Roxanne Reid's Blog, page 3

Fancourt: things to do that are NOT golf

By Roxanne Reid
Let’s play word association. You hear the word Fancourt, what’s the next word that pops into your head? Golf? Yet despite three top-rated golf courses, this hotel in George offers a lot more than golf. It’s in easy reach of activities on South Africa's Garden Route and also in the Little Karoo. Here’s my pick of things to do that are NOT golf, both at the estate and nearby.  I’ll admit that when I was invited to visit the Fancourt Hotel, I wondered why. I’m not a golfer. I’...

Fancourt: things to do that are not golf

By Roxanne Reid
Let’s play word association. You hear the word Fancourt, what’s the next word that pops into your head? Golf? Yet despite three top-rated golf courses, this hotel in George offers a lot more than golf. It’s in easy reach of activities on South Africa's Garden Route and also in the Little Karoo. Here’s my pick of things to do that are not golf, both at the estate and nearby.  I’ll admit that when I was invited to visit the Fancourt Hotel, I wondered why. I’m not a golfer. I’...

Ilala Lodge, Victoria Falls: a short walk away from the Falls

By Roxanne Reid
Picture this. You’re in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, so you’re saturating yourself in all the activities the town has to offer. But despite all the excitement and adrenalin stampeding through your system, you want somewhere peaceful to retreat to at the end of the day. Ilala Lodge Victoria Falls is perfect, just a short walk away from the Falls, but serene and unruffled. Ilala Lodge is named after the ilala palm or munganda tree, with its large crown of fan-shaped leaves, whic...

Garden Route itinerary for nature lovers, South Africa

By Roxanne Reid
Nature is as natural to the Garden Route as shopping is to Sandton or catwalks are to Paris or Milan. You'll find forests, lakes and beaches, forest elephants, whales and dolphins, even seahorses, butterflies and pansy shells. Here are some places and activities for nature lovers to add to their Garden Route itinerary in South Africa. It’s certainly no coincidence that the Garden Route has three of the country’s national parks – Tsitsikamma, Knysna Lakes and Wilderness – no...

Greenline Africa Trust: a better life in Victoria Falls

By Roxanne Reid
The town of Victoria Falls Zimbabwe is a flourishing tourism hotspot, thanks to the Victoria Falls UNESCO World Heritage Site and a slew of adrenalin, safari and cultural activities that draw visitors to the area. But behind the scenes are many marginalised people, especially women and children. It’s for them that Greenline Africa Trust is working to create a better life through sustainable projects.  Charlene Hewat of the Greenline Africa Trust in Victoria Falls is a force...

Mountain passes in South Africa: the Seven Passes road on the Garden Route

By Roxanne Reid
I love mountain passes and the back roads between George and Knysna on the Garden Route are a fabulous indulgence thanks to a single must-do drive that will knock your flip-flops off. This is among the loveliest mountain passes in South Africa: the Seven Passes road on the Garden Route. The truth is that in the Wilderness–Knysna area, you can pretty much pick a road at random and once you’ve driven it you’ll agree that it was a dazzler. You just can’t go wrong. But the one...

Victoria Falls lodges: Old Drift Lodge Zimbabwe

By Roxanne Reid
If you haven’t been to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Victoria Falls yet, it’s something to look forward to. There are great dollops of adventure to be had and numerous Victoria Falls lodges to choose from. An elegant addition to that number is Old Drift Lodge Zimbabwe. Opened in May 2018, Old Drift Lodge is inside the Zambezi National Park but only 7km from the centre of Victoria Falls. It's the latest venture of Wild Horizons, which is not only the driver of many o...

Community guardians and mobile bomas cut human-wildlife conflict

By Roxanne Reid
Conservation is easy to support when it doesn’t affect our livelihood, but what about communities where this isn’t so? Find out how a creative new project at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, is using community guardians and mobile bomas to cut human-wildlife conflict. The year 2014 was devastating for Joel Ngwenya of the Chikandakube communal area, about a 40-minute drive from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. In that year alone, predators killed 30 of his cattle – an enormous loss for...

12 things you’ll love about the Greater Mana Expedition at Sapi and Mana Pools Zimbabwe

By Roxanne Reid
In the far north of Zimbabwe lies a wilderness like no other – the longest continuous wildlife corridor along the Zambezi River. Now you can go on a six-night safari to explore the area on foot, by vehicle and canoe. If you love adventure, here are 12 things you’ll love about the Greater Mana Expedition at Sapi and Mana Pools Zimbabwe. The unspoiled Greater Mana area through which the expedition roams includes both Mana Pools National Park (also declared a Ramsar Wetland) a...

Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust: behind the scenes of your Victoria Falls safari in Zimbabwe

By Roxanne Reid
When you go on a Victoria Falls safari in Zimbabwe, spare a thought for those working behind the scenes to conserve the local wildlife through research, rescue and rehabilitation, and community outreach. Come with me behind the scenes to meet the hardworking team at the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust. When wildlife and research manager at the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust (VFWT) Roger Parry first met Aardy things looked bad. Roger had been called out to see what he could do...