If you’re visiting South Africa for a safari, you’ll kick yourself if you don’t include a stopover in the Western Cape to round off your trip.
Whenever we advise our clients on Cape itineraries, we like to focus on three uniquely local experiences, all of which we recently experienced as a team and cannot stop raving about…
Adventure around the inner-city
You cannot compare Cape Town with any other city in South Africa. It’s a unique and vibrant city that will keep you entertained for days.
On our recent team trip, we loved staying at Mount Nelson, with its plush rooms and superb location nearby some of the city’s hottest restaurants. Eating at The Red Room (inside the hotel itself) was an experience to remember, as was the tea tasting led by a specialist tea sommelier. Ten teas later, and we were full to the brim with new facts.
Whenever you feel a time-out calling, wander around Kloof Street’s colorful shops, or relax in the hotel’s new pool cabanas.
Bonus: When you secure an all-day pool cabana for up to six guests, you can enjoy a bottle of Moët & Chandon Non-Vintage Champagne.
While away your time in the winelands
After Cape Town, we set off to experience the Cape’s picturesque winelands in a classic YPA kind of way: mixing superb food and wine with getting active and artsy. On our way to Stellenbosch, we stopped at the Dylan Lewis sculpture garden and soaked up the sunshine while admiring 60 of this prolific artist’s outdoor sculptures. Be sure to grab a coffee at their understatedly stylish café.
After that we checked into the Lanzarac Hotel, situated on the Lanzarac wine farm. We set up an e-bike tour with a YPA partner and rode through the breathtakingly beautiful Helshoogte Pass, admiring the scenic views and stopping at Tokara for an impromptu wine tasting.
When we arrived back at the hotel, we’d built up a hearty appetite for the delicious assortment of savory plates that the hotel’s Manor Kitchen restaurant was serving up. The next morning we booked a 3 hour spa treatment (scrub, facial and massage) which was ultra decadent. Such a nice space to be pampered. The hotel has a full spa which is definitely a reason to stay here. Also the cafe in the spa has an enticing offering of light healthy eats, including fresh pressed juices.
Have a whale of a time at De Hoop
After living it up in the winelands, we wrapped up our Cape experience in style and made our way to Lekkerwater Beach Lodge for a two-night stay at the De Hoop marine conservancy, an area famous for its whale sightings and serious conservation efforts.
We recommend transferring to the lodge by helicopter, and keeping your eyes peeled along the way. Whales are the ‘elephants of the sea’ and spotting them in South Africa is an incredibly special and beautiful experience that tourists and locals alike never tire of.
We were spoiled to see some of the first calves of the season (tiny, by whale standards at least!), and loved doing a guided morning walk along tidal pools, learning about the marine life in the conservancy. The rock pools and coastline are utterly pristine, and besides whale sightings, we also saw dolphins, octopus, sea urchins, anemone, oystercatchers and so much more.
In the afternoon, we walked through a ravine and learned about how the ‘Strandlopers’, the first humans that lived in this area, survived. Later, when the sun set, we gathered around the fire, wine glasses in hand, to listen to stories about the area and the conservancy’s timeline.
Lekkerwater’s eco bungalow suites are in a spectacular position, sitting perched on stilts with incredible proximity to the ocean. A highlight is taking a dip in the hot tub that’s nestled in a rocky outcrop on the beach. If you want a truly luxurious spa-like experience, we can helicopter YPA clients to Grootbos Private Nature Reserve for a night or two of sheer indulgence. They have various lodges and private villas to choose from, as well as a beautiful spa, a great kids programme, and lots of walking and nature activities to immerse yourself in.
There’s a lot to love about the Western Cape and it’s a great spot to round off your safari with a few oceanic adventures before you head home. Chat to us about helping you plan your very own sea and land safari.
