It’s an easy mistake really; passing by Swellendam. Two-hundred-odd kilometres from Cape Town, the third-oldest town in South Africa is mostly hidden by grain silos and a light industrial area. If your holiday sights are set on the Garden Route or the Mother City, chances are you’d rather put foot than swing into leafy Swellengrebel Street.

But turn down it, you should, because if things had worked out a little differently this could well have been the nation’s capital: the Pretoria of the Overberg, the seat of government for the wheat and dairy barons of these rolling green hills.

Well, that’s if one Hermanus Steyn had had his way.

Back in 1746 the Dutch East India Company was fed up with farmers trekking across the Breede River, beyond the reach of their tax collectors. They decided enough was enough, and a Drostdy (magistrate’s office) was built to keep the errant farmers in line. In typical colonial sycophancy, the town was named in honour of the Dutch governor at the time; Hendrik Swellengrebel, and his wife Helena ten Damme.

Unsurprisingly, the freedom-loving farmers weren't too charmed with the Company keeping tabs on them and in the late 1790s they – led by Hermanus – forced the landdrost to resign, and declared the area an independent republic. It lasted all of three months until the British nabbed the Cape from the Dutch and Steyn ended up in the gaol of the Drostdy that had started all the trouble in the first place. Swellendam’s seat on the United Nations was lost forever.

It’s a turbulent history well told in the delightful Drostdy Museum, where tourists – not truant farmers – now wander through the restored magistrate’s house, recreated Tradesmens’ Yard and delightful Mayville Cottage; its Cape Georgian architecture framed by a peaceful Victorian rose-garden.

Across oak-lined Swellengrebel Street, Sabine Fiorini had just returned from the forest when I knock gingerly on the back door of her eponymous ‘Drostdy Restaurant’. Brushing the dirt off her hands, she apologises for the frenzy of activity.

“I just had to go picking before I fly to Belgium tonight,” she says, gesturing to the wooden board of wild porcini mushrooms that fill the room with the earthy aroma of forest floor.

“We use the porcinis in our homemade pastas, but you might also see them done ‘a la Sabine’ on the menu,” she laughs. A chalkboard menu leans against the wall, adorned with mouth-watering dishes using local produce.

I leave Sabine to her packing – she shuts up shop for a month each winter – and wander off in search of lunch. There’s a surprisingly vibrant restaurant scene in this small town, from authentic Milanese cuisine at Christiana and Gianni Minori’s La Sosta, to man-sized steaks at local favourite Mattsen’s.

But, come lunchtime, you’ll want to be under the oaks at The Old Gaol Restaurant on Church Square. Not least for its fine views of the dramatic Moederkerk; an architectural hodgepodge of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles that combine to form one of South Africa’s few indisputably beautiful NG churches.

But it’s really the traditional roosterkoek that brings people to the Old Gaol. Baked over the coals, and served with smoked salmon or springbok, it’s easily the best lunch in town. In the unlikely event you’re still hungry, their deep-dish melktert baked in a traditional copper pan should take care of those last nooks and crannies.

Well sated, it’s time for a drink. You won’t find any rolling hills of trellised vineyards out here, but the berry liqueur at Wildebraam is just the thing to ward off those winter chills.

A few kilometres outside town, the gorgeous Hermitage valley holds the surprising accolade of being the world’s largest producer of youngberries. Over 700 tons of berries are trucked out of the valley each year, with the leftovers blended into the range of delicious berry jams and liqueurs on sale at Wildebraam. A charming little tasting room overlooks the orchards that run up to the foot of the Langeberg, and in season (November to January) you are welcome to bring a bucket and pick your own.

Driving back into town, it’s easy to blame the potent berry liqueur when you see a sign to a Faerie Sanctuary. But no, amongst republican farmers and bountiful berries, Swellendam also lays claim to what must – surely – be the only faerie sanctuary in South Africa.

‘The Continent of Sulina’ – Ian and Minke Sulin's offbeat garden in Buitenkant Street – has been enthralling non-faeries large and small for nearly 20 years, and it’s a hard-hearted cynic that won’t crack a playful smile here.

Overgrown pathways, secret glades and a ‘magic pebble pool’ hide the hundreds of faerie-folk that call this continent home. All paths, perhaps unsurprisingly, lead to the Faerie Gallery where you can ‘adopt’ a winged waif to take with you.

If the faeries enjoy porcini houses and dappled forests, then it’s perhaps no surprise that they need a sanctuary in this neck of the woods. Vast tracts of indigenous forest used to frame the valleys running off the Langeberg, but today the nearby Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve is home to the last remaining acres of yellowwood, ironwood and stinkwood.

And it’s an easy road to the Grootvadersbosch: through Suurbraak – a picturesque Moravian mission village dating back to 1812 – and past the scenic Tradouw Pass, one of the most scenic mountain crossings built by Thomas Bain.

You’ll also pass the fields of Honeywood Farm, where the Moodie family first put down roots nearly two centuries ago. Today John Moodie is one of the most respected beekeepers in the country, and honey from his apiaries is available fresh and unpasteurised from the farm.

But press on past Honeywood to where a bucolic campsite and forest cottages harbour weekend escape artists. Wander down into the shady valley, swim in the tannin-stained Duiwenhoks River or roam the fynbos-covered hills. As you turn away from the Langeberg, in the distance you might just see the N2; travellers roaring past, unaware of forests and ceps, berries and faeries. Perhaps old Hermanus Steyn was right to try and keep all of this to himself.

Visit www.swellendamtourism.co.za

First published in the Business Day; 17 June 2011

For their June 2011 issue, Horizons magazine - the in-flight magazine on BA/Comair - asked five writers to put together a list of their top 10 travel experiences in southern

Africa. I was one of the five...

Kayaking the Quirimbas:
Arabs, Portuguese and local fishermen have plied the waters of northern Mozambique for centuries, and the kayak adventure that sets off from Ibo Island Lodge is my favourite way to explore the Quirimbas Archipelago.Mornings are spent paddling between islands, with afternoons wiled away on lonely beaches or meeting the friendly local fishing families. Or perhaps birding in mangrove forests, followed by a little snorkelling on quiet reefs? Come evening, a bucket shower washes off the salt before a feast of local seafood. Then turn in for canvas ‘glamping’ beneath the boughs of a Star Chestnut Tree. What’s not to love?
www.kayakquirimbas.com
021 702 0285

Pay homage to the Arch:
No, not that sprightly chap in maroon robes. There’s spirituality of a different sort to be found in the Cederberg Wilderness Area: far and away my favourite hump of mountains in South Africa. It takes a sturdy pair of legs and decent kit – temperatures plummet in winter, so don’t go ill-prepared – but the otherworldly rock formations, endemic Cedars and perfect silence of the flat-topped Wolfberg are enough to still the thumping heart of the most stressed-out city slicker. A night spent beneath star-spangled skies and the soaring arch of this iconic rock formation is the best way to realise your true place in the universe: insignificant.
www.capenature.org.za
0861 227 362 8873

Swim the Okavango:
It took me awhile, but I eventually wore down the guides from our safari lodge [which shall remain nameless]. For four days we’d been floating above the crystal-clear waters of the Okavango Delta; above channels carved by wandering hippos and deep eddies where crocs lurk in the shadows. But I wanted to get wet, and a sundowner stop at a clear shallow pool was my chance. I swear I heard something close to permission, and I was in. Swimming. In. The. Okavango. Delta. It’s admittedly a good way to lose a limb, but what’s life without a little danger? And besides, it beats the hell out of a hotel pool.
www.botswanatourism.co.bw
+267 395 3024

Meet a turtle up north:
Turtle-spotting tours abound in northern KZN, but the Loggerheads and giant Leatherbacks that nest on the beaches of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park don’t stick to tour schedules. A sunset walk either side of low tide is the best time for tripping over turtles as they heave themselves up the sands to dig their gourd-shaped nest. Turtles have been nesting here for hundreds of thousands of years, so it’s the easiest way to meet a real-life dinosaur. If you’re lucky enough to find one, just remember to keep your distance so you don’t disturb their nesting.
www.isimangaliso.com
035 590 1633

Lonely dunes in De Hoop:
We all know whales flock to South Africa’s coastline in the springtime. Unfortunately, so do the tourists and in ‘whale season’ you can barely move in Hermanus or De Kelders for all the cetacean-spotters. But not at De Hoop Nature Reserve, an hour-and-a-bit to the east, where the aptly named Koppie Alleen is my favourite spot for some of SA’s best whale-watching all on your lonesome. You’ll need to borrow a few fingers to count all the whales cavorting in the bay, and in just a few hours you’ll have plenty of tales to swop around the braai fire at the wonderfully upgraded Opstal cottages.
www.dehoopcollection.co.za

Relive the battles:
Call us the Rainbow Nation all you like; but South Africa’s history is pockmarked with bloody battles. Anglo-Boer, Anglo Zulu… the list goes on. While most history buffs flock to the killing fields of Isandlwana, my favourite is the forlorn Spioenkop on the Drakensberg side of the N3. The hillside is dotted with graves of the soldiers – Anglo and Boer – that fell here on the morning of 24 January 1900 and Omri Nene, our guide from Three Tree Hill, brings the pointless battle beautifully to life. On this lonely hill, it’s hard not to remember the words of Nobel laureate Albert Schweitzer: “The soldiers’ graves are the greatest preachers of peace.”
www.threetreehill.co.za
036 448 1171

Walk the Otter Trail:
Those who’ve tackled The Otter (its name is always spoken in caps) will nod knowingly when the talk of the trail comes up around the braai. With forty-two kilometres of aching uphill and knee jarring downs, and half a dozen river crossings, it’s a tough old so-and-so of a walk. But all that sweat is not without reward. Like Scott hut and its loo-with-a-view, and Oakhurst hut rattling to the pounding swells; the pods of dolphins in morning light; and cliff top vistas shared by you and just 11 fellow hikers. The Otter is the real Garden Route: rough, raw and breathtaking in more ways than one.
www.sanparks.org
044 302 5600

Sea the Cape:
"The most stately thing, and the fairest Cape we saw in the whole circumference of the world." Sir Francis Drake was right… Cape Point truly is a “most stately” thing, and all the more so when seen from the seas that rush around the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula. Take the fast-boat from quaint Simon’s Town (itself worth a visit) with the affable Dave Hurwitz and you’ll be beneath the towering cliffs in under half-an-hour. There are no tour buses out here, no flag-carrying guides and no marauding baboons. It’s the only way to really experience the fairest Cape.
www.boatcompany.co.za
083 257 7760

Wild horses of the Namib:
Some say the German Schutztruppe left them behind after World War I. Others will swear they came from Baron Hansheinrich von Wolf’s desert stud farm south of Maltahöhe. Yet others will suggest they were shipwrecked near the Orange River and simply wandered north into the desert. Wherever they may have come from, the herds of wild horses that wander out of the Namib dunes to drink thirstily at the Garub waterhole are one of southern Africa’s most humbling animal attractions. It’s an unforgettable piece of Namibian magic on the lonely B4 that runs from Aus to Luderitz.
www.namibiatourism.com.na
011 702 9602

Sunset at Cape Columbine:
Everybody has their favourite sunset spot – Clifton 4th or Camps Bay are the usual culprits. They’re both a little crowded for me, but happily you rarely a jostle for a seat on the granite boulders of Cape Columbine. Hit the R27 north to Paternoster, continue through town to the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve, pitch your tent at Tietiesbaai (no really, that’s what it’s called) and then wander up the hill behind you with your favourite tipple. Settle in below the sweep of Cape Columbine lighthouse, the first to greet ships arriving from Europe, and watch the sun fall into the Atlantic. Just another bloody perfect day in Africa.
www.capewestcoast.org
022 433 8505

Published in Horizons magazine; June 2011

For a minute, I thought the cheetah had lost. Outpaced by a lion, and soon to be on the receiving end of a few millennia of evolutionary envy.

We’d been watching three lions – two sturdy females and a majestic male, whose role seemed to consist primarily of sleeping – hunt a herd of Red Hartebeest. Or perhaps they were after the lone zebra hidden among them; his dazzling stripes no help among the dusty copper coats of the ‘harties’.

It was a blustery, overcast day, but the herd seemed relaxed on the grassy plains between the thickets. On the opposite hillside we noticed a small yellow splodge. Binoculars went up and the radio crackled to life: “Young male cheetah on northern ridge. He’s spotted the lion.”

Cheetah and lion are sworn enemies, although the malevolence is firmly on the side of panthera leo. Even a fully-grown cheetah stands no chance against the stronger and heavier lion. Speed is its only option.

Creeping closer for a better look, the cheetah – wisely – chose discretion over valour and padded away. We all went back to watching the Hartebeest. All, that is, except the lions.

Seeing their ancient enemy alone and exposed, the lionesses decided rivalry trumped rump and trotted off in pursuit. A trot turned into a jog, a jog dialled up to a sprint and in the game vehicle our minds quietly raced: “Why the hell is that cheetah not running?”

Padding away at a leisurely pace, it wasn’t until the lions were thirty metres off –their long, bounding leaps threatening to close the distance in seconds – that the cheetah turned. An explosion of speed sent it off between the euphorbias, a dust cloud billowing as it bobbed and weaved away through the thickets.

Our game vehicle raced down the gravel road in pursuit, catching up with the thwarted lions as they searched for the cheetah’s scent. Foiled, this time. My heart returned from my throat to its rightful place.

But this incredible safari scene wasn’t played out on the grassy billiard table of the Masai Mara, the steamy bushveld of Botswana or the sandy tracks in Kruger. This ancient drama was performed on the scrubby hillsides of Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, in the heart of the Eastern Cape.

Billed as ‘Frontier Country’ for the Anglo-Xhosa wars that racked these hills in the mid-1800s, the stretch of countryside between Port Elizabeth and East London has fast become South Africa’s new frontier for Big Five safaris; malaria-free, mild and the perfect bookend to the popular Garden Route.

There are close on a dozen, mostly private, reserves offering wildlife experiences in the area, but you’d do well to remember that not all safaris are created equal. When it comes to Eastern Cape reserves, size certainly does matter and on the smaller reserves there’s a fair chance your game viewing will have a backdrop of traffic and tar. Not quite ‘Out of Africa’.

But not so on Kwandwe, where you’ll mostly enjoy a 360° view of untouched wilderness. Like many of the private reserves in the area, Kwandwe’s 22 000 hectares were once marginal farmland, but the power lines, houses and fences that scarred the horizon have long since been bundled away, and the land rejuvenated.

Named for the Blue Crane – known as kwa-indwe in the local isiXhosa – the endangered national bird of South Africa is just one of dozens of species that now call this restored landscape home. Elephant enjoy the lush riverine grasses, black rhino stick to the thickets and the Great Fish River flows languidly through the property, harbouring hippo in the deep pools and drawing a menagerie of wildlife in the hot summer months.

The sub-tropical thicket that coats much of Kwandwe’s hills may not support the vast herds of game to be seen further north, but in my handful of game drives we were privileged to enjoy an array of breathtakingly unique sightings: lions ferrying a warthog kill to their cubs, the shy nocturnal aardwolf hunting in broad daylight and, of course, a close call for a lucky cheetah.

On these private reserves you’re just about guaranteed four of the Big Five (darn those shy leopard), but in this corner of the country it seems less is definitely more.

While Kwandwe keeps a low profile, Shamwari is the big, brash reserve that has been beating the drum of Eastern Cape Big Five safaris for over a decade. One of the first to reintroduce big game to its 25 000 hectares, Shamwari is also host to a dubious honour: in 1856 the last free-roaming lion in the Eastern Cape was shot here.

The notion of restoring the indigenous wildlife to its rightful place is precisely what inspired local businessmen Adrian Gardiner to create Shamwari over 20 years ago, buying up parcels of abused farmland that were crying out for restoration. That renewal is still very much a work in progress though, with wide-open plains of grass separating the hilltops of indigenous thicket.

It’s a slight distraction from the Big Five on offer, but it’s not the end of the world. Days at Shamwari follow a similar pattern to most private lodges, with morning and evening game drives crisscrossing the reserve. While the grassy plains of Shamwari support fairly large herds of antelope, again it’s the smaller sightings that you’ll remember: the shy Black Rhino, cheetahs sheltering from a blustery spring wind and the rumble of a lion’s contact call echoing across your hilltop sundowners.

While Shamwari has something for everyone, Gorah Elephant Camp is unashamedly, gloriously, romantic. Set on a private concession within the Addo Elephant National Park, the tented suites of Gorah fan out away from the historic homestead.

In the late-1800s Gorah was once one of the wealthiest farms in the district thanks to the boom in ostrich feathers, and the manor house today reflects the comfortable opulence of the time. Deep leather armchairs, high ceilings and thick walls, magnificent iron fireplaces and a deep stoep overlooking a waterhole make for a loveably old world safari escape.

As with Shamwari, the scars of farming are all too obvious in the flat fields of grass stretching away from Gorah, but it does have the significant benefit of panoramic views across the plains and up into the shrub-covered hills. Addo Elephant National Park has been a haven for elephants since it was proclaimed in 1931, and you’re almost guaranteed some wonderful elephant sightings during your time at Gorah.

Game drives here can traverse the park’s 24 000 hectare main section, but it’s the quiet tracks and off-road routes on the private concession that are the highlight here. Unlike Addo’s self-drive visitors, the beauty of a private safari escape is the sheer gluttony of having a small stretch of African bush all to yourself.

It’s a pleasure that visitors to the Kruger bushveld have long enjoyed, and now the Eastern Cape is slowly muscling in on the act. Bush aficionados will tell you there is nothing like a Lowveld safari, and they’re right.

But when it comes to exquisite lodges and unique sightings these smaller, leaner Eastern Cape reserves are showing they may just be one step ahead of their big brawny bushveld cousins. A little like the cheetah that got away.


Stay here:

Kwandwe Private Game Reserve offers two lodges and two family-friendly exclusive-use villas, but our firm favourite is the sleek modern Ecca Lodge. Just six oh-so-secluded suites stretch out along the hillside, with svelte sliding doors opening onto private decks and panoramic views. This is Norwegian cool meets funky African farmhouse. Low-slung beds and glassed-in rain-showers, rough gabion walls and settler-chic tin roofs. Private plunge pools and outside showers make short work of hot summer days. Room #1 is tucked away and private.
Visit www.andbeyond.com or call 011 809 4300

Bayethe Tented Camp is one of seven lodges on Shamwari, and escapes the grassland views by being hidden away in a bird-filled valley. The riverside tents are spacious and tick all the five-star boxes, but could do with a little TLC. This sleek safari lady is showing her age and needs a nip/tuck and a few new frocks. However, the feel is more casual than at other lodges so there’s no need to dress for dinner, as meals are a casual fireside affair.
Visit www.shamwari.com or call 041 407 1000

Gorah Tented Camp is pure Out of Africa romance. Formal dinners – Gorah is a member of the gourmet Chaîne des Rôtisseurs – in the historic homestead are all crystal and candlelight, but the suites are the real highlight. White canvas tents belie the homely luxury within, where four-poster beds and cosy armchairs cry out for afternoon naps and quality time with a good book. And the best bit? It’s canvas, so the rustle of furry critters outside the tent adds a shiver of excitement in the dead of night. Ask for tent #10 to ensure uninterrupted views of the plains.
Visit www.hunterhotels.com or call 044 401 1111

Freedom. It’s something we all seek, but only rarely find.

Jonathan Franzen wrote it, Nelson Mandela was granted it, and I think I’ve found it. Or, rather, him; he’s serving beers behind the bar at what is certainly one of my favourite low-key getaways in South Africa.

With A-framed wood and canvas tents within spitting distance of the Atlantic, the Robinson Crusoe-style Beach Camp in the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve is about as seafront as they come.

It has a laid-back backpacker feel, but with the privacy of double rooms under cosy canvas. A warm welcome, but then no obsequious questioning the moment you leave your tent: just a nod and an offer of a drink. It’s a hidden secret, without the Condé Nast award on the wall.

Some travellers would pay thousands for a location like this, but then here you do have to put up with a little rusticity. Flanked by the sea on one side and coastal fynbos on the other there isn’t even a grid to be off, so don’t expect electricity. Or flush toilets for that matter… it’s composting, follow-the-instructions-or-else commodes for those midnight dashes. And no, en-suite is not an option. But if that’s a problem, this laid-back plek is probably not your cup of OBs anyway.

There’s a charming slap-dash style in the Beach Bar, with its deckchairs hammered together from wood and shade cloth. Assorted flotsam (or is it jetsam?) adorns the walls, and a beaten guitar lies in the corner begging for a mildly tipsy traveller to pluck up “Stairway to Heaven”. Fishing buoys float on the ceiling and shell ‘chandeliers’ tinkle in the breezes. Almost everything is built of heavy wood… perhaps so it won’t blow away.

This is the West Coast after all, so when I say breezes I mean that the summer southeaster can wind up to a full-on tantrum. There’s no point cursing it though, and behind the shade cloth and fishing nets it’s perfectly sheltered. In the crystal-clear night sky, Orion keeps me company as the moonlight ripples towards shore. Every 15 seconds the beam of Cape Columbine lighthouse waves a greeting to ships arriving from the north.

This is the first lighthouse they’ll have sighted since Europe and will no doubt be glad to avoid being cast ashore on the jagged points of Castle Rock. Myself, if I were ever looking for a spot to be marooned where the Twitterati can’t find me… this would probably be it.


IF YOU GO…
Where it is: The Beach Camp is in the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve, about two kilometres outside Paternoster on the West Coast.
Why go there: Live out your castaway fantasies in a driftwood hide-away where 3G and deadlines cannot reach. Spend lazy days staring out at the sparkling (but freezing) Atlantic, reading that long-awaited book, writing that long-awaited book or trying your hand at the addictive over-sized catapult. More adventurous types can opt for sea kayaking and fishing off the kelp beds, or walking in the reserve. The spring flowers are stunning and you can organise a tour of the lighthouse for next-to-nothing.
What it offers: The four cosy A-frame wooden huts offer the best views, but if you’re on a tight budget there are also six comfortable dome tents to be had. Both tents and A-frames have two single beds apiece. Sheets and pillowcases are provided, but either bring your own duvet or hire bedding for a few extra Rands. 
What it's like: Rustic, and loveably so. If your first instinct is to unpack your hairdryer you’d probably do better at a B&B in Paternoster. There’s no electricity at The Beach Camp, so it’s paraffin lamps at night and gas geysers for your morning shower. Here’s your chance to do without all the frills of modern life and go back to basics for the weekend: just you, a canvas bedroom and those sea views.
And the food: Mostly self-catering. There’s a fully equipped kitchen tent and a sociable braai area with an armoury of grids and tools, or the laid-back staff can prepare simple dinners if you order in advance. However, Paternoster’s great restaurants are a short drive away, so use the opportunity to sample the West Coast fare of Kobus van der Merwe’s Oep ve Koep or Suzi Holtzhausen’s new beachfront eatery Gaaitjie.
Rates: Two sleeper A-Frames and dome tents cost R560 and R448 per night respectively. You can also hire out the whole camp (up to 23 people) for R6160 per night. Prices valid until May 2011.
Getting there: From Cape Town, follow the R27 north along the West Coast. Take the Vredenburg turn-off and continue straight through town to Paternoster. At the four-way stop, turn left at The Beach Camp sign. Pass the hotel and follow the winding road through town. At the next stop street turn right and follow the road (which becomes good gravel) to the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve gate and another 1km on to The Beach Camp.
Contact: Visit www.beachcamp.co.za, call 082 926 2267 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For more on the village, visit www.paternoster.info or call (022) 752 2323.

First published in the Sunday Times Travel&Food, 31 January 2011

• Air Mauritius is the best way to reach Rodrigues: the airline flies daily from Johannesburg to Mauritius, and on to the island a 90-minute flight away. For more information and to book, visit www.airmauritius.com.
• Accommodation on Rodrigues is well priced, and ranges from simple family-run guesthouses like Auberge Anse aux Anglais (http://aubergehung.free.fr) to small resorts such as Mourouk Ebony Hotel (www.mouroukebonyhotel.com). Restaurant meals are a similar price to South Africa.
• Rodrigues uses the Mauritian Rupee. 1 rupee = R0.22
• To plan your visit, go to www.tourism-rodrigues.mu or visit your travel agent. To really get a feel for the island, plan to spend four to seven days exploring.
• South African visitors do not need a visa for stays less than 60 days.