the scenic Riebeek Valley where vineyards and olive groves lend a Mediterranean flavour to rural farmland and quaint villages. Bartholomeus Klip, a beautifully restored Victorian homestead, is nestled into this bucolic setting, next to the 10,000 acre Elandsberg Nature Reserve. Romantic and tranquil with a home-from-home feel it’s a lovely base from which to explore. Nature drives and walks into the fynbos are a delight; mountain biking and canoeing will entertain the active while the curious can explore the quagga project (an attempt to rescue a sub-species of zebra from extinction) or the tortoise and buffalo breeding programmes. Netflix buffs might recognise the setting from the first series of The Crown, but I rather hope its notoriety stops there so this little gem retains all its charm. FOOTNOTE The KwaZulu-Natal region doesn’t feature on many safari itineraries and that’s a shame as it has much to offer. With the Anglo/Zulu battlefields, excellent wildlife at Phinda Private Reserve and Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve, along with a handful of great coastal lodges it’s something of an Aardvark Safaris’ favourite. It seems we’re not the only ones who like it as British Airways has just introduced a direct fight between London and Durban. Let us know if you’d like safari ideas in this relaxed, friendly and strikingly beautiful province. www . aardvarksafaris.com l P9 SAFARI Tswalu Kalahari is the country’s largest private reserve and its sweeping landscapes of red Kalahari sand and rugged mountains support an eclectic range of species. With just two luxury lodges on over 270,000 acres it’s an exclusive spot too, enjoyed by a maximum of 30 guests at any one time. Each group of guests is assigned a private guide with whom to explore via day and night drives, walking, horse riding, sleep outs and helicopter flights. While the wildlife is not as prolific as the Kruger, any shortfall is made up by the array of rarer species, among which are black maned Kalahari lion, desert adapted black rhino, mountain zebra, oryx, and wild dog. Groups of habituated meerkat provide endless entertainment and it’s one of few places known for good populations of aardvark, pangolin and aardwolf. It’s a magnificent place and deserves its reputation as a magical wilderness.