Roxanne Reid's Blog, page 7

15 things to do in Greyton in the Overberg

By Roxanne Reid
You’ll find Greyton at the foot of the Riviersonderend mountains, about 35km from Caledon in the southwestern Cape. It’s an appealing blend of relaxed country village with gravel roads and sophisticated town jammed with restaurants. There’s a healthy dose of nature paradise thrown in as a bonus. Here’s my pick of 15 things to do in Greyton in the Overberg. 1. Visit Genadendal Moravian mission village  The Moravian mission church at Genadendal was built in 1891 About 5k...

Why to visit Richmond in the Karoo

By Roxanne Reid
The small town of Richmond lies just off the N1, about halfway between Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa. Don’t rush past; take the time to explore. Let me share some insight into why to visit Richmond in the Karoo. If you regularly rush along the N1 between Cape Town and Johannesburg, chances are your only memories of Richmond are the speeding fines that are mailed to you when you get home. You can foil this notorious speed camera by slowing down and taking a detour...

Readers' choice: 7 most popular African travel posts of 2017

By Roxanne Reid
I’ve written more than 50 posts on this blog in 2017, covering travels to places as varied as South Africa's West Coast, Karoo, Garden Route and Namaqualand, as well as Namibia, Botswana and Kenya. I thought it would be fun to look back and find which of them went down best with you, the readers. Here's the readers' choice of 7 most popular African travel posts of 2017. 1. 5 things I hate about the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park If you’re a regular reader of this blog,...

The Earthy Inn: where to stay in Greyton in the Overberg

By Roxanne Reid
When we arrived to stay at The Earthy Inn in Greyton in the Overberg, an African hoopoe was bobbing around on the lawn looking for an afternoon snack. He cocked his head and looked at us, then went back to his task. He reappeared a few times in the three days we stayed there, and each time I could feel I was more and more relaxed, the Greyton peace sinking into my bones. Although The Earthy Inn doesn’t advertise itself as anything more than a ‘room’ – i.e. not self-catering...

10 things to do at Mara Plains Camp in the Maasai Mara

By Roxanne Reid
Lions, leopards and cheetahs. The wildebeest migration. Hippos and crocs in the rivers. Open plains dotted with trees and termite mounds. It’s everyone’s dream to experience a safari in Kenya’s Maasai Mara at least once in a lifetime. Here are 10 things to do at Mara Plains Camp in the Maasai Mara. 1.Go on a game drive You can’t come to the Maasai Mara, home of the classic safari, and not go on a game drive to search for zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, elephants and big c...

Why to visit Genadendal Moravian mission village

By Roxanne Reid
When you take the turnoff from the N2 onto the R406 near Caledon in the Western Cape, chances are you’re on your way to the peaceful little village of Greyton. Learn why to visit Genadendal Moravian mission village – the oldest in Africa – 5km from Greyton. Originally called Baviaanskloof when it was established in 1738, it was renamed Genadendal, or ‘valley of grace’, in 1803.

The first missionary here among the Khoi people was George Schmidt, who taught them to read and wr...

Stay in a treehouse at Tulbagh in the Cape Winelands

By Roxanne Reid
How would you like to sleep in a treehouse with a view of wildlife, vineyards, orchards and mountains? You can if you book a luxury treehouse at Vindoux Guest Farm at Tulbagh in the Cape Winelands.  You’ll find Vindoux Guest Farm & Spa on a country road just outside the town of Tulbagh, about 90 minutes from Cape Town. Tulbagh’s Church Street, restored after a disastrous earthquake in 1969, is now a treasure trove of heritage buildings and national monuments. This alone is...

Planet Baobab: a quirky camp in Makgadikgadi, Botswana

By Roxanne Reid
About halfway between the dusty little town of Nata and the dusty bigger town of Maun on the edge of the Okavango Delta is Planet Baobab, a quirky camp in Makgadikgadi, Botswana. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see a giant cement aardvark on the side of the road. The oversized aardvark stands opposite the entrance to the unusual Planet Baobab camp, which is hidden off-road behind the trees and bushes. Here you’re on the edge of the Makgadikgadi salt pans, a place of lun...

Farmstay near Tulbagh: Eikelaan Farm Cottages

By Roxanne Reid
The tranquil farming valley of Tulbagh in the Cape Winelands is just 90 minutes away from Cape Town. There are so many things to do here that it makes sense to spend a night or two in the area to enjoy them. We loved our farmstay near Tulbagh at Eikelaan Farm Cottages.  When you think of Tulbagh, you conjure images of heritage buildings, wine tasting on beautiful estates, farming, olives, hiking, horse-riding and more. What better way to enjoy yourself in the area than to s...

17 things to do in Tulbagh, Cape Winelands

By Roxanne Reid
Jagged mountains and gnarled old oaks, the curve of a Cape Dutch gable, long rows of vineyards or fruit trees, a farm dam – these are the memories you’ll bring home from Tulbagh. In the Cape Winelands just a 90-minute drive from Cape Town, it’s a place to discover history and magnificent scenery, to explore 17 things to do in Tulbagh. 1. Walk Church Street  Building after building in Church Street is a national monument Walk up and down Church Street to look at beautif...