Luxury Travel Review  

By Elena del Valle, photos by Juan Cooper

Isandlwana Lodge

The terrace at Isandlwana Lodge

There were books, audio recordings and souvenirs at the gift shop

Dalton Lindizwe Ngobese, our Zulu guide

Our visit to the eastern area of Africa’s southernmost country was scheduled initially around game viewing and later expanded to include battlefield and spa properties. We immediately liked the KwaZulu Natal area’s friendly people and the hilly and at times mountainous landscape as well as the understated game viewing. As we completed the safari portion of the trip we wondered what to expect at our next stop, Isandlwana Lodge.

We arrived at the 15-room luxury lodge built on the side of a hill in the heart of KwaZulu Natal early in the afternoon of a chilly spring day in the company of Manager Andre Broerse, an affable young man. As we drove up the Isandlwana hill, the property, touted as a must stop for history buffs, especially those with an interest in the Anglo Zulu War and its battlefields, which was hardly noticeable from a distance, mushroomed into a handsome structure.

Anglo Zulu War A Personal Interpretation and The Stories of the Anglo Zulu War by Robert Gerrard

Soon we met the hotel staff including Dalton Lindizwe Ngobese, our Zulu guide, and Robert Gerard, the in-house historian and Anglo Zulu War expert and author of several books on South African wars, including the 125-page Anglo Zulu War A Personal Interpretation and The Stories of the Anglo Zulu War sold at the lodge shop. The morning after our arrival we and four other guests joined him for the first of two battle discussions in a daylong program.

In a way, our stay at the lodge reflected our arrival, developing from a distant view to a close up perspective. Thanks to Dalton and Robert our knowledge of the Zulus and the Anglo Zulu battles of the area, as related by the Anglo side, slowly grew, blossoming into genuine appreciation for the experience and the detailed descriptions that brought history to life for us during our two-night visit. Click here to read more about our stay at Isandlwana Lodge

By Juan Cooper

Abraham Ramonwana, our guide at Tuli Safari Lodge

A leopard during one of several sightings

After a five hour drive from Johannesburg we arrived at Pont Drift, the border post where Abraham Ramonwana, our ranger, was waiting; he welcomed us to Botswana with a kind smile. Our native guide had enough knowledge and love for the Tuli Block, to make us feel safe and comfortable from the beginning. From the South African border we drove through the dry Limpopo River to the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, an extensive 78,000 hectare area, owned by the people of Botswana as well as private landowners and local communities. We were there to experience the Tuli Adventure Trail, a five night program offered by the Tuli Safari Lodge.

Our first stop was Nokalodi Tented Camp, located in a lovely spot just a few meters away from the Limpopo River, next to a beautiful sandstone cliff. An ancient nyala berry tree provided the perfect setting for a boma, the place where we gathered for meals and fireside time. As we arrived at the camp, we noticed staff singing to welcome us in their native songs.

Some safari vehicles had canvas in the rear and top

A klipspringer eyes us from atop a cliff

Two elephants visited the nyala berry tree in our boma

The excitement began right away. When we were just settling in our tents, Abraham called us to hop in the Land Rover for our first encounter with one of the Big Five (leopard, lion, rhino, elephant, and buffalo), a young leopard eating a freshly hunted impala under a tree. This impressive scene was the perfect welcome for a safari beginner like me. It allowed me to rapidly discover the magic of the bush. After a night game drive, in which we saw hyenas, owls and several antelopes, we went back to Nokalodi for dinner and to rest in the comfortable Meru-style tents.

Days two and three were full of intense and gratifying experiences. We went on bush walks and discovered how special the flora is, thanks to the explanations of our ranger. We climbed the sandstone hills and were rewarded with extraordinary views of the reserve; and felt the breeze full of unique scents that reminded me I was in Africa. One afternoon while we were in the boma, we had an unexpected visit to the camp; two curious and hungry elephants came to the nyala berry tree that provided shade to our boma to feed. They seemed to be so relaxed that Abraham let them stay near us for a while, providing a perfect moment to take photos and safely enjoy the elephants up close.

An ostrich

The confluence of the rivers was an ideal spot for brunch

Another special experience we had was an excursion to the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers, a scenic corner were Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe meet. On our way there we saw colorful birds like the lilac breasted roller, antelope like wildebeest, springbok, impala and kudu, and others like baboons, vervet monkeys and crocodiles. The confluence of the rivers was an ideal spot for a generous brunch which we thoroughly enjoyed while watching the gorgeous landscape.

A shower at Tuli Safari Lodge

There was also a bathtub in the suite

As the bush is always active, the night drives were intense moments when we looked for nocturnal animals like cats (leopards, lions, and servals), jackals and hyenas during the game drives. These adventures became more thrilling with the sounds of the bush, the clear skies and shinning stars.

An afternoon bush walk during which we could see details that we missed from the Land Rover like skulls, footprints and birds, led us to a hide, a place from which to see wild animals while remaining unseen, where we would spend the night. A vibrant sunset was the backdrop for a perfectly served dinner before we jumped into bed with a spotlight in hand so we could look for animals from the top floor of the wooden structure. The next day we arrived at the place we had most anticipated visiting on our trip, the lodge. It was like an oasis in the middle of the desert, with beautiful gardens, vervet monkeys in the trees, and steenboks and warthogs eating grass. The suites were spacious, clean and luxurious, and my bed was perfect for a well deserved rest after all those adventures. There was also a swimming pool, cozy bar, dining room and lounge to sit and chill.

In the following game drives we saw leopards twice more, as well as hyenas, giraffes, elephants, and many African antelopes and birds. For me the Tuli Adventure Trail was a breathtaking experience from beginning to end. With a perfect location, wonderful flora and fauna and the most charming staff taking care of us, I felt at home in the middle of the bush. Click here to read more about our visit to the Tuli Safari Lodge.

By Elena del Valle
Photos by Gary Cox

Champagne and Lavender Jelly at The Greenhouse

Grain Fed Beef Filet

Our favorite dish: Malay Spiced Prawns and Pork Belly

Game Terrine

Carpaccio of Scallops, Tuna and Abalone

Amouse bouche

When we confirmed our stay at Madiba Villa at the Cellars-Hohenort Hotel in Constantia we were pleased. In part because we were looking forward to staying in the two-bedroom villa on the outskirts of Cape Town; and in part because we were looking forward to revisiting The Greenhouse, one of our favorite restaurants in that South Africa city.

Although we missed Chef Rume Booyens’ touch (she had been the chef when we first visited the restaurant) our Tasting Menu dinner at The Greenhouse was a treat. We are confident the restaurant will remain outstanding since the restaurants at the Relais & Chateaux hotel and its two sister properties remain under the watchful eye of Peter Tempelhoff, executive chef for The Collection by Liz McGrath.

Sweets at The Cape Malay Restaurant

The staff surprised us with a Happy Birthday petit four plate at The Cape Malay

The eastern decor at The Cape Malay

Dessert at The Cape Malay

At The Cape Malay Restaurant, Cynthia was our server and Jasmin cooked

Mains at The Cape Malay

At The Greenhouse we had the Tasting Menu: Carpaccio of Scallops, Tuna and Abalone with a 2005 Klein Constatia Estate Brut MCC; Game Terrine with a 2000 Nederburg Auction Reserve Special Late Harvest; Malay Spiced Praw and Pork Belly (a favorite) with 2005 Klein Constatia Riesling; Grain Fed Beef Filet with 2007 Herald Pinor Noir; Champagne and Lavender Jelly; and Vanilla and Poached Pear with 2006 Vin de Hohenort.

We took advantage of our stay at the Cellars-Hohenort Hotel (93 Brommerslvlei, Constantia 7800, www.cellars-hohenort.com,+27 21 794 2137) to sample The Cape Malay Restaurant and were rewarded with an excellent spicy meal. While the style of cuisine and decor were totally different from The Greenhouse, the staff were warm and welcoming the night we dined there.

Article and photos by Josette King

Lush gardens surround the pool

Room Two is a spacious rondavel

The living area is an expansive curved open space

Idwala Guest House was just the place to reconcile me with the thought of an overnight flight, at least when the vagaries of Southern Africa air travel scheduling dictate a next night layover in Johannesburg. Built over one century ago as a farmhouse in what was then the countryside to the north of the city, the property had over time been choked by encroaching suburbia.

A few years ago its dilapidated cluster of classic South African stone and thatch rondavels caught the interest of its current owners, the Friese family. Various members of the family contributed their individual expertise ranging from architecture and interior design to computer technology and hotel management to create an enclave of bucolic luxury in the heart of the city.

The sink is set in a vanity of polished poured concrete

I loved this intimate inn with its friendly staff and personalized service, excellent in-house restaurant, state-of-the art technology throughout, superbly appointed rooms and convenient central location (a mere 30-minute drive from the airport). Small wonder that although it had been open only three years at the time of my visit Idwala Guest House had already earned the coveted Five Star rating from the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa. Click here to read the complete article about my recent stay at Idwala Guest House.

By Elena del Valle, photos by Gary Cox

Our host at the Haute Cabriere wine tasting in Franschoek, South Africa

A saber is used in the sabrage at Haute Cabriere

One of the many things I enjoy when we visit South Africa is the local bubbly or as it is known by its proper designation Méthode Cap Classique (MCC) wine, MCC or Cap Classique for short. Although the manufacturing process is similar to French bubbly because these sparkling wines are made in South Africa and not in the Champagne region of France they technically should not be called Champagne.

Following the old saying that “When in Rome… ” when in South Africa I prefer to sample the local wines and premium cap classique wines, which are slowly gaining local and international recognition, whenever possible. I find some of the better MCC wines are an excellent accompaniment to a meal or pleasant as an aperitif.

According to the Cap Classique Producers Association (CCPA), established in 1992 by a group of like-minded producers, South Africa’s major MCC producers are striving to develop high quality standards for the wines made using the classic bottle-fermentation method. Although the name Cap Classique was adopted to remind consumers that the classic art of winemaking was introduced to the region by French Huguenot immigrants, the first bottle-fermented sparkling wine produced in the Cape was called Kaapse Vonkel (Cape Sparkle).

Late last year we took advantage of a trip to South Africa to spend a couple of days in the gourmet village of Franschoek in the wine region where we visited two MCC tasting rooms. Although the tasting room experiences were completely different they were both excellent value for money and a fun way to explore the region. We went to Haute Cabriere, a winery set on a hill in Franschoek, to sample the Pierre Jourdan MCC and to the Graham Beck winery in the outskirts of the village where we indulged in the winery’s MCC tasting.

The staff at our hotel, La Residence, organized a visit to Haute Cabriere and dropped us off at the winery where we visited the cellars and sampled several wines and one Pierre Jourdan MCC (that was the only tasting option that included an MCC tasting nor was it possible to sample other MCC wines by the glass). We chose Graham Beck because we had tasted their bubbly on previous occasions and liked it. As there was a cellar tasting very near where we were staying we took advantage of the opportunity to visit the winery.

While we were at Haute Cabriere we had an opportunity to watch a sabrage, the opening of a bottle of Champagne, or in this case Pierre Jourdan cap classique wine, with a sabre for celebratory or ceremonial reasons. In the sabrage an experienced person slides the saber along the body of the bottle toward the neck. The force of the blade against the lip of the bottle breaks the glass, separating the collar and cork from the neck of the bottle cleanly. Although it was a very busy tasting area staff members were friendly, enthusiastic, helpful and knowledgeable. Even though we were only able to sample one sparkling wine, it was a pleasant tasting and cellar experience.

The property which belonged to Pierre Jourdan, a French Huguenot farmer in the late 1600s, is now made up of two farms and owned by Achim von Arnim. In 1982, the vineyards were replanted in the style of Champagne. Now, the méthode champenoise wines produced there focus on the classic chardonnay and pinot noir cultivars.

Our MCC Tasting wines at Graham Beck in Franschoek

The tasting area at Graham Beck in Franschoek

A few minutes drive outside Franschoek we found the Graham Beck Wines property easily. On our way in we glanced at the beautiful and distinctive Dylan Lewis cheetah sculptures that framed the entrance. Inside, we noticed an emphasis on interior design and art. There was no attendant in the austere reception area the Saturday morning we visited giving us the impression they were closed. We discreetly looked in at the room behind the reception where a guest and barman were speaking. The young man behind the bar glanced at us and continued his conversation without interruption.

We imagined someone would arrive to look after visitors and entertained ourselves by reading the booklets on display, and looking around the lobby and into the tasting room. After a few minutes a young woman appeared. When we asked about an MCC tasting she indicated we should sit down at a table in the pretty lounge area and a few minutes later returned with five half full glasses of sparkling wine for each of us.

The lobby area of the Graham Beck winery in Franschoek

Large art in the Graham Beck lobby

We sampled Brut Rose 2007, Brut Rose Non Vintage (NV), Blanc de Blancs 2005, Brut Non Vintage and Demi-Sec. Out favorite two were the Brut Rose 2007 and the Brut Rose NV which we thought very similar. The Brut Rose 2007 was made of 80 percent pinot noir and 20 percent chardonnay in the company’s Robertson cellars. The pinot noir grapes are planted on decomposed granite in the winery’s coastal Firgrove Vineyards near False Bay. The chardonnay originated in the Robertson vineyards which have soils with a high natural limestone content. The Brut Rose NV was a blend of 58 percent chardonnay and 42 percent pinot noir.

After visiting the cellars we found out Graham Beck Brut NV was served by President Nelson Mandela at his inauguration in 1994 and by President Barack Obama to celebrate his election. Graham Beck, privately owned by Graham and Rhona Beck, owns three farms and two cellars. The company has been producing MCC wines since 1991. What the Graham Beck tasting experience lacked in ambiance and warm welcome it made up for with its elaborately designed tasting area and the quality of the MCC wines we sampled.