Indice dei contenuti per November 2024 in Getaway

I'm a planner – not always a good one, but I give myself a head start – a trait that kicks into overdrive before leaving home for an extended period. Whether it's just one night, less than an hour's drive away, or a two-week stint overseas is irrelevant. I make lists, download apps, and save websites and social media posts in meticulously marked folders. It's part of who I am, something I've always done. Many people have told me it's because I'm a ‘control freak’ – I prefer ‘prepared’. I want to know where I'll sleep when I reach my destination, have at least a vague idea of which ingredients are in the region's dishes and the best restaurants to try those meals and, most importantly, how to converse with…

It is difficult to imagine that the little Winelands town of Wellington, less than 75 km from Cape Town, was once the northernmost outpost of the Cape Colony. The area was known as Limietvallei (limit or border valley), and Limiet is the name of a series of peaks within the Du Toitskloof mountain range. The arrival of the first Huguenot settlers in the late 17th century saw the small settlement – which now has a population of around 62 000 people – adopt the twin French and Dutch names of Val du Charron and Wamakersvallei (Wagon Maker's Valley). Though there's confusion about whether people made wagons there or transported timber from the valley to the Cape of Good Hope for their construction, the names live on: Val du Charron as…

Photographs on The Farmhouse Hotel's walls trace the evolution of what has become a West Coast institution, documenting the original site, the Panorama Farm Homestead, built in 1860, and the gradual change since, including the 1992 restoration that transformed the space. It retains that old-world charm, its architecture and interior design a love letter to the era in design that shaped the region's aesthetic, blending this design language with contemporary touches, providing guests with a considered balance of the old and familiar. A range of accommodation options suit a broad spectrum of tastes, needs and budgets. The hotel's Adventure Pads and Family Adventure Pads are an entry point for travellers wanting an upmarket experience at a competitive price. The Farmstead is an expansive, two-bedroom accommodation with sash windows peering onto…

A trip to a game reserve is always exciting, anticipating serene nature, yummy food, game drives, beautiful lodges and blissful relaxation – the quintessential luxury South African getaway. Few game reserves, however, are as incredible as the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, the largest privately protected wildlife reserve countrywide. It's in the remote Kalahari region of the Northern Cape. The undulating Korannaberg Mountains, the southern Kalahari's distinctive arid savanna and the infamous ochre dunes adorn the reserve's vast landscape. This unique terrain attracts Tswalu's diverse wildlife. There are two ways to get to the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve: a short flight from DR Tambo International Airport or Cape Town International Airport – the reserve has a runway – or a pleasant road trip through lesser-explored regions. Tswalu is home to three magnificent luxury…

TRAVEL Adventure This is a special place,’ pilot Mike White says as he lands the aeroplane on the dusty gravel runway at Stonehenge Farm in the Tankwa Karoo. It's a refrain that will be repeated often over the next 24 hours by Mike, fellow travellers and Henk van Niekerk, the owner of the legendary farm. And beyond by the many OG Burners, those folk who have been going to AfrikaBurn since the beginning, when it was held on Stonehenge. The Burn moved to the adjacent Quaggafontein farm in 2019, and the first Bum was held there in 2022, but traces of it linger at its birthplace. In the art, camp and people who drift in and stay for a night. Or longer. But mostly, it lingers in Henk: ‘It's all…

Alan Valkenburg SHORT CORNERS AND SERIAL KILLERS (P 38) Getaway‘s Managing Editor enjoys sports, travel and drinking beer. So when the opportunity arose – several years ago – to travel relatively cheaply to Mönchengladbach, Germany, to watch the Hockey World Cup, he jumped at it. You'd think he would have meticulously planned his itinerary and accommodation before he left, with everything in Mönchengladbach being in German. You'd think. But you'd be wrong. But it's from situations like this that memories, and friends, are made. Kaylee Folster KALAHARI CUISINE (P 42) This prominent South African food and travel writer, based in Joburg, is an avid explorer passionate about all things culinary. Kaylee founded Get In My Belly (getinmybelly.co.za), a food and travel blog that provides a platform for people with an…

This season, it's all about experiential travel. Everybody wants to have an experience; no more simply lying on the beach and drinking cocktails around the pool. Travel experiences are a booming market and are projected to be worth more than $3.1 trillion by 2025. That's next year and that's a lot of money. But it is not all about innovation. Some of the best experiences have been polished to a shine over the years. One such is afternoon tea at the Mount Nelson; it's been much-loved since 1989. It is served, as it always has been, in the Lounge, accompanied by piano, the musician segueing easily between jaunty jazz and gentle classics, looking dapper in a suit and fedora. But new to the scene is the dedicated dog Afternoon Tea…

The Places In Between BY RORY STEWART Picador, R309 on takealot.com Some people are just driven to do daft things. And thank goodness, because it means we don't have to. Instead, we get to live vicariously through their tales. One such person is Rory Stewart, a former British diplomat who walked across Afghanistan, having arrived in the country at the beginning of 2002 (backstory: on 11 September 2001, terrorists flew aeroplanes into the Twin Towers in New York City, orchestrated by al-Qaeda; in response, by 17 December 2001, the US and its allies had invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban). But before that walk, he had spent 16 months strolling across Iran, Pakistan, India and Nepal. For reasons explained in the book, Rory opted against the easier route on his…

I packed my backpack and boarded a flight to Germany with a sense of excitement. I'd watched the Proteas beat England at Lord's Cricket Ground, the Springboks thrash Wales at the Millennium Stadium and France at Parc des Princes. I'd watched Wayne Ferreira at Wimbledon. Now I was going to watch the South African men's hockey team at the World Cup in Mönchengladbach, Germany. I'd heard of the city because I follow German soccer, and Mönchengladbach was in the Bundesliga. But could I locate it on a map? Not a chance. A Google search, however, revealed there were Ryanair flights from Dublin – where I was living at the time – for next to nothing. That was all I needed to know. Plane ticket, check. Match-day tickets for the first…

AFRICA SKY RUNNERS designs bespoke trips and flying safaris with guests across Southern Africa. But our Tankwa trip was one of the set departure trips the company runs that offers a fun, quirky and adventurous overnight getaway. Co-foundar and Pilot-guide Mike White explains the company's work as ‘the art of creating the possible’. There are set dates for this particular experience, but a private trip can be booked at any time. The fleet comprises Cessna 210 and Cessna 20G aircraft, and with partners in the industry, the Cessna 208 Caravan can also be arranged for bigger parties. It can take up to 12 passengers with two crew, but typically takes eight passengers. Just remember that there's not a lot of space, and your luggage needs to be at a minimum…

GETTING THERE Alex and James Wix founded Wix Squared (wixsquared.com), a bespoke travel company specialising in luxury tailor-made holidays worldwide. Alex has been based in Marrakesh for many years, making her quite the expert on Morocco and giving her extra insider experience for planning your trip. When to Visit The Atlas Mountains are accessible year-round but the seasons dictate the conditions. The best time for average trekkers is April to June and September to May, avoiding heat in summer, snow and ice in winter, and the crowds during the July to August holidays. Education For All Education For All (efamorocco.org), established in 2007, helps to give girls from the high Atlas Mountains the opportunity of a secondary school education. In rural Morocco, many girls face daunting obstacles in accessing secondary…

FNB WINES2WHALES 1-10 November WESTERN CAPE Since its inception in 2009, this world-class three-day mountain bike stage race has become known for its gees and is a staple on the mountain-biking calendar, attracting local and international cyclists. This year's race follows an iconic route from Lourensford Wine Estate's vineyards to Curro Hermanus’ shores. Expect challenging trails, breathtaking views, and heart-pumping climbs like the famous Gantouw Pass. Tickets: from R19 400 (per team of two) epic-series.com KILLARNEY MOTOR SHOW 2024 3 November KILLARNEY INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY, 6 POTSDAM ROAD, TABLE VIEW The seventh annual Killarney Motor Show promises non-stop action, with heart-pounding displays of drifting, spinning, off-road madness and freestyle motocross stunts. The event showcases vehicles from the latest to restored classics. With over 2 000 displays, kart racing, drift rides, a…

The most prominent sign in Kaapsehoop says, ‘Go slow, 15 km/hour’. And that's the key to visiting this sleepy, mostly misty, magical village 30 km into the mountains south-west of Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. Wild horses have right of way, the scent of resin and wood smoke drifts across the escarpment, and there isn't a tarred road in sight. Time appears to slow down in this little village on the edge of a plateau surrounded by forests. Before the discovery of gold in 1882, there wasn't much there besides incredible quartzite rock formations, waving grasslands and endless views. Skulduggery, bar brawling and at least two murders a week (that people knew of) ensued in search of the treasure. The village's name was Duiwel's Kantoor (Devil's office) – it's uncertain if that was…

Dress your luggage: case closed! Transform your luggage from bland to beautiful with Case Closed suitcase covers. Replace the uber-gross plastic-shmastic airport cling wrap with a trendy, reusable case cover that shows your sense of adventure and style. It's available in various designs and made from stretchy, durable fabric to keep your case contents safe. The environment will thank you, and you'll turn heads! Available in small, medium and large, from R250 to R465 each via caseclosed.co.za…

DO THIS Take a guided walk at Platbos (platbos.co.za) near Gansbaai. This is one of the few surviving indigenous Lowland Afrotemperate forests in South Africa, filled with ancient trees, some of them more than 1 000 years old. Visitors come from around the globe for close-up whale and shark encounters. Contact Marine Dynamics (whalewatchsa.com) for boat trips from Gansbaai. There are numerous excellent wineries in the southern Overberg, many producing a green and grassy Sauvignon Blanc whose grapes take advantage of the cool ocean breezes. Sample the wines or visit estates such as Lomond Wine Estate (lomond.co.za), Zoetendal Vineyards (zoetendal.co.za), Black Oystercatcher Wines (blackoystercatcher.co.za) and Strandveld Winery (strandveld.co.za). Saving our seas As custodians of the Dyer Island ecosystem off Gansbaai, Marine Dynamics offers five-star marine tours, while their marine biologists…