Table of contents for May 2023 in Getaway

My life so far has two chapters: before Africa and in Africa. I met my husband, Alex, when I was 23 in the garden of a backpackers in Rosebank. We were at the beginning of a round-the-world trip. I was loafing by the pool wearing a yellow bikini, reading a glamour model’s autobiography when he appeared wearing a white vest and aviators. Serenaded by a strange bird going huh-waaaah in the background, he asked me on a date. I was so nervous that I invited many other backpackers to accompany us to the restaurant. Fast-forward two years, and we were sitting in a tacky bar back home in Maidenhead, England, one evening after work, drinking abysmal wine and commiserating the eternal gloom; weather too cold to do anything but stay…

Wolwedans has reopened its extraordinary Plains Camp, an exclusive villa for eight guests in four spacious en suite rooms. There is a separate sala (covered outdoor lounge) for two children with a private bathroom. It is set in the centre of a vast valley in the NamibRand Nature Reserve in southern Namibia, surrounded by plains for as far as the eye can see. The buildings, built with canvas and timber and a careful eye, are designed to blend seamlessly with the desert. The villa's open-plan style gives uninterrupted views of the reserve’s endless vistas, and the canvas walls can be opened up completely for an effortless flow of air and movement. A swimming pool is found outsids; on the inside the centrsl lounge area combines a study, living room, dining…

BRIEFS Gear One of the most important things (if not the most important) in your arsenal when getting ready for a camping adventure is, no doubt, a decent tent. While there’s nothing wrong with a traditional ground tent for a weekend away, why not consider getting off the ground and investing in a rooftop tent (RTT)? As with any purchase of this nature, you must consider numerous factors before committing. In the case of RTTs, things you need to keep in mind include design, ease of use, size, durability and, of course, price. Are you after a spacious tent or something comfortable? Does the tent’s weight and design meet your needs, or are these deal breakers? WHICH TENT TO CHOOSE? RTTs are available in hard- and soft-shell varieties, each with…

An old, thick-walled country manor that’s packed with history and seems ready for a haunting, HUNTINGDON HOUSE is beset on all sides by manicured lawns and sumptuous gardens. It now serves as a charming boutique guesthouse, all creaking wooden floors, wood-panelling and chock-full of vintage artworks and antique furniture, old maps and framed family photos that create a sense of intimacy despite the huge proportions. There are five big suites; one of them The Chapel - has a soaring six-metre high ceiling. There’s plenty of character here, and although nothing too fancy, it’s the atmosphere and quirkiness that grabs you - some bathrooms have their own fireplaces. Plus there’s a warren of lounges, dining rooms and library areas, an inner courtyard and a deep veranda where breakfast and afternoon tea…

Travel and Destination Have you been to some distant shores with a camera in hand? Have you travelled to Mongolia in winter, Ireland in summer or Paternoster in spring? If you haven’t travelled afar, don’t be deterred, we’re more interested in the image than the location. Drone and Landscape Photography With drone photography on the rise and the quality of landscape photography in South Africa particularly impressive, this is the place to see what bangers local talent is capturing. Wildlife Anything from feathers to fangs, our Getaway readers have been producing world-class wildlife images for more than 30 years. People and Culture Documentary photography is a challenging prospect but it is vital in telling important stories. What story do you want to tell and can you tell it in a…

TRAVEL Motoring FOLLOW US NEED MORE TRAVEL INSPO? getaway.co.za @GetawayMagazine The drive from Upington to Vioolsdrif through Kakamas, Pofadder and Springbok certainly achieved the objective if the objective was “time in the car”. We were completing one leg of an impressive Mahindra itinerary that pitted the newly launched Scorpio N against four separate tasks: conquering the Richtersveld, exploring the Namakwa Eco Trail, safari in the Kalahari and discovering secrets of Moolmanshoek. This was the second leg, the Namakwa 4×4 Eco Trail. We’d risen early to catch our respective flights to Upington, and ended up completing more than 500km on Day 1. I’d signed up as I hadn’t heard of the eco trail and was eager to experience something new. But right now I was tired… and moody. THIS MEANS WAR…

And Here's What You Said… Cindy de Bruyn Low-hanging fruit? Mandla Malandela Buffalo soldiers. Unathi Dyalvane It’s just Simba, outgunned and outnumbered. But it’d be a different story if Mufasa was there! Mokoena Tlokotsi Lebeoane The world’s coming to an end now that buffaloes eat meat… but I think these are Ramaphosa’s buffaloes and he taught them well. He didn’t spend those millions for nought! Andre van Wyk After that, he’ll forever be a herbivore! Caught in the Web Top of the world woes At 2 717 feet (828 metres), Dubai’s Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest building. So tall, in fact, that it presents unique problems for its residents. The building’s extreme height surpasses any previous construction on Earth and is so big that people do the top floors…

TWO FULL DAYS BRIEFS Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth, is the bottlenose dolphin capital of the world due to Algoa Bay’s thriving marine ecosystem, which you can spot from one of three gorgeous Blue Flag beaches on its 40km golden coastline. It’s also home to Mastertons, which has been hand-roasting arabica coffee beans since 1924, long before café culture was even a thing, making them the oldest roastery in South Africa. Another first is that Gqeberha hosted the inaugural Ironman 70.3 (half-Ironman distance) World Championship in 2018. For one weekend in early March, more than 2 300 athletes, and their supporters, visit the city for the Ironman African Championship and 70.3, with top performers vying for a qualification slot to race in the triathlon event. The open-water swimming conditions are typically calm,…

Lufthansa is raising the bar for flying by adding to its first-class choices. Enter the First Class Suite Plus, a separate double cabin with ceilinghigh walls and a door that can close entirely, a large table and two wide seats (nearly a metre each) that can be combined into a comfortable double bed if required. They can be cooled or warmed according to individual whim, so that like Baby Bear’s bed, they’re juuust right. Guests can connect their own mobile device to the entertainment system, and there is even a wardrobe, meaning your clothes won’t wrinkle in your suitcase. The flying room also has enough space so you can comfortably change into first-class silk pyjamas. Hungry? There’s a gourmet menu, with meals served on your clock, at the table. Just…

1 South Africa My number-one favourite country in the world is South Africa. There’s a vibrant energy that South Africa breathes that’s unmatched. The mountain views and beaches in Cape Town, the energy in Joburg - just thinking about South Africa brings a smile to my face. It goes against every stereotype people attribute to Africa. 2 Kenya I have been on a few safaris, but the safari in Kenya was hands-down one of the best experiences of my life. What I loved most about it was the feeling that this is what it's supposed to be like. It felt like Africa. 3 Morocco It’s not traditionally how you’d imagine Africa. You get that Middle Eastern feel with an Africa feel, and depending on what city you’re in; Marrakech, Chefchaouen…

DESPATCHES Zambezi River The wide, flat-bottomed boat gently bumped into the bank, and strong hands helped me onto dry land. Not three metres away, a monster crocodile slid quietly into the water, a timely reminder not to fall in. Tsowa Island rises from the brown waters of the Zambezi River like a green jewel, water berry trees along its banks. Although Zimbabwean land, it lies closer to Zambia. The only way to get here is by boat, the launch dock in the Zambezi National Park, about 17km upstream from Victoria Falls. Isibindi Africa Lodges operates the only lodge on the island, Tsowa Safari Island, with a maximum capacity of 16 guests. You’re not isolated, but with some 20m between tents, you are as close to alone in the wilderness as…

September to April is summer, with temperatures ranging from 18-40°C. The rains come from midNovember, when it is at its hottest. May to August is winter time, though the idea of winter is relative temperatures range from 7-28°C, and it is mild and dry. The river - and hence the Victoria Falls - is at its lowest level in October and November, but this does mean the rapids are at their best. April: Victoria Falls has the most spectacular display and views. June to November: This is the best time for game viewing. July to December: This is a great time for river rafting. September: Migrant birds start arriving. It is a malaria area and you’re advised to take all precautions.…

PHOTOGRAPHY Portfolio My wife and I headed to Saudi Arabia in 2016, and a few months later we heard about a Morocco travel package. Well and truly bitten by the travel bug, she said to me, ‘That’s our next trip’, and within a year, we were there. We saw so much in Morocco but know there is so much more to see. We would love to go back one day to see The Blue City/Chefchaouen, Tangier and Marrakech - our favourite place - again. And we’d love to take our boy with us to let the travel bug bite him, too. We loved the country, save for one taxi trip where we thought we were being kidnapped! The taxi driver stopped on the side of the road mid-journey, took his…

TRAVEL Namibia The beach ahead curves toward a distant horizon, where it disappears in a haze of fog floating on the ocean. I stop to take in my surroundings, realising I’m utterly alone in the Namib Desert and the only sound is that of the crashing waves on the shoreline. On my right is the icy swell of the Atlantic Ocean, and on my left, the ebb and flow of the Namib’s sea of sand. These elements, one cold, wet and dynamic, the other hot, dry and static, are diametrically opposed yet united in their deadliness to a pale, lost hominid like myself. Never has my humanity felt so insignificant. That’s why it’s such a privilege to be here. There’s still some distance to tonight’s campsite. I’m taking part in…

I'm standing on a commanding hilltop in Zululand overlooking the wilderness section of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HIP). It’s a vast primeval area - only Kruger Park has a wider expanse untouched by the human hand. As the morning sun gathers strength, the land, treedense and mountainous, reveals its charms. The glittering White Umfolozi River, bloated with hippos and crocodiles, carves through the picturesque scene, its banks a favoured patrol route of local lion prides. Somewhere in that green jumble of thicket and snorting black rhinos, the White Umfolozi River meets the Black Umfolozi, creating a natural cul-desac where Shaka’s warriors used to funnel antelope into their spiked death pits. This was also the stomping ground of famed conservationists Dr Ian Player and Magqubu Ntombela, who famously rescued the white rhino from…

Stay Here SPRINGBOK LODGE is the most family-friendly and accessible of the 11 lodges in Nambiti Private Game Reserve and is 100% community owned. Overseas tourists like the reserve because it’s malaria-free, home to the Big 5 and four hours from Joburg. Locals like it because it’s not flashy, well run and fairly affordable. Rooms are tented suites with outdoor showers and there’s a pool and 1.2km walking trail at the lodge. From R2 095 pps pn. thespringboklodge.co.za FUGITIVES’ DRIFT LODGE enjoys a regal position overlooking the Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana valleys. Still entertaining guests as they have since opening their doors in 1989 (the same year Getaway took its first steps), the engaging guides at Fugitives’ Drift put you in the thick of the action amid Zulu warriors and…

THE ROYAL SHOW 26 May-4 June THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SHOWGROUNDS, PIETERMARITZBURG One of the biggest events in KZN, the Pietermaritzburg Royal Show attracts visitors from far and wide each year. With hundreds of craft and home industry exhibitions, stalls and competitions for birds, livestock and agricultural produce, there's something to keep the whole family busy. Fondly known as 'The Royal’, the show has been going since 1851 in some form or other, and has approximately 13 different exhibition halls and 350 trade stands. Entertainment includes concerts, fireworks displays, vintage tractor displays and show jumping. Tickets: Price TBA royalshow.co.zar THE PLANT POWERED SHOW 26-28 May CTICC, CAPE TOWN Aimed at those looking to live and enjoy a healthier, more conscious and sustainable lifestyle with a smaller environmental footprint, The Plant Powered…

There’s more to art than just being easy on the eye. It acts as personal and collective expression; it unpacks trauma and allows healing; it tells stories; it influences social behaviour. It simply makes life better. For three days, from 26-28 May, artists and exhibitors from the continent gather at Shepstone Gardens in Joburg for RMB Latitudes, an innovative art experience. The event's central theme is co-emergence, which ‘refers to the complexities embedded in the interaction of various cultural and aesthetic influences on the creation and interpretation of African art’, says Nkhensani Mkhari, Latitudes special projects curator. Artists working on the continent and beyond explore how these diverse aesthetics and cultural influences echo each other in the diaspora and African contemporary art. RMB Latitudes 2023 focuses on discovering and developing…

DESPATCHES Zambezi River TSOWA SAFARI ISLAND is an unadulterated piece of bushveld paradise. Everything is under canvas. There is no need for floorto-ceiling stacking windows; the living spaces are simply open to the elements. Boardwalks and forest paths connect all areas, and the views across the Zambezi from your deck and your outdoor shower are top shelf. There ere two pools, very welcome because it always seems to be swimming weather, and an outdoor boma just right for sundowners as the sky changes colours. Or simply to sit and watch the birdlife and river flow by, as it has done for thousands of years or more. Tsowa gives you a true sense of place. The food ia plentiful and good, and the well-stocked bar always open. The environment is front…

AFRICA’S PREMIER PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION FINALIST Category: Travel Salt Caravan This is an Afar Salt Caravan crossing the desolate Danakil Depression. These caravans deliver salt to Marakiele in the Ethiopian Highlands. Hesté De Beer, Kroonstad Canon EOS 5D; Canon EF100-400mm; ISO 250; f/4.5-5.6; 1/640s FINALIST Category: Wildlife Leap of Faith It was a cool morning in Mashatu Game Reserve after a huge amount of rain and we were enjoying the beautiful scenery in an open area with thousands of yellow flowers blooming. We were watching some playful impala as they were pronking and running all over the show. I tried to follow them as some of them made giant leaps creating some unique images. I took a photo of this female as she jumped over a small road with many devil…

HOW IT WORKS You meet your fellow hikers and the Live the Journey crew in Walvis Bay for dinner and a briefing on the night prior to the start of the hike. The following day, you're transported in converted 4×4 vehicles to the starting point, approximately 50km south of Walvis Bay. Over the course of five days, you hike 100km through the desert. You carry a daypack with snacks, lunch and water but the crew transports your tent, sleeping gear and luggage (you’re provided with a duffel bag that must fit all your belongings) between campsites. Breakfast, dinner and a selection of beverages are provided at the camp, and you also receive daily lunch packs and sufficient water for the hike. Transport is provided from the finish point at the…

TRAVEL Dance Culture The drum is the most important instrument. Ask any drummer. It gives the beat and sounds out the rhythm, and where there’s a beat and rhythm, there’s dance. Both - drums and dance - are integral to Africa. Dance has always been part of the weave of life, serving myriad functions. Today, it’s probably the most popular form of entertainment on the continent for its exuberance. But it’s grown from something more meaningful. Traditionally, each dance has a particular purpose and is danced by a particular person or group of people. And each tribe has its own expression of dance. Sylvia ‘Magogo’ Glasser, the founder of the legendary Joburg company Moving into Dance in 1978, is at pains to point out that dancing in different parts of…

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