“I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy.” – Ernest Hemingway
Journeying to South Africa is an essential once-in-a-lifetime trip for any discerning traveller perhaps seeking a taste of the unknown beyond Europe. The country offers the holy trinity of dramatic landscapes, delicious cuisine, and, of course, diverse culture and peoples.
My recent trip began in the Eastern Cape where I visited one of our favourite “big-five” safari locations, the long-established Kariega Game Reserve just an hour and half from Port Elizabeth. Staying at the River Lodge we were treated to two game drives a day to get up-close and personal with an array of antelopes, zebra, ostriches, and more. Among my highlights was a lucky encounter with a pair of majestic lions on the hunt in the early morning and a night-drive amongst a herd of elephants.
These experiences are priceless and nowhere else in the world could one view such a diverse ecosystem in such comfort. The rangers at Kariega take great pains to ensure that you see as much of Africa’s famed wildlife as you can and flank it with out-of-park explorations such as a boat trip to the nearby beach town of Kenton-on-Sea and the opportunity to sample local cuisine at dinner such as Kudu (a must-try!).
However, South Africa is not just about safari, and I needed a culture fix after two days out in the wilderness. The Safari Parks of the Eastern Cape are within easy reach of the cultural centres of Cape Town and the Winelands either by flying from Port Elizabeth (just over an hour) or by extending your stay with a trip along the Garden Route staying in Plettenberg, Hermanus and other beauty spots along the coast.
My exploration of South Africa’s history and culture commenced when I arrived In Franschhoek just outside Cape Town. Set in the Winelands of South Africa Franschhoek’s dramatic mountain surroundings are a perfect place to explore a more esoteric, but well laid-out, history of French Protestant emigration to the Cape at the Huguenot Museum. Here one can learn the story of individuals such as Pierre Joubert who cultivated the land the town is built on into the sprawling vineyards you can now see today relating back to the circumstances of the Thirty Years’ War in France that led the Huguenots to the Cape of Good Hope in the late seventeenth century. Of course, this exploration is best concluded with a practical assessment of the region’s history: a refreshing glass of Chenin Blanc at one of the many vineyards you can visit in and around the town.
Next, I journeyed down to Hermanus at the start of the Whale Coast. Though it wasn’t the season for whale-watching, Hermanus’ lustrous coastline is an attractive prospect year-round with a well-maintained coastal path connecting a series of pristine sandy beaches. At the end of each day the small town has a good selection of delicious restaurants from which to enjoy the views with a delectable seafood dinner.
Finally, no trip to South Africa is complete without a stay in Cape Town. Our holiday to South Africa concluded on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, a name historically synonymous with English “Grand Tour”, but in the 21st century an excellent showcase of the myriad languages, culture, and produce of the entire nation. Almost as a testament to the development of this attractive centre we spent our final night at “Spyced”, a modern African Jazz restaurant specialising in the unique “Cape Malay” cuisine, accompanied by live music, cooking demonstrations, and even some dancing.
To summarise, the words of Hemingway relate wholly to my recent experience in South Africa, whether greeted in the morning by a graceful antelope silhouette darting across the water meadow before our safari lodge in the Eastern Cape, a breathtaking sunrise along the Whale Coast, or reflecting upon the previous evening’s fantastic food music and dancing in the vibrant centre of Cape Town.
