WIN! Two vouchers for Taj Cape Town worth R35 000
January 2022 • R42.90 • Other countries R37.30 getaway.co.za @GetawayMagazine
OKAVANGO THE DELTA DELIVERS
OBIE OBERHOLZER’S
Blyde Canyon
CRAZY, COLOURFUL CUBA
From God’s other window
SEAL DIVING
EXPLORER
FORGET MERMAIDS. WE SWIM WITH ‘MERDOGS’
FRANCOIS MALHERBE ‘CURIOSITY IS A SUPERPOWER’
A RUM TIME IN KZN THE SWEET SIDE OF THE ARTISANAL LIQUOR CRAZE
GOING PSYCHO FOR CYCADS TASTING THE NEW SUPERFOOD HANGING OUT IN HAMMOCKS
BLAZING
new trails
UPFRONT
ENJOY YOUR FRIGHT I’M A NERVOUS FLYER. I WOULDN’T SAY IT’S A PHOBIA BUT I BOARD FLYING MACHINES WITH TREPIDATION. NOT IDEAL FOR A TRAVEL JOURNALIST
I
am happier in light aircraft than I am in commercial jetliners and I put that down to claustrophobia, which is a phobia of mine. Being crammed inside the slender tube of a jet with hundreds of others and barely a toilet-size window to peep out of gives me the shivers. I find small planes or choppers much nicer
because I can see all around me. It s more like proper flying, like what birds do, until vertigo kicks in and then I want to yowl like a hadeda that s just leapt off a roof. But there is some security in being close to a pilot, seeing how they operate the machine and realising that if they re not nervous steering around a
The Crone drone.
Ed’s Letter
thunderhead or riding summer afternoon thermals in 45°C heat, then it s going to be okay and you can give yourself over to the thrill. Some thrills have got the better of me. I ve done the walk of shame at Maun airport carrying a heavy airsick bag past a line of tourists waiting to embark on their own joyride. My demise, however, was self induced, bouncing back and forth from port to starboard photographing the wonders of the Okavango below. I had a white knuckle descent into Mana Pools once gazing wide eyed at the pilot as he fought the heat rising up the Zambezi Escarpment. But after experiencing the wonders of the valley, the trip out of there was delightful as we popped up like a champagne cork and bounced all the way to Harare. I once walked alongside an old chopper pilot so emphysemic that he had to stop every few metres to catch his breath on the way to his aircraft. But up in the air, untethered from Earth, he was a king. We pay homage to a great bush pilot in this issue and the destinations such legends connect us to, like the Okavango Delta, which is wonderful to gaze down upon and just as remarkable to explore in a slender canoe, poling through calm waters that mirror the sky. We even fly underwater with the merdogs of the ocean, and let loose on horseback over the arid plains of Namibia, a sensation as close to flight as any human can achieve. We gaze at the Blyde River Canyon from a vantage point more spectacular than Gods Window, and flit off over the seas for a visual extravaganza in Cuba. Wherever your adventures take you, here s wishing you happy landings, and a year full of thrills.
ANTON CRONE editorial@getaway.co.za @antoncrone SPEAK TO US:
GETAWAY.CO.ZA
GETAWAYMAGAZINE
@GETAWAYMAGAZINE
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
003
⁄J A N
2 0 2 2
64 022 A Rum Pum Pum Pum Sugarcane is being put to good use in KZN
064 Hello From The Other Side The Blyde River Canyon – less travelled
COVER PHOTO MELANIE VAN ZYL PHOTOGRAPHY JAY CABOZ; CARRIE HAMPTON; MELANIE VAN ZYL; GETTY IMAGES
078 That Seals It Diving with the merdogs off Duiker Island
094 Delta Force The Okavango Delta … on the cheap, and not so cheap
003 The Editor
86
The Ed prefers to stay grounded
006 Contributors Inspiring you to travel, too
010 The Big Picture ‘Mirror, mirror on the ground…’ Take a look at the Bolivian salt flats
013 Wow Factors & News Happy Tweede Nuwe Jaar to you all
78
016 Readers’ Mail and Gallery Send us your thoughts and best shots
032 This Month’s Personality Francois Malherbe is on the right track – literally and figuratively
034 The Thread Wings over Africa
086 Urban Safari Maun, Botswana – not just for filling up and heading off
046 Gear When life is tough, hang in there
050 Nature Cycads – Mariepskop in Limpopo
108 Food Dishes that’ll give you the blues… but in a good way
036 Portfolio Cuba through the lens of Obie Oberholzer
058 Getaway Gallery Amazing prizes to be won in our photo competition
122 Last Look at the photography of Obie Oberholzer
004
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
SHOP
GETAWAY SHOP
p114⁄
GETAWAY GUIDE
p118
Editor ANTON CRONE
Editorial Team Managing Editor ALAN VALKENBURG Sub Editor LORRAINE KEARNEY Photojournalist and Gear Editor MATTHEW STERNE Photojournalist LAUREN DOLD
Creative Team Group Art Director ANDREA KÜHN Art Director SHERIZAAN BASSIER Senior Designer ACHMAT BOOLEY Junior Designer ASLAM EBRAHIM
SUBSCRIBE
and stand a chance to win one of seven stunning holidays
Digital Team
p121
Digital Content Producer ANITA FRONEMAN Interns ASHNA BRIJMOHUN, DAVID HENNING, TAYLAH STRAUSS
Contributors JAY CABOZ, LUCY CORNE, CARRIE HAMPTON, MIA LOUW, CHRIS MARAIS, JESS NICHOLSON, OBIE OBERHOLZER, LOUZEL LOMBARD STEYN, DIANNE TIPPING-WOODS, MELANIE VAN ZYL
Production, Business and Sales Team Sales Director RYAN NICOLE Head of Travel PETER FROST Operations Director RASHIED RAHBEENI Creative Content Director ROCHELLE MALHERBE Account Managers ELZANNE BOTES, JEAN DE RIDDER, RUBEN FREEMANTLE, CALEB MUSABAYANE, JUSTIN ALEXANDER Getaway Gear RUBEN FREEMANTLE Getaway Guide ELZANNE BOTES, RUBEN FREEMANTLE Production Manager RUSHAAN HOLLIDAY Deputy Production Manager MAGGIE WASSERFALL Ad Design Studio Manager BRUMILDA FREDERICKS
Directors Chief Executive Officer KEVIN FERGUSON Managing Director TONY WALKER Financial Director LINDSEY MAKRYGIANNIS Production Director BILQEES ALLIE HR Director RIZQAH JAKOET Legal Director TRACEY STEWART Chief Technology Officer ADRIAN BROWN B2B Sales Director FIDELE KIBONGE CTP Ltd Directors PAUL JENKINS, TERRY MOOLMAN, TONY HOWARD, SERVAAS DE KOCK
94
Editorial Enquiries editorial@getaway.co.za Advertising Enquiries 021 416 0141 | ryan@ramsaymedia.co.za Subscription Enquiries channel@hsm.co.za
Published by RamsayMedia (Pty) Ltd Company registration number: 1934/005460/07 ISSN number: 1682-5136 Cape Town head office Tel 021 530 3300 Fax 021 531 3333 36 Old Mill Road, Ndabeni, 7405
WI N 113 Vouchers for Taj Cape Town worth R35 000 that can be used for meals, spa treatments or accommodation
RamsayMedia is owned by Highbury Media & CTP Ltd. Highbury Media holds the controlling interest in RamsayMedia. RamsayMedia is managed by Highbury Media’s board of directors: RamsayMedia supports press and media freedom, the defence and advancement of freedom of expression and access to information for all South Africans. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying or otherwise without the prior written permission of the copyright owners, RamsayMedia, 36 Old Mill Road, Ndabeni, 7405. While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of advice and information given to readers, the editor, proprietors and publishers cannot accept responsibility for any damages or inconvenience that may arise from incorrect information.
46
Printing by CTP Printers, Boompies Street, Parow, and distributed by RNA, 12 Nobel Street, Industria West, Johannesburg.
Average monthly sales ABC Q3 (Jul to Sep 2021) Total circulation: 16 363
Lucy Corne Carrie Hampton AI N ’ T N O M AUN HI GH EN OU GH ( P 8 6)
Are you the troublemaker? asked a small girl as Carrie arrived at a guest house in Knysna. Trouble maker travel writer easily confused. Still, out of the mouth of babes! Carrie specialises in writing about southern and east Africa safaris. After visiting more than 250 safari lodges, and writing coffee table books, guide books and hundreds of travel articles, she got her social media name when a British friend exclaimed: You are such a safari tart! Follow her on Instagram @safari_tart and see her portfolio on carriehamptontravelwriter.com
A R UM P UM P UM ( P 2 2)
Lucy is an award-winning travel, food and drinks writer based in Cape Town. She is best known for writing about beer but for this issue she swapped grain for cane and headed up to KZN to check out the province s field-to-glass rum distilleries. As well as discovering a taste for the end product, she fell in love with the process and its many and wonderful aromas. This summer you might even find her swapping her usual pint of IPA for a cool mojito or a tasty sunset rum on the rocks.
Obie Oberholzer C R A Z Y, CO LO U R F U L C U B A (P 3 6)
Obie s photographic career began when, at the age of 10, he took a picture that straightened the leaning tower of Pisa in the frame and made the nearby church complex lean over. Only his mother found it funny. It led to studies in art at Stellenbosch University and the Bayerische Staatslehr-Anstaltr Fotografie in Munich. After returning to South Africa in 1974, Obie embarked on a legendary career with more than 13 photographic books, about 35 solo exhibitions in South Africa and 11 exhibitions in Europe. A long time contributor to Getaway, this month Obie leads us on a visual journey of crazy, colourful Cuba.
Mia Louw P S YCH O F OR C YC ADS (P 50 )
Photojournalist Mia is fascinated by South Africans choice of biomes for holiday destinations. Are you a mountain man, bushveld being or do you prefer bodies of water? She lived near the Eastern Cape s coastline for almost a decade and currently enjoys the Slowveld, while navigating Jozi s jungle half of the year. A recent trip to Kampersrus in Limpopo made her realise you can have your cake and eat it, too. The ocean might be 350km away but with the mighty Drakensberg, bushveld and the Blyde River, you don t have to choose. 006
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
PHOTOGRAPHY BJORN LAUEN, OBIE OBERHOLZER, SUPPLIED
CONTRIBUTORS
WEALTH IS ABOUT MUCH MORE THAN MONEY It’s about how you see yourself, the impact you want to make, the legacy you want to leave, your priorities for today and tomorrow. Together with your ˛ ȁƊȁƧǞƊǶ ȯǶƊȁȁƵȲ ةȌɐȲ ɈƵƊǿ ȌǏ ƵɮȯƵȲǞƵȁƧƵƮ ȺȯƵƧǞƊǶǞȺɈȺ ǐȌ ɈȌ ǐȲƵƊɈ ǶƵȁǐɈǘȺ ɈȌ understand what really drives you. Then we offer you a range of specialist wealth management solutions to help you grow, protect, leverage and ultimately, transfer your wealth for generations to come.
TAKE YOUR WEALTH FURTHER ADVICE | RETIREMENT | PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT | FIDUCIARY ²ȯƵƊDz ɈȌ ɯȌɐȲ ˛ ȁƊȁƧǞƊǶ ȯǶƊȁȁƵȲ ȌȲ ɨǞȺǞɈ ȌǶƮǿɐɈɐƊǶخƧȌخɹƊشɩƵƊǶɈǘخ
WEALTH DO GREAT THINGS EVERY DAY Old Mutual Wealth is an elite service offering brought to you by several licensed FSPs in the Old Mutual Group.
UPFRONT
Big Picture
Photo: Shutterstock.com
010
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
Mirror Image The enormous Salar de Uyuni salt flats, which cover more than 10 000km of the Bolivian Highlands, are spectacular any time of year. In January’s rainy season, however, a thin sheet of water gathers on the surface forming the largest mirror on the planet, reflecting the sky – and the people who walk on the flats – in perfect symmetry, as if they are walking on clouds.
UPFRONT
News
WO W FACTO RS
TWEEDE NUWE JAAR What are the origins of the Second New Year tradition? During the 19th century, Dutch settlers celebrated New Year in a big way, with an annual feast and much indulgence. The next day, 2 January, the slaves of the Cape were given a rare day off, to celebrate however they chose. Even after slavery was abolished in 1834, the tradition of celebrating 2 January continued. It has evolved into the festive Cape Town Minstrel Carnival we know today. In the 1900s, the carnival moved around a few locations but in 1907 it was organised by the Green Point Cricket Club and moved to the Green Point Track, which became tradition. Throughout the apartheid years, the carnival was moved around after forced displacement, and in 1967 it was
banned from Green Point Stadium – now called Green Point Athletics Stadium, which sits next to Cape Town Stadium. Illegal gathering Acts in the 1970s also hampered the carnival as the troupes couldn’t get together to practise. After years of trying to keep the tradition alive in the Cape, the event returned to its original route in 1989, from District Six to Green Point Stadium. Tweede Nuwe Jaar is a link between the past, the present and the future, a wonderful celebration of incredible community resilience through the days of slavery, segregagtion and apartheid. The carnival was cancelled in 2021 because of Covid, but the minstrels hope to return in January 2022.
13 000 63 000 MINSTRELS Between 1652 and 1808, about
AS MANY AS
slaves were brought to the Cape
join the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival each year
The festival is also known as
“Kaapse Klopse”
USE OF THE
GHOEMA DRUM
dates back to the early 1900s, and these distinctive drums are still used in the carnival today
(from the Dutch word for clubs)
Sources: Psychology Today, Britannica, History Channel, UCT Library
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
013
UPFRONT
News
What’s on this month (Depending on Covid-19 restrictions) RED MEN TRAIL RUN 8 January
Start the new year the right way with a trail run through the Outeniqua, starting and finishing at Herold Wines. Choose from a 5km fun run, a 12km or an 18km route and enjoy a well deserved picnic lunch and wine tasting afterwards. Fun run entry: R80 12km and 18km: R310 entryninja.com
What the fright? Many phobias are part of people’s everyday lives. You can’t get in a lift without hearing about claustrophobia; we know that spiders are unwelcome in an arachnophobe’s house, and everyone has a friend with a fear of flying (aerophobia). Here are some more obscure phobias you may not have heard of: Alektorophobia – fear of chickens Pogonophobia – fear of beards Nephophobia – fear of clouds Cryophobia – fear of ice or cold Chronomentrophobia – fear of clocks Ephebiphobia – fear of teenagers Pteridophobia – fear of ferns Porphyrophobia – fear of the color purple Genuphobia – fear of knees Onomatophobia – fear of names Phobophobia – fear of phobias
ATTAKWAS EXTREME 15 January
ULTIMATE BEVERAGE EXPERIENCE 27–29 January
Hosted by the Cape Town International Convention Centre, the Ultimate Beverage Experience showcases South Africa’s finest locally made small batch beverages. Learn about the process of creating these drinks while sipping on the products themselves. Tickets from R200 quicket.co.za
014
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1 January 1502 – Portuguese explorers land at Guanabara Bay on the coast of South America and name it Rio de Janeiro (River of January). 3 January 1924 – British Egyptologist Howard Carter finds the sarcophagus of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor after years of searching. 4 January 1809 – Louis Braille is born in France. Blinded at the age of three, at 15 he invents a reading system for the blind that has remained largely unchanged and is still used today. 7 January 1714 – A patent is issued for the first typewriter, designed by British inventor Henry Mill ‘for the impressing or transcribing of letters singly or progressively one after another, as in writing’, but the first functioning typewriter is only built in 1808.
17 January 1773 – Her Majesty’s ship Resolution, sailing under Captain James Cook, becomes the first vessel to cross the Antarctic Circle. 21 January 1976 – Concorde supersonic jets depart from Heathrow in London and Orly in Paris simultaneously with the first paying passengers on board, cruising at twice the speed of sound. 24 January 1972 – Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi is discovered on Guam after spending 28 years hiding in the jungle, not knowing World War II had long since ended. 25 January 1959 – An American Airlines Boeing 707 makes the first scheduled transcontinental US flight, travelling from California to New York.
PHOTOGRAPHY GALLO/ GETTY IMAGES ILLUSTRATION JESS NICHOLSON
South Africa’s toughest extreme one-day mountain bike race is back to test mind, body and machine. This adventure winds through the desert and mountains of the Klein Karoo, finishing along the beautiful Garden Route coast. Attakwas Extreme: 121km Attakwas Half: 52km atta.co.za
GO FIND THE PASS.
www.gwm.co.za
UPFRONT
Readers’ Mail
Post AMUSE, INFORM AND AMAZE US WITH YOUR STORIES AND PHOTOS
WINNING LETTER The wrinklies road trip My husband, two friends and I all circling around our 70s recently went on a road trip, with the Baviaanskloof the highlight. Over the course of a few days, we travelled from Hermanus, along Route 62, to Oudtshoorn. Then on to De Rust, beautiful Meiringspoort and Willowmore. The next day, we proceeded into the Baviaans with our 4×2 Ford Montana Bakkie, 2006 model. Driving along all seemed so peaceful. We stopped for delicious roosterkoek at Veros. And then entered through the gates of the Baviaans. We paid our fees and proceeded on our way, looking out for all the buffalo we were warned were roaming the roads. What we were not warned about, however, were the roads . Or as we discovered, the almost non-existent roads we had to navigate. It was, to quote Jeremy Clarkson, bottom clenching . With a good navigator, the excellent driver could guide us through the deep drifts, dongas and huge rocks. We eventually completed a 200km trip in
just over six hours. That must have been the most exhilarating drive we ve ever tackled. We spent the night in a guest cottage near Patensie. The next day we had a leisurely drive to Addo National Park, where we spent a night. We were very fortunate to see many animals as well as a lion kill. The park is still one of our favourites. Having driven back down through the park we made our way to the Storms River Village, where we spent a night at the beautiful Tsitsikhaya Lodge. We then carried on to Mossel Bay, probably our favourite holiday destination, for a two-night stay. While there, we took a drive to Friemersheim, a little village about 15km from Mossel Bay. We discovered a real treasure there, where the majority of the cottages have at least one wall painted in animal scenes. The murals are phenomenal and all painted by a resident of the village. Absolutely astounding. Anne Lilly Hermanus
Win! Sounds like a very memorable trip Anne! You win a Black Diamond Spot 350 Headlamp worth R950. Email your letters (no more than 250 words) to editorial@getaway.co.za. Getaway reserves the right to edit letters to style.
016
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
SOC I AL M ED I A
We asked: What is the one song that makes you think of summer holidays?
‘We’re all going on a summer holiday. No more working for a week or two!’ Wayne Mott
Summer of ’69 Sally-Ann Lotter
I Want to Break Free - Queen Neville John Bohmer
Rhythm of the Night by DeBarge Winifred Larey
Leaving on a Jet Plane Darren Lloyd-Evans
KP/13800/E
Super cheap
Strangely simple insurance
Insuring with King Price is so cheap and simple, it feels strange. The good kind of strange. For royal service, partner with the king of insurance.
For a quote, SMS ‘king’ to 43818 Standard SMS rates apply
kingprice.co.za
UPFRONT
Readers’ Mail
Albino jackal? I m writing as a researcher, conservationist and MSc student in response to one of the articles posted in the November issue of Getaway. First of all, I love your magazine and always buy the next copy. I was lucky to have one of my photos in your social media spread last month (a leopard). So hopefully my comment here is taken as it s meant, a simple observation and query. I was reading the article by Hannes Lochner about Namibia and have a comment: I don t believe the jackal photographed was actually albino I believe it s similar to the white jackals of Dinokeng, which were confirmed not albino by Wits researchers, but had a recessive gene similar to the white lions of the Timbavati. Anyway, love the magazine as always. Please keep putting forward epic content.
well be the case. Even though the photographer would not have been able to scientifically ascertain whether this chance sighting was of an albino jackal or not, we should have allowed for that possibility and explained it in the caption.
Winners! What is this? This log with these strange tube-like organisms washed up on the Plett beach in September. Any idea what it is? Maybe one of your readers knows? Andrew de Kock Fourways
Ed s response: We ve found the answer, but we invite you to write to editorial@getaway.co.za and identify these organisms. The first correct response will win a Black Diamond Spot 350 Headlamp worth R950.
A week-long stay for two at the Bayview Hotel in Plett worth R17 750 ‘Thank you Getaway for rewarding me with such an amazing prize! I have only been to Plett once and have only been to the ocean a few times over the last five or so years, and to be doing it in such luxury is just so exciting! Thank you.’ – Jonathan Jacobs
Annie DuPre
‘What a delightful surprise to learn that I’d won a week-long stay in Plettenberg, thanks to the Bayview Hotel and Getaway magazine. I look forward to participating in the recommended activities made by the hotel team and allowing myself downtime. Thank you once again.’ – Cheryl Moodley
018
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
SPEAK TO US:
GETAWAY.CO.ZA
GETAWAYMAGAZINE
@GETAWAYMAGAZINE
PHOTOGRAPHY ANNE LILLY, HANNES LOCHNER, ANDREW DE KOCK, SUPPLIED
Ed s response: Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Annie. This could
Share Your Shot OUR PICK OF READERS’ TRAVEL PHOTOS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
YVETTE EBERTSOHN @yvette_ebertsohn
Hout Bay, Cape Town
MEGAN FISHER @meganfisher_wildlife
Kruger National Park
M AT T H E W D U R E L L @matt_durell
Kruger National Park
TA G U S
IN YOUR IMAGES ON INSTAGRAM @GetawayMagazine
020
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
UPFRONT
Readers’ Gallery
BENJAMIN PEARCE @ravens.adventures74
H A R D U S S WA R T @ h a n d m . p h o t o s
LOUISE VICTOR @louise.victorphotography
Boulders Beach, Simon’s Town
Wale Street, Bo-Kaap, Cape Town
Chobe National Park, Botswana
JOUBERT TULLEKEN @jubasjourney
JUDY CRONJE @sa_sigeuner
S A A N I YA P O C H A @ w i l d g i r l p h o t o g r a p h y _
Koppieskraalpan, Northern Cape
Sandveld Nature Reserve, Free State
Johannesburg
HARDUS COETZEE @hardliehome
CHRIS BRIGHTON @cbrighton_photography
J O A NA B O R G E S @ j o a n a _ o n _ s a f a r i
Savuti, Botswana
Madikwe Game Reserve
Karoo National Park
TRAVEL
022
Kwazulu-Natal
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
TRAVEL
KwaZulu-Natal
THERE’S A RUM TIME TO BE HAD IN KZN, WHERE THE CRAFT BOOZE CRAZE HAS INSPIRED TWO PIONEERING SPIRITS Words Lucy Corne
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
023
TRAVEL
KwaZulu-Natal
S
ugar cane is everywhere in KZN, something I discover less than an hour after landing in Durban. Driving north towards Zululand, stray pieces of plant matter fly through the air, an occasional leaf fluttering across my windscreen. A couple of cars ahead I spot the culprit a large truck whose open trailer carries something that looks a lot like dead branches. Suddenly these trucks are everywhere, carrying what turns out to be freshly harvested sugar cane up and down the N2 highway. It is a time-sensitive task. Sugar cane is a seriously perishable product, its high sugar content causing it to start fermenting within minutes. This goes a long way to explaining why rum distilleries aren t found throughout the country like gin-makers or craft brewers. Surprisingly though, the province has only two distilleries specialising in rum. It is at the oldest of the two, Tapanga, that I begin my education.
PREVIOUS PAGE Seafield Farm's induna (headman), Linganisela Mdotyeni, has been working at the farm since 1997. RIGHT There are more than 20 000 registered sugar cane growers in SA, split across KZN and Mpumalanga but a mere fraction goes to rum production. BELOW It's a laborious job, chopping sugar cane by hand, but at least it smells amazing.
AFRICAN SPIRIT Driving the farm roads to reach the distillery I ve seen a lot of sugar cane on my way here from Durban. Growing to heights of five or six metres, the plant has reed-like leaves and looks nothing like the blackened sticks I had spotted on the back of so many trucks en route. Was it actually the same plant? Most definitely, says Grant Galloway, managing director of Tapanga Rum. We are in the middle of the milling season at the moment, which lasts from April to December. The cane is harvested and taken to the sugar mills, but sugar cane has a lot of external leaves and matter, so farmers first burn off the leaves to make harvesting easier. Sugar cane has been grown on this family farm for a century, although
rum is a fairly recent addition. The farm owner had business interests in Mauritius, Grant says, and one day on a visit there he started to wonder why nobody in the sugar cane regions of South Africa was making rum. The farm sold its first bottle in 2014 and what was inside was a landmark in the South African drinks industry. What we make is a rhum agricole, which means it s made from sugar cane rather than from molasses, Grant tells me. Mainstream rums in South Africa are all produced with molasses, a byproduct of the sugar-making process. There are some legal issues with using the term rhum agricole though, Grant adds, so we call ours a rhum Africole. We are pioneering an African spirit that s very different and new to the market here. JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
025
TRAVEL
KwaZulu-Natal
CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT Crushing the cane at Tapanga; David Shongwe keeps an eye on Tapanga's still; Although it's great neat, rum is still the classic cocktail spirit; Pulling a sample from the barrel to take tasting notes; Keeping an eye on the temperature is crucial when making the cuts.
EVER-CHANGING AROMAS Tapanga bills itself as a farm to bottle distillery and visitors get to experience the entire process. It begins with the crushing of the cane, which produces a murky juice that tastes like brown sugar, but with a freshness you don t find in a spoonful of demerara. From here the juice is pumped into stainless steel tanks where it ferments for about a week. As I pass the fermenters I notice a new aroma, reminiscent of ripe bananas a sign of muchdesired esters being formed in the freshly fermented juice. The juice is then distilled and with production at Tapanga in full swing, I get to see the still in action a machine that, with a different colour palette, wouldn t be out of place in a Dr Seuss story. Once diluted with rain water, Tapanga s rum is sold either as white rum or barrelled and aged for several years. The barrel room is a recent addition to the farm, built during the downtime created by 2020 s multiple alcohol bans. We taste from the barrels and a new wave of aromas hits my nostrils as we sip rums made long before Covid existed in our lexicon. There s vanilla, honey, a hint of banana and a grassy funk that is the trademark of agricole or Africole rums. Tapanga Visits to the distillery, which include a tasting, must be booked in advance. info@tapangarum.com; tapangarum.com
026
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
TRAVEL
KwaZulu-Natal
KZN Drinks Menu I T ’S N OT J UST A BO U T RU M Rum isn’t the only beverage that’s crafted in KZN. For “crop to cup” coffee, check out Beaver Creek Estate just outside Port Edward. You can join a full tour with tasting, grab coffee and cake, or just buy a bag of beans to take home. It’s not exactly prime grape-growing country, but there are vineyards in KZN, too. The oldest is Abingdon Wine Estate on the Midlands Meander, known for its outstanding restaurant. Nearby is Highgate Wine Estate, whose elegant tasting room serves cheese platters alongside its four flagship wines. Further east in the Drakensberg is Cathedral Peak Wine Estate, offering tastings looking over the Drakensberg. Not far away, an ambitious farmer grows hops, a fickle plant not native to this part of the world. Most local microbreweries import their ingredients though, either from the Western Cape or from overseas. The oldest is The Nottingham Road Brewing Company, which opened in 1996. Also on the Midlands Meander is Lions River Craft Brewery, offering fine views and German beers. From here head east to 1000 Hills Brewing Company, home to three distinct beer brands, and then to Stumpnose Brewery in Kloof with its funky taproom and craft bottle store.
Lions River Craft Brewrey
028
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
IN-FLIGHT INSPIRATION With the tour complete, I bid farewell and head southwest, the aroma of a freshly detailed rental car offering something of a let-down after my midmorning olfactory awakening. But happily there is more rum in my immediate future. After two and a half hours, I spot the sign for Sugar Baron Craft Distillery, situated on Seafield Farm, 35km south of Pietermaritzburg. As I hit the farm tracks flanked by sugar cane, I keep leaping out of my car to attempt to capture the surroundings on film but I m working against the clock. Another of those huge trucks is trundling up the road behind me, whipping up the kind of dust that will not only ruin a photo but also the camera that took it. The truck is here to fill its trailer with freshly charred and chopped cane to deliver to the nearby sugar mill. I might be here for the rum, but the vast majority of Seafield s cane is destined for the mill and later for your cake or coffee. Brad O Neill s family has been farming here for three generations but it was only in 2018 that Brad and his wife Marisa began to dabble in rum an idea that took hold on a plane ride from Durban to Cape Town. The inspiration came in the form of an infographic on the cover of an in-flight magazine telling readers how to make Mauritian rum . Brad thumbed straight to the article and by the time they landed in the Mother City, the plan to open a rum distillery on the family farm had taken hold.
ABOVE The O'Neills grow 12 different varieties of sugar cane on their 300ha farm. BELOW The sugar cane harvest lasts several months, kicking off in April and continuing until the end of the year.
Sugar Baron opened in November 2019 terrible timing when you consider that they would be unable to sell their product for four of the next 12 months. They used their time well though, building a truly charming tasting room, something I m eager to experience. But Brad and Marisa are rightly proud of their estate rum and want me to follow the process from the start, so first we head into the fields.
CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT Marisa O'Neill completes another distillation run at Sugar Baron; Fresh from the field, handharvested sugar cane; Rum and biltong – a surprisingly tasty pairing.
NEW ENCOUNTERS
CHARACTERS OF THE CRAFT
Martin Meyer,
Craig Sutton,
STUDENT AT 1000 HILLS CHEF SCHOOL
OWNER OF NGWENI RAILROAD BREWERY
‘The recent blossoming of craft alcohols, particularly beer and gin, has opened up a plethora of new and exciting ways for me to consider food and drink pairings as a chef. The cosmopolitan dining styles of KZN have also been a huge influence in broadening my culinary horizons.’
‘I love the year-round sunshine and outdoor seating that KZN eateries offer. Since Covid-19 hit, I’ve witnessed a new awareness and appreciation for simple, freshly prepared foods and a genuine interest for craft-brewed drinks. This is an exciting time to be starting my craft brewery in Hluhluwe.’
Thulani Memela,
David Shongwe,
HEAD BREWER AT NOTTINGHAM ROAD BREWING COMPANY
HEAD DISTILLER AT TAPANGA RUM
‘There is nothing more exciting than seeing people from all over the world drinking and enjoying the product I have made with my own hands.’
‘I really like the fact that we are pioneering rum in Zululand and creating a product from locally grown sugar cane. I’m proud to be a part of this journey.’
FIELD TO GLASS Harvesting is under way here a laborious process carried out entirely with pangas. That telltale aroma of demerara sugar is in the air, emanating from recently burnt sections of the farm. I wanted you to be here for the burn, says Brad, but we are expecting a storm so we needed to do it before the bad weather arrived. We walk past the burnt fields, heading instead to a lush corner where an eight-strong team is chopping down fresh, green cane, painstakingly removing the outer leaves by hand. We use unburnt cane for our rums, Brad explains. We want to get that smoky character from the barrel rather than the burn and to retain as much of the fresh, funky character as we can in our rums. Sugar Baron is about as artisanal as a distillery can be. Once the day s cane has been harvested, it is juiced one stalk at a time in a table-top crusher. The juice is green both in appearance and flavour a grassy, fresh character that is quite distinct from the subtle caramelised notes of the juice from cane that s been burnt. From here the process follows that of Tapanga s, albeit on a smaller scale. The juice is fermented, distilled and aged before being bottled or barrelled. Sugar Baron s barrel room is also its tasting room and it is a delightful place to sit and sample rum. We work through the estate s trio, sipping each rum neat and then pairing them first with biltong and later with rum fudge.
PHOTOGRAPHY LUCY CORNE, SHANNA MORENO PHOTOGRAPHY, SUPPLIED
RIGHT A controlled burn. The cane is set ablaze to remove the outer leaves, making harvesting easier.
TRAVEL
KwaZulu-Natal
With the tour and tasting complete, I pack up my car with bottles of rum and boxes of fudge and make my way back to the main road. As I hit the first of many stop/gos, the sky darkens and the aroma of crème brûlée fills the car. A few large pieces of ash land on my windscreen and I suddenly see the blaze. Roaring flames reach 10 to 15 metres into the air as another section of sugar cane is prepped for the mill. I smile at the timing it s the last piece of the puzzle and I feel that my intro to rum production is complete. Now all I have to do is slowly polish off the samples I have stashed in my luggage and that, at least, is something I feel I am capable of achieving without any outside assistance. Sugar Baron Book ahead for a distillery tour and tasting in the barrel room. From R350 pp including lunch. 082 688 7581 sugarbaron.co.za
Stay Here THE HATCHERY Rustic and relaxed, this former prawn farm has simple “flashpacker” rooms, cottages and a couple of retro caravans. It’s a great location right on the edge of the Matigulu River, a 20min drive from Tapanga. Double from R1 170 (high season) 082 337 4572 (WhatsApp), thehatchery.co.za.
SEAFIELD FARM (OPENING SOON) There is a spacious and well-equipped cottage at Seafield Farm, mere steps from where the magic happens at Sugar Baron. Renovations are under way and the cottage, with its magnificent views over the sugar cane fields, will be available to rent in early 2022.
TALA COLLECTION GAME RESERVE About 50km from Sugar Baron, Tala offers selfcatering cottages, B&B accommodation and luxury lodges dotted about its 3 000 hectares. Wildlife includes hippo, buffalo, giraffe, various antelope and some friendly warthog that keep the lawns neat.
Ashton Wold Estate
Self-catering from R1 000; bed and breakfast from R1 460. 031 781 8000, tala.co.za
RAWDONS HOTEL This quaint country hotel on the Midlands Meander has vast lawns, a cosy pub and best of all, a brewery on the premises. Double rooms from R2 200 including breakfast. 033 266 6044, rawdons.co.za
Tala Collection Game Reserve
ASHTON WOLD ESTATE This idylic farm estate is close to the Karlkoof Nature Reserve, a variety
of mountain bike trails, many restaurants and coffee shops in and around the town of Howick. Four selfcatering lodges sleep
from two up to six people. From R800 per cottage per night – minimum four nights. 082 440 1882, ashtonwold.co.za
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
031
UPFRONT
Personality
CURIOSITY SKILLED THE CAT A MEMBER OF THE EXPLORERS CLUB AND FOUNDER OF CURIOSITY COMPANY, FRANCOIS MALHERBE USES TRACKING TECHNIQUES TO HELP YOUNGSTERS UNDERSTAND ANOTHER UNKNOWN ENVIRONMENT: THEMSELVES Interview by Matthew Sterne
T
he most interesting part of the animal tracking process comes, Francois Malherbe says, when you lose the spoor. You start creating a narrative for the animal, what they call inner and outer tracking, and you tap into your intuition. It s this aspect that struck a nerve for Francois. In the narrative of his own life, the watershed moments have often been
guided by his intuition, as if the natural world was slowly revealing his life path. Born in Sabi, the son of a forest manager, he moved in his matric year to the Garden Route, an experience that was unsettling but allowed him to discover elephant footprints above Jubilee Creek. My father had keys for all those gates in the reserves that say Do Not Enter , he explains. Cut to the age of 23 and Francois found himself sailing in the Mediterranean for a year, unsure of his future. He realised he wanted to help other lost people find their path. And that has been my motivation ever since. How are we going to help the next generation not stress about the next steps? Things are changing so fast and young people are not equipped properly. The most telling moment came a few years later when Francois went on a guide training course. The tracking was an immersive exercise that absolutely had my attention. You lose yourself in trying to understand: why did it go in this direction, what is happening, what is the spoor saying? Then I realised, this is the absolute embodiment of curiosity, and I can use it as a vehicle to catalyse it with my students. Since then, he s become a sponsored explorer for Fjällräven and is a member of the revered The Explorers Club in New York. Yet it s the career guidance, where students take the basic principles behind animal tracking and apply them to their own bodies, hearts and minds that have seen people the world over take notice. Curiosity encapsulates the work I do. If you merge an explorer, a career coach and a guide, you get me. We use expeditions in Africa to teach young explorers how to be curious. When you actually go and build a relationship with an unknown environment whether it s tracking a wild animal, trying to understand your senses for the first time in a while or picking up clues from nature it s connecting the dots. It took me 10 years to realise that curiosity is a superpower to develop. It s the golden thread throughout coaching, throughout design thinking and the expeditions. It s the one thing that drove ancient explorers to set forth and the one thing that will help us understand the future better. On past trips, we’ve taken young explorers to visit a National Geographic fellow in the Caprivi doing work to mitigate confrontations between lions and communities, and a conservationist who is studying how light pollution affects animal behaviour in the Kruger. We visit different places in Southern Africa, from the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe to the Okavango Delta.
032
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
I take high school groups of between 12 and 20. Our aim is to develop expedition grants so we can also take non-paying students. Your body is the best clue giver to potential in your life. We ve become numb to these signals though. Bush experiences teach you to notice and observe, and then reflect on that, after which you start to learn who you are. For example, if we re sitting in a coffeeshop and I hear the words Land Cruiser or Ernest Hemingway, I will have a somatic reaction. I would turn my head without thinking. I want kids to reconnect with that again. If you listen to your body, you can figure out how you feel. If you start observing your somatic reactions you ll have a better idea of what motivates you. That s why tracking is amazing. You start to trust your intuition again, your gut, and those are the things, at the end of the day, that should help you make better decisions in your life. The Explorers Club supports young explorers who want to go out and make the world a better place, especially in terms of complex environmental problems. It s more than 100 years old and is renowned for the many firsts accomplished by its members, such as the first to the North Pole, South Pole, Everest, deepest point in the ocean and the surface of the moon. There are still so many other ways to keep exploring. In fact, exploration has never been as important. I m also a sponsored explorer for Fjällräven, and both organisations have helped me to rethink the work the Curiosity Company does and how we can help others.
PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIED, GALLO/ GETTY IMAGES
I really want to conserve the art of tracking. We need to conserve these ancient forms of connecting with the self and Earth and building a relationship with wild animals. We support the Tracker Academy, the only one of its kind in the world that trains trackers. It has three campuses in South Africa at Samara, Londolozi and Tswalu. My vision for the Curiosity Company is that it becomes a hub for exploration in the context of careers. Young explorers can come and learn about the future of work and how they can equip themselves for it, while going on epic journeys with our team. It s the idea that this is the place where we celebrate not knowing. People can become what they want to become. It s just a matter of perseverance and daring to dream. Don t look for a point on a map. Look for a direction and a compass. We don t provide them with answers, we provide them with questions. We want to put the quest back in questions, let s make it an adventure. unravelling.co.za
WINGSOVERAFRICA IN MEMORY OF A GREAT BUSH PILOT Words Chris Marais
034
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
ILLUSTRATION JESS NICHOLSON
2
003, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Happy days, says Colin the Marabou Circuit Court outside my window. They look like Bristow as he passes me the airsick bag and flies into ruffled old judges waiting for the jury. I feel like the accused, a cloud somewhere over Zim. serving out his sentence. I am temporarily insane. Who else chugs heavy antiWe land at Impalila Island, are picked up by two rangers and malaria tablets with a half-bottle of home-grown tequila, scarfs driven to a customs and immigration shack nearby. An English a serious breakfast and goes flying in a little Cessna 210 at noon, couple who have joined us at the airstrip are making rude remarks when there s nothing up there but tatty modern-day pterodactyls, about the officials who are sort of lazing their way through the afbad-news thermals and a bush pilot with evil intentions? ternoon. It s nearly 45°C in the shade and, up here, that s what you This hell in my head begins the day before at home in Joburg. do to get through such conditions. You slop around. Didn t these We have just returned from the Karoo with a couple of bottles of Poms understand this? I want to strangle the Brits. Colin stops me. Agava Spirit, a sharp liquor distilled outside Graaff-Reinet in a huge Dawn brings a measure of sanity and a fishing expedition. There white hangar. is bird life everywhere along the banks. Lozi tribespeople pole their The stuff is so popular that they re exporting barrels of it to mokoros up and down on listless liaisons. Australians, who are mixing it into their Outback Coolers. Was this what Livingstone first saw when he came to these parts? Some say they re even sending it back to the Motherland of Maybe they weren t wearing Rolling Stones T-shirts and Chicago tequila, Mexico, because there is something wrong with the Bulls caps, but for the rest it might well be back in the 1800s and Mexican cactus that year. Wow! Look at that smoke coming from the river! Why, they re Photographer Les Bush comes around to visit. Travel writer waterfalls! Let s name them after our Queen then, shall we? Bridget Hilton-Barber pops in for lunch. I say let s road-test the We head back to the lodge and take refuge in a cup of tea while Karoo juice. They say fine. I go off to fetch Hayden, our guide, messes about in the the Agava, and remember that I have to shallows with his rod. Within minutes he HIS LITTLE CESSNA take my Larium because of the upcoming has caught a teenage tiger fish and his trip to Mosquito Country. more respectably sized uncle. can land practically And that s my big mistake, right there. You should see them when the storms anywhere. IT'S THE Larium and tequila: a monster no-no. come, says the lodge manager, Simon The following morning, hung-over to Parker, as we sit talking in the curio shop. LIFELINE TO THOUSANDS the max and filled with a kind of chemic The water boils with tigers eating the OF PEOPLE working the ally induced terror, I catch an SAA flight baitfish eating the insects. up to Bulawayo. But not before making the He tells me about a monster tiger some lodges from that side of the near-fatal mistake of diving into an English call The Steam Train. Others call him The Atlantic to this side of the breakfast at Johannesburg International. Pig with Fins. Indian Ocean Sweating profusely, I stumble off the I want to know how such a superb flight at Bulawayo, which looks like the island lodge can exist out here, with deserted set of Casablanca. nothing for company but sneaky Apart from a few Russians working on finger-biting fish and Lozi tribesmen an Antonov transport plane that streams black paraffin smoke from on mysterious mokoro missions. its engines, there s not much happening at the airport. Meat comes in from Namibia, fuel from Botswana, dry goods, Bulawayo. Whenever I go there, I expect to meet Audrey fruit and veggies from South Africa, he says. You deal with trucks, Hepburn and Grace Kelly striding down the main street, both flights, border posts and VAT running supplies into this camp is wearing those summer frocks they were famous for, with a couple a matter of genius. of adoring Hollywood extras in tow and a really corny script to It s also a matter of being mates with the right bush pilot, work with. The jacaranda-lined streets and Art Deco buildings give someone like Colin Bristow, whose little Cessna can land practically Bulawayo a 1950s look. anywhere, bearing clients, liquor, groceries, gifts, friends and news And then I stray directly into the hard glare of Colin. from afar. It s the lifeline to thousands of people working the lodges Are you ready for a big adventure? he asks, with a devilish glint from that side of the Atlantic to this side of the Indian. in his eye. He knows. Oh, he knows. And then Simon half-whispers to me: Let s take this outside. This is in January, the Deadbeat Season from the Delta to the There s a black mamba in the rafters. DRC, when mosquitoes rule and electric storms light up the skies End of interview. Also, end of hangover. I proceed to glide out of all along the Caprivi Strip. High on tequila afterburn and psychotic the Impalila curio shop like a racing mongoose with a dire case of from the medication, I waive the barfbag option and concentrate on somewhere else to go.
UPFRONT
The Thread
Crazy, colourful Cuba PHOTOGRAPHER OBIE OBERHOLZER IS LET LOOSE ON A NATION THAT RIVALS THE FLAMBOYANT COMPLEXITY OF HIS OWN MIND
036
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
PHOTOGRAPHY
Portfolio
The Colón Cemetery in Havana is one of the largest cemeteries in the world and is named after Christopher Columbus. Words can’t explain man’s obsession with his own legacy, eternity and passing. So, as I walk this cemetery’s avenues of death, I see not the darkness, the sadness, the departed, but a million reflections of light and brightness. This cemetery spans an area of more than 56 hectares with more than 500 major mausoleums, chapels and family vaults, many considered historical, architectural treasures. I find myself pausing more to think than to photograph. I fall in love with so many sculpted angels that my eyes drop a tear. I feel honoured to walk the light where a million people are buried.
RIGHT I walk Havana’s famous esplanade, the Malecón, that stretches for 8km along the city’s waterfront. My eyes and mind burst with visual sensations as I struggle to take in the passion and rhythms of this place along the ocean. Photographically, I am in a state of shock and awe. A local, dressed up like a colonial, looks at me and says: ‘Along the Malecón, you can see the whole of Cuba.’
OPPOSITE Sloppy Joe’s Bar is one of the most famous bars in the world. It reopened in 2013 after being closed for 48 years. During the 1940s and 1950s, it was a magnet for American celebrities as well as tourists wanting to mingle with them, but the Cuban Revolution put an end to that in 1959.
038
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
PHOTOGRAPHY
Portfolio
ABOVE A blue 1954 Morris Crowley is parked in front of a colonial facade in La Habana Vieja, the old city of Havana.
040
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
RIGHT People and tricycle taxis pass along the old colonial facades of Paseo de Martí in Old Havana. It is one of the most beautiful, historic promenades in Cuba.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Portfolio
LEFT Varadero is considered Cuba’s top resort. Its long beachfront, with 61 hotels, stretches for 19km along a narrow peninsula. Up until 2008, Cubans were not allowed to visit here. In most other countries, this five-star extravaganza would probably only be a three-star hotel. But remember: Cuba is like no other country. Tourists now see Cuba by lying around the pool drinking rum cocktails. Paradise.
PHOTOGRAPHY
042
Portfolio
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
PHOTOGRAPHY
Portfolio
OPPOSITE This is a look down Desengano Street in Trinidad. Stroll down this street and you’ll get a lot of talking and walking. Cubans talk most of the time. You hear music blaring out of radios or musicians playing all the way down Cuba’s streets. They live on them, and the best way to see Cuba is to walk them.
LEFT Sharing, talking, sitting, singing and living life on the streets is a thread that flows through most Cubans. Here I sneak a quick shot of some women having a chat on a street corner in the town of Viñales in the district of Pinar del Rio.
Photo: Carole Deschuymere
BELOW A tropical thunderstorm moves down from the mountains over the small coastal village of La Boca on the Ancón Peninsula. In recent years the Cuban government has relaxed its restriction on tattoo studios, so skin art has become quite popular.
044
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
PHOTOGRAPHY
Portfolio
LEFT The Malecón Esplanade, the 8km promenade along the seafront of old Havana, displays a multitude of extraordinary sights. It’s a vintage car and people parade, saturated with mood, colour, sound and visuals.
BELOW Two soldiers stand guard over the Che Guevara Mausoleum in Santa Clara. At the site there is a museum dedicated to Guevara’s life and an eternal flame lit by Fidel Castro in Che’s memory. Later, the soldiers and I seek shelter from a storm beneath the memorial. One of the soldiers tells me that his father fought the South Africans at the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale in Angola in 1987.
1 | J’ai Du Sleeping Hammock R1 400–R1 700 jaidu.co.za The most comfortable of the hammocks I tested, this one received a solid thumbs up from all I asked to climb into it. The bars on either side create a wide space to laze across and the netting makes it breathable (or breezable, as we joked). The ultimate holiday indulgence, it’s the kind of hammock you take two books to in case you finish one and need to have another handy.
LET’S HANG HAMMOCKS HAVE BEEN CALLED MANY THINGS: ONE OF LIFE’S SIMPLE PLEASURES, AN AFFORDABLE WAY TO FEEL LUXURIOUS AND A GIANT NET FOR CATCHING LAZY PEOPLE. GEAR EDITOR MATTHEW STERNE WENT THROUGH THE GRUELLING TASK OF TESTING AS MANY AS HE COULD FIND.
UPFRONT
Gear
2 | Naturehike Canvas Hammock R1 900 naturehike.co.za
PHOTOGRAPHY GARETH VAN NELSON/HMIMAGES.CO.ZA; PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT CHANELLE MANUEL STYLING MIA SMITH
Another hammock that was celebrated for its comfy-ness, this canvas option comes in two colours (antique white or dark olive green) and has a natural look and feel to it – the hessian-style rope and wood ensures this would look good in your garden or home. It comes with two long straps to help set it up, two pockets attached to the hammock and a cool carry bag.
FOLLOW US
NEED MORE TRAVEL INSPO? getaway.co.za @GetawayMagazine
3 | Natural Instincts Adjustable Hammock Stand R2 000 outdoorwarehouse.co.za When two well-placed palm trees aren’t easy to find, a hammock stand can save the day. Because of the way the poles are shaped, it’s not super easy to transport – even though it can be broken down into parts. It’s best for in your garden or on a balcony, and will ensure you’re always lying securely in your hammock.
4 | Cotton Hammock R500 outdoorwarehouse.co.za This simple cotton hammock, with a size of 200x100cm and a max load of 100kg, is best suited for children. Adults can lie in it, but not with the same confidence as the other hammocks we tested. The looped ends are reinforced with metal.
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
047
How to put up a hammock Some hammocks come with rope or straps to tie them up, but many don’t. What I’ve found to work best, though, are ratchet straps as they’re quickly fastened and can be trusted to hold. Nothing poops a hammock party like a slipped knot.
5 | J’ai Du Hammock Chair R1 650, jaidu.co.za
6 | Naturehike Africa Single Hammock R450 naturehike.co.za What sets this compact hammock apart are the loops at either end. They’re the size of a CD as opposed to a R5 coin, which means the hammock isn’t so tight to climb into – you’re more of a laptop than a taco. That makes all the difference and why I’m happy to agree with Naturehike Africa’s description that it’s a ‘bed in a pocket’.
048
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
PHOTOGRAPHY K-LEIGH SIEBRITZ/ HMIMAGES.CO.ZA; STYLING LARISSA VERMEULEN
This ‘outdoorsman’s La-Z-Boy’, as I came to call it, is as comfortable as it looks. It can work as a chair or be kicked out to work as a kind of suspended lounger. Quick and easy to assemble, as long as you have a branch or something similar to hang it off. It comes with a cushion and has 14 fabric options. For those who are a bit older, this hammock is by far the easiest to get out of.
UPFRONT
7 | Ticket to the Moon, King Hammock R950 outdoorwarehouse.co.za A brand with 20 years of hammock-making experience, Ticket to the Moon has three different sizes (it also comes in Compact R800 and Original R850), but there’s not a
Gear
huge difference in cost or weight so I’d go for the king-size option (320x230cm and 700g). The material is high-grade triple-stitched parachute nylon fabric, which is stretchy and fairly soft on the skin, and comes with a 10-year guarantee. It packs into something that looks like a moonbag, which is fitting considering its name.
8 | First Ascent Lightweight Double Hammock R900 outdoorwarehouse.co.za If you like your cuddle puddles elevated, this could be the thing for you and your partner. This Nylon Diamond Ripstop 210T 70D parachute fabric (300x200cm) can support two people with a combined weight of 200kg. It comes with custom-made carabiners, a built-in compression sack, for easy packing and storing, and weighs 650g.
9 | CityROCK Hammock R350 mountainmailorder.co.za Light, affordable and effective, this hammock is ideal for any campsite or crag. Made from 100% 210T Nylon with a weight limit of 185kg, this 260x140cm hammock weighs just 550g. The stuff sack is attached to the side of the hammock (which I like for someone as loskop as myself) and it comes with two strong alloy snap-hooks and two two-metre cords.
048 050
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
FIELD NOTES
PRICKED BY THE GREEN NEEDLE AT THE FOOT OF MARIEPSKOP IN LIMPOPO, STEVE TROLLIP IS CULTIVATING AND CONSERVING CYCADS. MIA LOUW GETS A GLIMPSE INTO THE UNDERBELLY OF THESE PREHISTORIC PLANTS THAT HAVE LED SO MANY ASTRAY
Nature
I
f you don t know Kampersrus, you might mistake it for a padstal plonked next to the R531. That s my impression as I turn off into Mare Street, passing the Fueland Filling Station and its magenta bougainvillea flourishing at the entrance to the town. The long, straight street leads higher up into the village and closer to Mariepskop, the highest point of the Blyde River Canyon, 1 947m above sea level. I m heading to a spot right at the foot of the northern Drakensberg. On entering Amafu Forest Lodge, I am presented with six hectares of land sloping up the mountain. And cycads, loads and loads of cycads. I m here to meet Steve Trollip and talk about a rare collectible that can see grown men lie, steal, smuggle and bribe. These prehistoric plants might not be the most aesthetically pleasing short and squat with spiky leaves that cut through clothes and draw blood but they have become somewhat of a status symbol, with the richest of the rich collecting rare species along with their vintage sports cars lined up in the garage. The species known as E woodii is one of the rarest plants in the world. It is extinct in the wild and sells for anything between R500 000 up to R3 million per plant, Steve explains. Dealing with cycads can be so addictive, the condition or disease is known as the green needle . I sat down at Amafu s restaurant to dine with
Steve. He has been growing cycads since 1995, but his love for plants started as a young boy. In 1985, he opened a nursery in Mtunzini, KwaZulu-Natal, initially selling palms. And at an international palm symposium in Miami, a fellow attendee urged Steve to grow Encephalartos, a genus of cycad native to Africa. Today his commercial nursery, Cycad Africa, specialises in plants that thrive in the area: endangered, vulnerable, priority cultivation and commercial species. Category five, the critically endangered, are too fickle. Steve opens his manuscript, Cycad Madness. The detailed illustrations are drawn by Douglas Goode, the author of Cycads of Africa. He opens a page titled Cycad people and explains how it was legal to harvest wild cycads without a permit before the 1970s. The government gave cycad owners one year to legalise their plants. Ironically, this encouraged mass removal by collectors. A new breed of plant collectors was born that year, Steve reads. Manly men were suddenly collecting cycads. Men who wore safari suits and Grasshopper shoes and when they collected cycads during winter, they would wear two safari suits to keep out the bone-numbing cold. They pioneered the perilous job of transporting large heavy stems of cycads down sheer cliffs. These men were the early coneheads . Not much has changed. Rich white men are still the main culprits when it comes to the extinction of cycads. Steve shares another story about a heart surgeon in Pretoria with a large collection, many stolen from their natural habitat. The surgeon accepted two E. heenanii cycads as payment for triple bypass surgery. They cost hundreds of thousands of rands and they were dug out of the hills near Barberton, he frowns. Hollard Insurance has even approached Steve for his specialised opinion. A client was claiming R6 million after his cycads leaves were damaged during a hailstorm an exorbitant amount compared to the damage. Hollard ended up paying out R1 million. Steve clearly isn t in it for the money. He wouldn t be growing from seeds if he were. People want to buy time. If you plant a seedling, it s going to take forever. I ve planted 20 000 .
LEFT Mare Street stretches up to the Drakensberg and is named after Kampersrus’ founder – Broer Mare.
RIGHT: Steve Trollip takes a seat next to an E. horridus, or the Eastern Cape blue cycad, behind his house.
TOP RIGHT: Amafu’s accommodation – connected by meandering paths – is spread out between trees, rocks, cycads and ferns.
FIELD NOTES
Nature
Steve Trollip has dabbled in many trades – the forestry, oil, fuel and fertiliser industries – but plants are what make him tick. During the 1980s he started a plant-growing company, Bark and Fibre Enterprises, which his wife, Lelanie, runs in Brits. Cycad Africa started as a palm nursery and in 2003 he bought the property for Amafu Forest Lodge. His knowledge about palms and cycads has taken him to 52 countries across the globe, often to attend botanical conferences. cycadafrica.co.za JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
053
FIELD NOTES
Nature
Why are cycads so special? D I D YO U KN OW Cycads are seed plants with a long fossil history. They existed before, during, and after dinosaurs roamed the Earth, making them approximately 280 million years old. ‘These plants are adaptable, resilient and they have a tremendous will to survive,’ Steve points out. They are often mistaken for palms, as they also grow in tropical and subtropical climates, but they are more closely related to conifers. LEFT The spiky leaves of
ABOVE Bremo Taimo
an E. horridus, or Eastern Cape blue cycad.
inspects a female cone of the E. lebomboensis, or the Lebombo cycad.
The cones on the female plants are short, fat and produce seeds. The male cones are long and thin; they produce pollen. Then you get little suckers or offsets new plants growing out of the stem. I used to joke around with botany students visiting my nursery and referred to the female offsets as mother suckers, Steve giggles. He mentions some of his favourite species, such as the E. horridus, or the Eastern Cape blue cycad. I have about 40 of them and they look... well, the name says it all: horridus, he laughs, describing the leaves, which are spikier than usual and point in all directions, like a messy hairdo. His absolute favourite is the E. laevifolius, which used to grow on top of Mariepskop. It is a disjunct population that grows in seven different habitats from Limpopo to KwaZulu-Natal: Lekgalameetse, Mariepskop, Crocodile Gorge, Kaapsehoop, Eswatini, Tugela Ferry, and near the Umtamvuna River. The E. laevifolius on Mariepskop were discovered in 1969. During a study in 1990, 16 clumps of cycads with 55 individual plants were recorded. They are estimated to be 5 000 years old. By December 2004, there was only one clump of 11 females left on the mountain, Steve sighs. When he saw the 11 females coning in 2004, Steve hoped that somehow they had been pollinated by a male plant. I cried for this widow and her forlorn attempt at survival, he writes in Cycad Madness. 052 054
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
FIELD NOTES
Nature
LEFT: This photo of the E. laevifolius on Mariepskop was taken during December 2004, a few months before the plants were removed from the mountain.
Five months later, these last 11 cycads were removed from the mountain. Steve was in Brits at the time and received a frantic phone call from an employee about a helicopter hovering over Mariepskop. Moments later it flew over the nursery, with the stems dangling from a sling. It was the South African Air Force based in Hoedspruit. In a joint operation with Limpopo s conservation department and the local police, poachers were interrupted while trying to steal the plants. Chopped down with axes and rolled down the mountain! E. laevifolius grows slowly and people don t care if they damage them. They get paid R1 000, but the plant is worth R1 million. The cycads were recovered and planted at Moholoholo Ya Mati next to the Blyde River, part of the Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Only three of these female plants survived the ordeal, and during a visit in 2009, Steve noticed two started coning. But how will I obtain pollen once the cones have matured? he wondered. He didn t have to worry about that for too long. One of the plants changed into a male, possibly due to the stress of relocation and rehabilitation. Imagine that! Two sister plants, one changed its sex and now a successful breeding programme can occur. The female cones were pollinated; Steven gathered and stored pollen and seed. The majority of his plants are nurtured from seeds and suckers and he has roughly 200 E. laevifolius today. Steve gushes over the 5 000-year-old plants one last time, pointing out the difference in altitude and growing conditions from Mariepskop to Moholoholo Ya Mati, which is only 12km from Amafu. The mountain is 1 947m above sea level, with constant mist and cool air. Next to it, the Blyde River is 500m above sea level and summer temperatures can reach 40°C. Other conservationists acknowledge Steve s efforts to protect these plants, but we need another 15 years to see the full impact when the E. laevifolius grown from seed start to cone. The species does well here, thanks to the permanent mist on the mountain. After all, Amafu means clouds in isiZulu, he smiles, chuffed with his efforts and the mantra he lives by: conservation through cultivation. 056
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
PHOTOGRAPHY MIA LOUW
BELOW LEFT: These male cones on the E. laevifolius at Moholoholo Ya Mati are long and thin. Female cones are short and thick.
GETTING THERE Kampersrus lies 31km southwest of Hoedspruit. I travelled 155km north from Mbombela, via the R40 through Hazyview, turning off on the R531.
Stay Here AMAFU FOREST LODGE
has 14 units: luxury tents, wooden cabins and brick cottages. You might see leopard, bushbuck, serval, civet, genet, badger, porcupine or samango monkey next to the mountain. Self-catering, from R1 995 per tent for two. 071 190 2827 info@amafuforestlodge.co.za amafuforestlodge.co.za
FINALIST Balancing Locust Using a macro lens, I captured this image of a locust enjoying a seed pod of what appears to be a clivia plant at Komati Gorge in Mpumalanga. By Leon Pelser, Kriel, Mpumalanga Sony SLT –A55V; Sigma 105mm macro lens; ISO 100; f/13; 1/40 sec
PHOTOGRAPHY
Gallery
2021/2022
AFRICA’S PREMIER PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
059
FINALIST A Kiss for Mom The Serengeti is a wonderful destination to view cheetah. One rainy morning we came across a mother and her two mature cubs. We stayed with them the whole morning, watching them catch a rabbit which they quickly devoured, but they needed something more. Soon they started to stalk some Thomson’s gazelles. They lay low in the grass for more than two hours not moving an inch, waiting for a gazelle to come within reach. But the inexperience of the youngsters led to one of them moving before the right time, and the gazelle spotted them. The hunt was over. After that, they lay down to rest and the youngster came and kissed his mom as if to say sorry for messing up the hunt. A special morning spent with special animals. By Lee-Ann Robertson, Sunland, Eastern Cape Nikon z7; 300mm PF NIKON; ISO 1600; f/5.6; 1/6 400 sec
FINALIST Unlucky Day As we headed out of Tsendze Camp in Kruger Park early one morning, we spotted a heron at a small unnamed waterhole, sitting quietly in the middle, fishing for his next meal. The lighting was a bit of a problem as the sun hadn’t come up yet and I had to really push up my ISO to capture the photo. I was absolutely chuffed to catch him in action with this frog (which he battled to get down for a good two to three minutes as it fought back, trying to escape). Unfortunately (for the frog, anyway), the heron won the battle. By Kim Bernadette Steinberg, Mtunzini, KZN Canon EOS RP; Sigma 150-600mm f5-6.3 DG; ISO 1250; f/7.1; 1/1 000 sec
PHOTOGRAPHY
Gallery
FINALIST Pierneef On a cold August morning, my family and I were driving from Fouriesburg in the eastern Free State towards Clarens along the R711 when the Maluti Mountains came into view. It was a sight like no other, as if we were driving into a painting. The road was quiet, the air was crisp and the lighting was perfect. I had to stop in the middle of the road to try to capture this moment. What appeals to me most about this image is the fact that I captured exactly what I was seeing. All too often I will get excited about taking a shot and then, looking at it, will not feel satisfied. I’m not one to enter photo competitions, but I was really happy with this photo because it captured everything, even the peace and quiet of the road that morning. By Tania Moldenhauer, East London Nikon Coolpix P1000; 38.6mm; ISO 100; f/4.5; 1/1 250 sec
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
061
PHOTOGRAPHY
Gallery
FINALIST Last Rodeo While on the farm Buffelshoek in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, someone reported hearing a buffalo distress call during the early morning and I followed up on it. I came across fresh lion tracks and followed them for a while. Eventually, at 6.30am, I found a wounded buffalo with two lionesses following it. It was badly injured but still had a lot of fight left. I followed it, observing that the lionesses were not making any headway and I figured they were hoping for backup to arrive. Eventually they abandoned the wounded animal – I assumed they had detected other lions in the area – and not long after, 11 hyenas also tried to attack it, but failed. The buffalo would move a short distance and then rest for a while before moving off again. I followed, all the while respecting the fact that I was following one of Africa’s most dangerous animals when wounded. Late in the afternoon, a lone young male lion showed up. It kept a distance but stayed with the buffalo. I figured it might try something after dark and I switched off all the lights and parked nearby, listening. Twelve hours after coming across this wounded buffalo it happened: there was a commotion and when I switched on the lights, the lion was on top of the buffalo. To make things more interesting, the buffalo started to walk towards my vehicle with the lion on his back – it was unreal to witness how strong both these animals were. I had to constantly manoeuvre my vehicle to stay out of harm’s way and not interfere while trying to capture an image that would portray the drama I was witnessing. I put my torch on the dashboard to illuminate the battle and free my hands to photograph and drive but it kept rolling off the subjects, it was a real challenge. The hours of waiting finally paid off: what a rush to be the only vehicle to experience this event right in front of me. I feel this photo portrays the drama, showing the lion’s unsheathed claws, holding on for dear life and the buffalo giving its last distress call. By Johann Grobbelaar, Pretoria Nikon D5; Nikon 300mm f/4 PF; ISO 3200; f/5.6; 1/80 sec
WIN
COMPETITION AND PRIZES Entries are open for the 2021/2022 Getaway Gallery competition. Winners will be announced in August 2022 and we are happy to announce that we have a full round-up of safari and photographic gear prizes from Natural Selection and Outdoorphoto.
Little Sable
First prize:
Hyena Pan
Six nights for two people on a dream safari in Botswana with Natural Selection, plus gear from Outdoorphoto, all worth more than R120 000 The winner and their plus one will enjoy two nights at Little Sable, two nights at Hyena Pan (both in Khwai Private Reserve) and two nights at Meno a Kwena in Makgadikgadi National Park worth R75 000. Includes air transfers between Maun and Khwai, and a two-hour road transfer to Meno a Kwena. Offer valid any time except August and
December peak seasons. Plus great gear from Outdoorphoto worth R46 700: • Canon 15 50 IS All Weather Binoculars • Thule Covert 32L Backpack • G-Tech Hard Drive • Insta 360 One R 1-inch • Lexar 64GB Micro SD Card • R2 000 SanDisk Voucher • Walkstool 65
SCAN HERE
for more info on Outdoorphoto prizes Meno a Kwena
Third prize: Gear from Outdoorphoto worth more than R18 000 • Sigma 150-600mm f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary • LensCoat for Sigma 150-600 • Badger Gear Ground Pod • Badger Gear Snuggfit Beanbag
HO W TO ENT E R Email your entries (about 1MB in size, max five a month) with your name and contact details to gallery@getaway.co.za. Include a title, information on how and where you took the image, and details of the camera make and model, as well as the specific settings you used for the image. Full rules of the competition are at getaway.co.za/photo/send-us-your-photos
Second prize: Gear from Outdoorphoto worth more than R30 000: • ZEISS Terra 10 42 Binoculars • Benro Rhino Tripod Kit • Godox AD200 Pro Flash
• Godox Trigger • B&W Case Type 4000 • MagMod Wildlife Kit • 3LT Ellie L-bracket
naturalselection.travel outdoorphoto.co.za
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
063
HELLO
Guide Thabelo Sekome looks out towards Kampersrus. Even when the clouds move in, the views from the top of Mariepskop are breathtaking. On a clear day, locals claim you can see as far as Maputo.
064
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
TRAVEL
Mariepskop
MARIEPSKOP’S STORY IS AS CONVOLUTED AS ITS TRAILS, AS BUMPY AS ITS ACCESS ROADS AND AS COMPELLING AS ITS ENDLESS VIEWS, AS DIANNE TIPPING-WOODS DISCOVERED WHEN SHE DECIDED TO TAKE ‘THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED’ TO VIEW THE BLYDE RIVER CANYON
FROM THE OTHER SIDE
G
uide Thabelo Sekome was unruffled by my sensory vertigo. He s taken enough people up to the top of Mariepskop to know they need a few moments to gush, exclaim or stand in awe of the vistas, the fynbos, the aloes or the proteas, although I first fell in love with the trees in the mistbelt forest lower down the mountain; the Outeniqua yellowwoods (Afrocarpus falcatus), the Transvaal oak (Brachylaena rotundata), and the cabbage trees (Cussonia spicata) , he said. Millions of tourists gaze at Mariepskop from the scenic vantage points of Mpumalanga s Panorama Route, or the Lowveld towns of Hoedspruit and Kampersrus, but relatively few summit this landmark that is part of the northern reaches of the Drakensberg range, and which measures 1 945m above sea level at its highest point. The celestial views better than from God s Window and the Three Rondavels, in my opinion into the heart of the Blyde River Canyon are breathtaking but the
066
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
TRAVEL
LEFT This viewpoint into the Blyde River Canyon is just a short walk from the main access road. BELOW LEFT Scattered communities of Protea rouppelliae bloom on Mariepskop in early summer.
mountain is also a miracle of ecology, a national strategic water source area, a centre of endemism and, as of 20 August 2021, officially part of the newly expanded Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve. While not quite the national park proposed more than a decade ago, the reserve has almost doubled in size from 24 446ha to 44 566ha. It links portions of state-owned forests on the escarpment to create an enlarged protected area that includes Mariepskop, thanks to a pioneering collaboration between the Blyde Four communal property associations (CPAs) that have successfully claimed the land, Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) and various local NPOs and government departments. On the summit, Thabelo s Belgian colleague, Jochen van de Perre, calmly laid out coffee, croissants, and homemade banana bread while I enthused over the tangles of old-man s beard on the branches of the windstunted real yellowwoods (Podocarpus latifolius), weathered rocks tattooed with vibrant lichens, hot pink
Mariepskop
BELOW Many of the trails through Mariepskop's forest are overgrown, but worth the effort, especially when walking with a guide like Thabelo who knows the area.
protea blooms (Protea rouppelliae) and the silver slivers of the endemic Helichrysum mariepscopium. I felt the same way, the first time I saw the canyon from this side, the lodge owner confirmed, laughing at my inability to sit still in the face of such wild beauty. He s one of a handful of tourism operators in the area who works with a few local guides such as Thabelo to offer tours up Mariepskop. He d driven us from his lodge, Kruger Cliffs, up the steep 1 100m ascent past dusty pine plantations, through lush forest to this flinty, scented wonderland of sharply eroded rocks, and views for days. Formed after a massive volcanic disturbance in central Mpumalanga millions of years ago that produced the mighty Mpumalanga Drakensberg escarpment, Mariepskop has been many things to many people: fortress for the Mapulana, who staved off repeated Swazi attacks in the 19th century, site of conflict and heartbreak, when communities were forced to move for large scale industrial timber
Kruger Cliffs Lodge, part of the African Retreats portfolio, is oriented to maximise mountain views.
068
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
TRAVEL
Mariepskop
TRAVEL
Mariepskop
RIGHT The endemic Helichrysum mariepscopium. BELOW RIGHT Mariepskop's aloes bloom spectacularly in early winter.
plantations, and an apartheid-era military radar station. Now, as a nature reserve, its new custodians must navigate a history as rutted and complex as the road we d driven with Jochen, which took us past abandoned buildings, alien trees and tangled forest paths. Sitting on a rocky ledge with alpine swifts soaring below, and the aroma of coffee mixing with the aromatic scent of Synocolostemon albiflorus (part of the mint family), Thabelo talked about his connection to the mountain, and the events that have shaped how people feel about it. My father’s uncle grew up here, and our family was the last to leave in 1978. We call it Mapisaneng place of chiefs, he explained, recounting how Chief Maripi and his Sotho-speaking people took ownership of “the great one”, or Thaba ya Moholoholo, as the mountain is also known, and used it as a stronghold in clashes with the Swazi nation. Despite his links to the area, he went up Mariepskop for the first time in the early 2000s; before that, access was restricted. I first learnt about the mountain in stories from my great uncle, the hunter Njejane, who could follow a baboon along the sheer cliffs and crevices, he recalled. He then spent time with birding guru Dave Rushworth, tree authority Mervyn Lötter, and countless other experts intrigued by the area s ecology, hydrology and geomorphology. There s a lot to learn on this mountain; nowhere else in South Africa can you move from mistbelt forest to fynbos in minutes, and tick a Narina trogon or a Gurney s sugar bird just a kilometre apart. And from the top or on the slopes, there is always a chance of a flyby by an elusive Taita falcon or, perhaps, a peregrine falcon, the fastest bird in the world. He has seen caracal, porcupines and even kudus on its summit, while lower down in the mistbelt, there are Samango monkeys, secretive leopards and bush pigs These days, you re also likely to encounter illegal loggers, people hunting with packs of dogs, and poachers after rare plants. While the loggers are mainly taking pine and eucalyptus trees, it s only a matter of time before they set their sights on other targets. And the last known surviving cycad specimen of the Mariepskop variety of Encephalartos laevofolius was poached in 2005 in an incident that still fills him with rage. I found that cycad soon after I started guiding. It was the last one known on the mountain, growing just down here, he said, pointing down a precipitous ravine. The cycads are gone, but there are at least 1 400 plant species recorded in the Mariepskop complex alone, and 070
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
more than 1 600 recorded species in the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve. The landscape is topographically elaborate and diverse, which is why there are so many habitats in the reserve, including plateaus covered with plants similar to Cape fynbos, aloes and proteas, wetlands and sponge areas, grassland slopes, Afromontane forest, riparian forest, moist woodlands, dry woodlands and shrublands. You don’t have to be a botanist either to appreciate the endemic clivias, wild agapanthus, rare ferns, lichens and the fire lily. The mistbelt forest, and little-explored kloofs on the southern or southeastern slopes, are verdant treasure
CA P E TO W N F O R C A PE TO N I A N S
COM
Ca p e To wn’ s f a vour ite s ite for t he re a l s c o o p o n w ha t ’s h a ppe n ing i n the M o t he r C i ty
NEWS. WE ATH E R. F O O D & WI N E. TR AV E L. A DVE NT UR E . EN T ERTAI N MENT. W HAT’ S ON .
SCAN HERE
capetownetc.com
capetownetc@hsm.co.za
The fact that it's a hard mountain to find information on, UNLESS YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO KNOWS SOMEONE, is part of its charm
072
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
TRAVEL
Mariepskop
RIGHT The view over the small town of Kampersrus extends over the Lowveld.
troves of trees, shrubs, lianas and epiphytes, with more species likely to be discovered when they re properly explored. But some places are magical because they re difficult to reach or little-known, and the fact that it s a hard mountain to find information on, unless you know someone who knows someone, has always been part of its charm for locals from Hoedspruit and Kampersrus. Some climb it, but many just ignore the bad roads, and venture up to fill their souls on the mountain top. The fact that nobody I spoke with was quite sure who is responsible for the telecommunication towers at the top, or who looks after the old military buildings, or why many of the hiking trails are so overgrown that even Thabelo has been lost and had to sleep up there, seem to add to its allure. In the last year though, illegal logging and poaching have escalated, and the reserve s custodians are worried, because there are now too many people doing their own thing on the mountain. The legal recognition of Mariepskop as part of the Blyde reserve is a huge step forward, but our excitement has been tempered by what s happening right now. And we have no money and no capacity for the security, the infrastructure, or the restoration work the new part of the reserve needs, says the MTPA s Brian Morris. The current staff about a dozen forestry employees remain at the Mariepskop base camp and issue access permits to visitors but in the last year, syndicates have moved in, vandalised property and threatened forestry officials elsewhere in the reserve, exacerbated by the fact that many were wholly absent from the mountain during the Covid-19 lockdowns, which created a kind of vacuum. There are plans to develop tourism infrastructure but for now, the two chalets on the mountain are in need of repair, and access is an ongoing issue, although the road notoriously bad on the mountain's lower slopes was being fixed in places when we went up. I think the municipality had Public Works come in, said Brian, explaining the many state players involved in managing the Mariepskop complex. In general though, it s not accessible to the average tourist in a rental car. When exploring, it s easy to forget that protection of, and even access for, visitors rests on this tangle of institutional arrangements with roots deeply entwined in historic conflicts, apartheid military ambitions, forced removals and the hopeful narrative of tourism, jobs and development that accompanied more recent land claim processes, but has largely failed to deliver. Around 2006/2007, we could smell the money on this mountain, says Thabelo, who as a member of the Sehlare CPA, was involved in early field work and data
Scan me
TRAVEL
Mariepskop
BELOW The Bushpig Trail is signposted from the main access road up the mountain.
collection around the land claims process. His love of the mountain is undiminished, but his early optimism has lessened. He farms tomatoes now, because tourism doesn t pay his bills. It s been 20 long years, the land claims are still not completely finalised, and not many of the jobs linked to tourism have emerged, nor have the jobs lost when the sawmills closed, been replaced, confirms Brian, whose anxiety about how to fund the work needed is matched by his belief in Mariepskop s huge potential to create jobs through restoration projects, tourism and other enterprises. The mountain is utterly spectacular, and utterly unique, with wilderness lovers, trail runners, hikers, birders, botanists and lepidopterists travelling from around the country and the world to experience its beauty and diversity. At the end of the day though, it may be water, not tourism, that saves it. The area gets 1 000mm to 2 000mm of rainfall a year, and this water from the catchment feeds into the Blyderivierspoort Dam, which supports a multi-million-rand agricultural sector around Hoedspruit. The Kruger National Park and associated private game reserves rely on the water from the mountain to recharge their rivers and supply households in Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa and Bushbuckridge. The water filters down through unique peatlands that act as water towers, soaking up rain, which slowly percolates through rocky cracks into the mistbelt forest below.
ABOVE Guide Thabelo Sekome is a wealth of information on the forest's flora and fauna. BELOW The Three Rondavels are clearly visible from the top of Mariepskop.
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
075
bottom of the canyon. On our way down the mountain, we stopped for a quick walk along the Bush Pig Trail, one of the bettermaintained hiking routes into the liminal, tangled forest. Here Thabelo is in his absolute element, conversing with the trees. We watched a cloud of butterflies swallowtails, emperors and smaller blues and yellows fluttering and mud-puddling , sucking in fluids and nutrients. They are just some of the over 285 species recorded in the area, he said. It was frustrating to not have more time to explore. As we wound our way down the mountain, my head was full of what I hadn t seen. My heart was full with what I had, and what might still be found. When I said I would be back to explore further, Thabelo warned me that some trails double back, some are dead ends and others aren t marked at all. They intersect, diverge, twist and turn. There is no straight route to the top, but it all begins with that first step.
076
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
DIANNE TIPPING-WOODS; LOWVELD TRAIL RUNNING; WWW.AFRICAN-RETREATS.CO.ZA; SUPPLIED
Kruger Cliffs is a good base from which to access Kruger National Park's Orpen Gate, Mariepskop, the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, and the rest of the area's attractions.
PHOTOGRAPHY EMMA GATLAND/AFRICAN RETREATS; STEFFEN BOSKMA; JOCHEN VAN DE PERRE;
It s incredible to think that the entire Lowveld depends on the mountain for water, said Nick Theron, from the Kruger to Canyon Biosphere Region (K2C). As a key partner to MTPA and the four CPAs, K2C is deeply involved in conservation efforts, restoration efforts and planning for the sustainability of the reserve. It is trying to develop a water fund and get downstream users to contribute to the mountain s conservation costs by valuing the ecosystem services the mountain provides. It has also been co-ordinating and driving efforts to clear much of the pine and eucalyptus plantations developed in the wider escarpment area since the 1930s. Each alien tree uses up to 25 litres of water a day, but in recent years, the Blyde Restoration Group (a coalition of partners), has cleared thousands of hectares of alien invasive plants with at least another 6 000 hard-toreach hectares within the reserve s boundaries to go. About 4 000 hectares below the reserve boundary will be retained for commercial logging, if the syndicates leave anything behind. Despite the MPTA s security concerns, to date visitors to the mountain have largely been left to their own devices. Huge areas still seem undiscovered, untouchable, and unknowable, where rare species such as the Mariepskop dwarf chameleon, the Three Rondavels flat gecko, and the endemic Marieps Charaxes butterfly live and die unseen in this incredible, interlinked ecosystem that spans the 572m to 1 945m between the top and
TRAVEL
Mariepskop
Stay Here KRUGER CLIFFS’ modern, fully-equipped self-catering units provide guests with guaranteed privacy, individual splash pools, outdoor showers and absolutely spectacular views of the mountain. From R1 290 pp pn, self-catering. Children under 12 from R390. 073 881 1334, krugercliffs.com UMVANGATI HOUSE is a modern, mountainside retreat where understated luxury is the order of the day and each
Kruger to Canyon trail run
window frames a masterpiece. From R5 295 per room pn. 081 237 9706, umvangati.co.za
FOREVER RESORTS offers budget accommodation options at Swadini and along the Panorama Route at higher altitude along the rim of the canyon. From R1 361 for a onebedroom chalet pn. Camping from R210 per stand. R80 pp pn. 086 122 6966, foreverblydecanyon.co.za
Kruger Cliffs
5 WAYS TO EXPLORE MARIEPSKOP 1. Take a hike There are several trails on the mountain, such as the Bush Pig Trail. Until signage improves, though, it’s best to go with a guide who knows the mountain. There are also hikes in the foothills of Mariepskop in the privately owned Franklyn Park (but they don’t go to the summit), and spectacular options in the Blyde River Canyon itself. You can climb Mariepskop, but you need permission to cross private land to do so. There is only one route up, and that’s the route that the children from the base camp on the mountain use to head down to school in Kampersrus. Contact Thabelo Sekome thabelof@yahoo.com or visit mariepskophikes.co.za or contact the Hoedspruit Hiking Club les@bush-life.com Alternatively, Sable Tours does special trips up the mountain, with champagne breakfasts, etc sabletours.co.za 2. Rent an e-bike Only the elite riders will likely make it up the mountain purely under their own steam but you can rent an e-bike from Blyde Bikes in Hoedspruit, which makes things a little easier, although there are still some
seriously steep uphills. The route from the forestry gate to the top ascends 560m over a distance of 5.4km. Just watch your brakes on the way down. bikes@blydebikes.co.za 3. Run it The annual Kruger to Canyon trail run follows an epic route, starting behind the Mariepskop school, and following old trails that had to be rediscovered with the help of the oldest forestry guards and historic maps. There are sections with explosive views of the Lowveld and stunning waterfalls. It’s a challenging run that involves climbing up and over into the canyon, and then back up again, with technicalities created by roots and rocks that can get tricky and slippery. The event really exposes people to what this beautiful mountain is about over either 25km or 42km. 082 791 7069, kruger2canyonchallenge.co.za
4. Go boating For a different perspective, the 90-minute trip along the Blyderivierspoort Dam’s fascinating shoreline, overhung with wild figs, rubber euphorbia, milkwoods and waterberries, is great value for money. Built in 1972 on the confluence of the Ohrigstad and Blyde rivers, the dam
laps the lower slopes of Mariepskop, and it’s the easiest way to get close to interesting vegetation at the base of the canyon. From R250 pp. 081 487 2267,
as close as you’ll get to an eagle’s-eye view of the landscape. From R10 465 for a one-hour sightseeing flight. Maximum three passengers per flight. 083 615 7605,
blydecanyon.co.za
hopeforwildlife.africa
5. Take to the skies Helicopter flights over the canyon are breathtakingly beautiful. Leaving from Hoedspruit Civil Airfield over the unfolding wonder of the Lowveld, you’ll soar above the Blyderivierspoort Dam near Swadini, view Bourkes Luck Potholes, the Three Rondavels from the air, and take in spectacular waterfalls, cliffs and grasslands. Restrictions mean you cannot enter the canyon but a helicopter flip is
Helicopter flight
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
077
Steve Benjamin dances with the seals of Duiker Island.
078
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
TRAVEL
A DANCE WITH THE MERDOGS WHILE SWIMMING WITH MERMAIDS MAY BE A FANTASY, YOU CAN STILL ENJOY DIVING WITH SOME OF THE OCEAN’S MOST CHARISMATIC CREATURES, AND APPRECIATE WHY IT'S WORTH PROTECTING THEM Words & Photos Jay Caboz
Seal Diving
080
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
ABOVE Seals don't mind hanging out with humans.
humans. Which is why in the waters around Duiker Island, just outside Hout Bay harbour in Cape Town, a 5 000-strong seal colony provides regular performances for their land-walking audience. I like to call them merdogs because they are so closely related to dogs and they do look like that when you see them. They are the aquatic version of dogs, for sure, says Steve. Duiker Island is surrounded by shallow kelp forests, which makes an ideal landscape for snorkelling in the chilly Atlantic, where temperatures hover between 8°C and 15°C. It s truly a sight to see. Hundreds of these seals and occasionally a lone southern elephant seal named Buffel congregate on the rocks and in the water, lounging about as if they own the place. It s like being in a safari vehicle, except now it s like being on a safari experience. You re out of the vehicle and you re in the natural world with a charismatic,
PHOTOGRAPHY XXXXXXXXXX
A
curious shape emerges within a forest of kelp. It comes closer, pivoting and pirouetting in a swirl of bubbles. It s like watching a ballerina dance, performing on the stage of the cold Atlantic Ocean, a world tailored just for it. The shape is that of a Cape fur seal, a species of seal found only in Africa. Thanks to their highly evolved bodies, these seals have an edge adjusting to changing environments, where climate change and marine pollution are on the rise. Not only are they graceful underwater dancers, they re also an impressive motley crew of hunters. And with an estimated two million seals in their number, they span the coasts of Southern Africa stretching from the southern tip of Angola right down and around to Algoa Bay in South Africa. The opportunity to come face to face with these dancing sea dogs hidden beneath the frigid waves of the Atlantic is thanks to a company called Animal Ocean, born from founder Steve Benjamin, zoologist and professional wildlife photographer, and his love of the ocean. It s a place where you can just float and be in the natural world on the same terms as the Cape fur seals. It gets people out of their daily lives and out into the ocean, says Steve. He explains that Cape fur seals are one of the rare marine species that don t mind interacting with
TRAVEL
Seal Diving
BELOW Be prepared to have seals dancing about you as you dive underwater.
interested marine mammal that really wants to interact with you in the water, says Steve. They easily allow you to enter their world for a moment. They re not scared or terrified of humans, they sort of see us as a curiosity and then they get on with their lives. To be able to do that with a creature is really special. While interacting with these creatures may be playful, their survival is not all fun and games. In 2020, thousands of pregnant Cape fur seals in Namibia prematurely birthed their pups, and scientists said that 2021 was just as concerning for other seal colonies along the coast of South Africa. Females were birthing pups almost two months early and, unfortunately, they did not make it. At Elands Bay, a smaller colony, we counted 158 dead seals within an hour, with distressing scenes of aborted foetuses and emaciated seals, says Dr Tess Gridley, founding director of Sea Search Research and Conservation and a post-doctoral researcher with the Department of Botany and Zoology at Stellenbosch University. She says higher-than-normal mortalities of Cape fur seals are being found along South Africa s coastline. Tess says they have been finding hundreds of dead pups around the periphery of colonies at Paternoster,
BOTTOM LEFT Animal Ocean has got all the gear you need to take on the frigid temperatures of the Atlantic. BOTTOM RIGHT Useful tip: dive in kelp to attract curious seals.
TRAVEL
Seal Diving
Diving with Cape fur seals is like watching ballerinas dance. It's an experience you have to see for yourself.
IN THE FREEZING WATER, the experience of seeing the merdogs of the ocean JET OFF IN A STREAM OF BUBBLES, frolicking in the kelp forests, is surreal
082
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
TRAVEL
Seal Diving
Steve Benjamin Steve is an ocean human, living in the seaside village of Kalk Bay, Cape Town. The prolific photographer and conservationist has shot for the likes of the National Geographic Magazine, Netflix, the BBC's Blue Planet II and more. His passion led him to found Animal Ocean in 2009, which gives guests an intimate experience snorkelling with Cape fur seals.
TOP LEFT Kelp forests thrive off southern Africa. They provide a unique refuge for all manner of creatures.
LEFT Don't be too alarmed if a seal comes so close you can see its whiskers.
RIGHT Seals are incredibly smart but overfishing and marine pollution threaten their survival in ways to which even they struggle to adapt.
084
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
PHOTOGRAPH GALLO IMAGES / GETTY IMAGES
Shelly Beach and Elands Bay along the West Coast of South Africa since September last year. We set out on planned fieldwork to look at entanglement of Cape fur seals, knowing to keep a look out for mortalities. We found 17 carcasses along a 2km section of Shelly Beach. Moving on to Lambert s Bay the next day though, we observed greater mortalities of newborn, preterm pups, juveniles and sub adults. More than 100 dead animals were found around the periphery of the colony. While the Cape fur seal population is known to boom or bust and die-offs are not uncommon the volumes of the recent deaths is of rising concern. Especially because researchers don t know the cause. From reports coming through, it appears we are seeing very thin adults and malnutrition, an indication of animals seeking food. We are feeding these data back to those who are responsible for marine resources in South Africa and working with the marine mammal community to gain a better picture of what is happening at these seal colonies, says Tess. Then there is the impact of increasing marine pollution resulting in entanglement. Without intervention, the entangled seals face a slow, painful death as
the waste slowly cuts into their necks, making it impossible to eat and/or breathe. Human interventions to save these seals have become rather inventive. Naudé Dreyer, founder of Ocean Conservation Namibia, rescues hundreds of seals a year by sneaking up and tackling them on the beaches of Pelican Point, near Walvis Bay. Videos of these daring rescues can be seen on his social media pages. In 2019 and 2020 alone, Naudé and his colleagues freed more than 900 seals. The group has found that rates of entanglement can roughly affect one per 500 seals. Those most affected were pups and juveniles, which were primarily entangled by fishing line around the neck. Animal Ocean s Steve has been seeing the impact of this first-hand. He says his team is finding more and more entangled seals in Hout Bay harbour. At the V&A Waterfront, he was involved in filming researchers who have adopted Naudé s unorthodox methods, sneaking up on entangled seals and even darting them to intervene before it s too late. The seals are really taking a knock. They are having to deal with overfishing; we ve got this terrible die-off now of seals who are not finding enough food and the sardine and anchovy stocks have been decimated by human fishing, says Steve. Marine plastic and pollution are causing individuals to get fishing lines wrapped around them. So the seals are really taking the brunt of human activity around the world, but particularly on the West Coast around Cape Town. It s super sad to see that happening. Back in the freezing water around Duiker Island, the experience of seeing the merdogs of the ocean jetting off in a stream of bubbles, frolicking in the kelp forests, working on their tans on the sun-baked rocks, is surreal. It s easy to forget their daily plight to survive their natural predators, the lack of food and the noose of a wandering piece of plastic.
Do This Experience seal snorkelling for yourself with Animal Ocean. An exhilarating two-hour, 30-minute seal snorkelling experience is half price – R499 – on Daddy's Deals until 15 March 2022. Scan here »
Fascinating facts about seals 1. Today, there are 33 LIVING SPECIES of seal across the globe. 2. Cape fur seals are not “TRUE SEALS”. Their ears have external flaps; they have huge front flippers; and their hind flippers are not connected to the pelvis and may be rotated forward. This gives them the capacity to walk, and run, on land; hear sound direction in the air; and swim and manoeuvre far more effectively than true seals. 3. Seals have been a PROTECTED SPECIES in South Africa since 1983. 4. Roughly two million Cape fur seals can be found mostly living in 25 T0 40 COLONIES on rocky coastlines and islands along Africa’s coastline.
5. Males can weigh up to 350kg, while females weigh around 80kg. 6. Males tend to mate in “HAREMS” that can be as large as 50 females at a time, depending on the size of the colony. 7. Females can DELAY FERTILISATION for up to three months, to ensure that they will only give birth to pups at the beginning of summer – normally late November/ early December. 8. Cape fur seals traditionally EAT PILCHARDS AND ANCHOVIES. But since fish numbers have been dwindling, seals have had to look for alternative sources of food. Fortunately, they can eat anything from crayfish and shrimps to seagulls and penguins.
24 HOURS IN MAUN MOST TRAVELLERS TO THE WILDS OF THE OKAVANGO DELTA WILL PASS THROUGH MAUN, WITH VERY FEW STAYING OVER. BUT THE OBLIGATORY 24-HOUR STOPOVER FOR A COVID PCR TEST HAS THRUST MAUN INTO THE SPOTLIGHT AS A DESTINATION IN ITS OWN RIGHT, AND THE TOWN HAS SOME SURPRISES THAT MAY MAKE YOU WANT TO LINGER Words Carrie Hampton Photos Mikael Rosen
086
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
TRAVEL
Maun
Donkeys are the main form of transport for Maun villagers.
B
right new tourism businesses, accommodation, cafes and authentic cultural experiences are popping up to satisfy the new stayover market in Maun. But the dusty old town you might remember is still here. Maun s handsome pilots and khaki-clad guides are ubiquitous; so are the randomly roaming donkeys, goats and cows, albeit contending with much more traffic. This is cattle-ranching country and you ll see fine long-horned Brahmin and Tswana, with Simmental introduced to provide the perfect combination of meat and milk. Pre-order vacuum-packed Botswana beef from Delta Meat Deli or Beef Boys Meat Market, both of which have branched out into groceries, cakes, breads, and on-trend items such as glutenfree products. The rise in overnighting tourists has resulted in culture-focused excursions around Maun and a new one-stop-info-shop beside the airport Explore Maun for activities and accommodation bookings. Silvester Mafosi, of Third Kind Travel & Tours, is also a font of much local knowledge. He links social enterprise with tourism, in collaboration with Safari Destinations and Travel For Impact, which distributes $1 per bed night pledges from camps, lodges, hotels and tour operators. They ve created a three-hour immersive local experience, which averts the focus from sympathy-inducing school visits, to authentic and often hilarious rural experiences, such as visiting a cattle station and being asked to milk a cow.
088
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
My comical moment came when attempting basket weaving. Master weaver Mma Thitaku Kushonya gathers up tourists like a mother hen and teaches her age-old skill to clumsy hands. To make a perfectly symmetrical basket is the biggest problem at first, she laughs, eyeing my effort. And once you introduce a pattern, you can t make a single mistake! Mma Kushonya points out intricate patterns and explains how price reflects quality and that each basket bears the name of the maker. They re all made by women, providing some form of income for about 110 craftspeople. For the first time, I appreciated how a fine weave with a complicated design isn t just beautiful, it s at least a week s work.
ABOVE Expect cattle to wander across the roads in Maun at any moment. RIGHT 4×4 safari vehicles buzz around Maun like flies.
TRAVEL
Maun
A short history of Maun Y ES TE R DAY From raw beginnings, becoming the Batawana tribal capital in 1915, Maun has lived up to its reputation as a hard-living, cattleranching, frontier town. With big game roaming the Okavango Delta on its doorstep, Maun’s “Wild West” reputation was fuelled by hunters telling tall stories around the bar. TODAY
ABOVE Hire a mokoro and poler for single or multiple day trips. Ride Botswana will organise it. LEFT Learn the art of basket weaving from Mma Kushonya.
The president has lifted the ban on big game hunting but hunters keep a low profile in Maun, as most people in the safari industry are dead against it. Safari tourism is still Maun’s biggest business and accommodation is often priced in US dollars. If faced with this, ask for SADC rates. Botswana’s pula is strong against the rand, so expect everything to cost onethird more than in South Africa. The exception is shared sedan taxis, which only charge six pula for downtown journeys of up to about 5km. TO MORR OW I heard one lodge operator say: ‘Botswana’s conservation is at its lowest point for many years.’ But they are pragmatic and bide their time, expecting things to change. There are still plenty of protected areas, so spend 24 hours exploring Maun before heading into the Okavango.
TRAVEL
Maun
Women of substance
E D N AH R O SE N Ednah Rosen owns Akacia Cafe in the Nhabe Museum cultural hub and returned to Botswana after 30 years in Sweden. Suffering big city burnout in Stockholm, she dreamed of a warmer climate and of writing a Setswana cookbook. She fulfilled her dreams and won an award for her book, Taste of Botswana. Find Ednah at Akacia Cafe and stop by on a Friday from 4pm to 6pm for musical storytelling and soulful vibes.
Buy more local art at Maun Made, a showroom inside The Duck Cafe & Bar opposite the airport. It s a platform for artists, entrepreneurs, and communities to market their creations. A planned product range made from local recycled waste helps to promote trash as a valuable resource. It also stocks new fashion brand NA.SH bags, born when the canvas business run by brothers Nathan and Ashton lacked orders. Inspiration came from Ride Botswana, which commissioned an overnight bag made using colourful shweshwe and vegan-leather instead of canvas. It was a huge hit. All this local innovation is found inside The Duck, a fresh new cafe-bar replacing the old Wild West saloon Duck Inn pub. It was here that hunters and safari operators shook off the loneliness of the bush with parties and drinking , Karen Ross wrote in her book, Okavango: Jewel of the Kalahari. This inglorious drunken rite of passage, before reentering society after weeks in the bush, continues unabated at sympathetic venues. Evidence of old Maun exists everywhere. The Riley name is emblazoned across hotel signage, a garage forecourt and etched into gravestones in the walled family cemetery. It bears witness to some early 20th century Maun characters. Harry s bar, inside the old Riley s Hotel, was a hunters hangout, full of characters out of a Hemingway novel. Their ghosts have fled the corporate-style Cresta Riley s Hotel for lack of excitement. Riley s Garage is still the best place to fill up, fix your vehicle, and buy spares and camping gear.
+267 740 640 91, akaciacafe.com
TOP Fabric artist sporting his hand-painted face mask.
T H I TA K U KU S H ON YA Mma Thitaku Kushonya not only won first prize as Botswana’s best basket weaver, but came fourth out of 52 countries in an international arts competition in the USA. She has travelled the world representing Botswana and mentors hundreds of women in how to earn their own living from traditional crafts. She weaves her creations and runs classes at her studio close to town. +267 722 714 22, facebook.com/BotswanaQuality-Baskets115807201824669
090
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
ABOVE LEFT Locally made NA.SH bags is a successful lockdown start up. LEFT Old Mall street market is the place to find bargains.
Maun
LEFT Canter through the shallows and among tame game in Royal Tree Lodge reserve.
ABOVE Fly over the Okavango with Maun Helicopters.
The words excitement and Maun may be unfamiliar companions, but I proved it possible to pair the two without stretching the truth. Seeing the Okavango in wrap-around vision inside Maun Helicopters Airbus H130, was thrilling. Maun Helicopters is new in town, rivals to the wellestablished Helicopter Horizons. Both offer sensational flips and trips for a taste of the Okavango Delta. My next thrill was galloping on horseback closely observed by zebra, giraffe and antelope, their eyes questioning: What s the hurry? Because there are no predators in the Royal Tree Lodge game reserve, the animals are pretty relaxed. Ride Botswana s well-schooled horses suit any level of rider, including speed-freaks like me. Maun proved that it can supply every kind of experience to make a fulfilling trip. A 24-hour stint in Maun isn t really enough, but it will give you a chance to encounter some of the local products and people, who are making such an effort to accommodate and entertain visitors. 092
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
PHOTOGRAPHY SHUTTERSTOCK, UNSPLASH
TRAVEL
The Tshilli Farm
Trip Planner Stay Here
Eat Here
THE TSHILLI FARM It’s worth driving 25km on a 4×4 track to stay in forest chalets or a basic campsite, to tap into the owners’ regional knowledge. It has a great bistro and bar favoured by local and ex-pat homesteaders, who need no excuse for a party. Transfers and tours available. Special Getaway price: Double chalet R1 200 pn, family chalet R1 500, camping R80 per site. +267 747 779 61,
THE MAUN STUDIOS The bonus for road trippers staying here, is tapping into owner Rocky Palmer’s font of knowledge about routes, roads and vehicle repairs. There are only two gorgeous self-catering suites on this family riverside property. Meals offered. From R1 800 per room pn, inc full breakfast.
tshillifarm.com
ROYAL TREE LODGE Jog, walk or horse ride among habituated animals in the game reserve surrounding Royal Tree Lodge. It’s 10km out of town, with high-quality tented rooms and chalets, a bar and restaurant.
CROCODILE CAMP AND SPA Ten grassy sites with capacity for 100 campers, each has ablutions, kitchenette and Wi-Fi. Includes use of hotel pool, spa facilities and bar and deck beside the Thamalakane River. Drinks aren’t cheap. Camping R290 per person, children 6–11 years R145.
There’s been a food revolution in Maun, with numerous really good eateries, only a few of which are open in the evenings.
AKACIA CAFE Great breakfasts, lunches, cakes and bakes from cookbook author Ednah Rosen. She’s reviving the faded Nhabe Museum complex with live music and arts. Open 8am–6pm daily. +267 740 640 91, akaciacafe.com
DUSTY DONKEY Safari industry folk drift in and out all day for catchup, coffee and delicious food. Located 250m from the airport, close to Woolworths, Spar and a bottle store. Open 8am–4pm.
+267 741 892 66, themaunstudios.com
Dusty Donkey
+267 761 571 05
+267 680 0757, royaltreelodge.com
MARC’S EATERY International dishes are served in a lovely courtyard, or opt for the takeaway traveller’s lunchbox, including a tsunami sarmie and Moroccan meat pastilla, with vegetarian options. Open 9am–3pm +267 740 029 55, marcseatery.com TANDUREI This pilots hangout opposite the airport gets a good vibe going in the evenings and serves slap-up Indian cuisine. +267 680 0227, facebook.com/tandureimaun
Thamalakanei River Okavango River
A3
The Tshilli Farm
+267 684 0830, sklcamps.com/crocodilecamp
Botswana Basket Weavers/ The Maun Studios
SEDIA HOTEL This well-known hotel is being refurbished to a three-star level. The atmospherically lit pool and restaurant deck is good for romantic dinners. Campers get the best view of the river. R1 650 per double room, camping R140 pp pn. +267 686
Maun Airport/ Explore Maun Info Office/Helicopter Horizons Tandurei Indian Restaurant/ Diagnostics Covid Testing lab Delta Meat Deli
Crocodile Camp Safari & Spa
Sedia Hotel Marc’s Eatery Akacia Cafe/ Dusty Donkey Cafe/ The Duck Cafe Bar Riley’s Garage
Maun
Royal Tree Lodge
0177, sedia-hotel.com
A3
Royal Tree Lodge
A3 A3
Boteti River
Komana Thamalakanei River
Gateway Excursions boat trips
Early morning along the southern shores of the Okavango Delta. This quintessential experience – one of the oldest traditions here – comes courtesy of the WaYei people.
DECODING
094
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
TRAVEL
THE DELTA SO YOU WANT TO DO THE DELTA? THERE’S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SEE A BIG CAT. OR CATCH THAT TIGER, SAYS MELANIE VAN ZYL. HERE’S OUR BOTSWANA BUCKET LIST ADVICE FOR THE BUDGET CONSCIOUS, OR FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO SPLURGE
Okavango Delta
TRAVEL
Okavango Delta
ABOVE A waterlily in flower. The root of this pretty plant is used in a traditional stew called tswi.
F
rom fishing owls to arthropod architects, the Okavango Delta is an artwork of extraordinary flora and fauna: 130 mammals, more than 480 bird species, over 80 fish types, 94 kinds of dragonflies and thousands of plants call this wild wonderland home. Then there are the enchanting landscapes they inhabit. Then there are the people who share an acute kinship with the rolling river and all the wild within. Welcome to one of the world s best safari destinations. But first, a little history. Part of the Great East African Rift Valley system, deep fractured continental shifts, carved out the Okavango Delta. This Unesco World Heritage Site forms where the Okavango River flows and fans out ever so slowly into the Kalahari Desert. The result is a biodiverse abundance of forests with lilies, dry and wet lands of striking contrast.
096
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
At the core is Moremi Game Reserve. Proclaimed in 1963, the reserve covers roughly one-third of the Okavango Delta and claims to be the first in Africa declared by residents (as opposed to colonial powers). Under the leadership of Mma Moremi (the late Chief Moremi III s wife), the BaTawana people of Ngamiland laid the foundations of a game-rich, biodiverse paradise many self-drivers know and love today. However, as with many wilderness inaugurations, there is controversy. When appreciating the profound natural wonders of the Okavango Delta, we cannot overlook the people who once thrived with this bounty. The new boundaries of the conservation area excluded traditional human activity by the San of Khwaai, or the Basarwa, and the WaYei, often referred to collectively as River Bushmen . The WaYei are one of five tribes that make up the indigenous peoples of the
PHOTOGRAPHY XXXXXXXXXX
LEFT Wildlife sightings are plentiful while navigating the waterways.
This poler stuck to the edges of a large lagoon, knowingly avoiding the hippos during a mokoro experience with Delta Rain Safaris.
ABOVE The best thing about mokoro trips has to be the silence, so you can hear the slapping water on the hull over the vessel. RIGHT Fires are lit on an Okavango Island for the evening. Camp locations vary on overnight mokoro adventures as the floodwaters surge and subside. Everything in camp is carted in via the canoes.
Delta and one of at least 30 tribes across Botswana. When the Moremi Game Reserve was created, many people had to relinquish their traditional way of life, such as hunting for food, fishing from mokoro and harvesting reeds to craft homes. They were relocated to settlements where the government found it easier to implement service delivery. All things considered, the Moremis demarcated this land with a purpose: to conserve natural heritage and benefit the people of Botswana. Just a little something to mull over while settling in on that classic mokoro cruise. OVERNIGHT IN A MOKORO Discover this watery wonder-filled world via one of its oldest traditions. The motorless 098
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
mokoro is an exceptional way to safari. Polers follow paths in traditional canoes cleared by herbivore hippos and hungry elephants. You sit at water level, centimetres from the surface, and enjoy the river in silence. Just the way it has been savoured for centuries. Silent, except for the bellow of a hippo or rhythmic splash as the tall pole (called nkashi) digs into the river, steering the way. The Okavango Kopano Mokoro Community Trust is a tourism project that uses local guides and polers to take travellers on a wild camping adventure in the Okavango Delta. The NG32 concession, roughly an hour s drive north of Maun, is where these water trails occur, and there are two ways to support these community polers. One: DIY it, dealing directly with the trust. You ll need to book through the
PHOTOGRAPHY XXXXXXXXXX
FAR RIGHT Each tent has a basic bucket shower and ablution extension behind it; All polers used by Delta Rain Safaris are community guides booked through the OKCMT.
TRAVEL
office in Maun and take your food and camping kit. Alternatively, you can use an operator such as Delta Rain, which supports the trust. Delta Rain provides all the camping kit, plus excellent meals, so all you have to do is kick back and enjoy the ride. DO IT Mokoro trips with Delta Rain are fully catered, plus your tent includes ensuite ablutions and stretchers for a decent sleep. One-night Delta Classic costs from R3 550 pp or two nights from R6 230 pp, including camping equipment and two guided bushwalks. Excludes alcoholic beverages, and bring some cash to tip your mokoro guide. +267 680 0380
or WhatsApp +267 7250 6420, deltarain.com If you’re on a tight budget, book directly through the Okavango Kopano Mokoro Community Trust Maun Office. To hire a mokoro and guide to camp on an island: guests need to bring all their own camping gear, food, drinking water and firewood (this is wild camping with no facilities). Plus, it all needs to fit on your mokoro, so pack light! Alternatively, you can hire an extra boat for gear. From R240 pp pn, plus guide/poler, which costs R265 per day (for two people) plus R265 conservation fee per boat (for two people). +267 686 5210 or +267 753 41813, okmct.org.bw
Okavango Delta
YOU SIT AT WATER LEVEL, centimetres from the surface, and enjoy THE RIVER IN SILENCE. Just the way it has been savoured for centuries
100
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
TRAVEL
Before tourism, the mokoro was used for fishing and hunting animals such as the water-based Red lechwe.
Okavango Delta
The inscribed Unesco World Heritage Site of the Okavango Delta encompasses an area of two million hectares, with a further buffer zone of another two million. The beauty of mekoro (plural for mokoro) is how they provide access to otherwise unreachable swamplands.
TRAVEL
Okavango Delta
EXPLORE THE PANHANDLE The Panhandle refers to the upper segment of the Okavango Delta, where the main Okavango River slides south in a single wide channel before splintering off into separate streams, creating the Delta proper. While this region is not as labyrinthine or brimming with big game, it is no less beguiling. You can only get to Xaro Lodge by boat from Shakawe, a fitting introduction to the Okavango Delta. Park your car at Drotsky s Cabins (a sedan will make it so long as it can tackle the badly potholed A35 road from Maun to Shakawe) and chug along the waterways to an oasis enshrouded by mangosteen trees. These and other towering riverine trees are frequented by the ever beguiling Pel s fishing owl. A rarity, even in the Okavango, this big bird feeds on fish and frogs snatched from the swamp s slow-moving waters. Speaking of fish, this is the eye of the tiger (realm). Landing one of these feisty fighting fish is enormous fun especially for total beginners. Another reason to choose the Okavango Panhandle is its proximity to the Tsodilo Hills, another Unesco World Heritage Site. Dubbed the Louvre of the desert, it is a revered site of worship for many. You re only
ABOVE Local communities revere Tsodilo as a place of worship and as a home for ancestral spirits. Its water holes and hills are revered by the Hambukushu and San communities. LEFT Xaro Lodge is beautiful throughout the day.
The Barbel Run The barbel run is the best time for catching tigers in the Okavango. A feeding frenzy occurs when the water levels drop after winter’s floods and barbel flush small baitfish from the papyrus beds where they’ve been safely feeding. Tigers and countless birds hungrily follow these little guppies. The timing varies each year depending on water levels but it typically occurs between September and October. JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
103
TRAVEL
Okavango Delta
Stay on a houseboat Organise a crowd and sleep aboard a houseboat for a fully immersive Okavango experience. Self-drive to Sepopa and get a boat transfer to Okavango Houseboats. There are three simple vessels of varying sizes that are able to tow a fishing boat, too (recommendation is max three anglers to a boat). Ngwesi (Tiger Fish) is perfect for smaller groups and has an enclosed dining area on the upper deck. Eight en-suite cabins sleep a maximum of 16 people. From R14 000 a day for a self-catering escape, but the crew can cook the meals for you. Water transfer is R960pp. Petrol is an extra R30/litre and oil R240/litre. okavangohouseboats.com
allowed to walk this sacred site with a guide, and they will unlock the secrets of the stones. With more than 4 500 paintings, Tsodilo has one of the highest concentrations of rock art in the world. The intriguing layering of paintings and plentiful archaeological relics suggest that ancestors occupied this area for as long as 100 000 years. There are four walking trails to explore: the shortest, most popular track is the Rhino Route that leads past the Van der Post panel and exquisite rock art of rhinos, antelope and even whales and penguins (it s believed the San artists travelled as far as the coast). If you re up for a challenge, climb the highest point of Botswana (1 489m) up the Male Hill Route and bring water. DO IT Tick off both of Botswana's Unesco World Heritage Sites. Xaro Lodge tented suites cost from R2 500 pp sharing DBB, including a threehour boat activity. (It is closed from December to February). +267 7280 7476, xaro-lodge.com Entry to Tsodilo Hills costs R70 pp, and a guided walk along the Rhino Trail is R160 pp (guiding fees go up the longer the trail).
TOP RIGHT Xaro Lodge at sunset. All tents face the water and the camp is run entirely on solar energy. ABOVE The secretive ginger-rufous Pel’s Fishing Owl is reliant on healthy river systems for its diet, consisting mainly of fish, frogs and small crocodiles.
104
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
PREFER TO CAMP? Guma Lagoon is another excellent Panhandle pozzie with shaded, grassed campsites. However, access to fishing waters requires further boating. Camping from R240 pp and boat rental from R1 900 per day for four people plus fuel charged per litre. +267 687 4626, guma-lagoon.com
! " #
$ % & # ' " $ ( )
* "+ # # $ ( , , "+ #
$
! " # $ ! %"&#'
TRAVEL
Okavango Delta
RIGHT Red Lechwe roam the plains of the Gomoti River. BELOW The spacious deck at Mma Dinare Camp offers a front-row seat to Okavango scenery, such as elephants and hippo in the water.
INDULGE AT A LUXURY OKAVANGO TENTED CAMP Budget-savvy travellers will love this camp because Okavango access doesn t require a costly flight. Instead, a free 4×4 road transfer comes with the rate. This camp is owned by Kwando Safaris, an old hand in the business and one of the first to switch from hunting to photographic safaris in the early 1990s. The company firmly believes that the people of Botswana should show you their country. Olebogeng Mbwe, or Alco , was our guide for the next few days and drove us out of Maun, steering us north. We crossed the buffalo fence an hour later, transitioning from mere road transit to a bonafide game drive. Lofty giraffe strolled beside us, and we clocked zebra, warthog, impala and the speedy tsessebe antelope, plus a few bull elephants all before arriving at camp. Bordering the open plains of the Moremi Game Reserve, we walked into Mma Dinare Camp in time for sundowners on the jaw-dropping deck around the outdoor fire pit that was stirred to life. The dining area likewise made the most of the abundant Gomoti River that flowed right past. Hippos and red lechwe crisscrossed the scenic floodplains and enormous buffalo herds, too, delivering on the camp s name. Mma Dinare means Mother Buffalo in Setswana.
Shakawe Xaro Lodge
Tsodilo Hills
Khwai Community Camp
Guma Lagoon A35
Okavango Delta
Third Bridge Camp Mma Dinare Tented Camp
NG/32 (Okavango Kopano Mokoro Community Trust)
Botswana
Maun A35
A3 A3
DO IT From R3 760 pp sharing or R1 950 pp if you are a group of six (tell your mates). Valid until March 2022. Rates include return game drive transfer from Maun, accommodation with all meals and beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), daily laundry and game viewing activities. Game drives, bush walks and seasonal mokoro are available. +267 686 1449, kwando.co.bw
ROUGH IT Unlike the Kruger National Park, Botswana s parks and camps are not fenced. There s no better place to feel the rugged intensity of the wild than when camping alongside the creatures of the Kalahari. You ll likely dodge spotted hyenas on the way to the bathroom (if there is a bathroom) or wait for hippos to scamper back into the river after a night grazing along the riverbanks. As my dad likes to say, 4×4ing through Botswana is an adventure, not a holiday! My favourite stay inside the Moremi Game Reserve is at Third Bridge. However, you save a little on park fees by camping in the Khwai Development Trust Area. My folks once shared their morning coffee at the rustic campsite here with a pack of wild dogs.
DO IT Camping at Third Bridge costs R450 pp plus park fees of R160 pp. There are basic ablutions and a hot shower. Bring cash to pay park fees at the Moremi Game Reserve gate, and book your site in advance. +267 686 22 21, xomaesites.com Magotho Camp run by the Khwai Development Trust is another popular option on the Moremi boundary, but you don’t need to pay daily park fees. Just note there are no facilities. R455 pp. khwai@bctmail.co.bw, Khwaitrust.co.bw
Camping below the stars – and dodging hyenas – at Third Bridge Campsite. LEFT 4WD is essential if you’re keen to self-drive the Moremi Game Reserve. Don’t have a fully equipped camper? Bushtrackers Africa based in Maun will loan you one. JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
107
South Africa is a prominent producer of blueberries, a globally renowned superfood.
Food
LIFESTYLE
The colour blue IN FOOD? BLUE ISN’T OFTEN FOUND IN AN EDIBLE FORM IN NATURE. YET STILL, SOME OF THE MOST INDULGENT DISHES FLAUNT BLUE CHEESE ON BLEU STEAK SERVED WITH BLUE LABEL. NEATLY PUT, THE COLOUR IS RARE. LOUZEL LOMBARD STEYN EXPLAINS WHY BLUE SHOULD BE ON YOUR PALATE
Two ways to make your own blue food B LU E BUT TE R FLY PE A FLO WE RS
I
once rescued a christening cake from the cliff of kitsch when the baker (bless her soul) decided to smear the whole thing with bright-blue icing. It was for a baby boy, but still. We re long past colour-coding for kids and no child deserves to be photographed with blue cheeks on their dedication day. And boy, did it stain; my hands and fingernails took on a translucent blue hue as I peeled back layers of fake blue icing. When the cake was finally saved, my hands looked frostbitten and bruised. The colour blue is rare in food, which makes it an interesting choice for artificial colouring. There s no actual flavour on which to base a brightblue cake. No mental blueprint that says Eat me! I m fun and safe and taste like Nothing comes to mind. For many foods, we make that mental connection. Strawberries are red and sweet and crammed full of antioxidants, for example. Pink cakes, therefore, are tolerated. Orange indicates a healthy dose of beta-carotene in carrots while green spinach has chlorophyll written all over it. Lycopene translates as red in tomatoes and curcumin gives turmeric its bright yellow glow. We often celebrate health benefits with the help of colour but, because so few natural blue fruits or veggies exist, we don t really make this connection for blue food. There s no better time than the present to start, though. New research
finds that a blue hue in food points to the presence of anthocyanin and/or anthocyanidin the reddish-blue plant flavonoids found in flowers of highergrowing plants. This primary plant pigment is responsible for a host of health benefits such as anti-inflammation and anti-diabetic properties, and may also help to preserve eyesight and liver function. Blueberries the most prominent blue food boast all of these health benefits. In fact, they re hailed as a new superfood and lucky for us, South Africa is fast becoming a prominent global producer of these crunchie blue flavour bombs, mainly thanks to our geographical location on the African continent s tip serving both western and eastern markets. Blue food isn t the next big thing, however. It s always been around, just in small packages , as the saying goes... confidently asserting its territories like the blue penicillium veins in a ripe Roquefort cheese. Or in the smooth and lingering sweetness of a sip of Blue Label. Yes, and in the stench of a hard-boiled padkos egg that s been forgotten in the Tupperware for a day too long. Blue may be understated, but it s potent when it comes to food. Other natural blues are equally dynamite-ish and intoxicating. Butterfly pea flowers and cornflowers may be dainty but they produce vibrant blue extracts that might colour a christen-
If you can get your hands on butterfly pea flowers from Thailand, China or Vietnam, you can make your own Malaysian nasi kerabu. Steep the dried flowers in boiling water to release their blue colour, and then use the water to cook your rice. The nasi is typically served with chicken and salted egg, and with a herb salad, aka the kerabu, a mix of finely shredded local herbs and raw vegetables, long beans, bean sprouts and cabbage. Alternatively, you can use the blue extract to create vibrant cocktails.
R E D C A B B AGE It’s not that hard to make a natural blue dye. Just take a red cabbage, cut it into pieces, and boil it. Once the purple broth is extracted, add baking powder and watch it turn bright blue. Use it to dye homemade ice cream, milkshakes or make some eerie blue alien pasta with the kids! JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
109
WE’RE BACK! Garden&Home has found greener pastures and is back on the shelves. Be sure to get your copy today!
Expect : INSPIRING GARDENS, HOMES & ARCHITECTURE, DECOR & DIY IDEAS, LIFE HACKS, GARDENING ADVICE (SO YOU DON’T KILL YOUR NEW INDOOR PLANT COLLECTION), PLANTING TO-DOS & SO MUCH MORE...
LIFESTYLE
ABOVE LEFT: Nasi kerabu, the Malaysian dish famed for its bright blue rice, is made with Butterfly Pea Flower extract.
Food
ABOVE RIGHT: Bubblegum ice-cream from Aroma Ice Cream & Waffle House in Pretoria.
ing cake with a more natural effect. Natural Thai blue pea flowers also known as Asian pigeonwings have the most true-blue colouring effect on foods, much better compared with blueberries, which have a lot of pink and purple undertones. They have been used in eastern cooking for ages, most notably in nasi kerabu, a traditional Malaysian rice dish made from butterfly pea petals. We re still a while a way from bright blue rice in South Africa but we re definitely leading the way in terms of blue padkos eggs and blueberry fields. Bleu steak still needs motivation, less so the Blue Label, I imagine. Here are a few spots where you can taste the colour blue. Where The Wild Things Are Many South Africans still need a little motivation to eat their meat bleu but we re first in the queue when it comes to venison. So instead of bleu steaks, how about blue wildebeest steaks? If it s game you re after, there s no better spot to satisfy your craving than the Wild Fig Tree in Sabie. This local haunt has
been operational since 1996 and specialises in authentic South African dishes. Expect a whole range of unusual cuts on the menu, such as ostrich fillets, pan-fried crocodile and a rich warthog goulash. 013 764 2239 Where: Cnr Main and Louis Trichardt streets, Sabie, Mpumalanga
Bubble Trouble Bubblegum is the coolest blue flavour, despite the lack of any natural connection. It s a childhood favourite, like those bright blue bubblegum Steri Stumpies. The bubblegum ice cream from Aroma Gelato & Waffle Lounge in Lynnwood is one of the brightest blue concoctions you ll ever gaze upon. But it s a crowd favourite and is often enjoyed with freshly toasted waffles or whipped up in a decadent milkshake. 012 362 3560 Where: Aroma Gelato & Waffle Lounge, 255 Lynnwood Road, Brooklyn, Pretoria, Gauteng JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
111
LIFESTYLE
Food Black & Blue Blueberries are the new superfood and at The Berry Guest Farm outside Swellendam, you walk amid fields of black and blue and red berries and eat them to your heart s content. During harvest season, guests are allowed to pick their own blue- and blackberries. Berries taken off the farm are charged per kilo, at a fraction of the commercial price. The farm also has tractor rides for the kids and berry liqueur tastings for parents. 082 421 8555 Where: The Berry Guest Farm, 6 Hermitage, Hermitage Valley, Swellendam, Western Cape
Blue Heritage Because there are so few blue foods, blue crockery creates a fantastic backdrop to show off colourful food. Nowhere else in SA is this better illustrated than at Babylonstoren in the Cape Winelands, with its modern-day celebration of heritage Delft crockery that was unearthed from the grounds. The beautiful crockery, originally brought to SA by Dutch and French settlers, has been re-appropriated to represent a new, blended South African food heritage. While the food may not be all blue at Babel, you can expect the colours of the rainbow as chef Schalk Vlok loves incorporating farm-grown flowers and colourful edibles in all the scrumptious dishes. 021 863 3852
The Best Blue Cremalat Cheese started with humble beginnings in 1993 by Claudio and Margaret Giustizieri, two Italians in SA with an extreme passion for cheese. This story started at the Michael Mount Organic Market in Bryanston, with a small stall selling cheeses; today, Cremalat s delis have a cult following in Joburg and Pretoria. The Cremalat Gorgonzola has been hailed by many as the best blue cheese in SA. It s creamy and nutty with just the right amount of stinky goodness as you would expect from a true blue. The full range of Cremalat cheeses and Italian foods are worth a try. 060 837 8261 or 060 838 0094 Where: Delis at 61 Rivonia Road, Sandton and 51 George Storrar Avenue, Groenkloof, Pretoria
TOP LEFT: A family-friendly day of blueberry picking at The Berry Guest Farm outside Swellendam. MIDDLE: Cremalat’s famed Gorgonzola blue cheese. LEFT: A backdrop of blue Delft tableware at Babylonstoren's tea blending and tasting workshop.
112
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
PHOTOGRAPHY LE RICHE LOMBARD, KATJA HASSELKUS, SUPPLIED,BABYLONSTOREN , UNSPLASH
Where: Babel at Babylonstoren, on the Klapmuts– Simondium Road, Simondium, Western Cape
READERS’
WIN
Competition
Two vouchers for Taj Cape Town
WORTH R35 000
How to enter Scan the QR code with your phone or fill in the entry form for Taj Cape Town online at getaway.co.za/competitions Entries close on 31 January 2022.
T HE PR I ZE One reader will win two Epicure vouchers worth R17 500 each, which can be used towards accommodation, spa treatments and meals at Taj Cape Town.
PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIED
TERMS AND CONDITIONS The prize is valid from 1 February 2022 to 31 January 2023, subject to availability and excludes peak season and public holidays. The Epicure gift vouchers are not transferable, resaleable or refundable for cash. Winner must present the voucher for redemption and prior reservation is mandatory. The prize excludes transport, alcoholic beverages and gratuities.
WORLD-CLASS REFINEMENT DEEPLY ROOTED IN LOCAL HERITAGE Taj Cape Town is renowned for its commitment to providing luxury hospitality. Located in the centre of the city bowl, Taj Cape Town boasts a strong sense of place and is within walking distance of some of South Africa s foremost landmarks and attractions, as well as an eclectic array of shops, galleries and restaurants. Spread across two heritage buildings, all 176 individually decorated rooms reflect unrivalled opulence. Taj Cape Town has a wealth of accommodation options suited to leisure and business travellers. All rooms boast panoramic vistas of the city and Table Mountain, with lavish furnishings and contemporary finishes immersing guests in world-class luxury. At Taj Cape Town, guests find comfort in the stately, tastefully designed rooms, offering unhindered views of the destination, while provid-
ing convenient in-room facilities. The Bombay Brasserie, our award winning Indian fine dining and international cuisine restaurant, provides a culinary experience unlike any other. Epicure, Signature by Taj Cape Town is a multi-layered and multidimensional membership programme tailor-made for guests. It offers exclusively designed year-round benefits and one-off vouchers for food and beverages, spa treatments at our award winning Jiva Spa and luxurious accommodation as well as amazing one-off exclusive vouchers crafted to create unforgettable moments. 021 819 2000 tajhotels.com/en-in
FOR ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES PLEASE EMAIL gear@getaway.co.za
Cell: 082-926-5785 www.swordcane.com
Discreet, Functional, Protection at your fingertips. Burger Custom Canes is renowned worldwide for our quality range of Custom Sword Canes, Country/Hiking Canes and Bespoke functional art canes.
114
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
FOR ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES PLEASE EMAIL gear@getaway.co.za
Getaway Gear
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
115
FOR ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES PLEASE EMAIL gear@getaway.co.za
116
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
EASTERN CAPE • KWAZULU NATAL
To advertise contact Elzanne Botes | 072 174 3804 | elzanne.botes@ramsaymedia.co.za www.getaway.co.za
This space could be yours for
R1 150 (excl VAT)
EASTERN CAPE www.mazeppabay.com
HOTEL HIKING TRAILS ALONG SOUTH AFRICA’S LEGENDARY WILD COAST
To advertise here, contact our Getaway team +27 21 530 3300 118
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
• Accommodation Reservations • Conference Venues • Adventure Excursions • Transport • Tailored Packages Tel: +27 (0)43 743 6181 Fax: +27 (0)43 743 6188 meross@iafrica.com www.wildcoastholidays.co.za
KWAZULU NATAL
KWAZULU NATAL
THREE STAND ALONE SELF-CATERING CABINS IN THE KARKLOOF. Perfect getaway for bird watchers, cyclists and those just seeking solitude
Getaway Guide
NIRVANA OUTPOST LUXURY TEPEE CAMP, in the heart of the KZN Midlands, where your soul rests and gathers strength
Karkloof Hideout
Evergreen Cabin
Old Pine Cabin
glassworks@worldonline.co.za www.evergreencabin.wordpress.com
Contact Wendy: 082-772-4894 or info@nirvanaoutpost.com www.nirvanaoutpost.com
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
119
NORTH WEST • WESTERN CAPE
This space could be yours for
NORTH WEST
R1 150 (excl VAT)
To advertise here, contact our Getaway team +27 21 530 3300
120
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
Set in the Magaliesberg Mountains, this is a haven for campers, hikers, birders, budding botonists or anyone seeking peace and quiet in natural, unspoilt surroundings. No radios or noise allowed. No Day visiting. Offering crystal clear mountain pools & breath-taking scenery, MSP offers various accommodation & camping. Weddings, functions and guided hikes can be arranged. Booking is essential.
www.mountain-sanctuary.co.za Tel/fax (014)534-0114 • Cell 082-707-5538 • owen@mountain-sanctuary.co.za
WESTERN CAPE
GRAND P R I Z E MAGNIFICENT VIC FALLS Four readers could be flying to Victoria Falls courtesy of British Airways (operated by Comair) from Joburg, to stay at the legendary Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. The lodge is an easy fiveminute drive from the Falls and is ideally placed for lazy sundowner cruises on the Zambezi River. ba.com
SUBSCRIBE TO
WIN
victoria-falls-safari-lodge.com
EXCLUSIVE OFFER W I N O N E O F S E V E N O N C E - I N - A - L I F E T I M E H O L I D AY S BY SUBSCRIBING TO Subscribe to 12 months of Getaway magazine for a limited time and save 40% off the shelf price, paying only R323. To subscribe call 021 530 3300 or email subscriptions@hsm.co.za RETREAT TO THE KAROO Win a two-night stay for two at Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve, near Graaff-Reinet, courtesy of Newmark. Look forward to game drives across the famed plains of Camdeboo, the ultimate in luxurious accommodation and nights under that endless karoo sky. newmarkhotels.com/places/reserves/mount-camdeboo
WILD IN THE PILANESBERG Stay at Bakubung Bush Lodge, care of Legacy Hotels and Resorts on a two-night, weekend break for four. The lodge, within the Pilanesberg National Park, offers down-time by the pool or in the Legacy Spa as well as game drives, game walks, bush sundowners and boma dinners. legacyhotels.co.za PEACEFUL IN PATERNOSTER Unwind by the water’s edge at Gonana Guest House, designed and run by master creator Jonas Sandström. Ride an E-bike, take a private yoga session, eat at one of the seven top restaurants in town, go kayaking or horse riding or simply relax in the sun. gonanaguesthouse.com BOSCHENDAL'S FINEST Win a two-night, self-catering stay for four at Boschendal’s historic Cottage 1685, on the largest working wine estate in the country. Hike, run or ride its routes, tour the farm, visit the restaurant, enjoy the night market or experience the farm’s popular drive-in evening. boschendal.com ETERNAL SOSSUSVLEI Win a two-night stay for two at Little Kulala courtesy of Wilderness Safaris, near the magical dunes of Sossusvlei. The recently redeveloped lodge is situated in its own private reserve and boasts wide verandas and exceptional luxury and superb cuisine. wilderness-safaris.com/ our-camps/camps/little-kulala
THE BEST OF PLETT Win a three-night stay for two at Plettenberg Bay’s Old Rectory Hotel & Spa, courtesy of Rare Earth Retreats. Retaining elements of the town’s oldest structure, a 1777 colonial store, The hotel is close to Plett’s many pleasures, both culinary and natural. rareearth.co.za/the-old-rectory-index
GENERAL T&Cs All prizes in Getaway are subject to availability and are not transferable, resaleable or refundable for cash. For full details of individual prizes and specific terms and conditions, see getaway.co.za.
LAST LOOK Crazy, colourful Cuba From the town of Trinidad, an old train takes tourists for a five-hour trip around the hills and sugarcane landscapes of the Valle de los Ingenios. Besides this daily occurrence, the friendly station master has a lot of time to pose with his Che Guevara poster. - Obie Oberholzer
122
JANUARY 2022 • GETAWAY.CO.ZA
Investec Limited and its subsidiaries, including Investec Bank Limited - 1969/004763/06, registered credit providers and authorised financial service providers. Johannesburg 011 286 7000 Cape Town 021 416 1000 Durban 031 575 4000 Pretoria 012 427 8300 Port Elizabeth 041 396 6700 Stellenbosch and Winelands 021 809 0700.