Canadian World Traveller Winter 2019-20 Issue

63
The President Hotel
The Fancourt Hotel
The Outpost Lodge
Santé. The property would be the perfect itinerary
addition for a couple craving seclusion
or individuals hoping to kick start a healthy
routine.
The Nature:
After a few days exploring Cape Town, I
began to get antsy to see what the rest of the
country has to offer. Luckily, South Africa’s
Garden Route, extending from Cape Town to
the Eastern Cape, is the ultimate road trip.
Along the verdurous coast, you can swim in
the Indian Ocean or whale watch in the bay.
You can try bungee from the world’s tallest
bungee or sip a white wine from the boutique
Kay & Monty Vineyards. The Garden Route
winds an enchanting spell along South
Africa’s coasts, and the drive’s nickname pays
homage to its intricate and stunning ecological
diversity.
To Stay:
I recommend settling into The Old Rectory, the
boutique beach hotel located in Plettenberg
Bay, South Africa’s surfer and seaside paradise.
Dating back to 1777, this property dually
cherishes its history by maintaining is charm
and heritage while adapting to the present
with seamless renovations. This family-friendly
hotel is located just meters away from top
beaches and restaurants oozing with the smell
of freshly caught fish.
If you’re looking for the ultimate leisure
escape amidst a hectic itinerary, The Fancourt
Hotel, in the colonial town of George, is the
answer. The resort breathes nature, located
on 613 hectares of Garden Route countryside,
sitting in the folds of the Outeniqua
Mountains.
Golf lovers will find paradise at The Fancourt
— the property’s three golf courses have consistently
ranked as top in the country. The
hotel is family-friendly—while children can
splash in the pools or rent bikes, adults may
relax in the harmonious Roman Bath and spa.
If you crave a touch of safari experience while
traversing the Garden Route, then the allinclusive
Inzolo Lodge, a getaway just north of
Port Elizabeth, is the choice. The wild game
roam freely through the unique mountainous
landscape here. This hidden pinpoint of paradise
caters to upscale and sophisticated
clientele, with only four chalets and elegant
décor.
The Bush:
No trip to South Africa is complete without
experiencing the most remote areas in the
bush, waking up with the sun to the sounds of
mating impalas and snorting warthogs,
falling asleep each evening under the stars,
the grass stirring as the hungry lioness hunts
for her dinner under the light of the moon.
Hoedspruit Airport is about a one-hour flight
from the country’s capital, Johannesburg,
and is the gateway to the country’s wildlife
heartland.
To Stay:
Becks Safari Lodge, situated on the 9,000-
hectare Karongwe Private Game Reserve in
the Limpopo Province, offers guests intimacy
in the heart of the African bush. The lodge is
easily accessible, about an hour’s drive away
from the Hoedspruit Airport. There are ten
luxury safari units offering views of either the
Makhutswi River or a popular watering hole
where I spotted a warthog from the intimacy
of my own porch! With its bomas (a tradition-
al campfire dinner), an infinity pool sitting on
the edge of the bush, and guided walks led by
rangers throughout the dramatic landscape,
Becks would be the optimal safari choice for
families with older children (12 and up) or
couples.
Hidden in the northwestern corner of South
Africa, delicately touching Mozambique and
Zimbabwe, The Outpost Lodge, provides a
unique safari experience where nature reigns.
This northern sector of Kruger National Park is
known as the Eden of Kruger and home to
80% of the park’s biodiversity. The lodge provides
plentiful opportunity to be immersed in
this unique landscape, including bush walks,
game drives, and 180-degree views from
rooms. The Outpost is easily accessible by
flight with a transfer and is the ideal lodge for
an adventurer looking for a more remote,
wild area to explore.
The sophisticated and secluded Dulini Lodge
is the optimal choice for a discerning traveler,
just two hours from Hoedspruit airport in Sabi
Sands. The main lodge, showcasing traditional
African artwork, is a welcome place of
luxury, where human connection and conversation
are paramount. Dulini Lodge would be
the ideal choice for honeymooning couples,
with intimacy in six thatched suites, each with
their private plunge pools and privacy.
From its jagged, unspoiled coastline to its
bustling metropolitan areas, from its rugged,
untamed bush to some of the world’s most
condensed and intense floral biodiversity on
the Garden Route, one thing is for sure: South
Africa encompasses it all.
www.southafrica.net
The Old Rectory
Becks Safari Lodge
Dulini Lodge
Canadian World Traveller Winter 2019-20