Roxanne Reid's Blog, page 12

Save up to 54% on South African national parks book

By Roxanne Reid
It’s February, the month of love. And because I love South Africa’s national parks and wild spaces, I’m offering a special price countdown deal on my e-book A Walk in the Park: Travels in & around South Africa's national parks so that you can fall in love with them too, either for the first or 100th time. Get up to 54% off the listed price. The countdown discount deal – which offers up to 54% off the listed price – will run from Tuesday 21 February 2017 at 6:00 GMT (8:00 So...

8 best things to do on safari in Botswana

By Roxanne Reid
Landlocked in the heart of Southern Africa, Botswana is one of the most diverse safari experiences on the continent. Every day will reveal something new and thrilling. Go for a bush walk or game drive in the soft early morning light, watch the sky turn red at sunset, and listen to the sounds of the African night. Here’s my pick of the 8 best things to do on safari in Botswana. 1. Fly over the Okavango The Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of very fe...

Why Namibia's Ai-Ais Resort didn't rock my socks

By Roxanne Reid
The first time we went to Namibia’s Ai-Ais resort in the Fish River Canyon in the 1990s, campers were packed in so tight you couldn’t have found space for a toothpick. I hadn’t been back for more than 20 years but I discovered that it still didn’t rock my socks. Here’s why. From the time we turned off the main road on to the C10 until we arrived at Namibia Wildlife Resorts’ Ai-Ais camp 73km later, we didn’t pass a single vehicle. A post-apocalyptic movie set surrounded us,...

Cliffhanger cottages near Knysna: escape to the country

By Roxanne Reid
I love back roads, forests, wilderness and the sounds of nature. Given that I live in a city, my holiday happiness depends on finding these things, no matter where I go. At Cliffhanger cottages near Knysna on the Garden Route I learnt how to escape to the country and sweep away the city dust. Cliffhanger cottages are on the Rheenendal Road about 15km west of Knysna. I’ve stayed at various places along this road in the past so I know it’s the quieter country cousin of the mo...

Why you’ll love Monkeyland near Plettenberg Bay

By Roxanne Reid
Take a holiday on South Africa’s Garden Route and you’ll find lots of things to keep you amused. If you’re looking for a great day out for people of all ages, here’s why you’ll love Monkeyland near Plettenberg Bay and meeting some of its entertaining residents. It was a cool and misty morning when we stepped into the indigenous Tsitsikamma Forest at Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary. A melancholy whoop rang out – the gibbons were calling from the trees, their voices rising to a...

Thali Thali: West Coast getaway an hour from Cape Town

By Roxanne Reid
It used to be a cattle farm. Then it reinvented itself as a game and fynbos reserve in 2011. I’m talking aboutThali Thali Game Lodge, a West Coast getaway just off the R27 near Langebaan. Aboutan hour’s drive from Cape Town, it’s a place to get out in the open air when the sun is shining. The three-star Thali Thali Game Lodge is on a 1,460 hectare reserve just a hop, skip and jump from the West Coast National Park. It accommodates up to 28 people, from B&B in luxury en suit...

7 things to do at Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route

By Roxanne Reid
Everyone knows the Garden Route is beautiful. And there’s so much to do that you could pack in three activities a day for two weeks and still barely scratch the surface. On a recent trip back to the Knysna/Sedgefield area we discovered
7 things to do at Blackwaters River Lodge, Garden Route.

Tucked into a valley along the river and surrounded by indigenous forest, Blackwaters River Lodge is a place to get away from the hurly burly. Although it’s just off the N2 between Knysn...

Why to visit Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary near Plett

By Roxanne Reid
I’ve never wanted to see tigers, jaguars or cougars in South Africa, simply because they don’t belong here and I don’t enjoy seeing wild animals in captivity. But then I discovered somewhere I could see these exotic cats without feeling bad. Here’s why to visit Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary near Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route. Jukani is a Fair Trade accredited, responsible tourism sanctuary where the animals come first. They’ve been rescued from captivity, from the illegal...

Spend a night in jail at Willowmore in the Karoo

By Roxanne Reid
Staying in quirky, different places is always a kick, whether it’s in a tree house or a cave, on a train or a houseboat. So imagine my thrill when I got to spend a night in jail at Willowmore in the Karoo and uncovered fascinating old stories of darkness and rebellion, of a prison warden who turned to crime. One great reason to visit the little Karoo town of Willowmore is that it’s the western gateway to the Baviaanskloof, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and biodiversity hotsp...

Where to stay in Paternoster, West Coast

By Roxanne Reid
White sandy beaches, blue seas, fishing boats and seafood – these are just a few of many things that make Paternoster a popular getaway. Whether you’re looking for camping, budget self-catering or a luxury five-star lodge, there’s something for you in this guide to where to stay in Paternoster, West Coast. It’s almost absurd how many lodges, B&Bs or self-catering cottages there are in Paternoster. Leigh Longden, general manager of the five-star boutique hotel, Abalone House...