Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2019 i Getaway

Four nights in the Table Mountain and West Coast National Parks, worth R11 000 I’ve been wanting to visit parks in the Western Cape for some time. This is the perfect opportunity for me to explore the region. I’m especially looking forward to some hiking up and around Table Mountain. – Taryn Bodill Four nights in Tankwa Karoo and Table Mountain National Parks, worth R10 000 I’ve always wanted to visit the Tankwa! I can’t wait to spend some time there with my family. – Constance Strydom Four nights in the Agulhas and West Coast National Parks, worth R9 000 We are very excited to visit these reserves. They have been on our SA-destination bucket list for some time. – Werner Hattingh Four nights in the Bontebok and Agulhas National…

AfriCamps at Mackers HAZYVIEW, MPUMALANGA Mackers has been a popular campground just outside the subtropical town of Hazyview for several years now, while AfriCamps is well-established in the Western Cape. It has finally opened one of its popular glamping destinations upcountry, four-and-a-half hours’ drive from Joburg, in a patch of forest on the banks of the Sabie River. The spacious, safari-style tents are set apart for a little privacy and face the river, just a few steps from the water’s edge and with soothing green views. All have simple but tasteful decor, are well-shaded below towering indigenous trees (there’s also air con for hot summer days) and sleep up to five in two ‘rooms’. Note: the ceiling is open and noise spreads easily between rooms. The self-catering setup is great…

Getting stuck is often part of the adventure for off-roaders. It happens to rookies because they lack experience with difficult terrain, and it happens to experienced drivers because they push their capabilities and vehicles to the limit. But in driving, as in bank heists, what’s most important is knowing how to get out of a tricky situation. The Lasher 4x4 Camping Kit addresses the challenges of off-roading as well as camping. I like to think of it as a toolbox for the outdoorsman. In fact, you could probably build a house from scratch with it. I couldn’t. But someone out there could. Lasher, which has been making hand tools locally since the 1920s, has tried to cover every angle with this kit. The spade is probably the most useful tool…

If you’re looking for a high-quality, working tool, consider the Fuji X-T3. Released late last year, it was named by Cinema5D community platform as their Best Mirrorless Camera for 2018. The review highlighted its ease of handling, picture quality and autofocus performance, describing it as a ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of photography. Shooting good quality videos Central Photographic Society Congress Talks and workshops will be presented by guest speakers, including Gert Lamprecht – whose shot of a goshawk (pictured) was one of our Top 10 Getaway Gallery winners last year – from 21 to 24  March. The venue is the Moolmanshoek Private Game Reserve, near Ficksburg, and the congress costs R2 800, including all meals and a gala dinner. Contact trix@drjonker.co.za to reserve a place; book lodge accommodation at…

1 Shark Bay is a lovely beach cove on the southern side of Langebaan, the sprawling holiday town with a variety of accommodation, supermarkets and restaurants on the Langebaan Lagoon, and adjacent to the West Coast National Park. Entry R59 per adult, R30 per child. sanparks.org 2 Cape Columbine Nature Reserve is open for day visitors (R25 pp) and there’s camping at Tietiesbaai Municipal Campsite, from R115 pp. Crime can be a problem for campers so be vigilant. 022-752-2718. saldanhabay.co.za 3 Oep ve Koep in Paternoster is a tea garden/ bistro. It also sells farmstall treats, gifts and preserves. 022-752-2105 4 Junk & Disorderly is a coffee shop/restaurant/deli in Paternoster, and a good place to find cheese and charcuterie. 082-876-2711 5 Wolfgat in Paternoster is the home of top chef…

Sipho Hokwana, candidate attorney ‘I love climbing Windvogelberg for the view. It’s like being on top of the world.’ Jongile Tole, community development worker ‘I enjoy playing golf on weekends or hanging out with friends at Sam Meyer Dam.’ Peter Brown, farmer ‘The Country Club’s the centre of social life. Apart from sport, there are steak or pizza evenings; anything that gets people together.’ Wendy van Zyl, B&B co-owner ‘I love the outdoors, so having a braai at Koch Dam in the kloof above town is a perfect break for me.’…

Diani Beach, Kenya. – Khuli Mnisi Fisherman’s Village (Bophut) on Koh Samui, Thailand. – Silindile Dube Sossusvlei, Namibia. – Wesley Laing Marloth Park near Kruger. Best hosts and houses in the Lowveld – a magical experience. – BriZac Williams Buffalo Bay, Garden Route. Endless beaches, superb swimming, surfing, rock pools and access to hiking spots. – Hilana Steyn Drakensberg and Tsitsikamma hiking trails: rocky mountains, rivers, waterfalls, sleeping in tents, backpacks, sunrise and sunsets. – Lerato Monyatsi My vote goes to Chobe. Heaven on Earth. – Eugene Hugo A treehouse hidden in Mokala National Park, Northern Cape. A hidden gem, and my absolute favourite. – Johny Blue Amari Havodda Maldives. – Zandile M…

The biggest nightmare for any 4x4 overland enthusiast is mechanical failure of your vehicle or equipment. En route to Botswana during the past festive season, my Nissan Patrol GX 3.0D station wagon became part of this unwanted statistic. On New Year’s Day the alternator had a bearing failure and lost its driving pulley, resulting in the batteries not charging, and around midday the vehicle came to a frustrating halt 40 kilometres from Francistown. We phoned the after-hours number and reached the friendly voice of Wikus Combrink, dealer principal of NTT Nissan in Francistown. A friend towed my vehicle to the workshop where Wikus diagnosed and confirmed the problem. I was surprised when he rolled out a large toolbox and started working on my car himself; turns out he is a…

The Fordsburg Food & History Tour costs R460 pp (includes guiding, street snacks, lunch and drinks). Bring extra cash in case you want takeaways for home. You’ll walk from Newtown to Fordsburg – it’s easy going and relatively flat terrain – then catch an Uber back. There are set dates for the walks (find them on Facebook) and each three-hour tour is limited to 15 people max. Gilda offers other neighbourhood food tours, too, in Brixton, Melville and Soweto. 082-472-6414, eenblondtours@gmail.com…

GRAB A COFFEE ‘I always go to Kaffeine Espresso Bar, at the Summerstrand Village centre, for espresso and cappuccino. Those two are my favourite.’ Corner of Marine Drive and Eighth Avenue, 041-583-5080 OUT AND ABOUT ‘Just off Marine Drive there are very nice walks at Cape Recife, along the beach in rough, raw coastal nature [permit required, 041-506-1423]. I love seeing the penguins – Sanccob has a rescue and rehab station there [tours R40pp, 041-583-1830]. There are also penguins at Bayworld Oceanarium. It has no dolphins anymore but you can get up close to the seals. And the snakes.’ Corner of Beach Road and Brookes Hill Drive, 041-584-0650 MANAGER OF SOMETHING GOOD ROADHOUSE ‘Summerstrand is in a prime seaside location. There’s The Boardwalk, with its casino and entertainment centre, and…

Paternoster on the West Coast has an endless beach with seemingly perfect waves. But the notorious wind makes drone flying a challenge. To limit the amount of time spent in the air over the waves and at the mercy of unpredictable winds, I did as much configuration as possible before takeoff. Using a combination of auto-exposure bracketing (AEB), raw capture files and flat colour profiles, I could do more in post-production and less in flight, which limited the risk and provided me with more options. Equipment DJI Phantom 3 Advanced drone (88 metres high at 215 metres away), ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/480 sec…

• The City Sightseeing Red Bus – it stops at the top 20 attractions on two loops, including Constitution Hill, the Apartheid Museum and Gold Reef City. • The city’s green belts: Botanical Gardens, Zoo Lake, Melville Koppies. • The streets where everyone goes for drinks and dinner (in Melville, Maboneng, Newtown, Braamfontein, Greenside, Parkhurst, Rosebank…) • A JoburgPlaces or Past Experiences tour (including an inner-city pub-crawl option) or MainStreetWalks (including city cycling). Also see Bites, page 24. • Locally made tipple at Time Anchor distillery, Mad Giant and Smack! Republic breweries, plus vino at Gerakaris Family Wines (in Craighall Park, 072-638-7636).…

DJI MAVIC AIR  R15 999, dronedeals.co.za Range 4km Battery life 21mins Wind tolerance 35 km/h Camera quality 12mp Video quality 4K Weight 430g The Mavic Air is one of the more popular drones around, and has a legion of supporters to prove it. The reason is that it packs 4K video recording, a three-axis gimbal and 8GB internal storage into its small frame. Its specs are very similar to those of the Anafi (see page 65) and it also folds into a compact, easy-to-transport bundle. But it’s simpler to fly, thanks to an improved object-avoidance system and gesture controls, which give this drone more mainstream appeal. PARROT BEBOP 2 R5 999, capeunionmart.co.za Range 2km Battery life 25mins Wind tolerance 60 km/h Camera quality 14mp Video quality 1 080p Weight 500g…

• The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve was established in 1938. It became part of the Cape Peninsula National Park in 1998, now known as Table Mountain National Park (since 2004). • It protects 40 kilometres of coastline. • The first farm at Cape Point was Schuster’s Kraal (1738). • A road to the first, original lighthouse was only completed in 1915, which soon drew the first tourists and picnickers. • A skeleton of a leopard and cub was found in a cave in the 1930s – the last leopards of Cape Point. • The Nolloth, wrecked in 1965, was carrying good whisky, and some is said to have been stashed at the Point by fishermen and enjoyed long after.…

GETTING THERE Drive your own vehicle to Ruacana in northern Namibia, or fly to Windhoek and hire a 4x4 (note that most companies won’t rent vehicles if you’re driving Van Zyl’s Pass). NEED TO KNOW While some previous 4x4 experience is recommended, some of us didn’t have any and still managed – the guides are that good. The terrain requires a rugged, high-clearance 4x4 with diff lock and suitable tyres. Your host will advise you of what recovery equipment is needed but essentials are a spade, tyre-pressure gauge, high-lift jack – and ensure your 4x4 has tow points front and rear. You also need to take your own camping gear, drinks and lunches for 10 days. Medical insurance is essential. THE TOUR It starts at Kunene River Lodge (fuel up…

Sihle Khumalo has the nomadic gene and loves nothing more than travelling – on shoestring budgets and using only public transport. His first big adventure was a journey from Cape Town to Cairo, documented in his witty, irreverent style in Dark Continent My Black Arse (2007), his first book. Two more followed: Heart of Africa (2009), in which he explores the Great Lakes area, and Almost Sleeping My Way to Timbuktu (2013), detailing his experiences in West Africa. For his latest book in the series, he drives his own car around his home country.…

Shane Louw of Miko at Mont Rochelle, Franschhoek Food is such a key part of travel. The best way to understand a culture is through their food. It’s the easiest way to find common ground. About four years ago I went to the UK to work in Michelin-starred kitchens. First at The Square in Mayfair in London, then at The Harrow in Little Bedwyn with chef Roger Jones. His palate and knowledge of food was astonishing. The best meal I’ve had on holiday was in Kakamas! We stayed with a family on a farm and the oom braaied some of his lamb. It was seasoned with just coriander seeds, salt and pepper, and served with a koringslaai and potbrood made with lamb fat. Watching the sunset from the koppie while…

Our current adventure finds us in the region of Lusikisiki, where it’s best to have a 4x4 if you want to access some of the finest rustic holidayland in the world, otherwise known as the Wild Coast. The road to Lambazi Bay, Luphatana and Waterfall Bluff quickly deteriorates from tar, with the ubiquitous Transkei speed bumps, to a looping gravel road, then a track, and the track to a path, sometimes a rockery, in other parts a rutted grass field; clay when dry and soup when it rains. Peter and Chere Retallick, who run the Drifters Greenfire Lodge at Lambazi, often welcome teary and weak-kneed guests, much like the survivors who struggled ashore here more than 200 years ago from the wreck of an East Indiaman. I first stumbled upon…

What drone can I fly? Any drone lighter than seven kilograms is legal. Most hobby drones are much lighter, no more than 1,5 kilograms on average. Where can I fly it? The set rules are: no closer than 10 kilometres from an aerodrome (any airfield, airport or helipad); no closer than 50 metres from people, groups of people, buildings or roads (this also means no flying over roads); you need permission from the owner to fly over private property; all national parks are out of bounds; stay away from prisons, police stations, power stations, national key points as well as active crime and emergency zones. There are many other ‘no-fly’ zones that may not be obvious, so find out what these are in the area you plan to fly. Familiarise…

Technical Services is responsible for the maintenance of approximately 3 700 kilometres of rural and gravel roads. Fire Services partners with Cape Nature and the Fire Protection Association to ensure that fauna, flora, life and property are protected against fires. Around 1 500 veld fires are extinguished every fire season. Disaster Management ensures that people who are displaced by disasters such as fire (working with Fire Services) or floods are cared for. Municipal Health Services (MHS) deploy Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) throughout the district to ensure that all food and beverage suppliers are certified and follow regulated principles throughout all stages of the manufacturing process. Whether the supplier is a home industry providing rusks to a farmstall, or a butchery selling matured rump to a fine-dining restaurant, all have been…

Once in Joburg This is the city’s best-looking hostel, located in the heart of regenerated Braamfontein, with plenty of private en-suite rooms, a very friendly reception desk and loads of tours and facilities. It’s exceptional value: rooms from R367,50 pp sharing B&B, four-bed dorms from R190 pp. once.travel/cities.joburg Hallmark House It’s a bit too far to walk to Fox Street (a two-minute Uber hop will do) but this stylish spot is the Maboneng precinct’s coolest hotel, complete with a jazz club in the basement. From R686 pp sharing (discounts for two or more nights). newmarkhotels.com City Treetop Studio This popular little flat for two in Madison Lofts is right up there with my favourites. On Juta Street, walking distance to the Neighbourgoods Market and Braamfontein’s hip cafe hub, it’s decorated…

1 Get a mollusc permit for R96 at any post office to collect shellfish and seaweeds. 2 Winter is best for wild greens; summer for seaweeds. 3 Always forage legally, responsibly and sustainably. 4 It’s illegal to collect any plants from parks, reserves or private land or to collect seaweed from marine protected areas. 5 Only eat plants and seaweed that you are 100% sure of positive identification – there are a lot of poisonous plants out there. 6 Only pick what you need – a few leaves from each plant and a third of a blade of seaweed. 7 Never pick any roots or anything that is not growing prolifically in an area. 8 Never pick from polluted land or water, or along busy highways.…

GETTING THERE It’s self-driving or a tour. The City Sightseeing Red Bus is a no-frills option – day tours R740 pp, citysightseeing.co.za. If you want to explore on foot, get a Slingsby Cape Point map (R190, slingsbymaps.com). NEED TO KNOW Daily conservation fees are R76 per adult, R39 per child. Gate times are sacrosanct: 6am–6pm summer, 7am–5pm winter. Many prefer day hiking in winter when it’s cooler and less windy (and it can get very windy!). There are roadworks on the reserve’s main road until early 2020, with a stop/go system in place. For uninterrupted exploring, pack a picnic or padkos (just don’t be tempted to share it with the baboons). 021-780-9204, sanparks.org DO THIS Get the sailors’ view. Book an entertaining, two-hour Cape Point cruise with the Simon’s Town…

Brent Stapelkamp and Laurie Simpson started a permaculture project with some of the local communities around Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. softfootalliance.org Roger Perry and Melissa Wynn from Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust are installing mobile predator-proof bomas to protect cattle at night. vicfallswildlifetrust.org Kelly Landen and Tempe Adams from Elephants without Borders, which was involved in the 2016 Great Elephant Census. Recently they’ve started the first elephant orphanage in Botswana. elephantswithoutborders.org Graham McColloch and Anna Songhurst from Ecoexist in Botswana work to reduce conflict between elephants and humans. ecoexistproject.org Rachel Harris from Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA) in Damaraland, a volunteer project involving desert elephants. desertelephant.org Maria Diekmann from Rare & Endangered Species Trust (Rest) uses conservation and research as a platform to educate. restnamibia.org Dr Michelle Henley from SA’s…

As I drove into Cathcart, I glanced at the dashboard clock. Old habits die hard: that one stemmed from childhood when I’d check to see if we were going to get to school before the bell rang. Until I was nine years old, we lived on a farm close enough to the town for my mom to drive us to school every day. So coming back, all these years later, Cathcart had a warm familiarity. And – I checked – the school’s heavy cast-iron bell was still there, hanging between the same solid pillars. If you drive from East London north towards Queenstown, you can’t miss Cathcart, tucked at the foot of Windvogelberg. It’s a small town but – at least to the locals – Cathcart is not just the…

The men who were cutting the grass seemed to know the approaching lady because they stopped what they were doing and took off their hats and caps as a sign of respect. It turned out that she was King Solomon’s daughter, thus making her an aunt of the reigning king. Her mother, as she later explained, was MaNdwandwe, one of King Solomon’s five wives. Before she could say anything to anyone, she spent a few minutes calling out and praising Cetshwayo and other Zulu kings. I was duly introduced to her. She was more interested in why I had taken the time to drive all the way from Johannesburg to see the grave. ‘Well, I love history.’ We soon clicked because, as she said, ‘I love young people who –…

Celebrating 30 years! Getaway has been travelling South Africa, Africa and the world for three decades. This means we have a pretty good idea when it comes to bucket lists. The next issue brings you our Top 30 choices of the absolute best places to visit and things to do on our continent. You probably won’t make it to every one of them, but you’ll certainly want to! Here are just a few of the destinations we’ve explored in 30 years, as shown by this collection of April-issue covers from the last three decades. THE 30-YEAR SAFARI Look out for our coffee-table book celebrating 30 years of travel photography. On sale at all good bookshops in April 2019.…