Paradise Found… A Heavenly Cape Safari Experience…
Nothing can prepare you for the icy cold air that takes away your breath as you step out from the warmth of your luxury tented chalet into the morning mist for the pre-dawn Game Drive pick-up at Botlierskop Game Reserve.
I was dressed for mid-winter, but even so, the woollen beanie, scarf, gloves and jacket did little to ward off the biting air that gnawed at my fingers and nibbled at my ears as I stepped onto the boat waiting at the end of our private jetty.
The still dark water parted ahead of us as our small, motorised craft nosed its way to the main jetty, picking up more huddled, shivering figures along the way. When we’d clambered stiffly onto the 4×4s, our guides handed out welcome blankets and we huddled up to our fellow travellers for human warmth.
Once we had bounced our way out of the mist-laced valley up to the rocky outcrops above the reserve we forgot the temperature as the incredible views opened up all around. From the blue waters on the nearby coastline on one side to the layers of green and grey veld on the other, we all agreed that this is one beautiful place.
That morning we viewed four of the big five – buffalo, elephant, lion and rhino – as well as numerous species of buck from Eland to the majestic Waterbuck, once worshipped by the Xhosa. Our guides were friendly, knowledgeable and entertaining, as well as more than capable of serving up mugs of coffee and rusks along the way.
Botlierskop is a stunning game reserve 3 to 4 hours drive from Cape Town, situated along the Garden Route between Mossel Bay and George.
The accommodation is in magical tented chalets set up on stilts in secluded locations among the trees. Wooden walkways lead to the main centre, which comprises reception and offices, The Fireplace Restaurant and kitchens.
Dining here is an experience in itself. The restaurant is set between two massive stone fireplaces, with glass doors offering expansive views across the reserve. Meals include a wide selection of foods, where your meat choices are especially varied and include Kudu, Eland, Crocodile and Zebra. The meat is available through the necessary culling programmes. All the dishes have a distinctly South African flavour and the desserts are to-die-for!
Botlierskop has a strong conservation ethos and fascinating breeding programmes about which the guides are delighted to give details.
But it has to be said, the highlight of the holiday for me was time spent in the enormous, bowl-shaped bathtub, definitely big enough for two. With the tent flaps opened wide to let in the crisp air and lush green views, and the water temperature as hot as you could handle, this experience as simply heavenly.
My main thought as we drove back to Cape Town was, ‘how soon can I come back to this slice of African paradise?’