Ultimate Escapes: Unveiling South Africa's Luxurious Gems
This was just the most incredible trip and the first time to South Africa for ‘Mrs’ ThePrivateTraveller. I love luxury trains so had always wanted to travel on either the Blue Train or Rovos Rail in South Africa (we were advised that Rovos Rail was better). Not only did we manage to fit in the 3-day; 2-trip on Rovos from Pretoria down to Cape Town (I will write this up on a separate blog) but we also managed to secure one of the two Royal Suites on board (just exceptional - taking up half a carriage each, with a full en-suite bathroom and double bed).
We arrived into Johannesburg a few days before the train journey, but immediately flew to a safari reserve in the Northern Cape, close to the Namibian border - Tswalu was out first ever safari experience and it was just incredible. After the train journey, we stayed in Cape Town for a few days at the LHW hotel in the Victoria & Albert waterfront area (The Cape Grace), then drove into the Wine Region and stayed just outside Franschhoek. I didn’t know that much about Liz Biden and The Royal Portfolio before our visit, other than realising that both La Residence and Royal Malewane were hotels we wanted to visit - Royal Malewane was described to me as being the platinum version of a luxury safari lodge, the “crème de la crème”. If you want to find out more, check out the BBC Two programme Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby. Gile Coren and Monica Galetti present this absolute favourite of mine where they roll up their sleeves to work alongside staff in some of the most extraordinary hotels across the globe. The Silo (just WOW! - we saw this being converted right across from when we stayed at the Cape Grace) was featured in episode 2 of their second series, alongside La Residence.
I will write more detailed hotel reviews in time of all of these properties, but if you want a heads up of where to stay in South Africa you have to look no further than the Royal Portfolio website - currently there are four iconic hotels across the country, all very different, but of the two we have enjoyed words cannot describe how magical these hotels are.
Actual Detailed Itinerary:
Day 1 Overnight direct British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Johannesburg
Day 2 On arrival, transfer to Fireblade Aviation, private flight to Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
Day 3 Safari, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
Day 4 Safari, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
Day 5 Private flight back to Fireblade Aviation, O.R. Tambo, transfer to Pretoria for Rovos Rail
Day 6 Overnight Rovos Rail
Day 7 Arrive into Cape Town, overnight Cape Grace Hotel
Day 8 Cape Grace Hotel
Day 9 Cape Grace Hotel
Day 10 Cape Grace Hotel
Day 11 Cape Grace Hotel
Day 12 Drive to La Residence, Franschhoek
Day 13 La Residence
Day 14 Drive back to Cape Town, internal flights to Hoedspruit via Johannesburg, overnight Royal Malewane
Day 15 Safari, Royal Malewane, Kruger National Park
Day 16 Safari, Royal Malewane, Kruger National Park
Day 17 South African Airways flight back to Johannesburg, overnight British Airways flight to London Heathrow
Useful website links:
Airlines:
British Airways https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/home
Fireblade Aviation https://www.firebladeaviation.com/
South African Airways https://www.flysaa.com/
Hotels:
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, Northern Cape https://www.tswalu.com/
Cape Grace Hotel, Cape Town https://www.capegrace.com/
La Residence, Franschhoek https://www.theroyalportfolio.com/la-residence/overview/
Royal Malewane, Kruger National Park https://www.theroyalportfolio.com/royal-malewane/overview/
Leading Hotels of the World https://www.lhw.com/
The Royal Portfolio https://www.theroyalportfolio.com/
The Silo, Cape Town https://www.theroyalportfolio.com/the-silo/overview/
Trains:
Rovos Rail https://www.rovos.com/
The Blue Train http://www.bluetrain.co.za/
Other:
BBC Two - Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08l2m2x/episodes/player
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden https://www.sanbi.org/gardens/kirstenbosch/
