Table of contents for July 2025 in Getaway

The sun was waking up behind the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, saying good morning to Kleinmond and warming my face. It feels as though summer never says goodbye in Cape Town, and winter’s greeting is as frosty as its dark mornings. We’d left the city at 5.30 am, stopping briefly in Gordon’s Bay before winding around Clarence Drive as dawn broke to make it to a small harbour in Kleinmond. While I basked in the sunlight, our photographer had his camera pointed in the other direction, ready for the sunrise shot. Thirteen competitors lined up against the backdrop of the bay for the first scene of the 2025 Car magazine SUV Shoot-out. For over a decade, the oldest motoring publication in South Africa has pitted performance cars against each other in…

The sleepy town of Makhanda, home to Rhodes University, comes to life for the National Arts Festival (NAF), 26 June -6 July 2025, the much-anticipated annual South African arts and culture celebration, now in its 51st year. Beyond the performances, exhibitions and buzzing festival atmosphere, navigating this small Eastern Cape town comes with its quirks: potholes, water shortages, and the resourceful local characters who keep the show on the road. To visit Makhanda during the National Arts Festival (NAF) is to experience the heart in this town that goes beyond the theatre stages -and to experience the festival like a local, arrive prepared with an insider's guide to everything from the best foodie spots and accommodation picks to practical survival tips. Abustle with visitors, performers and locals, Makhanda's winter streets…

Wild Lubanzi’s hobbit-style huts were a welcome reprieve from battling against a heavy downpour that took over the Transkei in early April. After spending two evenings and a day exploring the mystical coastal cliffs, the unique backpackers’ gave us much more than dry clothes. Lubanzi is a small Xhosa village between Bulungula Lodge (the first stop on our week-long journey through the Transkei) and Coffee Bay, amid the rich, green, rolling hills typical of the Transkei. Spending a week in different locations along the coast, I discovered a distinct energy and landscape that distinguishes Wild Lubanzi from the rest. Built from reclaimed, upcycled, locally sourced materials, the backpackers’ resembled a rain-swept tree house on arrival. Through the entrance (of which you will find a few), a sprawling open-plan dining and…

Scan this QR code to watch the trailer for National Geographic’s Ocean With David Attenborough, now streaming on Disney+ 'No one alive today has known the abundance of a truly wild ocean. There are now simply fewer fish in the sea,' narrates Sir David Attenborough, whose lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery. In The Unnatural History of the Sea, the author, Callum Roberts, a professor of marine conservation at the University of Exeter, writes that people began catching fish in the 10th century, but the practice was more common by the 15th and 16th centuries. He describes the size and abundance of fish in the world's seas in the earliest days of catching fish - waters so thick with cod up to 120 cm long in…

To the Rescue Firefighters recently assisted a male passenger trapped on a train at Lehrte station in Germany. Before you start blaming the train's derailment or something similar, we'll have you know that the man got stuck under his seat's armrest while searching for his Apple AirPods. 'What had initially looked like a fairly simple rescue developed into a complex operation, however, as his hand had swollen so much that firefighters couldn't free it using basic equipment,' said an emergency services spokesperson. It took more than 90 minutes and 11 firefighters to 'dismantle a luggage rack and seats and then saw through the armrest before using hydraulic equipment to free the man'. Both the passenger and his AirPods survived the ordeal while other commuters evacuated from the train continued their…

Ryan Enslin ISTANBUL THROUGH MY LENS (P102) With a fully packed camera bag always within reach, Ryan Enslin journeys through life as a global communitarian, embracing the vibrant tapestry of cultures, landscapes and human connections that define our world. His camera is more than a tool; it's an extension of his storytelling soul. Through every photograph and sentence, he breathes life into the stories that capture his imagination, offering glimpses into worlds both familiar and unknown. With an intuitive ability to forge meaningful connections, he transforms his subjects into living narratives, leaving an indelible impression long after he's written the final word. This month, Ryan explores the ancient city of Istanbul, honing his photographer's eye along the Bosphorus Strait. Lorraine Kearney KARIBA TELLS A MESMERISING TALE (P92) Lorraine Kearney has…

Rain and snow muddied the trail on the second night of the Cocodona 250, 402 km from Black Canyon City to Flagstaff, Arizona, the longest non-stop trail-running race of my career. I ran alone - you are not allowed a pacer on this section of the route because an endangered owl species lives in the forest. 'You idiot!' I berated myself for taking too long to put on a jacket, which had resulted in borderline hypothermia. I panicked and shivered uncontrollably as my mind resurfaced the trauma of enduring freezing, wet conditions in the Drakensberg with Crew Chief Ryno Griesel, an ultrarunner with whom I'd collaborated on numerous crazy adventures. Wading through the sludge slowed me down, and I felt a twinge behind my knee that'd cause swelling in my…

Discover the unparalleled charm of the Afri Temba Leisure Group, your gateway to exceptional stays in Makhanda, Eastern Cape. At the heart of their offerings is Temba Private Game Reserve, a malaria-free sanctuary just 12 km from Grahamstown. Here, guests can unwind in the historic Olive Park Lodge, originally built in the 1820s by Piet Retief. This luxurious lodge boasts seven en-suite bedrooms, underfloor heating and panoramic views of the bushveld. Guests can enjoy game drives, birdwatching and traditional South African cuisine in a serene setting. For those seeking urban comfort, the Graham Hotel offers modern amenities, conference facilities and easy access to local attractions. Whether you're planning a corporate retreat or a leisurely getaway, Afri Temba ensures a memorable experience. hotelgrahamstown.co.za tembasafaris.com…

Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport's arrivals and departures, a windswept beachfront and a lot of driving. Until recently, that was as far as my association with Gqeberha extended. My experience of the small city had been small and always transitional, a place between places. The Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World turned 25 this year, and to celebrate the special birthday, Sun International wanted to showcase what Gqeberha has to offer as a destination, not a pit stop. Beyond the hum of industry and port-side trade that brought the city to prominence, there are brilliant tourist activities on Algoa Bay's shores. This four-star hotel in Summerstrand is known for its Victorian-style architecture and sea-facing rooms overlooking the Indian Ocean. The broader precinct's main attractions are the Boardwalk Casino (Gqeberha's only licensed…

A top a red dune in the remote Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park are 12 chalets belonging to!Xaus Lodge. Our guide pronounces !xaus (heart in the Nama language) with a click that's difficult to master, so guests call it Kaus Lodge. The chalets face a shimmering heart-shaped salt pan in a depression below the dune, hence the lodge's name. It's a remarkable spectacle, especially when light changes on its bare, white clay surface during different times of day. The thatched chalets are compact, each with a shower in a small en-suite bathroom. The water is brackish, so drinking water filtered by reverse osmosis is placed in the room daily. I use this to rinse my hair after the salty water wash. A private deck with two wooden chairs faces the salt pan,…

Below us, Mashonaland West was a patchwork of crop fields as far as the eye could see, and scatterings of bush were the seams knitting it all together. And everywhere was washed in glistening rivers and lakes, though some were that lurid turquoise of chemical pollution. We were flying over this green and pleasant land on the way from Harare to Lake Kariba in a tiny four-seater plane. It was March, the rains had come in, and it was scorchio, the thermals bouncing us around jauntily. The day before, I had sat with a pot of Tanganda tea, as one must in these parts, on the patio of York Lodge in Zimbabwe’s capital, entranced by a circus of purple-crested turacos in the tree nearest me. THE ISLAND THAT IS NOT…

NOT WHERE YOU THINK One of the first things that probably springs to mind about Egypt is its many pyramids. Did you know that while EGYPT ARGUABLY HAS THE MOST FAMOUS PYRAMIDS, IT DOES NOT HAVE THE MOST? That title goes to SUDAN, where there are an estimated 220-255 PYRAMIDS. Varying in style and construction from the more famous Egyptian pyramids, Sudan's are along the Nile River in the Nubian region. SKY-HIGH It should come as no surprise that the WORLD'S TALLEST BUILDING IS IN DUBAI. The Burj Khalifa, officially opened in January 2010, is 828 m tall and houses various commercial, residential and hospitality ventures over 163 floors. It's 149 m higher than the second-tallest building, the Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur and 196 m higher than China's Shanghai…

I grew up with an interest in photography and was always captivated by beautiful images of landscapes and long exposure photography. Covid significantly impacted my life, and I had time to reflect on what matters in life and to me. Acknowledging that I'd taken every day for granted before then helped me realise what I wanted to do and achieve in life. I work in a highly stressful and demanding industry, and I mightn't have a consecutive day or weekend off for up to eight months. The day the lockdown ended, I bought my first mirrorless camera, and my true adventure began. I have a huge passion for travelling, especially overlanding to off-grid places, so I can truly relax and appreciate nature for what it is: peaceful and beautiful. I…

DE HOOP TRAIL - VLEI TO WHALES (WESTERN CAPE) The late afternoon sun draped the sand in gold, and a soft breeze tugged at my hair. I knew the ocean was close, but I couldn't see the shoreline even after cresting a few dunes. 'This is my favourite place to be,' said our guide Eduan (Eddie) Oktober, his grin as broad as the horizon. Known for his proficient guiding skills in De Hoop Nature Reserve, Eddie, who'd grown up in nearby Bredasdorp, knew this land intimately. 'When I have time off, you'll find me hidden somewhere in these dunes.' He pointed to the tallest peak in sight. 'If you climb that one, you'll see the sea.' That was all the motivation we needed. Two women in our group, in their…

It's just gone 5 am on a Tuesday in Istanbul. Wrapped in my favourite yellow K-Way jacket, a grey knitted beanie and an extralength scarf that keeps snagging on my unkempt beard, I run through a mental checklist of gear I'll need for a sunrise shoot I'm about to brave the chilly spring morning for. I pause, and that's when I hear it: The call of a muezzin intones the morning prayer. As the sound weaves between the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque and The Blue Mosque, I stop to reflect, imagining where this morning's photographic adventure will take me across this vast city. The call now echoing beyond Sultanahmet, I linger a self-indulgent moment longer, my mind alight with the adventures that await. And then I'm off. I'm in Istanbul…

Perched on Hermanus's scenic cliff path among indigenous fynbos, The Marine is a cherished landmark. With sweeping views over Walker Bay, renowned for offering some of the world's best land-based whale watching from June to November, the hotel gives guests a front-row seat to nature's spectacle. Part of The Liz McGrath Collection, alongside its distinguished sister properties, The Plettenberg and The Cellars-Hohenort, The Marine is a proud member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The hotel blends timeless elegance with contemporary comfort, preserving its heritage charm while delivering world-class hospitality. Its prime location means guests are within easy walking distance of Hermanus's many attractions, including pristine beaches, tidal pools, fine restaurants and vibrant art galleries. Beyond the town, the diverse Overberg region invites adventurers with hiking and mountain-biking trails,…