If you’re gonna travel all the way to South Africa then a safari experience should be on your itinerary too. We headed to Gondwana Game Reserve to unleash our inner David Attenborough for two nights. Located just off the Garden Route, Gondwana offers up luxury accommodation with all the facilities you expect from a hotel including a pretty spectacular swimming pool and super fast WiFi – having previously done camping safaris we were more than happy to go high end and glamp it up for once.
We stayed in one of the Kwena Rooms which are mini pod like buildings, made for two people with a wall of windows offering views out over the land – spot the giraffes – skylights for star gazing, clay fire places, showers and a bath set near a window for soaking whilst staring. Even though there are 8 pods the positions make it so that they are completely private.
Included in the price is two game drives per day; one in the morning and one in the afternoon and all food – that’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea and cake plus a chunk of fresh fudge at turn down. More than enough to keep those hungry pangs at bay!
On safari we were lucky enough to spot a baby elephant; just 6 weeks old alongside it’s family, hippo, lion with cubs tucking into a carcass, zebra, giraffes, rhino, baboons and various other mammals. In fact the only thing we didn’t spot was a cheetah. Next time.
The guides are experts, the vans are comfy and whilst there are a few early starts the sunrises more than make up for it. Definitely worth shelling out for.
Heuningkip Farm, R327, Mossel Bay, 6500, South Africa
www.gondwanagr.co.za