The Adventure of a Lifetime - The Palm Beaches Luxury Living & Lifestyles

08 Jul The Adventure of a Lifetime

Posted at 09:04h in Destinations by Luxury Home Magazine

Anita McLean and Karla S. Walsh | Photos courtesy of Gecko Africa Safaris

Maybe it was during the epic, tension-taming massage at the Fancourt Resort where we first realized the true luxury of this South African Vacation. Or perhaps it was during dinner at Monet’s restaurant, when the entire staff spontaneously broke out into joyful song and danced around the restaurant. Surely, it could have been during the unforgettable five-day safari in Kruger National Park in South Africa (which included daily sightings of leopards, lions, rhinos, hippos, giraffes and elephants.) And definitely sitting on the deck at Oldenberg Vineyards while gazing at the Rondekop mountain. Regardless of where or when it was…. we realized this African safari vacation was more than just that. It was the luxury adventure of a lifetime, and well worth the journey.

Our group’s trip was 17 action packed nights touring three regions of South Africa: The Garden Route, close to the coastline and named for its lush greenery; Cape Town, and Kruger National Park. Each leg of our trip had a focus and a ‘home base’ with immersive regional experiences designed to delight. (And most of them were mind blowing.) Hand feeding a wild elephant, strolling among penguins on the beach, trekking through a stalagmite cave, and fine dining in the wild, to name a few. The itinerary was varied, had something for everyone, and each day left us with plenty to discuss over drinks and dinner with our friends that evening.

South Africa is a country of many different climates and backdrops, which allow a lot of flexibility to choose your own perfect vacation. Whether your preferred style is sophisticated luxury, history, culinary, adventure, golf or seaside, this country has it all. If your ideal getaway leans more luxe, hit the “easy button” with Gecko Africa Safaris, which offers tours for all age groups and vacation styles. We were beyond thrilled with this tour company who, in our group’s humble opinion, proved to be Best in Class (many of us had been on safari or visited Africa prior with other tour companies.) What gave them next level status? While its tough to rank, their service, itinerary options, local expertise and professionalism made every aspect of our trip perfect. From booking to touch down, to spur of the moment day trips (and extensions!) through to departure, every single detail was handled for us quickly and seamlessly. Our tour guide, George, was incredibly helpful, knowledgeable and fun. Of course, it helped that he had a full team of South Afrikaner luxury travel experts behind him working 24/7 to accommodate our every whim and desire.

Here are a few highlights from our custom itinerary:

Stay: Lodging throughout the trip was five star and felt more six star. Case in point: while staying at the Manor House at Fancourt, we enjoyed the Honesty Bar, and had the best massage (ever!) at their spa. In Cape Town, our base camp was the Cape Grace Hotel, (managed by the Fairmont) where our suites overlooked the Victoria & Alfred Harbor, and we enjoyed our plush king size bed with high count linens. Room service for breakfast was complimentary, service was fast and every morsel was spectacular. (Editor’s note: I highly recommend the freshly squeezed green juice.)

Feast: You certainly won’t go hungry on this excursion. In fact, it’s tough to choose which bites to highlight, because all of the food was so spectacular. Farm to table? Check. Michelin-level dining? Check. For adventurous palates, ostrich and other wild game is on the menu. A bit more traditional? You’ll love the elevated European influence. A few of us ventured off on our own and enjoyed lunch at Lanzerac in the heart of the Cape Winelands, and a 7 course premium wine tasting at The Waterside at the V&A Waterfront.

Sip: Celebrated for its Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, and more, South Africa is home to some of the world’s best new world wineries. As part of our diverse itinerary, we savored some of the best at Ernie Els, Oldenburg Vineyards, and Delaire Graff.

Explore: We ended our sojourn with five days at a private safari lodge, complete with chefs, wait staff, pool(s), observation deck and bar. Each couple enjoyed private luxury accommodations affectionately referred to as “cabins,” complete with its own private jacuzzi or plunge pool. Want to rough it up? Your “cabin” also has an outdoor “bedroom” so you can “camp” (and still enjoy the comforts of modern plumbing.) During our daily game drives, we lost count of how many different animals we observed. (Spoiler alert: It will be much more than five, ranging from colorful exotic birds to leopards on an active hunt.) The best part? Staying in a private lodge means no public vehicles on their land… just you, your private driver and the animals.

Play: While the spectacular safari capped off our 17-night excursion, our bougie bucket list experience also included rounds of golf at some of the most iconic golf courses on the continent. Regardless of the score, we left the 18th green each day smiling after conquering several of the top-ranked golf courses in South Africa.

Wander: If you’re not quite ready to return home, consider extending your stay to another region of Africa, via Rovos Rail. After all, luxury train experiences are all the rage. With a maximum capacity of 72 guests, you’ll be treated like the VIP you are. When you’re not in your world-class wood-paneled coach sipping on South African wine or diving into your four-course lunch and dinner (how about banoffee tartlet with banana and caramel cream?), you can disembark to enjoy a sunset cruise along the Zambezi River, on your way to Victoria Falls.

At trip’s end we were heartbroken at the thought of leaving, so we pulled out our calendars to plan our next trip to this incredible part of the world. If South Africa or safari are on your travel bucket list, visit GeckoAfrica.com, make sure your passport is up to date, and get prepared to be impressed.