Getaway的August/September 2025目录

‘Off goes Kingsley,’ my dad would joke, every time I refuelled the family Landy for a new adventure or packed my bags for another work trip. ‘Who knows, maybe one day you’ll get to do a trip with the Holgates,’ he would add, this time more seriously. For the past 30 years, Kingsley and Ross Holgate have travelled throughout Africa, taking on immense geographic challenges and providing humanitarian aid across the continent But as an avid Getaway reader, you need no introduction to the famous explorers, whose latest mission was Mozambique. ‘Confidential: Greater Gorongosa Expedition’, read a briefing document from Land Rover in May. Dad’s predicted ‘maybe one day’ had arrived. I would join the Holgates and their motley crew of adventurers on a humanitarian- and conservation-focused expedition to the…

Francois Coetzee is a 23-year-old final-year master’s degree student in Environmental Sciences at the North-West University (NWU) Potchefstroom campus. He's passionate about protecting and conserving wildlife, and photography has become a way for him to tell the stories that science alone can’t. Through his work, he aims to capture the beauty of the natural world and inspire a reverence for the species and ecosystems most in need of protection. _fc_wildlife_…

If you think the arrival of winter means it’s time to pack away your tents, tarps, trowels and torches, think again. KwaZulu-Natal is one of the best places to spend the colder months - in addition to temperatures that tend not to drop as low as those in the rest of the country, the province’s winter is also its dry season - which means clear skies, fewer mosquitoes, and less chance of rain washing out your plans. From watching the sunrise over warm, sandy beaches along the Indian Ocean to exploring the snowy peaks of the Drakensberg mountains, and chasing waterfalls in the forests in between, you’re almost guaranteed an experience you’ll never forget. Whether you crave crisp mountain air, warm beach days or the hush of the bush, KwaZulu-Natal…

NUTS AND BOLTS Until 2017, when the first commercisl flights launched from its new airport, the only way to travel to St Helena was by boat, on the RMS St Helena. Now, there is one flight a week over the weekend. The service runs from Johannesburg via Walvis Bay for a five-hour flight during the year, and also from Cape Town in high season. Once there, visiters can use a limited bus service, rental cars or taxis. There’s a speed limit of 30 km/h because the roads are steep and narrow, with many sharp turns. Rental rates are £20-25 per day (R485-R600). Cell phones were introduced on the island in 2015, and high-speed internet in 2021. The only provider on the island offers a pay-as-you-go package at £16.50 (R400), which…

Stowaway A Virgin Australia flight was recently delayed due to a stowaway of the slithery kind, discovered in the cargo hold as passengers were preparing to board the flight bound for Brisbane from Melbourne. Snake Catcher Mark Pelley said the snake was half-hidden behind a panel when he entered the cargo hold. This meant that he only had one chance to catch the reptile before it wriggled out of reach. ‘It wasn’t until after I caught the snake that I realised it wasn’t venomous,’ he said. ‘Until then, it looked deadly.’ It turned out to be e green tree snake, 60 cm long, which may have been inside a passenger’s luggage and then escaped. 'It’s uncommon for snakes to be on a plane,’ Mark added. Having safely captured the snake,…

Jacques Marais FIVE DAYS IN PARADISE (P66) There’s this Gary Larson cartoon. A pride of lions lazes around a kill with hyenas around. A jackal looks down from a hill with a megaphone: ‘Yo, guys,’ he calls. ‘Everyone cool if I mosey on down to the kill?’ Now, that jackal is Jacques: not the wannabe alpha male, but a guy always searching for a new take on any subject. As one of SA’s most respected adventure photojournalists, he’s travelled far and wide for three decades, including to epic places like Greenland and Mongolia. He immerses himself in the ‘Church of the Great Outdoors’. And he’s won a few awards and broken many a bone. No matter where he goes, the place he wants to be is the Cape Peninsula with…

Discover the versatility of pork with SAPork’s five perfect cooking methods. From the smokey richness of smoked pork to the sizzling perfection of pan-fried, each method brings out the unique flavours of South Africa’s favourite protein. Whether you’re using a traditional coal braai, an open wood fire or modern Weber precision, SAPork celebrates the rich culinary traditions of our country. Explore recipes, tips and more at sapork.co.za and elevate your pork game today. PAN-FRIED Quick, juicy and full of natural flavour. Pan-frying seals in moisture with a golden crust, making pork chops and medallions tender and succulent every time. COAL BRAAI Classic smokiness, deep char, unforgettable taste. A coal braai brings out pork’s rich and savoury character with an irresistible crispy edge - perfect for ribs and steaks. WOOD BRAAI Rustic…

Seventy-four-year-old Aunty Miriam Smit has lived in Kleinmond since she was nine. She moved there with her family from a farm in the Overberg. They lived in a close-knit community at the harbour. ‘Life there was wonderful,’ she shares her story with tourists. ‘The fishermen would go out on the water at 4 am, and if we were awake, my father would say, “Let’s go and help them get their boats into the sea.’” Miriam also describes the apartheid forced removals, being 14 years old when the municipality came with their tractors, bulldozers and lorries on a summer’s day, and ordered her community to pack their belongings and leave the harbour before mercilessly reducing their homes to rubble — the abruptness, the chaos, the uncertainty, the loss. Many people who…

If you look at it logically, Chile is a crazy shape. It’s more than 4000 km long, yet an average of only 177 km wide. Picture the shape of a chilli, and that’s almost it. To the west are its picturesque beaches, washed by the Humboldt Current, which is sadly freezing, making swimming a feat for the brave or the foolish. On the east, it’s bordered by the dramatic Andes, tumbling the length of South America. In the south lies the 1240 km Carretera Austral highway, one of the world’s most spectacular drives past pristine lakes, rivers, forests and mountains. The route ends near an ice field so impenetrable that to reach the far south, you either fly or drive through neighbouring Argentina. The word quirky doesn’t even begin to…

'They said that we’ll only have 30 minutes of free time when we get to the Grand Bazaar,’ my colleague Mira whispered to me as we made our way through Istanbul. Our tour group had already been in Türkiye for four days, and there was lots of excited chatter among us about shopping up a storm at the Bazaar. ‘The guide says some of the other folks want to go to the spice market, but that doesn’t have the trinkets we’ve been after,’ she continued. By ‘trinkets’, she meant clothing, ceramics and the like. ‘You’ve got to convince them that we need more time,’ she pleaded, reminding me of a cartoon character that has a halo appear above its head. I grumbled, ‘Fine. I guess, it’s my turn to do…

Eager to explore Franschhoek? Centre-Ville Guest House is your ideal base, located in the heart of the village. This charming Victorian home offers warm hospitality and comfortable accommodation that cycling and hiking groups will love. Surrounded by scenic trails and mountain views, this haven for outdoor adventurers also offers guided experiences tailored to your interests. After a day of exploring, enjoy a short stroll to Franschhoek’s top restaurants, wine bars and boutiques. Whether you’re here for nature, food or culture, Centre-Ville makes every moment memorable. 067 9432673 infa@centre-ville.co.za centre-ville.co.za…

Others call it Paradise Kloof, but to me, this place will always be ‘Avatar Canyon’. And believe me, once you have passed through that rock portal into the visceral visuality of this parallel reality, you will understand my reasoning. For a moment, try to imagine you are here with us, hiking through a mix of indigenous savanna bush with bokmakierie birdsong as your soundtrack. Painted lady and cabbage white butterflies caterwaul on the breeze, and honeybees pelt past as they arrow off on their dawn nectar run. We follow an indistinct, rocky river course, scattered with driftwood and shale-grey stones, and lined with karee and wild olive trees. To our left, a craggy, rock-shattered ridge rises high into horsetail cirrus clouds etched onto the pale blue sky. Gradually, the mountains…

I was halfway up Jacob’s Ladder, a staircase comprising 699 steps in Jamestown, St Helena, between what felt like Heaven and Earth, clinging for purchase against the high wind that hurtles down the valley at this time of day, when my phone rang. I secured my footing and grip, then answered. It was Martin Henry, the island’s health and social care minister. He was calling to apologise for the weather and advise that we postpone our ride. ‘No worries!’ I lied, secretly relieved, having decided I wasn’t keen on it even before leaving Cape Town. We exchanged pleasantries until I felt my fear of heights slowly creeping back, pushing in front of the need for courtesy. The call ended, and, back in the moment, I glanced down past my feet…

GETTING THERE The quickest flights to Santiago are via Brazil, and South Africans can stay for up to three months without a visa. To visit Patagonia, fly to Punta Arenas, a blustery port dotted with 19th-century mansions built by wool barons, who discovered that sheep fare better there than humans. The starting point for Torres del Paine is Puerto Natales, a lively backpacker town with pizza restaurants and camping shops. The best time for the south is December to March, while Santiago and the north are year-round destinations. Since it’s a long way to travel and there’s so much to do, I recommend staying for three weeks. Or three years.…