Amanda & Brad's Unforgettable South African Safari & Adventures

Guest Post
Jul 4
3 min read

Our trip to Africa was packed with incredible experiences, from vibrant cultural immersion to breathtaking wildlife encounters. Here are some of the moments that truly stood out:

Culinary Delights

South Africa offered a unique array of flavors. We enjoyed oxtail, steenbok, and springbok, all of which were delicious. Ostrich was a hit with Brad, while I found it just okay. The wild boar sushi was an interesting try, and we'd probably opt for it next time. Brad also enjoyed the snoek fish.

Thrilling Activities & Sights

Gold Restaurant: What a fantastic way to kick off our vacation! The interactive food, drinks, and entertainment made for a truly memorable evening.
Climbing Table Mountain: This was a highlight! Having a private guide allowed us to set our own pace, and we even completed the climb an hour faster than the average. The views walking up the mountain were even better than from the top. Absolutely worth the 2.5 hours.
Cape Point - Tip of Africa: Seeing wild ostriches roaming near the ocean at the very tip of Africa was incredible! Our private guide enriched the experience with fascinating discussions about South African politics and local insights.
Biking through the Vineyards: This was by far the best way to explore the vineyards, a much more authentic experience than the typical train tours. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the wine region, South Africa, and shared captivating stories from his own journey.
Safari: Witnessing the Big Five multiple times, along with countless other amazing animals in their natural habitat, was truly awe-dropping. Every moment was a testament to the wild beauty of Africa.
Giraffe's Nest Stay: This experience was absolutely phenomenal—a true highlight of the trip! All of it!!
African Penguins: While the penguins were adorable, the kayak adventure to see them was a bit underwhelming due to choppy water. We only saw one family of penguins near Navy Bay, and it felt like we could have easily driven to both viewing spots. However, our guide was excellent and we did spot seals and starfish, which was a nice bonus.
Baboons: Our initial sightings were exciting, but we quickly realized they could be quite a nuisance! (Laugh out loud!)
Walking Mount Rochelle: A lovely way to spend a morning, enjoying the scenic walk before indulging in our spa treatments.

Relaxation & Scenery

Luxurious Spa Treatments: The couples coffee and cinnamon scrub with a full body massage in Franschhoek was simply divine. The relaxation massage at Maswari was also fantastic, and the couples massage at Insika was good, especially with the complimentary 30-minute extension that made it a full hour.
Stunning Sunsets: The evening sunsets across all our locations were consistently gorgeous and provided the perfect end to each day.
Motswari Retreat: Our room at Maswari felt like a private retreat—beautiful, spacious, and wonderfully secluded. The chef was an all star culinary delight!

What We would Skip

Cape Town: We should have done some research on where to go when we were there to ensure it was a place of interest. The hop on the off bus was not interesting. Hippo was a nice hotel but it didn’t have the same vibe as the other locations. More like a hostel but on a nicer level for sure.
Drive through Drakensberg and Nut Manor: While the evergreen forests on the other side of Drakensberg Mountain were beautiful, the drive was quite long and ultimately not worth the stay at Nut Manor. Nut Manor was beautiful but nothing to do.
Victoria Falls: Running in the midst of the falls was fun, but the extensive travel (drive, flight, and extra fees just to cross a country line on a bridge) didn't justify the experience for us. The dinner at Victoria Falls Hotel was nice but not as good as other places we ate.

Working with Conservation Safari Company

Working with you [Garrick] and Jamie was an absolute pleasure. You both were incredibly responsive, promptly making changes whenever we requested them, and always attentive to our needs. We especially appreciated your efforts to help us secure a new hotel when our flight unexpectedly switched to a different city. A true highlight was having dinner with you and Sam at Nut Manor; it was so much fun getting to know you both and simply chatting about life! We've already highly recommended your company to all our friends and family, telling them if they want a great company to work with, Conservation Safari Company is it!

Garrick with Amanda & Brad