Category: Africa

Africa, Johannesburg

Rosemary Hill: cute little getaway from the city

by s.a.bLeave a Comment on Rosemary Hill: cute little getaway from the city

If the last fifteen months have taught me anything, it’s to be creative with week-end getaways and local escapades. It’s been hard not to be able to hop on a plane to London or Paris, but we have been luckier than most in South Africa, and there are so many lovely places to discover it almost doesn’t feel like travel has been restricted. Evidently, limited travel doesn’t mean that the school refrains from sending the children on “holidays” every six weeks, on the contrary! So keeping our two little minis busy and entertained has also been a full-time task lately. Alas we can’t go on safari or to the beach every week, so we mix those with getaways closer to the city, and finding Rosemary Hill and its adorable cabin cluster (CabinVille) so close to Johannesburg was a god-send.

Although Johannesburg feels like a giant forest and the winters here are lovely with the warm light and sunny afternoons, we sometimes miss a little bit of countryside, the kind that you would get from a trip to the Cotswolds or to Provence… It’s all a little urban at times. However, if you drive about an hour to the outskirts of Pretoria, you will find the most lovely farm now revamped into a wedding venue cum B&B. The farm offers more traditional accommodation in cottages, but what is unique is the little pods out in CabinVille: the idea of glamping in a very cool modern cabin just was too good to pass on. This is how we arrived at the Big Pod.

The Big Pod is a two-level cabin where upstairs is a large sleeping and lounging area with beautiful views out to the tree line; the full wood cladding look gives it a wonderful hygge atmosphere and the kids were so excited at a family sleepover opportunity. Downstairs is a double bedroom, a bathroom with the most perfect tiling, and a very well appointed kitchen. Outside is a deck with loungers, space to dine out, and a braai (you’re in South Africa, of course there is a very well functioning barbecue area!).

There is a restaurant and a café on the grounds and breakfast is included in the pod bookings, but we decided to be in our little bubble. We had brought all the goodies for sundowners, a arm themed dinner (sausages and organic veggies) and croissants and baguettes from the best bakery in Johannesburg (if you know, you know, if not, message me!) for breakfast. It made for the most perfect isolated outing, and we barely crossed anyone during our stay.

Whilst the Big Pod feels very open to nature, it is beautifully built and quite warm in the evening, not to mention the fluffy duvets. This did not feel at all like camping and my mind was very far from sleeping bags and communal showers, thankfully. Considering I am not the biggest fan of sleeping in tents and sharing my bathroom space with creepy crawlies this was perfect.

There are lots of things to do on the farm, from exploring the walking and bike paths to going on a horse ride, visiting the farm animals… The Autumn weather is perfect to walk around, as it doesn’t get too hot and the colours are beautiful, especially in the afternoon. The next morning we had signed the munchkins off for a session at Acrobranch, also on the farm, and they had a blast with the zip lines and climbing features.

All in, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Rosemary Hill. It is perfect for a quick one-night getaway from the city, to break out from the routine and enjoy something different as a family.

With love, S.

Africa, Johannesburg

Four family-friendly hikes around Johannesburg

by s.a.b1 Comment on Four family-friendly hikes around Johannesburg

Years ago, if you’d told me I would live in a country of super outdoorsy people, and I myself would regularly partake in the fun activity that is hiking, I would have scoffed at you and asked “Have we met?”… And yet here I am, a proudly adopted South African, and one who apparently goes hiking now, so much so that I ordered the fugliest shoes ever for our next outing (no apparently they don’t make pretty hiking shoes, only ugly ones, but they are khaki, at least)… Evidently the CoVid-19 lockdown and its travel restrictions have helped encourage me on this new, somewhat unnatural, path (see what I did there?): for the past 120 days we’ve been on various levels of lockdown and the last 45 days have allowed us to go outdoors, but only within our province of residence, and when you live in the smallest province in the country, that is more notable for its big cities and its oh-so passé wedding belt filled with pseudo boho barns, there is little to do besides research hiking grounds and trails that are family friendly to occupy most of your week-ends.

Best for scenery: Mountain Sanctuary

Ok, technically this is just outside of Gauteng, in the North West, but so close it almost counts as being in the same province.. Plus Mountain Sanctuary is truly one of the most beautiful hiking grounds in the region. This is a place we discovered with our ex-neighbours, back when we were free to travel and the children in our cluster were the closest of friends, free to mix and play together pretty much from dawn to dusk. Our friends have moved to Cape Town, our children miss sharing their twin houses with their best friends, and I miss the banter and fun we all had, everyday.

Coming to Mountain Sanctuary you’ll find beautiful trails (evidently) but also some gorgeous natural pools that the kids love jumping into, no matter the season. Following the natural pools is relatively easy along a kids-friendly trail, and you can make as many breaks as the little ones need, to swim or to snack. There is something for everyone here, from very short hikes to full-day ones, and this is a place that strives to offer freedom to its visitors rather than restricted trails.

You can book for day hikes, or stay overnight as well, and booking is essential these days as the number of visitors is restricted.

Best for variety of trails: Rustig

Rustig is a family-farm in the Magaliesburg, specialising in cattle and game, but it also offers small cottages and basic tented accommodation for overnight stays and a variety of trails around the Magaliesburg mountains. A big plus for me is the scenery and woods that cover most of the bottom section of the trails, and which the kids enjoyed thouroughly.

For some reason the reception staff insist on making any family with smaller children stick to the 3km trail… In my opinion that is a pretty useless recommendation, first because we ended up walking it within less than an hour, and then we scrambled to hook up to the second trail the wrong way up and that’s when we got a little confused, even though the trails are very well signed with very visible coloured markers every few meters (unless you’re seeing them from the back: having completed the baby trail in no time, we took the red trail up from the end, and ended up missing a turn and hiking up part of the blue one as well before we came back down to the red markers… all in a well-walked day then). So if you go, and the full of good intentions lady at reception tells you “we don’t allow small children on the 5km trail”, but you know your kids have done 15km before without any problems, just ignore her and take the red one at the turn…

If you do go with bigger kids, then by all means try one of the longer trails that goes all the way to the top of the rocky mountain, the sight is absolutely stunning, but some of the paths are quite close to the drop and lack a proper barrier, and that feels a little risky for this mama. Be mindful the trails are full of loose stones, and going down sometimes feels a little tricky but slowly gets the job done.

We went on a Sunday, it was minimally crowded, the entrance was very well organised with the number of visitors limited and booking essential, and we had a lovely picnic on the side of the trail, overlooking the vlei underneath the farm, and whilst it was one of the coldest days this winter the view and light was truly beautiful.

Best for an easy long trail: Cradlemoon

Another hike we did recently is the one at Cradlemoon. This is extremely convenient for Johannesburg dwellers, as it is literally just outside of the city. We came here with a family of friends and what a wonderful time the kids all had, after weeks of physical distancing from any other children their age, watching them happily catch up and happily chattering through the walk felt like utter bliss.

Cradlemoon is a lodge as well, with a beautiful river and lake and game you can pretty much walk by (we saw the zebras and the giraffes and pretty much walked into the hippos at some point, but they also have rhinos etc.) and there are a couple of trails to choose from, marked by ease. The one we did ended up quite long, over 10km, but overall flattish and easy to walk, so it was easy to have the kids walk together in the middle between the dads and the moms, giving us all plenty of opportunity to catch up on life in lockdown…

The week-ends get incredibly crowded during the week-end, a consequence of Cradlemoon’s convenience, and the restaurant operates a take-away that looks like a fish feeding frenzy at lunch, so we opted out and instead went home to some takeaway from one of our favourite fish eateries.

Best for climbers: Hennops

Like I said Rustig has beautiful rocky mountains but climbing up requires negotiating trails full of rolling rocks… I love climbing as I enjoy the feeling in my legs from pushing up and then the beautiful view from the top, but as an ex-dancer I don’t have the most solid of ankles and I prefer smoother grounds, and for this reason I really enjoyed Hennops, one of the first hikes we did when we moved to South Africa.

There are four distance trails, we opted for the 5km one, starting by crossing the suspension bridge over the little stream, then climbing through the prettiest highveld woods, where we met a few zonkeys (first time I ever saw any) before moving up through lower bush. That’s my only complaint about Hennops: most of the hike is up on top of the hill, meaning there is very little shadow, and although we stocked up on SPF and water it still feels a little much, so I would recommend getting here early to avoid the midday sun, even during winter.

There you have it, dear locked down friends, some ideas of hikes that are super easy and convenient for those of us with little ones. I hope you’ll share your own ideas in the comments. Happy level 3… I guess…

With love, S.

Africa

Ostriches and blue lagoons in Churchhaven

by s.a.b3 Comments on Ostriches and blue lagoons in Churchhaven

One of the most beautiful places to visit in South Africa is the West Coast National Park, which lies just an hour drive away from Cape Town Airport yet features some pretty amazing scenery and incredible wildlife, not to mention the lagoon where I have finally been able to find water warm enough for me to swim in… By warm I mean not as cold as the rest of the region, but it’s still pretty chilly.

We rented a fisherman’s house in the off-grid village of Churchhaven, which is located inside the the West Coast National Park, right outside the Postberg Flower Reserve. The village was once the home of whalers and fishermen, and has gorgeous white-washed houses, which have now been refurbished as holiday homes. We rented Whaler’s Way through Perfect Hideaways. This is the perfect place for off-grid relaxation and some peace and quiet, especially if you come outside of the most popular times (usually August to October when the flowers are blooming and during the December holiday month). We came in February, it was blissfully deserted.

The West Coast National Park features a flower reserve which is incredible during Spring, but it also houses over 250 bird species including flamingos, ostriches, etc. Funny story: on one of the nights, I woke up convinced someone was roaming on the gravel right outside of the house, it was in fact a couple of curious ostriches. Flamingos would walk in the lagoon in front of the house most afternoons. On the sea-side, we could spot many marine birds, as well as sea lions. In the Postberg section of the park we saw some kudu, mountain zebras, and of course springboks… If you come during September and October, you may be lucky and spot a whale or two, and some dolphins.

There are many hiking trails in the park itself but our favourite outing was KraalBaai just five minutes from Churchhaven, it has the most transparent water and whitest sand I’ve seen in South Africa, and yes as I mentioned, warmish temperature, good for swimming! The water is shallow and super safe for the children. We really enjoyed watching time go by and reading on the terrace of the house, looking over the lagoon and seeing the light change as birds came and went… We did try to walk over to see the flamingos up close a few times but they are very skittish animals, they don’t like company much.

A few great outings just a short drive away are Yzerfontein (surfer’s paradise), Paternoster (a bit like a Greek village if it weren’t for the super long bay and the waves) and Langebaan. We spent a delicious afternoon there at Die Strandloper, a seafood boma restaurant by the beach, where you come with your own wine and then lazily graze through the most amazing seafood dishes (ten in total), all cooked on open coal fires on the beach, as your children make sand castles by the tables, and someone plays reggae tunes on a guitar. We were so spoiled we were sent away by the hostess with a loaf of their fabulous freshly baked bread to enjoy with breakfast the next day. I cannot recommend the place enough.

My advice, come to Churchhaven for the quiet off-grid life right by the edge of the water, the unspoilt surroundings deep in a natural reserve, don’t expect a nightlife (bring some good books), and expect to just chill, cook, eat delicious seafood. Remember you can find this trip in my Instagram highlights, it’s under Churchhaven. We combined this with a three-day stay in Cape Town, for the perfect balance. But that’s for another post…

With love, S.

Africa

Morukuru, our borrowed home in the bush

by s.a.bLeave a Comment on Morukuru, our borrowed home in the bush

Moving continents like we did a couple of years ago is a big adventure, and I wanted to celebrate our arrival by going on safari as soon as we arrived, showing our little travellers just how wonderful our new home country was. One of the first things I did when we moved to Johannesburg was research safari options that would accommodate our littles, not just at the lodge, but also on the game drives. Not many places are flexible about it, with most only allowing children on game drives after the age of 12, some after the age of 6, and a lot of lodges will tell you to bring your children and leave them with the lodge babysitter whilst you go on safari… I’m still not quite sure what the point of that would be (come all the way to the bush, then leave your child with a stranger in a closed room with videos about animals whilst you go enjoy a game drive?) but thankfully I soon found out about Morukury Family and their houses in the private section of the Madikwe game reserve.

Where is it?

The Madikwe Game Reserve is about 4 hours drive away from Johannesburg, although many tourists fly here from ORT with the small planes, as there is a landing strip. It’s a “Big Five” reserve and is malaria free, so quite popular with families, but not many of the 20-odd lodges in the public reserve side can welcome children as little as two.

Being entirely private, Morukuru allows babies on game drives, and the ranger then exercises their discretion on how close to get to animals or how long to stay at a sighting, depending on how the littles in the car are behaving. It also means everything is adapted to you and your family, so if baby needs a later start or if your son doesn’t eat tomatoes, then things will be arranged exactly to suit you. And bring a baby we did: on our first visit, Little Madame had a baby seat and drank her bottle on the sunrise drives, although she did express a strong preference for sitting on her dad’s lap and really got quite interested when she saw her first cheetahs, inquiring if she could go play with the kitties…

Which Morukuru house is best?

We are now Morukuru veterans, having visited the Madikwe houses four times and stayed in all three of them, although Owners House is my favourite. It’s by the river, with two beautiful suites and a number of decks and terraces overlooking the water and the tree canopy, and the swimming pool is laid on a nice open flat area on the side of the house, which is very reassuring when you come with tiny ones: we did spend quite a few afternoons here enjoying Pimm’s whilst our munchkins enjoyed a swim, even in the dead of South African winter (when the temperature around 2PM is a balmy 30 degres celsius, don’t worry).

River House is a little bigger, very close, but the swimming pool has a sharp infinity edge I’m not totally fond of especially when my children see that as a perfect jumping edge into the water… Farm House is set in a completely different part of the private reserve, meaning you don’t get the river landscape, but it’s bigger and has a wonderful lawn where nyalas come to graze and children can roam wild, and the lounge features a very cool bar and many comfortable sofas, making it the perfect house when we came with my parents and a couple of friends last year. All three houses are beautiful, and whenever we are back I always feel like the luckiest girl ever regardless of which one we stay in.

What’s so special about Morukuru?

This place is magical, it feels like having your own private house in the middle of the bush, complete with a full staff and a ranger and tracker team whose sole concern is that you have an amazing time. We rarely come for more than three days, usually long week-ends, and always ask the same ranger – hostess team as we love Evan and Ilse and they looked after us on our first stay, but each time the experience is truly unique. The animal sightings are of course fantastic, especially if you consider that Morukuru is set in a private area where at most three cars will be out at once, so we were the only ones around when we spotted that two-week old baby rhino on our second stay, and when we’re lucky we get a breakfast feast in their special viewing deck by the watering hole, meaning we get to enjoy the most special spectacle as we’re sampling 3-star worthy food.

When we first came, Hubby Dearest and I had a special anniversary to celebrate, and of course the team prepared a surprise dinner for the two of us, and Evan and Ilse had dinner with our two munchkins whilst we had a romantic meal outside on the deck. On the same stay, we saw some amazing sightings, including spotted dogs feasting on a kudu, but when our ranger heard that a pair of cheetah siblings were out having breakfast a good drive away, he postponed our breakfast to a brunch and we went to watch Little Madame’s “two kitties”. Had I wanted a bubble bath after an evening game drive on one of the decks, that is also possible, although as a mama I usually prefer to have dinner with my children than bathing for hours on end in the open, but know that is an option, as are massages, walking safaris, and much much more.

Nothing is too much to ask here, Morukuru offers 5-star worthy Relais & Chateaux service through and through: there are hot bottles on your seat as you jump in the car for the pre-sunrise drive, you can enjoy your favourite cocktail at sundowners whilst a herd of elephants pass on one side and a couple of rhinos are grazing on the other, the turn-down team thinks of every little luxury you may want before going to sleep, and the cooks’ food is truly to die for. Each meal is different, from the menu to the setting, from a boma dinner on top of a hill to a breakfast on the deck looking out to the river… You are sent off as you leave with homemade cookies and biltong for the drive home, and little cups with cocoa and marshmallows for when you get there. Nothing is too much, the house is pretty much yours for your stay, and when I commented on how delicious the mini muffins of the morning coffee were, I got to take the recipe with me to try and replicate them at home…

Why is it perfect for families?

Beyond everything I mentioned already, the staff at Morukuru, and in particular the ranger and tracker team, are truly keen to ensure children enjoy their time on safari. Evan is always looking for ways to entertain our little ones, and he keeps his eyes peeled for animals that could grab their interest, such as snakes for Little Monsieur (much to my despair…). We went fishing one afternoon, and enjoyed the fun of catching small fish as well as seeing an elephant swim by. It is truly magical. Being alone in a big part of the reserve, a private area that also happens to be the home of a beautiful lion pride, means you get to stay as long as you want to admire some fantastic animals, even if your children are talking in the back of the car or playing with Little Ponies, because yes, at some point children will get bored of seeing wildlife and will want to escape to their own little world… By the way, take it from me if you’re going on safari with children for the first time: take some toys along, and a little camera for the older ones, and make sure you have snacks, because the odds are, they won’t want to wait until sundowners for a little nibble.

We were meant to return to Morukuru Madikwe later this month, alas this has now been postponed with the lockdown, but we will be back as soon as we can. As you would expect, such privacy and luxury come at quite a high price, and I think I hear my card give a little sigh each time I book a stay here, but it’s worth every cent. I would rather come here a couple of times a year than go on safari elsewhere every other week-end…

With love, S.

Africa

An epic trip in the Namib

by s.a.bLeave a Comment on An epic trip in the Namib

As a family, we love travelling, but Africa has always had a very special place in my heart: there is so much to see and learn, so much contrast, you could spend a lifetime on this continent and still not have seen half of what it holds. Since moving to South Africa, we’ve managed to visit so many of the places on our bucket list, and I am so looking forward to sharing these with you. Starting with the week we spent in the extreme contrasts of the Namib Naukluft with our children and four of our darling friends…

First things first: if you know me, you know I like to research things thoroughly. Of course I love nothing as much as a comfortable luxury travel experience, but it turns out, if you want to really enjoy the Namib desert, you need to mix it up a bit, get out of your comfort zone and consider camping (yes, camping, not glamping). We flew into Walvis Bay, where we rented two cars with rooftop tents, built-in fridges and all the paraphernalia you need to cook in the wild. Word of caution: a car with two little tents on the roof was perfect for us and the two minis (the tents are relatively easy to unfold in the evening and back down in the morning), but the four big guys did struggle a little during the nights we slept in the tents…

Disclaimer: I had never camped in my life before this but self-driving let us follow our own rhythm, visit some of the most special sites, and most importantly sleep inside the Sossusvlei Nature Park within easy access to the gorgeous red sand dunes (whereas staying in the nearby lodges means you have to be out of the park between sundown and sunrise, missing the most beautiful light over the desert). Also the kids adored the experience and are begging for another go. Before you start thinking how impressive and how much I have adapted, let me put you right: we interspersed the nights of camping with nights in some of the most eco-luxe lodges in the region, just to keep the balance.

Day One and Two – Walvis Bay and Naukluft Camp

Our first day was an epic reminder of what a bunch of camping rookies we all were! Thanks to a slight delay in departing Walvis Bay (between a late flight and six coddled adults trying to buy groceries in a harbor town for five days in the desert, time can become a flexible measure), we arrived at our first base, Naukluft Camp, in the blackest of nights. And we had to find and set up our campsite, prepare dinner, shower in cold water because by then most of the other, cleverer, better prepared campers had all showered, and settle the kids to sleep, all pretty much in the dark. Doing all this with a couple of solar lamps that we didn’t really charge properly was, diplomatically put, a challenge. Cue big loss of sense of humour for me; thankfully we had a lot of wine from the grocery hunt, and we downed three bottles between six adults that first night. Nevermind, our reward was awaiting the next morning when we got to enjoy strong coffee and a cooked breakfast (by meal two you become a gas canister chef), before going on a 16km hike up the mountain, past some of fabulous rock structures, ancient trees and the most enticing natural pools, perfect for a refreshing swim.

Day Three and Four – Wolvedans Dune Lodge

After our big hike and a quick lunch, we took up towards our next stop, Wolvedans Dune Lodge… Driving through the Namib desert is an experience unlike any other. You drive hundreds of kilometres on dust tracks only to see the odd oryx or zebra on the side of the road, or a sign indicating a farm. Eventually we arrived at Wolvedans; evidently as we were still learning this travelling in the sand business, we followed the coordinates and arrived straight at the Dune Lodge, on top of the most glorious landscape of red sand, when the lodge protocol demands you drive to the reception lodge, where the air strip is, and be driven from there in one of the lodge’s Defenders… Anyways, that small mistake was soon forgiven, and we were shown to our wooden houses that sat on stilts on top of the dune; ours was the last one of the row, giving us an impression of total isolation that was incredible. Proper other-wordly.

The experience at Wolvedans is one that I would recommend to anyone who travels to the Namib; eco-luxury structures with a Star Wars feel that perfectly fit with the surroundings Martian, with all the amazing trappings of old-school African travel. I fell head over heels in love with the decor, the drives up and down the dunes to see chameleons and ostriches, and of course sundowners in the middle of the red sand, what’s not to love. The team stops at nothing to spoil you rotten, it’s a truly fantastic place.

Day Five and Six – Sossusvlei

After a couple of nights here we moved on to our next stop, and the piece de resistance of our trip as far as sights and magic: Sossusvlei. Back to camping, but this time we were almost experts. We stocked up for any additional goodies in the small gas station just outside the park, close to Sesriem Camp where we had booked to stay. Our site had a beautiful tree, we settled the two cars down on each side of it, and started putting out our dining chairs, and got to cooking a memorable braai to the tune of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (#travellingwithguncles) whilst I saw people eat out of plastic boxes, so yes we might have been camping but we were no savages… We spent two nights here and between the amazing starry sky, the beauty of sunrise over the desert, and the utter magic of Deadvlei, this is where I felt the most breathtaken.

After waking up in the middle of one night we scrambled through the camp to find the exit of the park (I may or may not have fallen flat on my face, tripped by one of the low level wires that protect the camp’s plants from being trampled on by tourists… but it was dark so I don’t remember) and go up in a hot air balloon with the lovely team of Namib Sky to see the desert wake up slowly. Watching herds of oryx pass by unaware, wondering about fairy circles, and then landing to a champagne breakfast is a once in a lifetime experience I highly recommend, and my only regret is Little Madame was too small to join us so I made her and her brother stay with the nanny on the ground as breakfast was being set… I hear they were bribed into patience with scones and muffins.

If you do only three things in Sossusvlei, it has to be: climb up a dune (we did Dune 45, which stands at 170m high and looks easy enough, it’s not, in fact it’s a nasty workout, but the view from the top is magical), go walk in Deadvlei and wonder at the centennial acacias that have calcified on the salt pan, and finally do take that balloon ride, nothing gets quite close.

Day 7 and 8 – Pelican Point and Sandwich Harbor

As far as contrasts go, the last part of our trip was so different from the first few days it seemed we were on a different continent. We drove back through the desert again, and back to Walvis Bay, where we left our friends and drove all the way through the laguna to spend two nights at Pelican Point Lodge, a cinema set worthy building sat by the side of a hundred-year-old lighthouse, on a slim strip of sand that is the home of a seal colony, a few jackal families, as well as flocks of flamingos and pelicans. Staying here feels very much like being on a boat in the middle of the sea, especially during foggy evenings, and the rooms are modern and lovely. By now it felt amazing to take a long hot shower to try and wash off the tons of red sand that seemed to have found its way into my hair, ears, and even eyes; that fully made up for the less than warm service from the hostess on duty, who is single-handedly responsible for the only poor service we had during the whole trip…

Nevertheless, we had an amazing day out on Sandwich Harbor, which is also part of the natural park, driving up and down the white sand dunes, admiring the pink salt pans and enjoying glorious seafood by the yacht club in Walvis Bay. As if we hadn’t had our fill of sand for a week, we reunited with the guncles who were staying nearby and spent the last afternoon of our trip sandboarding down some pretty impressive dunes (you have to use your legs to go back up for another ride down, no ski lifts here!).

We soon had to get back to Johannesburg and our day to day lives but with our eyes full of stars and our heads filled with memories of fantastic landscapes, amazing moments shared with friends and family, and the hunger to do it all again very soon.

Before I go, let me give you my top three tips about this trip: 1) pack light but ensure you have enough layers to dress comfortably through the day, the temperature amplitude and the wind are no jokes here, 2) opt for self-driving for at least part of the trip, you will see more and the kids will love sleeping on the rooftop tents but don’t forget quickdry camping and the headlights for reading in the tent, 3) do splurge with the balloon ride and Wolvedans, the experience in both cases was worth every penny. Also, if you want a day by day account of our trip go on to my Instagram, all our travels are in my story highlights, trip by trip.

With love, S.