Here we are: we have all been on lockdown here in South Africa for well over 120 days now, the children have been homeschooled, some schools went back part time but if like me yours attend an international school the odds are they have now been on “vacation” for close to a month… By now we were all hoping that we would be allowed to travel, at least within the country, god knows we need it but also it would bring such a relief to the bleeding tourism industry, but sadly it’s not to be, and we are locked in our prohibition-ridden provinces for the foreseeable future… It’s no wonder then that so many of us are turning to some local options for days out, and whilst Gauteng (the province where we live) is no Western Cape or KZN, there are some options. Here are three we tried recently, for more ideas check out the Highlight on my Instagram stories called Johannesburg Staycation.
Dinokeng: Bring your own picnic, watch the game pass by
Dinokeng is a game reserve just outside of Pretoria, boasting most of the animals you’d find in a big park such as Kruger, and offering self-drives as well as lodge activities. We came for a self-drive one week-day morning early July, and whilst it doesn’t have the trappings of going on a luxury safari such as the ones we have become used to, spoiled as we are, it was lovely and we did enjoy being out and about in the middle of the animals.
You can bring your own picnic, as we did, and as it was a week day we had the picnic area pretty much to ourselves, or you can opt to lunch at one of the reserve lodges, and then have a ranger drive. I think being on a self-drive means you can come very early in the morning, and then do everything at your own pace, however neither Hubby Dearest nor I being professional trackers (who am I kidding we’re not even amateur trackers, I often mistake big rocks for rhinos!) we did miss out on big game such as elephants or lions, but then again that’s not really why we came. We wanted a day out and this very much filled the brief.
My recommendation: if you’re opting for a self drive avoid the week-ends as apparently it gets super crowded.
Modderfontein: On your door step, street food aplenty
If you want to stay within half an hour of North Jo’burg, then Modderfontein is the perfect outing, especially since it has started hosting some of the food trucks from the Fourways Farmers Market, which has still not re-opened sadly… so this is a good way to support businesses which have been struggling in the recent months, and have a fabulous time.
The reserve is quite big, with a few trails that are all quite flat and easy to walk, cycle or run (the children did a mix of running and walking, and hopping along, it was quite relaxed), and once you are done you can either get a coffee or a street food lunch from one of the stands. There is a large outdoor area with bales of hay and picnic tables that is perfect to enjoy the Winter sun whilst munching on burgers (it was Sunday, so cravings allowed, right?)
Remember this is super convenient for Jo’burgers so if you’re coming on the week-end (the food stalls are only here Saturday and Sunday for now) do try to arrive by 9:30 to avoid a long queue at the reserve entrance.
Ground, The Venue: Winelands vibe with a beautiful boxed picnic
Amidst the numerous venues on the wedding belt that is the Magaliesburg, many have remained shut, but some have embraced the challenge of lockdown by reinventing themselves. Ground The Venue has done so beautifully.
You start your day by hiking around or up the little koppie that stands just behind the farmland (little is an understatement, my legs still have tremors thinking of climbing that thing… but the view from the top was so worth it, not to mention the reward at the end). I did wear my new hiking monstrosities that day, and I am glad I did: whilst the hike is not hard per se, it is intense).
After about two and a half hours, you are back by the farm and, if you booked, make your way to a beautifully set table in the middle of the mini vineyard, giving you vibes of the Cape Winelands, especially if, like we did, you bring your own bottle of vino to enjoy the delicious picnic boxes… There is no rush to go home from there, the calm of the country surrounds are super chilled and even the children didn’t beg to move on as soon as they’d wolfed down their picnics…
Bookings are essential, especially if you want one of the tables, although you can also bring your own and enjoy the grounds. Do bring a hat and SPF, there isn’t a lot of shade around.
There you have it, three outings where you can take the little ones on a picnic within a short drive from Johannesburg… Which kid doesn’t love eating outdoors?
With love, S.
A Styled Life 