South Africa Supplement

Page 1

SOUTH AFRICA Saturday, January 26, 2013

Your 16-page guide to holidays from Africa Travel, from exotic wilderness lodges to idyllic beach retreats

"/+&" ")0

1C@ DB "<NT O@@N JAA JI CDN A<QJPMDO@ BJGA >JPMN@N

Distributed with

The Daily Telegraph

),/! +! ) !6 %,4 /! 1C@ KJGDOD><G K<DM QDNDO CDNOJMD> NDO@N <I? < N@>GP?@? CD?@<R<T

% /)"6 ,,/* +

1C@ 13 <?Q@IOPM@M O<F@N < RDG?GT @S>DODIB HJOJM=DF@ OJPM

In association with

%"01,+ )2*"+1% )

1C@ >C@A M@Q@<GN RCT C@ GJQ@N 0JPOC AMD><I AJJ? <I? RDI@

2

|

|

|

AFRICA TRAVEL INTRODUCTION

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

| 3

|

|

INTRODUCTION AFRICA TRAVEL

Distributed with The Daily Telegraph

You won’t know where to start,

you’ll never know when to stop

From playful lions to gourmet food and vibrant cities, South Africa will beguile you, says Lucia van der Post

Leopards are used to the growling of the 4x4s and carry on just as if they weren’t there

they were mostly known for their hospitality, their reasonable prices and, like Fancourt and Steenberg, for their golf, these days they also have lovely spas, enterprising activities (fancy diving for sharks? Browsing for antiques or exploring a township?), matchless leisure facilities, fabulous food and — very often — specially fashioned family accommodation. There are few ďŹ ner hotels than Johannesburg’s Saxon or Franschhoek’s La Residence and they can truthfully boast of some of the most interesting and skilled cooking you’ll ever come across. Then there’s Cape Town’s Mount Nelson. Once a slightly faded grand old lady, these days it has been newly scrubbed up and, for sentimentalists, is the only place to stay – in beautiful gardens of its own, only a few minutes’ walk from The Gardens or Long Street and its buzzy boutiques. But the great thing about Cape Town is that you’re spoilt for choice. There’s the luxurious Table Bay Hotel right on the harbour, the divine boutique hotels (Kensington Place is perhaps the star of the breed), and the Cape Heritage Hotel in the middle of town that has a charm all of its own as it is ďŹ lled with antiques reecting the Cape’s rich history. Of all the great places to eat – and South Africa is now a major player – you shouldn’t miss out on the cooking of Paul Tempelhoff who rattles the pans at Cellars-Hohenort out in Constantia and is South Africa’s ďŹ rst Grand Chef. At Birkenhead House out at Hermanus you can learn to surf, hike the mountain trails, watch the whales (May to December), sip something delicious and chilled while you gaze out at the waves and indulge in some of the freshest seafood in the world. Nobody should ever miss out on the winelands that spread out behind Cape Town up through lovely valleys shaded by staggering mountains. They are beautiful beyond imagining, and awash with delightful places to stay. Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are a must with La Residence the established charmer. But there’s now a newcomer near Paarl, Babylonstoren, which is making waves. Based round an old Cape Dutch farmhouse, the spirit behind it is Karen Roos, a woman of impeccable taste who once was editor of South Africa’s Elle Decoration. She has turned it into one of the most tranquil and beautiful of retreats, where food comes almost straight from the kitchen gardens, where there’s a pool to dive into, walks to do, birds to watch and, above all, time to “stand and stareâ€?. For those who like their hotels small and intimate

COVER IMAGES: GETTY, REX FEATURES; P2-3 GETTY, CORBIS

Land of plenty: clockwise from main picture, the mountains of Stellenbosch; picking grapes; a mother rhino with her calf

As somebody who grew up in South Africa and, like so many South Africans, always found their country movingly beautiful, it’s been extraordinary to watch it, from a tourist point of view, grow and evolve, adding layers of sophistication and glamour to its natural wonders. For South Africa is blessedly rich in all the things that those who live in Europe’s crowded cities are deprived of and dream about in the long winter nights. It has wide, blue skies, huge open spaces, fabulous mountains and gorges, divine beaches and wildlife that is rich, wondrous and plentiful. Then it has a divertingly complex and fascinating history and its multifarious tribes – Xhosa and Zulu, Venda and Shona, Afrikaner and British, to name just a few, as well as refugees from pogroms and persecution in Europe — all of whom have added so much to the cultural mix and made it one of the most intriguing countries to visit. They add depth and interest to what could otherwise just be fabulous landscapes and brilliant weather. On top of that it has its summer just when the northern hemisphere is at its coldest and dingiest and though South Africa isn’t quite the fantastic bargain it used to be (way back I well remember having a ďŹ vecourse dinner at Cape Town’s grand dame of a hotel, the Mount Nelson, and it costing just ÂŁ2.50 a head), the rand has been falling recently and things are still great value for money. South Africans, too, are among the most hospitable people in the world. Mere friends of friends will lay on barbecues, show you the best places to swim, the secret valley they like to picnic in or the mountain trail they like to tramp over. The real problem with visiting South Africa is that it is large and diverse and you can’t do it all ďŹ rst time round. For ďŹ rst-timers, the much-touted tour that takes in Cape Town, the surrounding winelands, the “garden routeâ€? and the worldclass wildlife parks is simply unmissable. Cape Town is one of the world’s most beautiful cities and these days added to the beauty are restaurants that serve up gutsy, innovative, sophisticated food. There’s also a very buzzy art and design scene (its annual Design Indaba, run by Ravi Naidoo, is a gathering of leading architects, designers and thinkers while the Old Biscuit Mill in what used to be the dingy suburb of Woodstock is now the cool place to wander round on a Saturday) and an enchanting range of places to stay. All over South Africa hotels are busy reinventing themselves and whereas once

Heard the elephants yet?

there’s the Robertson Small Hotel in the Breede River valley where there are just 10 light, airy and elegant rooms, with Reuben Riffel’s tandooriroasted kingclip to savour along with some great local wines. And then there’s the wildlife. If you can only go once and you want to be sure that you see it all — the grey hulk of the elephant, the stealthy leopard, roaring lion, the elusive rhino and some buffalo – then there’s no better place than South Africa. Up in the game reserves on the borders of the Kruger, generations of leopards have become used to the growling of the 4x4s and carry on with their mysterious ways – hunting, killing, sleeping and sleuthing – just as if they weren’t there. At Londolozi I’ve sat and watched as a pride of 11 lions — young, in-their-prime and old — romped around our 4x4 for an hour or more. Many of the best game parks — Londolozi, Singita and Royal Malewane — as well as luxury hotels such as Hog Hollow and Last Word Constantia have

hidden-away private houses where families can celebrate and enjoy just being together. There is scarcely a better place for a family holiday, for outdoor adventure is what young South Africans are brought up on‌ they hike, they camp, they swim, they surf, they learn about birds and the bush, and passing on these skills is what they’re good at. South Africa’s become a favourite destination for those who prefer to celebrate an important anniversary or big “0â€? birthday by having a family adventure together rather than champagne and canapĂŠs in a swanky hotel back home. For those who want their children to come away inspired and informed, conservation programmes are everywhere — whether it’s working out how to save and translocate rhino at Phinda and Amakhala, providing a haven for cheetah at Samara in the Cape’s Karoo, or learning about the immense biodiversity of the fynbos landscape at Grootbos, no child privileged to spend some time

in South Africa’s great nature reserves could go home unmoved and unchanged. For in South Africa issues such as how to preserve the environment as well as the humanitarian one of how to educate, clothe and empower its young generation are everywhere hot and topical. And when you’ve done the beaches and the wildlife, the winelands and the mountains, there’s still lots more to discover. There’s the West Coast of the Cape, increasingly sought after for its pristine beaches (though the water’s bitterly cold), its sweet little towns and its air of being charmingly locked into a happier, earlier time. There’s the Karoo with its enchanting small towns and inexpensive B&Bs, the Drakensburg and its truly dramatic beauty, the battleďŹ elds with their tales of derring-do and the beating heart of the cities to explore. There’s far too much to see and do in a couple of weeks. But the good news is that you can come back‌ and back‌

High among those lists of things everybody should do is a trip to Africa. Nobody should ever go a lifetime without sitting beside a waterhole watching elephants at play, without hearing the lion roar and learning how a pristine landscape soothes the soul. But where to go? And who to go with? Africa isn’t small and even if we’re looking just at South Africa what you need is specialist knowledge. Very often these are once-in-a-life trips and you can’t afford to get it wrong. You need to know which camp will give you the dream experience. Where is the wildlife at its richest? Which are the guides who can illuminate that experience, give it significance and meaning, lift it into the thrilling encounter that you and your family will remember for ever? Perhaps you’d like to explore the delights of Cape Town or look in wonder at the Drakensberg peaks. This is where an experienced operator such as Africa Travel has a vital role to play. Its staff 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.

So whether you are looking for a rustic hideaway with simple tents and old-fashioned showers, or you want something swanky and grand with all the bells and whistles, they will have been there, done that and know exactly what to recommend. If it’s a slow trawl through the winelands and the beaches, they will know the best. On the other hand you may prefer to take the road less travelled and want outof-the-way places that help you get under the skin of the country — well, they’ll know them, too. Their Preferred Partner status with British Airways allows them to offer clients the very best rates and Africa Travel will not be beaten on price on any like-for-like itinerary. They are also one of the few tour operators with their own office and staff in Cape Town. 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. Daphne Skelton

}For more information, go to africatravel.co.uk or call 020 7843 3586

4

|

|

|

AFRICA TRAVEL FOOD AND DRINK

A taste of the good life is on the chef’s menu

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

| 5

|

|

FOOD AND DRINK AFRICA TRAVEL

Distributed with The Daily Telegraph

Soul food: Heston enjoyed dishes at Azura and Ellerman House, took in a beach picnic, admired the cheetah sculpture at the Delaire Graff Estate and dined on a dhow

traditional things I crave. North of Bloubergstrand, at Yzerfontein, Strandkombuis does a kind of barbecue, a South African braai, in the dunes that lasts about four hours because you run and play on the beach in between courses. They’ll have a potjie pot, like a black cauldron, and make a stew of lamb, pork or biltong with potatoes and vegetables. At the end you have coffee or rooibos tea, from a kettle that gets licked by the smoke. Obviously, you have to go to the winelands too — and there are a few decent restaurants out there. I went to the Delaire Graff Estate. The wine estate has been there for a while but three or four years ago it was bought by Graff, the jewellery people, who spent millions on it. There are beautiful works of art and it overlooks the valley. If someone took you there blindfolded, then took the blindfold off, you wouldn’t think you were in Africa: it’s so green and lush. In Franschhoek, Le Quartier Français has been in the San Pellegrino 50 Best Restaurants. Margot Janse is the chef. She does twists on Afrikaans dishes, such as waterblommetjies — a waterlily, also known as Cape asparagus — made into a stew with lamb. On my last visit to Johannesburg, I spent a night at the Saxon, voted the world’s leading boutique hotel for the past 10 years in the World Travel Awards. It was a house owned by the insurance mogul Douw Steyn, the place where Nelson Mandela stayed when he came out of prison. It’s now a no-expense-spared hotel with 40-odd bedrooms and a new Five Hundred fine dining restaurant under the stewardship of chef David Higgs. Steyn also owns Shambala, a game reserve three hours north of Jo’burg. The game lodge has eight or nine rondavels, Zulu huts made of straw, and it’s like being on the set of Out of Africa. You sit around this watering hole with hippos in it and in the evenings you venture out in 4x4s and the chef does a barbecue or à la carte dinner. The food is fantastic. From Jo’burg I did a side trip to Mozambique, to a resort called Azura, on Benguerra — one of four or five islands in the archipelago. There are 16 villas and you arrive by helicopter. As we flew over, there were flamingos taking off and you could see hundreds of stingrays in the water because it was so clear. I stayed in the presidential suite — a house on its own, on the beach, with a butler and private chef. In the morning, you sat at a table under a parasol and had your breakfast with no one around. I always run for an hour or two each morning and there were pelicans and herons flying over me. It’s like being on another planet — and the air is so clear. In the restaurant a young South African woman is chef and she did a great job. Next day they took me to a dune where there are those beautiful little shells, like tiny starfish, then to a beach where they’d set up lunch. There were two parasols — one for the barbecue, one with two beanbag chairs – and they’d made a path out of plants right by the water. You spend the afternoon on the beach, then go snorkelling. I would go back there tomorrow. It’s so beautiful. Interview: Andrew Purvis

My father was born in Zimbabwe and he grew up and went to school in Cape Town, so I’ve always had an affinity with South Africa. I came very close to opening a restaurant there, in Franschhoek, three years before the Fat Duck opened, but it fell through. The place is called La Couronne now, a wine estate with a thatched lodge on a hill with eight rooms. It’s in a beautiful green valley with Cape Dutch houses, so it’s very different from the Duck — a cramped 16th-century cottage by the side of the road in a Berkshire village. I was desperate to have that river, that mountain and all the sensory things you associate with memorable destination restaurants — but I didn’t have it in Bray. I think that forced me down the multisensory route that became my trademark. The food wouldn’t have been anything like at the Fat Duck, because you couldn’t have found the ingredients. At that time, even gelatin was hard to come by and seasonality would have been an issue. South Africans had less adventurous tastes back then, they wanted familiar comfort food, but that has completely changed now. The 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 west coast mussels and oysters from Knysna, between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. What South Africans call crayfish are more like small lobsters, so you get wonderful crayfish tails. The meat is also exceptional. I’ve had lamb from the Karoo, an inland region where the sheep graze on wild grasses and herbs, and beautiful ostrich, which is very like venison — so a lean, darker meat, not too gamey. The beef is as good as you’ll get anywhere in the world. On the wine side, there used to be the big cooperatives such as KWV producing huge quantities but now there are lots of small independent winemakers. The only thing I’m not keen on are the South African sauvignon blancs, when they get that grassy, cat’s pee, elderflower note to them. There are some great chardonnays coming out of there but, for me, the white grape of the moment is chenin blanc. The new boutique wineries, not least the winemaker Ken Forrester, are doing super-concentrated chenin blancs that last for

I’ve had lamb from the Karoo, and beautiful ostrich, which is very much like venison, lean and dark

years. I’d say that’s the most exciting thing happening with the whites right now. There are also some fantastic Rhône-style reds. The winemaker Adi Badenhorst stands out and leading the group is Eben Sadie, whose top wine is Columella. Another estate to watch is Boekenhoutskloof, which does syrah and cabernet in limited quantities. There’s also Meerlust, owned by the Myburgh family, an old dynasty of winemakers in the Stellenbosch wine region. They have a Cape Dutch home dating back to the 1700s and the last time I was in South Africa we had a great tasting and a lunch with them there. I travel to South Africa fairly often, for work and on holiday. I’ve been to Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg over the years. I think Cape Town is the most beautiful city in the world — and surprisingly small, given how immense Africa is. You can be in a vineyard from the airport or the city centre in 15 minutes and in the heart of the wine region in less than an hour. One of my most memorable stays was at Ellerman House, on the Camps Bay side, at Bantry Bay. There’s been a booming trend in guesthouses, smart B&Bs that are more like boutique hotels with four, six or 10 rooms. This place takes that concept to a new level. It overlooks the sea, there’s a 24-hour gym and a butler service. In the garden they have modern art and, in the main house, a collection of South African old masters. The food is delicate, modern and perfectly pitched for people staying there. It’s refined but very satisfying. Harald Bresselschmidt is another chef with a refined cooking style and I’d recommend his Cape Town restaurant, Aubergine. Also a friend of mine, Luke Dale-Roberts, has a place in Woodstock called The Test Kitchen. It has to be the best restaurant in South Africa in terms of modern, cutting-edge cooking showcasing regional ingredients: things like pan-fried springbok with butterroasted carrot, foie gras, black pudding and Jerusalem artichoke. He’s just opened a simpler brasserie-style place next door, The Pot Luck Club, which does tapas-style food with an Asian flavour. Sometimes, though, it’s

GETTY, ALAMY

Elegant wines and fine food made Heston Blumenthal feel at home in South Africa and neighbouring Mozambique

}Heston Blumenthal’s visit to Mozambique and South Africa was arranged by Africa Travel (020 7843 3586; africatravel.co.uk). A six-night holiday to Azura Benguerra costs from £2,995 per person, to include British Airways flights, helicopter transfers, all meals and drinks, a 15-minute massage, an island drive and a sunset dhow cruise.

Gourmet delights

As a culinary destination South Africa is unrivalled, with Africa Travel able to offer the gourmet traveller a holiday featuring some of the country’s finest food and wine experiences.

}Two nights

The Plettenberg, Plettenberg Bay A clifftop paradise, this Relais & Chateaux property, above, offers two pools, a spa, the chic Sand Bar and superb seafood.

}Two nights

The Robertson Small Hotel, Robertson This luxurious retreat lies on the longest wine route in the world. It boasts two swimming pools and the renowned Reuben’s at the Robertson restaurant.

}Two nights

The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel, Cape Town Situated in beautiful Constantia, exquisite vistas are matched only by the

facilities which include a spa, two pools and The Greenhouse, the country’s top-rated restaurant.

}Two nights Mount

Nelson Hotel, Cape Town As famous as some of its guests who sink a glass of wine in the Planet Bar, you too can enjoy innovative dining in the Planet Restaurant, while afternoon tea at the venerable hotel known as the Nellie is a treat.

}From £1,765 per person, to include British Airways flights and Budget hire car. To book, call Africa Travel on 020 7843 3586 or visit africatravel. co.uk/telegraph

}Exclusive to Africa

Travel — fly between March and November and receive a complimentary night at The Plettenberg and The Cellars-Hohenort and, subject to availability, a room upgrade at the Mount Nelson.

Mozambique gems

Mozambique has some of the world’s most spectacular undeveloped beaches, from Ponte Mamoli in the south, via the Bazaruto Archipelago to the Quirimbas Archipelago in the north, and the traveller is now able to enjoy these from some outstanding resorts:

}White Pearl Resort Guests arrive by helicopter at this chic resort in the south to enjoy the miles of silky white sand it has all to itself, above. On offer is great diving, sightings of dolphins, whales and turtles, riding, boat trips and beach walks, luxury accommodation, friendly service and great cuisine. Cost: from £185 per

person per night, half board.

}Azura Quilalea This luxury retreat occupies a private island in the far north. The beachfront villas enjoy either the sunrise or sunset, and a full range of activities include diving, boat trips, spa treatments and astronomy lectures. Quilalea is where Robinson Crusoe would have wished to have been cast away. Cost: from £390 per person per night, full board.

}Book both of the above with Africa Travel on 020 7843 3586, who guarantee not to be beaten on price on any like-for-like itinerary.

6

|

|

|

AFRICA TRAVEL SAFARI

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

| 7

|

|

SAFARI AFRICA TRAVEL

GETTY, CORBIS

Distributed with The Daily Telegraph

Family, and other animals, can Lucia van der Post explores how South Africa is changing to offer families the chance to see wildlife up close There’s something about the word “safari” that sets pulses racing. We all know by now that it is merely the Swahili word for a journey, but the very mention of the word brings to mind a very special sort of journey – a journey that involves adventure, thrills, a hint (just a hint) of danger and the sort of sights and sounds that quicken the pulse. It makes us think of raw, savage country, wild landscapes, thick bush, vast rivers and, above all, the sort of animals that have entered into the collective imaginations even of those who’ve never set foot in Africa. So when the time comes to go on that self-same safari, you want to get it right. For many it’s a once-in-a-lifetime treat and you want to be sure that you see all the animals — the big and the little five — and that the lodge and the food and the guides don’t let you down. But we’re all different. What suits the great big inter-generational family celebration isn’t what the honeymoon couple had in mind, while the sybarite who needs fancy food and lots of spa

treatments would hate the simple tented camp that pleases those of a more poetic turn of mind. The great thing about South Africa is that it has it all. It has the swankiest of grand lodges — at any of Singita’s camps or Royal Malewane you will find suites so large and beautiful you could be forgiven for thinking you were in an outpost of the Ritz. You will get champagne in your room, petals in your bath, divine food on your plate and can be pampered long and soothingly in their world-class spas. But it also has family-oriented camps where guides are geared to giving the young the sort of adventure that brings the bush alive and families can take over tucked-away lodges and have it all to themselves. Taking the clan on an adventure is the new-century way for families to celebrate and it helps to explain the plethora of large villas, places such as Royal Malewane’s Africa House, Camp Jabulani’s Zindoga Villa or The Manor at Samara, which an entire family can take over, complete with staff, swimming pool, tennis court and private game ranger. For those who prefer something closer to the natural world there are also simple tented camps and then there are middle-of-the-road lodges for those who want to see it all but don’t have the big bucks the very grand lodges now command. While the low-veldt in the Kruger National Park area and the lodges on its western border are all malaria-prone, there are lots of other options for those who don’t fancy a risky

encounter with a mosquito. There’s Madikwe, which boasts a vast variety of places to stay from the outrageously swanky Molori Lodge with just seven rooms, five glass-fronted suites each with its own infinity plunge pool and telescope, to beautifully run but incredibly good value communityowned lodges such as Buffalo Ridge on its western border (owned by the Balete Ba Lekgophung community), and Thakadu River Camp, near the eastern border (owned and run by people from the surrounding Molatedi village). Down in the Karoo, near to GraaffReinet, is the unimaginably beautiful and malaria-free Samara, owned by the Tompkins family, which has a matchless sense of wild and pristine space. It boasts some seven different biomes and has a great programme for children (they have three of their own so know exactly what is needed): they can walk up (carefully watched and guided) to cheetah, track game and spend nights out under the stars in little fly-camps, cooking over an open fire. There are bush paintings to view and spoor tracks to be studied. It also has a choice of houses for families who want a place of their own. It has no lion and no elephant but has become a specialist reserve for cheetah and rare antelope. Another malaria-free destination is Amakhala in the Eastern Cape which is home to vet Will Fowlds who is an expert in rhino conservation and has terrific programmes for children, including letting them follow him around as he does his work, taking care of the habitat

and the animals within it. He’s an inspirational man, a role model for children, and those who stay can choose whether they fancy a country house, a classic safari lodge or a romantic tent. The Kruger National Park itself is a great and glorious park, 220 miles long and roughly 40 miles wide, ranging from the lush tropical forests in the north to wooded savanna and acacia thornveld, and for those on very small budgets it offers the chance to drive through it while staying in inexpensive government-owned rondavels. It has, needless to say, all the mustsee animals — abundant plains game, a vast variety of antelope, lion and elephant, leopard, wild dog — and though driving yourself isn’t the best way to experience the bush (the best safaris depend on a knowledgable guide who teaches and entertains as he reads the bush), it is always there as an option. Best of all, though, is to go to one of the privately owned camps on its borders, for they are just as rich in game (there are no fences between the Kruger itself and these private game reserves) and they are adept at delivering up some of the best game-viewing experiences in the whole of Africa. Unlike in the park, guides can use open-sided vehicles, go off the road to track animals on the hunt and go out after sunset to see the nocturnal animals go about their mysterious ways — all things that are forbidden in the national park. South Africa, together with Zimbabwe, is known to have one of the best guiding programmes around, and it shows.

Wild and wonderful: clockwise from above left, Camp Jabulani’s Zindoga Villa; an elephant-back safari; a luxurious room at Thornybush Game Reserve, Royal Malewane; see the lion in its natural environment on a game drive

Unlike in the park, guides can go off the road to track animals on the hunt

all enjoy a safari The private camps have snapped up the most experienced guides and the best of them can make even a dung beetle seem thrilling. At Londolozi generations of leopard, one of the shyest but starriest members of the animal kingdom, have been used to the sight and sound of 4x4s so I have sat and watched while a mother leopard and her cub came down to drink and then ambled back to their kill hidden deep in the bush. Nobody ever leaves Londolozi without having seen the elusive leopard, but the reserve’s beautiful position on the river means that you see everything else as well. As for children — our grandchildren simply loved it. The boys spent a night in a tree house, played games in the mud, caught fish in the Sand river, practised rifle shooting and generally had the adventure of their lives. Singita is close by and shares the same game-rich territory and has stunning views of its own looking over the Sabi river. Besides its glitzy rooms, private pools and pampering spas, it has guides who are adept at bringing the bush alive for children, teaching them skills and making sure they come away with a wonderful sense of the beauty of the natural world. At Camp Jabulani, there’s a chance for children to get to see elephant up close and very personal. It has some 16 oncetraumatised elephants rescued from dire fates which now wander the land by day, housed in a specially built dormitory by night. Children are able to ride the elephants as well as see all the other game the bush is famous for.

We’d scarcely entered the gates when we came upon a pride of lions on a kill. For some very different terrain there’s Pafuri Camp, which is right on the northern tip of the Kruger park and in a spectacular setting overlooking the “great, grey-green, greasy Limpopo river”. Here you are in the ancestral lands of the Makuleke people who help run the camp of 20 tents. It’s in the subtropics, in jungly country, very different from the savanna lands you find lower down the Kruger park and it’s renowned above all for the profusion of elephants, buffalo, leopard and lion. Tswalu, owned by the Oppenheimer family, is a ravishingly beautiful lodge that is on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, set in almost 250,000 acres of bush and veld, encircled by low-lying hills that turn almost purple at sunrise and sunset. It has the light and the sense of space of a place that lies close to a desert and is far, far from the city buzz. It was rescued from low-level subsistence farming nearly 20 years ago. The Oppenheimers’ mission has been “to restore the Kalahari to itself”. Today it is a place where you can almost be guaranteed sightings of the rare desert black rhino as well as the black-maned Kalahari lion. Meerkat, cheetah and rare antelope such as sable, roan and tsessebe can be seen and it’s also one of the few places where the chances of seeing the rare nocturnal aardvark are real. It’s malaria-free and is a wonderful contrast to the low-veld bush terrain

of the camps that are on the borders of the Kruger park. And then finally let us never forget that South Africa is surrounded on three sides by some of the most fascinating oceans in the world. Up at Phinda in KwaZulu-Natal in the St Lucia Estuary there are a host of marine conservation projects under way and at Thonga Beach Lodge, further north up the same coast, there is a chance to see one of the most poignant marine dramas in the world when between October and February every year the beaches turn into one vast labour ward for some of Earth’s oldest and most endangered species — loggerhead and leatherback turtles. Almost every night some of these huge creatures (a leatherback, the largest, is usually some 8ft long) come ashore to lay their eggs, as many as 150 at a time, on the same strand where they themselves were born. Down in the Western Cape is Grootbos, which the conservationist David Bellamy called “the best example of conservation of biodiversity I have ever seen”. You can stay in five-star lodges or take over the luxury villa in its entirety, but the point of going there isn’t fancy food and high thread-count sheets — it’s to savour its beauty, to observe the fynbos and forest-clad hills, to gaze out at the ocean hoping to spot the marine Big Five — the whales, dolphins, seals, penguins and great white sharks that call the seas around it home. So there you have it, something for everybody. The problem is only, where to start?

8

|

|

|

AFRICA TRAVEL TOP 10

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

| 9

|

|

TOP 10 AFRICA TRAVEL

Distributed with The Daily Telegraph

There are so many marvellous and memorable experiences Jo Foley, spoilt for choice, selects just 10 activities for everyone’s must-do list during a South African holiday

1 THE BLUE TRAIN Luxury on wheels — a journey through the bush on one of these (there are two) extraordinary trains is as memorable as it is moving. From the comfort of your cabin, with its marble shower room complete with gold taps and a butler on call, this is the sybarite’s way to travel. Beginners opt for the overnight journey from Pretoria to Cape Town which highlights the wonders of the African night and glories of the dawn, without ever having to move from your compartment. Mind you, the food is so sensational that your mind will wander from the scenery outside to the taste sensations on your plate. A train journey evokes all the romance and nostalgia of another age and you will question why you should ever travel any other way. It covers almost 1,000 miles of wonder and history, through the gold fields of the Witwatersrand, the diamond town of Kimberley, the fertile plains of the Karoo, and the acres of liquid gold which produce some of the country’s finest wines. Along the way, you’ll spy game disappearing into the bush and myriad birds, from raptors to ostrich. Too soon the outskirts of Cape Town appear and your journey is over… but never the memories. Longer trips are also available and, for those who have won the lottery, you can even hire the whole train for a celebration. The journey between Pretoria and Cape Town costs from £940 per person, based on two people sharing a Deluxe Double cabin, and including all meals, drinks and off-train land excursions.

2 BUNGEE JUMP From the height of luxury to the height of near-madness, South Africa offers the highest bungee jump in the world. The Bloukrans River runs along the border of the Eastern and Western Capes and some 708ft above it is the magnificent Bloukrans Bridge, from which you are propelled. If you have time — and the nerve — admire the scenery as you will have some of the best views of the Garden Route from this height. Because of its extreme altitude, you will be reassured to know that the more traditional ankle harnesses are replaced by a body harness. Recover in true comfort at the nearby Hog Hollow Country Lodge with its great food and superb accommodation — a terrific base in the heart of the Garden Route. Double rooms cost from £200, including breakfast, and those booking with Africa Travel and travelling between May-August will receive a complimentary night’s accommodation when staying for two nights.

3 SHARK-CAGE DIVING This is an amazing way to get close to one of the most dangerous creatures in the ocean. South Africa is among the best places to spot this extraordinary creature and the experience is not as scary as it sounds because the cages are made of seriously strong metal. Although your first encounter with a shark may give you a fright to remember, as soon as you get used to their proximity you will marvel at their closeness and strength. Anyone can participate provided you are in reasonably good health, have no fear of the water and can snorkel. Needless to say it is not for those of a nervous disposition.

In search of luxury South Africa boasts some of the world’s very best hotels, and Africa Travel have combined some of these to create the ultimate itinerary

} Two nights

Royal Malewane Game Lodge, Thornybush Game Reserve. A truly extraordinary property offering the finest game-viewing, the finest accommodation, the finest cuisine and the finest bush spa in all of southern Africa.

} Two nights

8 HIT THE ROAD

4 CORNERS, GETTY, ALAMY

Almost every day in South Africa delivers an experience, whether it’s the crashing of the waves around Cape Hope, the first mouthful of the freshest crayfish, the swoop of a fish eagle diving for a kill or the sound of a choir in the distance. It’s a land that engages all your senses without even trying to, a place where the silence of the desert is almost audible and the roar of a lion unforgettable. It’s difficult to choose, but here are 10 things that you should not miss in South Africa.

take a horse for one of the best beach rides ever. It has everything: wind, sun, the sound of the waves and the joy of the horses as they gallop through surf and sand. Take an early-morning ride for the freshness of the spray, and in late afternoon when the sun has cast its warmth on land and sea. Stay on the beach at The Last Word Long Beach, a cool boutique hotel, and head off to the nearby lobster-fishing village of Kommetjie to pick out your crustacean for dinner. Double rooms cost from £220 per night, including breakfast and drinks, and those booking with Africa Travel and travelling between April-November will receive a night’s complimentary accommodation when paying for two nights.

You are first taken by boat to where the sharks are known to frequent and then gently lowered into the deep. For the less hardcore, base yourself at the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve where you can explore some of the area’s more sedate natural wonders with guided walks through the fynbos and forests. Double rooms cost from £250 and include all meals, most activities, with shark-cage diving available for £110, and Africa Travel guests can stay for a third night free of charge when paying for two nights.

4 WHALE-WATCHING The best bit about this is that you do not need to leave dry land. Just 80 miles west of Cape Town you’ll be treated to one of the greatest shows on Earth between August and November when the southern right whale comes to breed and calve in the warmer waters around the bay. You can, of course, take a boat out to watch them at close quarters but, on a good day, you

5 TABLE MOUNTAIN

Unforgettable: the spectacular views from the top of Table Mountain, Cape Town

can see them just as well from the Hermanus seafront. Better still, admire the magnificent creatures from the comfort of a deep sofa on the terrace at Birkenhead House. Armed with a pair of binoculars (which you may well not need) and a glass of something well-chilled (with which to toast your first sighting of some 50 tons of whale flesh soaring out of the water), this is South African adventure at its most luxurious. Double rooms cost from £410 per night, including all meals and drinks.

Nobody can visit Cape Town without being aware of the influence this vast flat-topped mountain has over the city and its inhabitants. It can be seen for miles and is rarely without some sprinkling of cloud on its summit — the tablecloth, which can be as light as lace or as heavy as damask. But a visit to the top of one of the designated New7Wonders of Nature is a must as, once there, the views of Africa’s south-western tip are unforgettable. And while a cable car can take you to the top, the best way to experience it is to hike, and there are a number of trails you can follow. The fit and macho can take a direct one, which becomes quite steep as you get higher. The rest of us opt for a gentler route around the back of the mountain, which also allows you to enjoy the fynbos and spot mongooses, hedgehogs and birds. And while the fit can finish the ascent in an hour or so, the

average time to get to the summit is about two-and-a-half hours. Go in the morning and avoid the heat of the day to enjoy it at its best.

6 ROBBEN ISLAND When visiting Cape Town, a visit to Robben Island is another essential experience. A number of trips leave throughout the day from the Victoria and Albert Waterfront. For 300 years this isolated bit of rock was a place of banishment, where lepers, the mentally ill and prisoners were

sent. It is now a Unesco World Heritage Site and known throughout the world as the place where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years, and is now seen as a symbol of hope and reconciliation. Robben Island houses a museum as well as a prison and tours to the latter are conducted by former prisoners. Including the ferry rides there and back, the island tour takes about three hours. It is best to book your tour in advance as it is one of the city’s most popular outings. For both Table Mountain and Robben Island, the Table Bay Hotel, magnificently located on the Waterfront, is one of the most convenient and comfortable places to stay, offering easy access to, and great views of, each experience. Double rooms cost from £260 per night, including breakfast, and those booking with Africa Travel will receive a complimentary night’s accommodation when staying for a minimum of three nights.

7 RIDING ON THE BEACH Given that South Africa has one of the most dramatic coastlines in the world with its bays and cliffs, vast sandy beaches and magnificent Atlantic rollers, a drive from Cape Town south to Cape Point is spellbindingly spectacular. But stop along the way to enjoy the mountains – the 12 Apostles on one side and the golden sands of Camp’s Bay on the other, and as you leave Hout Bay watch out for Noordhoek Beach — a great swathe of sand washed by the Atlantic. Forget your car and

Climb on the back of a HarleyDavidson with a hairy biker as your chauffeur. All these guides have eons of experience with these magnificent machines and know the roads like the backs of their hands. Opt for a tour of the winelands – you can taste, he can drive, and this is a great way to enjoy the area as well as its produce. South Africa produces some of the finest wines in the world, so tailor your tour to take in the best. Better still, ask the sommelier at South Africa’s finest hotel, La Residence in Franschhoek, to design your tour – he may well agree to accompany you, albeit in a more sedate fashion by car. Some of the wineries topping the list will be La Motte, Waterford and Delaire Graff — but along the way there are other, smaller, boutique wineries which are just as welcoming and where you can stop and taste. It’s an exciting way to see the country and a delicious way to savour it. Double rooms at La Residence cost from £650 per night, including breakfast and drinks, with a four-hour winetasting tour by Harley-Davidson costing from £130.

9 SAFARI SPLENDOUR There are so many ways to enjoy a safari: in a 4x4, by walking, ballooning or riding. However, the most memorable has to be on an elephant. Head for the private Kapama Game Reserve adjacent to Kruger National Park, and Camp Jabulani, a six-suite camp of great opulence, where a band of rescued elephants is waiting to take you into the bush. Top dog is Jabulani

Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town An iconic luxury five-star hotel set amid magnificent gardens in the heart of the city, providing guests with superior accommodation, fine dining, swimming pools, spa and the famous Planet Bar.

} Two nights

La Residence, Franschhoek Superb cuisine and fine wines at this world-class hideaway are offered alongside fine antiques, delicate bed linen, tranquil vineyards and expansive gardens.

himself, who was the first to arrive from Zimbabwe and, even though others have followed — some older, some larger — this is his kingdom and each day he leads the herd into the bush. It is an extraordinary experience seeing the landscape and wildlife atop a swaying elephant and, while marvellous by day, it is even more so at night, for although these animals are huge they do not make a sound as they move through the silence. It is not just a great experience but a real privilege to see the world from an elephant’s point of view. Camp Jabulani costs from £425 per person per night, based on two people sharing, and includes all meals and game drives. Those booking with Africa Travel will receive a 50 per cent discount on their third night’s stay.

} Two nights

Birkenhead House, Hermanus Superlative service, divine interiors, exquisite cuisine and unrivalled views from a boutique clifftop coastal retreat, sited perfectly above a stunning beach.

} From £4,175 per person, to include British Airways flights and Budget Hire Car.

} Exclusive to Africa

Travel — receive an additional night at either La Residence or Birkenhead House with our compliments and, subject to availability, a room upgrade at the Mount Nelson.

} Book the above

with Africa Travel, who have a best price guarantee on any likefor-like itinerary, via africatravel.co.uk/ telegraph or call 020 7843 3586

10 THE SKY AT NIGHT While the glory of an African morning has been captured in literature and song, an African night is even more spectacular as millions of stars almost cover the inky blue canopy. Some twinkle, some shine and some fly across the firmament while you can spend hours spotting the constellations — many of which can only be viewed in the southern hemisphere. Better still, take a stargazing expert with you who will keep the night alive with legends, facts and myths. Stay at Tswalu in the Kalahari where your hosts will drape rugs, blankets and pillows on the ground so that you can stargaze in supreme comfort. Plus they will spoil you even further with hot chocolate, Amarula (South Africa’s special creamy liqueur), or a cup of Rooibos tea. Tswalu costs from £660 per person per night, based on two sharing, and includes all meals and activities. Book with Africa Travel, stay for four nights and receive complimentary return flights from Johannesburg or Cape Town to Tswalu.

10

|

|

|

AFRICA TRAVEL ADVENTURE

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

| 11

|

|

ADVENTURE AFRICA TRAVEL

Distributed with The Daily Telegraph

A great white knuckle ride to Danger Point Life sometimes throws up an obstacle that you know you probably shouldn’t tackle but you do anyway. That’s the dilemma I grappled with in the Western Cape province in South Africa; two hours’ drive outside Cape Town. Slipping into the chilly waters off the aptly-named Danger Point Peninsula, all I could think of was that famous quote from Jaws: “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” The area is known for its great white shark population and, as I climbed into what I can only describe as a glorified shopping trolley, half a dozen hungry sharks swam past. The crew assured me the shark cage was safe, easily strong enough to frustrate the efforts of a 23ft great white. But it’s a lot to trust, considering one of the world’s most notorious predators was swimming close enough for me to brush its teeth — all 350 of them. I laugh when I think about it now. I was in the water, surrounded by sharks, while the crew scattered blood and fish guts around me, just to increase the drama… as if there wasn’t enough already. It’s what makes South Africa unique. It’s a country where travellers can get so many experiences; it’s also why when Channel 5 asked me to make the motorbike travel documentary, Charley Boorman’s South African Adventure, I jumped at the chance. The idea was born when Ewan McGregor and I did Long Way Down in 2007. We were on the road — from John O’Groats to Cape Town — for such a long time that when we got to South Africa we were exhausted. We could smell the finish line and home, and didn’t get to spend enough time here, so I knew I wanted to come back. I had been before. I was only seven years old and accompanying my dad — the filmmaker John Boorman — while he attended a film festival. My memories are mostly clouded in the fog of childhood but I do remember how divided the country was. Although problems still exist, it is such a different country today. Getting an understanding of

Close encounters: clockwise, Charley meets a great white; explores Drakensberg Escarpment; and visits Robben Island and its prison

The crew scattered blood and fish guts around me, just to increase the drama

South Africa’s history was not only important for the show, but for me. When I visited Robben Island, the maximum-security prison where Nelson Mandela spent most of his 27 years in captivity, I was overwhelmed. My guide for the day was an ex-inmate who described in detail what life was like here for prisoners. The whole island is now a World Heritage Site and should be on the top of everyone’s list when visiting South Africa. Mandela is such an inspiring character. Without him the changes I see all around me might never have happened. It would mean that I would never have been able to do a bicycle tour of Soweto. It would have been out of the question to enter a shebeen — a local pub — or eat in a restaurant. It would have been impossible for black Sowetans to open a backpackers’ hostel catering to white European travellers (so popular, it’s difficult to get a bed); and we could never have finished such an emotional tour of Soweto by bungee jumping off the power station chimney. Amazing. Producer and director Russ Malkin and I spent seven weeks on the road making the show. We began at the southernmost coastline, where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet, then moved inland across South Africa to the frontiers of Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia, before heading back down the west coast of the continent to complete an entire circuit of the South Africa border — a journey of 6,214 miles. Of all the coastlines we covered one of my favourite stretches, if it is possible to pick just one, is the Wild Coast. It is part of the route from Port Elizabeth to Durban on the Eastern Cape, the perfect terrain for our BMW R1200GS Adventure motorbikes. The Eastern Cape’s Route 2 gives you the best glimpse of village life. There is very little in terms of modern buildings, definitely nothing like the Western Cape’s tourist infrastructure. Here, the Xhosa people choose to maintain a traditional way of life; keeping traditional clothes, hairstyles and houses; all against an

GETTY

Swimming with sharks and sidestepping crocodiles, Charley Boorman got more than he bargained for during his new Channel 5 motorbike travel documentary

evocative backdrop of eroded valleys and the Drakensberg Mountains in the distance. The Wild Coast is also famous for its sardine run when, if conditions are right, billions of sardines run northward along the KwaZuluNatal coastline. It’s like ringing the dinner bell for every carnivore in the region. Seals, sharks, whales, tuna, diving birds and dolphins all turn up to take part in the feast. We couldn’t resist getting a closer look, so we dropped into Port St Johns, put on wetsuits and roared out to sea in a fast boat, all the while keeping an eye out for Cape gannets, diving birds whose presence often marks the spot where the sardine shoals would be. It’s a fantastic experience. I was dropped overboard, hanging on to a rope and dragged along, hoping to see this mad event swarm in front of my eyes. Although it didn’t happen for us, we did manage to get mixed up in a 600-strong pod

of dolphins, which was both frightening and exhilarating at the same moment. And to add just that little bit extra, the coastline here is so dramatic I find it difficult to describe without falling over a string of clichés. An escarpment of high cliffs tower over windswept sand dunes, while huge cascading waterfalls crash down into a foamy sea. Every few miles along the beach lay the rusting hulks of tramp steamers, losers in a constant fight with the fickle nature of this coastline and its weather. Although we were filming during South Africa’s winter, the weather on the coast was almost perfect, the ideal temperature for shorts and T-shirts. Not so, however, as we headed towards the uplands of the Drakensberg Mountains. Our goal was to hike the trail to the 10,768ft summit of the Mont-Aux-Sources plateau atop the North Drakensberg Amphitheatre, a three-milelong wall of basalt rising for

more than 3,000ft above the Tugela Valley. Once there we would camp near the headwaters of the Tugela Falls, at 3,100ft the secondhighest in the world after Angel Falls in Venezuela. Sounds straightforward enough; it’s only a three-hour walk with a mild elevation gain of about 2,000ft. In fact it’s called the “Slackpacking Trail”, designed for those with moderate fitness. In summer, it’s an easy equation. In winter, however, it’s very different. We did make it to the top. But our plan of camping next to the cliff’s edge to wake to phenomenal views, and perhaps see some elephants down below, were thwarted by waist-high snowdrifts, howling winds, fading light and a -7C temperature. Needless to say, being thwacked in the face by a wind-blown tent every time I turned over didn’t make for the most comfortable night. But Africa is known for

putting on big shows. In the morning as we packed up, wind still howling, the sky blossomed into a palette of deep blue stretching to the horizon; the views over the falls and along the Amphitheatre to the plains below were just breathtaking. This is what real travel is about, facing difficult situations and coming through them. These are the moments you remember and cherish. Happy to put the wind and snow behind us, it was back on the bikes. Rural South African roads are a pitted and potholed spider’s web of dirt tracks. But on a motorbike, they are a challenge and a pleasure, like an obstacle course. We want a bit of messed-up road; that’s

where the enjoyment of a motorcycle trip lies. Not surprisingly, motorbikes are banned in game parks — something about lions mistaking them for kudu or antelope. So when Russ and I travelled up the fence line to Crooks Corner in Kruger National Park, along the border with Mozambique, it was in a Land Rover. Crooks Corner is a meeting of three countries — Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa. In the 1800s, it was a safe haven for gunrunners, poachers and fugitives from the law; it was easy to jump from one country to the next to evade capture. Our plan was for me to get across the Limpopo River — which is supposed to be dry at this time of year – cross into Zimbabwe and then sneak through a break in the border fence into Mozambique, thus demonstrating how 19thcentury scallywags would do it. What I didn’t take into consideration, though, was that part of the river was still

running — and the number of crocodiles there. In a 320ft stretch I counted 47, and those were only the ones I could see. Russ suggested I run across the tops of their heads like some cartoon character. I’ll admit it might make great TV, but after thousands of miles on a motorbike I didn’t think I could conjure up a Usain Bolt performance and live to tell the tale. So I left Crooks Corner to the memory of those 19th-century rogues. It’s just another ingredient in this amazing stew called South Africa. You could spend your whole life here and never finish exploring it. There are depths to this country that I will never be able to fathom, but I would be happy in the attempt. It’s why I love it so much and will return as often as I can. Interview: Doug McKinlay

}See Charley Boorman’s South African Adventure on Channel 5 this month.

12

|

|

|

AFRICA TRAVEL GOLF

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

| 13

|

|

GOLF AFRICA TRAVEL

Distributed with The Daily Telegraph

Go green with Big Easy’s guide

to the best golf courses FANCOURT

Follow in the footsteps of former world number one Ernie Els as he reveals his favourite spots to tee off — and to enjoy a post-game drink and bite

DURBAN COUNTRY CLUB I’ve been playing DCC, as it is known, for a lot of years and I’ve won two of my South African Opens here. It’s a fantastic layout with lush vegetation and sand dunes with some great views of the Indian Ocean. The course will also be hosting the 2013 Volvo Golf Champions Tournament on the European Tour.

GOLD’S FIELD WEST I played this course quite a lot as a junior. It’s located just west of Johannesburg in an attractive bushveld setting where you often share the golf course with deer and monkeys. You soon get used to it!

OUBAAI My first design project in South Africa is on the Garden Route that has so many great golf courses along it as well as towns. We were lucky with the site, on top of the hills overlooking Herolds Bay with the ocean below, and it is one of my favourite spots in the world. The course heads inland and around the gorge with spectacular views and tee shots. The 17th is a hole I really enjoy — a short par 3 downhill with the ocean as the backdrop. The clubhouse is also good and the Hyatt hotel on site is superb with amazing facilities. Herolds Bay is a popular spot with South Africans in the summer and you can see why!

LEOPARD CREEK Owned by my great friend Johann Rupert and located on the banks of the Crocodile River, this course has fantastic views of the Kruger National Park and its wildlife. You may have seen some amazing pictures of giraffe walking across the fairways – it’s a great sensation being so close to nature. The view from the clubhouse, with the sun setting, is one of the best in world golf. Any day at Leopard Creek is a good day in my book.

Par excellence: Sample the amazing Montagu Course at Fancourt, main; Oubaai, which overlooks Herolds Bay, below right; or have a meal at the Big Easy Restaurant in Stellenbosch, below, which takes its title from Els’s nickname

JUNIOR GOLF

ELS CLUB COPPERLEAF A slight bias here, as it’s another Ernie Els design, but this course with its magnificent views of the Magaliesberg mountain range is a really enjoyable test for golfers of all standards. It’s a special project for me as my late grandfather, Ernie Vermaak, grew up on this plot of land, where his family owned a farm. He was responsible for first putting a golf club in my hands. I owe him a lot. You play at altitude so the length of the course looks daunting before you tee off but the thin air lets the golf ball fly a long way. The course is always in great shape and we are lucky enough to have had some major professional tournaments played there — and the European Tour has just announced an event to be hosted there this year. They have an amazing new clubhouse, too.

RIVER CLUB This private club in the leafy northern suburbs of Johannesburg would always be on my list of favourite places to play golf. Classic parkland with a lot of tree-lined fairways, I’d rate it among South Africa’s top 10 courses and definitely among the best in terms of the way it is prepared.

SUN CITY Along with Royal Melbourne, Wentworth and the Emirates, the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City is one of a few courses in the world where I’ve won more than twice. There are a couple of courses here at Sun City as well as some world-class hotels and facilities and things to enjoy if you’re there with your family.

GETTY, CORBIS

Not only is South Africa a popular travel destination for its amazing landscapes, beaches, game parks and vibrant cities but we also have some great golf courses and resorts. Some may be familiar to you as they have hosted professional golf tournaments, and while others are less famous, they all offer a great experience for all levels of golfer. I was going to rank the top 10 best courses in order, but that proved to be a lot harder than I thought it would be, so instead I’ve just selected some of my favourites. They’re not in any particular order and, believe me, there are plenty more that I could add to this list. Each is special to me personally as well as offering a good day’s golf in my homeland. Writing this is already making me look forward to my next trip back home and I hope you decide to visit for the first time or return to enjoy all that South Africa offers. Either way, a great time is guaranteed.

I have fond memories from this place. It’s home to the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation and it’s where Tiger and I played until darkness in the Presidents Cup. That was quite a day! The course is based in George and has a good airport so it’s easy to fly in and out. Again, it’s on the Garden Route so you can take in Oubaai, Pezula in Knysna and the George Golf Club on the same trip. Of the three courses, the links is definitely the hardest but still fun to play. All are always in great shape and the accommodation, food and service are always top-notch. A lot has happened to golf in South Africa in the last 20 to 30 years and it’s fair to say that the profile of the game in general has risen hugely. I am proud to have been a part of that. When my brother and I were growing up there were very few Afrikaans golfers in the game. Back in those days we were known mainly as rugby players. I remember when I was in high school I travelled to the US to play some junior tournaments and when I got home my friends laughed and said to me that I was wasting my time playing golf. Play rugby, they’d say. Luckily, I ignored them. Anyway, it’s a totally different story now. We have a bunch of great young players and I think part of the reason for that is because South Africa has some of the best junior golf development programmes in the world, both on a regional and national level. Some of those players came through our own Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation, which we established in 1999. Among our former members are Branden Grace, who has won four times on the European Tour this season, and Louis Oosthuizen who won the Open Championship a couple of years ago. Louis was the captain of the Foundation’s golf team when he was with us and played off a handicap of plus-6. Not too shabby. Louis has since set up his own junior academy at his home club in Mossel Bay (not too far from George and the great golf in the area), which is good to see. He’s helping the kids with travel expenses, taking care of all their equipment and crucial stuff like that… just as we did with him. And, as I said, there are so many other great programmes being run all over the country. It shows that what we’re doing with junior golf in South Africa really works. Basically, if you provide the playing opportunities for young kids then they will grab

Golfing heaven Let the greens and tees of South Africa challenge you on a unique golfing holiday from Africa Travel — from the excitement of Sun City to the beauty of the Garden Route and Cape Town, it is undoubtedly a golfing mecca.

}Three nights The Palace of the Lost City, Sun City This is an architectural one-off, decorated with frescoes and murals, and it offers a wide range of facilities including a water park, tennis, horse-riding and two award-winning championship golf courses. }Three nights

Fancourt, George South Africa’s premier golfing resort — three championship golf courses are supplemented by a golfing academy and performance lab, spa and excellent guest rooms, suites and lodges.

}Two nights

Conrad Pezula Resort and Spa, Knysna Coastal excellence — with superior suites, magnificent spa, swimming pools, breathtaking beaches and a superb championship golf course, all dramatically perched on a stunning headland.

}Two nights

Steenberg Hotel, Cape Town This luxury hotel boasts fine dining, wine-tasting, a spa, spacious guest accommodation and a superb golf course in Cape Town’s wineproducing area.

}From £2,475 per person, to include British Airways flights and Budget Hire Car.

}Exclusive to Africa

Travel — enjoy a free massage or round of golf at Steenberg, three spa treatments or unlimited golf on the Montagu and Outeniqua courses at Fancourt, and a free night at The Palace.

}For more information: contact Africa Travel on 020 7843 3586 or visit africatravel.co.uk/ telegraph

it with both hands. When I was growing up I had my heroes — guys such as Gary Player, Nick Price and Seve Ballesteros. Today’s young kids are going to be inspired by the likes of Louis, Branden, Charl and many more. The game is in safe hands.

CAPE TOWN AND WINELANDS If you’re coming to South Africa you’ve got to visit Cape Town. I was born in Johannesburg but got to know the Cape a little more as my wife comes from there and it’s where Ernie Els Wines is located. You’ve got a wonderful Mediterraneanstyle climate and you’ve got the sea, the beach life and that whole relaxed vibe. It’s also very multicultural, which gives the city a special feel. It’s an amazing place to eat out, especially if you like seafood. It also has some very strong golf courses, old and new, that are definitely worth a visit. In addition to the course at the superb five-star Steenberg Hotel, in the beautiful area of Constantia, a couple more are fun. Pearl Valley is a newer development that has recently hosted the SA Open. Based near Paarl, another wine region in the Cape, you get some amazing backdrops and a good golf course. A Nicklaus design, it is always in great shape and has a good mix of holes that make it a fun day for any golfer. A great clubhouse also makes the post-round analysis more comfortable! Stellenbosch GC is an old-style parkland golf course that is a lot of fun to play, especially if you want to mix golf with your winelands experience. It sits right in the heart of Stellenbosch and, again, you have great views of the mountains and vineyards. Whether you play golf there or not, Stellenbosch is a mustvisit, too. This is South Africa’s leading wine area with so much natural beauty that it really is a picture postcard with the Helderburg mountains as the backdrop. The town is the second oldest in South Africa and has great character with amazing Cape Dutch architecture and a fine university. Make sure you come to Stellenbosch and visit Ernie Els Wines, taste from our portfolio and have lunch on the lawn in front of the winery. The views looking down towards Cape Town are spectacular. We’d also love to see you at the Big Easy restaurant in the heart of Stellenbosch. I always drop in here whenever I’m in the area — the food is great and there are some of the top wines from the region at cellar-door prices so expect good value and great quality.

14

|

|

|

AFRICA TRAVEL KWAZULU- NATAL

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

| 15

|

|

KWAZULU-NATAL AFRICA TRAVEL

Distributed with The Daily Telegraph

Historic sites, wild beauty and an idyllic beach retreat

KwaZulu-Natal treasures Away from the beaten track, the province of KwaZulu-Natal is home to a host of hidden gems.

}Ghost Mountain Inn,

Zululand A superb base from which to explore the best of Northern KwaZulu-Natal. Game drives, boat cruises, cultural visits to Zulu homesteads, canoeing, biking and walks to the top of Ghost Mountain are all available, as well as use of the inn’s swimming pool, gym or spa. Cost: from £45 per person per night, B&B.

}Cathedral Peak Hotel,

Drakensberg Set in one of South Africa’s premier locations, the magnificent views are complemented by an outstanding range of activities, including hiking, mountain biking, tennis, golf, fly-fishing, swimming and helicopter flights. Cost: from £90 per person per night, half board.

Sandra Howard and her husband Michael explore the historic Zulu battlefields, spot wildlife on safari and relish perfect seaside seclusion garden and large swimming pool were an unexpected bonus and a marvellous new library overlooked the dramatic Buffalo River Gorge, the original boundary between Zululand and Natal. Arriving in the evening we settled round an outdoor fire with the other guests. We all sat at one table at dinner and had home cooking that would have been a credit to Mrs Patmore of Downton Abbey. The walls of the splendid dining room were crammed with paintings, spears, original flags and immensely fascinating historical documents. And Grace, who served us was a tonic. At breakfast when I asked how she’d slept, she said: “Like a log but I didn’t end up in the fireplace.” I set off for Isandlwana knowing the story yet unprepared for the emotional jolt to come. Our army suffered one of the greatest defeats of its colonial history here. It was on January 22, 1878, a momentous, disastrous day, but it also became one of extraordinary triumph. More than 1,300 men died at the battle of Isandlwana, yet at Rorke’s Drift just hours later, 100 British soldiers defeated 4,000 Zulu warriors. They received 11 Victoria Crosses, the greatest number for any single battle. Standing on the battlefield where the men had fallen and seeing the simple piles of whitewashed stones that mark the mass graves will remain indelibly etched in my mind. More than 1,300 soldiers died in their redcoats, despite the strength of their artillery. They were disembowelled (to release their spirits) and no graves were dug; the Commander-in-Chief, Lord Chelmsford, hurried away, fearing another disaster at Rorke’s Drift and the bodies were left to rot in the baking summer sun. There was an eclipse that day, “the day of the dead moon”; the battle was fought in an eerie half-light, to add to the terrible poignancy. The blunders made by Lord Chelmsford were hard to understand. Our guide, Mphuwa, a Zulu, told the story in vivid detail, but always even-handed. Later he took us to see the memorial to Lieutenants Melvill and Coghill, who lost their lives trying to save the Queen’s Colour for their regiment. They received the first two posthumous Victoria Crosses ever. Mphuwa’s great-grandfather

}Cleopatra Mountain

Farmhouse, Drakensberg Tucked away in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains, this wonderful lodge is a real find. Renowned for its cuisine and warm hospitality, activities available range from hiking, fishing and mountain biking, to sampling the many delights on the nearby Midland Meander. Cost from £125 per person per night, half board.

}Oyster Box Hotel,

Umhlanga Rocks A stylish hideaway set in beautiful gardens overlooking the beach. In addition to the luxurious accommodation there is also an excellent spa, sparkling pool, children’s club, private cinema and sun terrace. Cost from £170 per person per night, B&B.

}All of the above can be booked with Africa Travel, who offer a best-price guarantee on any like-for-like itinerary. 020 7843 3586

and grandfather had fought at Isandlwana and he described taking Lord Chelmsford’s great-grandson to see the memorial. “He stood looking at it,” Mphuwa said, “then he held me in his arms and we both had a little cry.” To go to Rorke’s Drift the next day, seeing the site at sunset and listening to tales of supreme courage and endurance, was strange yet quite as deeply affecting. The buildings are still there, some reconstructed, but just as they were. I felt transported back. We had revisited the film Zulu before coming to South Africa, with Stanley Baker and Michael Caine in his first major role. Caine played the part of Lieutenant Chard, who together with Lieutenant Bromhead, a dour engineer, had been in command at Rorke’s Drift. They were considered dull

and ineffectual by their superiors, yet they achieved a miracle. Wendy, our driver from Durban, returned to take us to Thonga Beach Lodge, just south of Mozambique, our next port of call. It was a long drive but the hours flew by. We passed a rally of magnificent old cars, an unexpected sight; there were forests of pole-straight gum trees, small towns, hectic markets and always the glorious African skies. Thonga Beach Lodge, which is approached over miles of forested sand dunes, is within a vast wetland reserve, a Unesco World Heritage Site; nine miles from any other resort and on a beach that goes on for ever. We loved the place. You can walk 30 miles in either direction, along peachy deserted sands, or just take an idle stroll. The Lodge has nature walks, birding, wondrous marine activities, a butterfly alley and it has a superb chef, Carl. He was unusually shy and never came

to take a bow, but he cooked all the excellent fresh fish to perfection. We had tender steaks and ostrich too, lightly cooked vegetables, scrumptious soups and delectably gooey puddings. Our cottage-style room felt as though it belonged; well equipped with an indulgently big bath and shower and built of natural materials. Thonga has a marine centre, run by Donna and Clive. Go snorkelling and see the honeycomb moray, devil fire-fish, octopus and brilliantly coloured sea-slugs. The diving is exclusive to Thonga Lodge and beginner or dive-master level, Donna will look after you. You’ll see bottle-nosed dolphins in summer, whales in winter; she and Clive will take you out in a boat to find them. We were between seasons and still saw a family of humpback whales. Donna had an underwater camera and dropped it in off the side. She later confessed to being terrified of

swimming with 20-ton whales, but her pictures of mother, father and baby were amazing. Thonga Beach had got under our skin, but we had a final two days on safari planned — more excitement. Phinda Mountain Lodge, where we stayed, is on a 64,000-acre protected estate and is a perfect example of how conservation can be sustained by business with both flourishing and to the benefit of all. Phinda is the Zulu word for “the return” and the group running the Lodge has been actively involved in the reintroduction of lion, elephant and endangered species such as black rhino and the fight against poaching. The wildlife is free to roam and, as the supremely civilised rooms were dotted about the landscaped grounds, a guard was on hand to escort us to and from the main building after dark. I’m past the age of roughing it and coping with creepy-crawlies, so to have

The complete package: from top left, Thonga Beach Lodge; lions are among the wildlife you may spot; Isandlwana; Sandra Howard; above, Fugitive’s Drift; from top right, exotic birds; Sandra and Michael Howard relax on the beach; picnic at Phinda Mountain Lodge

air-conditioned splendour, a private plunge pool and loungers seemed as moulded to my needs as a double-width airline seat to an overweight person who’d otherwise overflow the sides. Not that we could lie in and savour it all with the 5.30am wake-up call, a quick cuppa and cookie before being off with our guide and tracker. We were with two other couples, Texan honeymooners and an older couple from Hampshire. My camera and bird knowledge couldn’t compete but after an African childhood I knew about showing wild animals the respect they deserve. You don’t mess with rhino, leopard, black buffalo, or a lion on the prowl; walk backwards if you happen to meet one, never turn and run. And rhinos are very short-sighted, step sideways if one charges, he’s unlikely to swerve. We saw a sleek cheetah with her young and four of the “big five” on our short stay, thanks to our awesome guide,

Paul, and quick-sighted tracker, Sisyla. We enjoyed Paul’s dry wit, the glamorous young Texan with her formidable camera, the thrill of the chase — there was certainly no shortage of excitement. And we had a terrific slap-up breakfast to look forward to after four hours in the wild. Then lazing in the sun, lunch, swimming, the evening trek… Pity about now being back indoors at my desk, looking out at the rain.

GETTY IMAGES/ALAMY

It was good to be back. Africa is in my blood. As a small child I’d lived in Rhodesia — mostly in Bulawayo’s swimming baths — and to be holidaying in KwaZulu-Natal with my husband, driving to visit the Zulu battlefields, was an emotional thrill. Smelling the warm intoxicating African air again and travelling the majestic plains, I felt at home once more. I remarked on the good straight roads and the villages that seemed thriving with plenty of livestock and newly built houses. Many of those were still traditionally round in shape and Wendy, our cheerful tour-guide driver, explained why. “The Zulus believe it helps ancestors to recognise their old homes,” she said. “It’s also for the snakes; they like to curl up in corners but with circular walls they keep on going and out the door again! And for the Zulus, ownership of the livestock is a way of life — especially the cows… It’s a strictly observed tradition that man must pay a lobolo of 11 cows to the parents of his prospective bride.” “A sort of dowry in reverse,” I queried. “What about second or third wives?” “Oh, it has to be paid every time. Zulu men have to be rich to practise polygamy! When I told an American tourist that, he said he’d be in clover, given the numbers of cattle he had on his ranch.” Over the next days we learned more about the Zulus. In the 19th century, young men also had to “wash their spears” (in blood) before being allowed to marry. It was a powerful incentive. They were eager for battle and when the British misguidedly invaded Zululand it was to terrible, devastating cost. We stayed at Fugitive’s Drift Lodge while touring the battlefields, previously run by David and Nicky Rattray and now by their son Andrew. David pioneered the idea of the tours. He believed passionately that the stories of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift should be told and preserved for posterity. He is no longer alive but he was loved by the Zulus and was one of South Africa’s great heroes. Our room at the lodge, with its veranda and views over the historic estate, was comfortable and colonial in style; the thermos of chilled water, the barrel of meltingly light shortbread and the flowered cosy over the teapot awakened old memories. The beautiful

}Sandra and Michael Howard’s visit to KwaZulu-Natal was arranged by Africa Travel (020 7843 3586; africatravel.co.uk). A five-star, 10-day trip, with three nights each at Fugitive’s Drift Lodge, Thonga Beach Lodge &Beyond Phinda Mountain Lodge costs from £3,190 per person, to include British Airways flights, Budget hire car, all meals and activities at Phinda and Thonga.

16

|

|

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.