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Emily recently stayed at Gondwana Game Reserve and had a wonderful weekend at this luxury safari lodge, enjoying an adventure amongst Africa's wildlife in a setting of comfort and luxury. Make sure to book a weekend away at Gondwana Game Reserve.
Nestled in the valleys and mountains along the Garden Route lies Gondwana Game Reserve, a 11000 hectare expanse of beautiful fynbos that is home to the Big Five. It has been called "South Africa's leading nature experience" by World Travel Awards and the "perfect couple's retreat" by the Tatler, and we were heading there to find out why.
We left Cape Town in the morning, feeling excited about the adventure that lay ahead. Gondwana Game Reserve is a comfortable four hour's drive from Cape Town and is less than an hour away from George airport. On arrival, we were welcomed immediately by a friendly member of staff and made to feel at home.
Our rooms, like the restaurant and bar, were tastefully decorated in a luxurious and modernised Khoi-San theme that was perfectly suited to the wild fynbos surrounds. They were spacious and luxurious. Wide windows offered views of the surrounding valleys and mountains. The cold nights were perfectly offset by a lovely fireplace and the pre-warmed beds that we came home to in the evenings, as well as a large bath and walk-in shower to help us warm up. During the night, the only sounds were those of hooting owls on our skylight and the sounds of elephants as they walked amongst the huts.
Our hut was perfect for a couple in need of a romantic getaway, but there are also larger villas, which have the capacity to be self-catering, are situated near to the huts and can accommodate groups of four to eight people with all the luxury and comfort offered by the smaller huts. For those in need of additional relaxation, the Gondwana Spa offers a variety of Africology treatments which makes use of South Africa's indigenous plants.
Fortunately, we were just in time for lunch. Meals at Gondwana Game Reserve are both delicious and memorable. Breakfasts were eaten outside with a breath-taking view of the reserve and offered a taste of everything; the croissants, camembert and jams were my favourite. Lunch consisted of soup with fresh bread followed by a platter of a variety of dishes with salads to satisfy any palate, always with an African flavour. In the evenings after game drives, we were offered an enticing menu of African-European cuisine, with the kudu steak and creamed polenta being a particularly memorable meal.
The most special part of our time at Gondwana Game Reserve were the game drives, where our expert game ranger gave us a magical tour of the Big Five and other animals. To offset the chilly winter winds we were given hotwater bottles and warm ponchos to wrap ourselves in, so we could enjoy our adventure in comfort.
We were fascinated to learn more about the animals that share our country. Did you know that zebra's stripes help them regulate their temperature? Blood is shunted to below the temperature-absorbent black stripes during cool weather to warm them up. Did you know that giraffe's hearts weight 10kg? They need to be powerful enough to pump blood all the way up their long necks to their heads! We also learnt about the Khoi and San people who used to live in that area and their ingenious use of fynbos to survive.
While it was fascinating to learn more about the plants and wildlife that inhabit Gondwana Game Reserve, nothing was more magical than seeing a majestic lion or watching a hippo wallow through a lake just metres away from us. We had our morning tea and snacks with some giraffe, and our sundowners listening to lion roar. We even had the unique experience of seeing a pregnant zebra's baby kicking in her womb!
Gondwana Game Reserve comes highly recommended as a spectacular adventure amongst the wildlife of South Africa in a setting of comfort and luxury. It is a corner of paradise that I would love to return to.
To find out more about Gondwana Game Reserve and to book a weekend away, click here.
