Cape Town's Hidden Gems

After nearly 3 years of living in Cape Town, I've finally gathered an appropriate amount of information to write a 'Things To Do' list. I've chosen to avoid the regular tourist hotspots (Camps Bay, Lion's Head, Promenade, V&A Waterfront, Cape Point, Boulder's Beach etc etc) and bring to you some of the perhaps less well-known but in my mind, even more amazing sights. And although I feel that there is way more still to discover, here are some of my favourite things to do! 

• Table Mountain

Although I said that I wouldn't include any of the ones that are on everyone else's list, this is the one exception. Whether you hike up there or take the cable car, this is definitely one of the must-dos in Cape Town. I've been up there a number of times and can safely say that the view never ceases to amaze me.

The best way to see the mountain is by hiking up - take the Skeleton Gorge route from Kirstenbosch. You get to see some of the most amazing nature going up - from waterfalls to rivers on the top with orchids growing around them - as well as getting a nice workout! The start of the hike is pretty steep so consider taking it slow, especially in the heat (thankfully the path is shaded most of the way). Once you reach the top however, it is quite an easy trek to the other side where you can catch a cable car down (or hike down if you legs can still carry you). The trip up takes about 3-4 hours, walking at a medium pace. If you are thinking that a hike may be too much for you then I can safely say that once you are on top of the mountain, you will absolutely not regret taking the long way up.

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I should also mention here that hikes around Cape Town should ideally have their very own section on my blog - it is my favourite way to spend Sundays and see the beauty that this area has to offer! If you are interested in hikes in and around Cape Town, then this is quite a good article to browse through.

• Chapman's Peak drive

Although this isn't a 'thing to do' per se, it would be really sad if somebody came to Cape Town and missed this beautiful drive. It starts from Noordhoek and ends in Hout Bay (or the other way around) and has some of the most beautiful views in the area. I love taking snacks with me and sitting on the edge of the rocks while watching the sun go down  -  truly magical!

The Chapman's Peak hike is also worth doing - it is moderately difficult but has the most superb 360 degree views on the top!

• Silvermine Nature Reserve

This gorgeous nature reserve has a huge dam that you can hop into to cool down and is encompassed by one of my favourite hikes in the area - the path to the Elephant's Eye Cave. It is an easy walk/hike with only the final bit up to the cave being a bit more tricky but the views are absolutely worth it! The cave is huge and it is the perfect place to have a picnic and enjoy the views. 

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Elephant's Eye Cave

• Clarence drive/R44 from Gordon's Bay to Hermanus

This is one of the most gorgeous scenic drives in the Cape and is dotted with many beautiful beaches, whale-viewing sites (it is the start of the Whale Route!) and a penguin colony at Betty's Bay that is much better in terms of non-smelliness and tourist-trapness than its companion Boulder's Colony in Simon's Town. Not to mention that the route ends with Hermanus which is a beautiful town in its own right, with amazing whale watching opportunities and really beautiful wine estates!

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• Kalk Bay

Kalk Bay and the neighbouring St. James are lovely little seaside villages. We often go there for a slow stroll on weekends - there are street stalls, quaint boutiques, colourful boats, good food and an abundantly welcoming atmosphere all round!

• Seal Island

Seal Island is definitely something that needs to be seen to be appreciated - home to over 60 000 cape fur seals, big ones and babies alike, it isn't as much an island as it is a big rock. The ferry costs around R100 and starts from Hout Bay Harbor - there are lots of boats to choose from, all working around the clock (daylight hours), and the trip lasts about an hour. You're guaranteed to see so many cute seals and if you're lucky you might even spot some whales or dolphins too!

• Oranjezicht City Farm Market

There are quite a lot of markets in the general Cape Town area all through the week, so I've chosen to highlight my favourite, The Oranjezicht Market, which takes place every Saturday, rain or shine, from around 8:30am to 2pm near the V&A Waterfront. They've got amazingly fresh local produce for sale, really nice food for vegans and non-vegans alike, and a really nice atmosphere for just taking it slow on a Saturday morning. 

Be sure to get one of the olive sticks from Woodstock bakery and the red lentil hummus from Aramoun!

• Llandudno beach

You can't get around coming to Cape Town without seeing and spending some time at one of its numerous beaches. There are quite a few really nice ones, but our favourite is Llandudno beach. It's just a short drive away from Camps Bay towards Hout Bay, and is the perfect amount of hidden while still playing host for enough people to not feel too secluded.

• Wine tasting

If you know anything about Cape Town, it wont come as a surprise that there are some excellent wines to be had in the Western Cape. There are so many places in the area that the list could very easily go on for pages, so I've narrowed it down to three:

- Uva Mira Mountain Vineyards - Set on the high slopes of the Helderberg Mountain Range, about a 15 minute drive from Stellenbosch, Uva Mira's grapes are grown at quite a high altitude compared to other places in the region, giving their wine an outstanding taste - in my humble option at least. I've been there too many times to count over the past years, enjoying their amazing wines and equally spectacular views.

- Cape Point Vineyards - This wine estate has really good wines, nice views and a lovely atmosphere, given that the restaurant and tasting area is situated around their very own reservoir. Get some wine and pull up a blanket on the grass for an impromptu picnic.

- Beau Constantia - Another really lovely setting, this vineyard estate has amazing wines and exceptional views. They've also got a top-notch restaurant there - Chef's Warehouse Beau Constantia - that is well worth a visit! Be sure to make a booking ahead of time though, as they're often full. 

• Babylonstoren

Babylonstoren is an Old Dutch farm with amazing restaurants, a huge garden in which they grow all of their own fruits and veggies, highly respected wines, a beautiful farm stall and luxury accommodation. I feel like this paragraph is not nearly enough to put in words how much I love this place - you can read more about it in the blogpost that I wrote here. 

• Olive Branch Deli

Finally, you absolutely must pay a visit to this awesome deli shop run by an effortlessly astute and always-smiling sister/brother duo. They have an exquisite selection of both South African and international goods, all hand-picked by them, including lots of vegan stuff! They've even got vegan croissants and donuts there if you are lucky (although they sell out really fast!).

There is definitely lots more to see and do around Cape Town that isn't on this list. I feel like I should write down everything, while at the same time keep it compact and readable. Is it even possible to do both? In any case, check back here soon to see if I've added another not-to-miss activity to this list!

The Sunny Side - The Fairmont Zimbali's Never-Ending Bounty

Our first impression of the deservedly well-renowned Fairmont Zimbali Resort came in the form of a long, paved road, cutting through luscious greenery as it ploughed towards the lobby of the 5-star establishment. As we curved along the circumference of a palm-packed roundabout, the hotel’s majestic glass entrance finally came into view and it was then, before attending our custom-planned welcome lunch service, or entering our ocean-view suite, or traipsing across the resort’s private beach, that my husband and I realised the once-in-a-lifetime value of what we were about to experience.

As we would come to realise over the course of our 3-night stay at Durban’s finest resort, the Fairmont Zimbali is so much more than a hotel, and no less than a standalone world, where life is lived to the finest degree, with a most effortless sense of elegance.

The view from our suite

The Resort

A mere 30-minute drive from central Durban, set on a property almost too vast to imagine, the resort includes a number of restaurants (each of them top-class, but I digress), 5 beautiful outdoor pools, a private beach long enough to walk for hours, a gym, a wonderfully decadent spa and a handful of bars. Basically, a weekend away at Fairmont Zimbali Resort puts you in touch with everything that you could wish to do outside the bounds of the hotel, and then some. And from the shallow end of the main pool, right through to the bicycle rental gazebo, we were greeted with smiles and a special warmth of character, the likes of which is a rarity in today’s busy world.

Zimbali Lodge

Further into the thick of the property lies the Fairmont Zimbali lodge, a vestige of an older time, and although it’s much smaller than its sister resort, it is certainly not short of character. While venturing through the lodge’s grounds we caught sight of a rare Crown Eagle that has nested just next to the Lodge’s dining area.

The Food

Aside from the extensive breakfast buffet, smoothie bar and obligatory (ahem) Bloody Mary station, the resort boasts a number of restaurants and cafes, each more exquisite than the other. We started our food journey at the cafe/cocktail bar 31 Degrees with a wonderful pair of light meals accompanied by fresh sushi. 31 Degrees would turn out to be our most frequently-visited haunt during the duration of our stay, but it was certainly not our favourite (although the cocktails there were nothing short of phenomenal). The title of best food venue, in my humble opinion, would have to be shared by the North-Indian fine dining restaurant, OSA, and the Mexican eatery, Ayoba!. While OSA’s depth of flavour and authentic North-Indian dishes forced us to push ourselves to uncomfortable levels of fullness, Ayoba! proved to be the light-bite eatery that an early dinner calls for, serving up beautifully-rendered and flavour-packed favourites from the land of Tequila and Tacos. If I were to recommend one dish from each, I would say that OSA’s vegetarian Thali, and the Black Bean Nachos, with chips and guac, from Ayoba! are the most tasty options. Just make sure that you go into the restaurants at Zimbali with an empty stomach, and a lot of time to spare, because you’ll need it.

Breakfast at Coral Tree

As if the service and quality of food at any one of the restaurants weren’t enough, we had an immaculately prepared and beautifully presented in-room three-course dinner on our final night at Fairmont Zimbali Resort that was on par with any of the other meals we had during our time there. Plus, there’s something super romantic about eating dinner in the comfort of your ocean-view hotel room!

The Extras

During our all-too-brief stay, we were treated by the hotel to - amongst other things - a few really amazing activities. After settling in and getting the lay of the land, so to speak, we were given a couple of bicycles and encouraged to explore the property. A short while later, we found ourselves in the middle of a barely-developed cul-de-sac, having pushed our holiday bodies as hard as we could over hills and through shallow valleys. In this small enclave it only took us a few moments before we realised that the relative silence that had surrounded us for the duration of our ride had been broken by some very inquisitive visitors - Vervet Monkeys. Family groups slowly surrounded us from every angle, chewing on unnamed shrubs and keeping a keen collective eye on us, the new arrivals, while generally going about their rather cute, rather monkey-ish business. While they can be a little bit forward when food is involved, the Vervet Monkeys are absolutely harmless and are a must-see for guests at the resort. A short cycle back to the hotel took us across the path of a young grazing bush buck which, amazingly enough, allowed us to get up close without running off. Such close encounters are simply magical and have to be experienced to be appreciated.

The following day, shortly after breakfast, we were excitedly ushered into what appeared to be a brand new car, with our own private driver, Anthony, and driven to central Durban. There we got the chance to visit Victoria Market place, where we browsed through souvenirs, spices and South African crafts before heading over to Durban’s world famous Botanic Garden, which is home to some of the rarest and most interesting plant species on the planet, including an Orchid house and a specific type of cycad that is last remaining plant of its kind and therefore, an utterly priceless specimen.

Aside from being a kind and pleasant guide during our tour, Anthony was also remarkably knowledgeable on the history and culture of Durban and its surrounds, painting a vivid picture of the city.

Durban Botanical Gardens

To end the day, we took to the beach with a blanket, two baskets full of finger-food, a couple of towels, and a bottle of crisp white wine, to see in the late afternoon on the shores of the Indian Ocean. There’s nothing like a beach picnic next to slow, crashing waves, underneath a pale blue sky.

For more information, please check out:

http://www.fairmont.com/zimbali-resort/

or email zimconciergedl@fairmont.com 

Travelling in Africa's most luxurious train: Rovos Rail

It has taken me quite a while to gather my thoughts on what I have come to realise was one of the greatest experiences of my life to date. I am, of course, referring to our magical 3-day-long journey on the Rovos Rail, the most luxurious train in Africa.

The Pride of Africa

After finishing our complimentary champagne, my husband and I were led from the private departure lounge of Durban’s central train station onto a pedantically-restored train where, along with the other guests, we meandered towards our room whilst marvelling at the interior finishings of the carriages. Once the nostalgia began to ease off enough for us to find our cabin, we settled in and took a moment to admire what would be our room for the next 72 hours. 

Our ample-sized and excessively cosy en-suite bedroom consisted of a surprisingly large double bed, a writing desk with a full outlay of stationary, storage and cupboard space, and a beautifully designed bathroom. All this, lit up by huge windows that make you feel as though you’re outside, among the passing wildlife, was overwhelming enough for the two of us. As with everything on the Rovos Rail though, the sense of comfort alone was not enough - each carriage is assigned its own caretaker, who waits on guests to no end. Every time we returned to our cabin, we slid open our hardwood door to find that the mini fridge had been restocked and re-organised, our bed had been made up in the most lavish fashion, and our small desk had been adorned with a number of quaint little surprises. We knew after our first lunch that this train ride wasn't just a trip, but a carefully-crafted, personalised journey, thanks to the amazing staff onboard.

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After getting to grips with our amazing room we moved towards the end of the train and settled in the observation car, which is unsurprisingly the most highly sought-after section of the moving compound. Here, guests meet and mingle in the open air lounge section while washing down icy drinks and admiring the incomparable South African landscape. Trays full of nuts, fruit and crunchy vegetable chips are always full to the brim for those who need a snack between any one of the three meals that are offered onboard.

Views from the observation car

G&Ts and snacks at the observation car

The meals were served across two dining cars, furnished with tufted leather chairs and period-piece design elements. Lunch and dinner both comprised of 4 courses - starter, main, cheese and dessert, with wine paired with each of the courses. The food was, as one would expect, impeccable, and the waiting staff were friendly, efficient and all very knowledgeable with regards to the train, its route and the general history of this beautiful country.

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Dessert served in the restaurant car

The journey itself was one of near-mythical status. Starting with the sub-tropical, rolling hills of Durban and ending with the vast urban plains of Pretoria, with a series of stops in between, each one more interesting and exhilarating than the last. The first stop was the fabled Ardmore ceramics gallery, a privately-owned and locally-run creative hub full of beautiful hand-made and carefully painted one-off pieces. After an extensive tour of the workshops, we settled in for tea under ancient overhanging trees before ambling back towards the bus at the end of the afternoon.

Lady painting her vase at Ardmore ceramics

Tea and cake overlooking the river

The next morning we ushered in the sunrise on the back of a safari Land Rover as we made our way through the crisp morning air in the Nambiti private game reserve. Our apprehension over the possibility of not seeing any wildlife was soon quelled by the arrival of a friendly and inquisitive elephant who was grazing through bushes at the roadside, helping himself to nature’s breakfast buffet. The remainder of our drive was highlighted by sightings of hippos, zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, warthogs, and various buck. Safe to say, by the time we got back to the train, we felt as though we knew South Africa - and its beautiful animal residents - so much better.

Our ride

A dazzle of zebras and a giraffe. 

That evening, between lunch and dinner, guests on the train were invited to Spionkop Lodge, where they were given a choice between a second game drive (and the chance to see any animals they may not have seen earlier in the day), or a historical journey in words, told by one of the world’s most well-respected voices on the subject, Raymond Heron. My husband and I opted for the latter and thoroughly enjoyed the retelling of that particular chapter of South Africa’s storied past from a perfect vantage point above the hills and valleys of the region.

The views from Spionkop Mountain

We finished up at Spoinkop lodge itself, overlooking the thunder-stricken surrounds while sipping on a crisp white wine. The perfect end to an amazing journey.

The next day, we all rolled into Rovos Rail’s very own colonial-style train station in Pretoria, powered by a steam locomotive the likes of which is rarely seen anywhere in the world these days, let alone in South Africa. A quick and slightly emotional departure left us longing for just one more evening on Rohan Vos’s dream train. Until next time, we’ll be waiting with bated breath.

If you want extra information on the trip, please check the Rovos Rail website, or contact them via reservations@rovos.co.za. They have so many amazing trips with various lengths, something for everybody. And if I haven't made it clear yet - it is one of the most amazing journeys you will ever get to experience!