Honeymoon hot spots
These romantic retreats around the country will ensure that your marraige gets off to a superlative start.
Madikwe safari lodge
Madikwe Game Reserve, North West Province
For the ultimate romantic luxury in Big
Five bushveld, head for the Madikwe
Game Reserve on the Botswana border.
You'll fall in love with your private chalet
overlooking the savannah, where you
can spot game from the wooden deck in
between dips in your private plunge pool.
Inside, a huge copper bath is the perfect
place for indulgent, romantic soaks before
sliding between the sheets in a huge
bed under a burnt-orange karos. Enjoy
a private candlelight dinner on the deck
with only the sounds of the night and the
Southern Cross for company. You'll only
need to step outside for sundowners and
for game drives with professional guides
at dusk and dawn.
Cost
Around R2 500 per person per
night, which includes all meals and two
game drives a day.
Contact
011 809 4447
Trossachs guest lodge
McGregor, off Route 62, Klein Karoo
If bonny Scotland is a little beyond your
budget, try the tartan town of McGregor
in the Klein Karoo. Trossachs Guest Lodge
delivers an authentic slice of Scotland just
two hours outside Cape Town, on the
banks of the Breede River. You can choose
to stay in the gorgeous MacGregor luxury
cottage or in the exclusive main house.
The main house is totally private, has its
own porch overlooking the rose garden,
valley and vineyards, a roaring fire for
romantic winter evenings, and – like the
cottage – a Victorian bath with a view.
There's even a beautiful stone-and-thatch
chapel with stained-glass windows, so
you can say your vows and start your
honeymoon right away.
Trossachs is also a great base for exploring the winelands
of Robertson, with Graham Beck's award-
winning bubbly just a stone's throw away.
Cost
R550 (double room), R650 (luxury
cottage), R1 500 (main house). All rates
are per person per night, on a bed-and-
breakfast basis.
Contact
023 625 1881
Kosi forest lodge
Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal
Escape to the KwaZulu-Natal north
coast, just south of Mozambique, for
a sun-drenched honeymoon filled with
long beach walks, snorkelling in the
warm, sparkling waters and the soothing
tranquillity of this natural wilderness area.
Kosi Forest Lodge is perched on the banks
of the Kosi Bay lake, which is part of the
Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, a World
Heritage Site. The main lodge opens onto
a wooden deck, with a swimming pool
down below overlooking the lake. Even
so, you probably won't want to leave the
honeymoon suite: it's completely private,
hidden in the sand forest beneath a
dappled canopy of shady trees.
Like the
other bush suites, it's on a raised wooden
deck with a balcony and a delightful
open-air bathroom in a reed-enclosed
boma. If you're after outdoor adventure,
try the canoeing or boat cruises on the
lake, visit the nearby Tembe Elephant
Park, or go turtle-tracking between
November and January. Alternatively,
Bronwyn Grey at Camera Africa will
create a tailor-made honeymoon escape
to suit your budget. Contact her on
031 266 4172.
Cost
Special Woman's Value reader rate
of R1 050 per person (minimum two-night
stay, valid until 10 April 2006), including
all meals, guided canoeing, guided walks
and boat trips on the lake. Ask about
other regular specials.
Contact
035 474 1473
The elephant hide
Welbedacht, outside Knysna, Garden Route
After the whirlwind of your wedding day,
go into hiding at the Garden Route's
Elephant Hide, tucked between forest
and fynbos, with fabulous vistas over the
Knysna lagoon. Retreat into the luxurious
quiet of your private suite, sink into a spa
bath (with lagoon views) or try the twin
showers. When you're ready to hit the
town (Knysna is just seven minutes away)
get in touch with Ross-Lynne Willmot of
Creative Honeymoon Solutions ( 044
384 1456), who'll put together packages
that include sunset cruises, horse-riding on
the beach (with cheese and wine picnics),
massages and canoe trips, as well as
other accommodation options if needed.
Cost
R595 per person per night on a
bed-and-breakfast basis.
Contact
044 382 0426
Western cape hotel & spa
Kleinmond, Western Cape
Aside from the understated elegance and
complete luxury in the beautiful setting
of the fynbos-rich Kogelberg Biosphere,
overlooking the Bot River lagoon, one
of the best reasons to honeymoon at the
Western Cape Hotel is the Altira Spa.
Altira is guaranteed to soothe away
any lingering stress from the wedding
preparations. Spa and steam baths, a
hydrotherapy pool and a brine pool
(essentially a big fl oatation tank) will
give you a suitably languid start to your
new life together. Be sure not to miss the
beautifully mosaic-tiled Rassoul Chamber:
first you'll smear rejuvenating mud over
each other's bodies, then after a steam
bath under star lights, gentle tropical rain
will fall from the ceiling, washing away
the mud, and your worries along with
it.
As a bonus, enjoy a round of golf on
the award-winning golf course perched
above the lagoon.
Cost
R1 050 per person per night, but
ask about special honeymoon packages.
The Rassoul Chamber costs R300 per
person for 45 minutes.
Contact
028 284 0000
Plains camp
Near Skukuza, Kruger National Park
Make your own version of Out of Africa
in one of four luxury explorer-style tents at
Plains Camp in the Kruger National Park.
Decorated with antique furniture and built
on wooden decks above a waterhole,
you'll feel like the rest of the world doesn't
exist. Enjoy fine food and impeccable
service, in between game drives and
guided walks in the bush following rhino
tracks and elephant paths. Afterwards,
relax on the deck or in the plunge pool,
and wait for the game to come to you.
Cost
Special Woman's Value reader rate
R1 800 per person (minimum two-night
stay, valid until 10 April 2006). Also ask
about Rhino Post Safari Lodge nearby,
which is offering a special Woman's
Value reader rate of R1 560 per person
per night (same conditions apply).
Contact
Isibindi Africa Lodges on
011 467 1886
Zwahili private game lodge
35km from Nylstroom, Limpopo
A glass of crisp Chardonnay enjoyed
against a spectacular sunset from the deck
overlooking a waterhole, followed by a
private dinner under fairy lights, before
a bubbly soak in a large oval bath, and
a bed strewn with fl ower petals ... your
honeymoon will get off to an irresistibly
romantic start at Zwahili Private Game
Lodge at the foot of the Waterberg.
Set
on 1 000 hectares about two hours from
Johannesburg, you'll be treated to game
drives to see giraffe, kudu, zebra and
other game, with sundowners or archery
and `silhouette shooting' (metal animals),
or simply laze by the pool.
For the most
romantic setting, opt for the Cheetah
Room (part of the main lodge) or the
slightly more pricey tented camp.
Cost
From R1 015 per person per night,
including all meals and a game drive.
Brides pay half price.
Contact
012 653 4340
- Ideas