I recently stayed at the brand new Taj Cape Town just as it opened. This looks to be a very impressive addition to Cape Town’s array of five star hotels.  Its location, in the heart of the old part of Cape Town, is really one of its major USPs. I have never been a great fan of the V&A Waterfront which, though very convenient with its array of shops and restaurants, is a rather glitzy commercialised experience which could be in any one of many waterside cities around the world.

In contrast the Taj is in the heart of Cape Town with the Anglican cathedral opposite, the historic Company gardens, where the new settler grew vegetables for the passing ships and the vibey pedestrian St Georges Mall on your door step, with art galleries, museums, restaurants, street cafes and street markets all within a couple of minutes walk.

The other big plus is the impressive interior of this 110 year old building with its high vaulted ceiling. It offers a winning combination of rich history and elegant contemporary architecture and really does feel like one of the grand old city hotels of Europe.

I didn’t get to sample an evening meal but I liked the eclectic mix of its exquisitely furnished Indian restaurant, the Bombay Brasserie, with its ornate chandeliers and table settings, and the more casual and modern Mint restaurant, where I had breakfast. This has tables flowing out onto the streets enclosed by partitions of greenery a la Paris.

My bedroom, a Heritage room, was very spacious with understated elegance and soft colours in the bedroom area and a sleek modern bathroom.  The bathroom has a glass wall onto the bedroom which can be closed off behind a blind for additional privacy – a feature which I really liked as I think its really important that people who want privacy in their bathrooms are able to get it – a fact that many modern hotel architects seem to ignore! Check it out when you are next in Cape Town.

Our final blog post from Peter about his recent Kenya safari…
“So, this is farewell to the Masai Mara. We’ve negotiated the tricky crossing of the sandy river bed – and are heading for Keekorok airstrip, from where I’ve got a flight back to Nairobi. Last night Alex, Neboo and I had a great game drive, tracking down the Henry pride of lion, numbering 22 in total: two males, seven females and cubs of assorted ages. Another highlight was a week old elephant calf keeping close to its young mother. Generally if the calf can fit under its mother’s belly it is less than a year old – a useful rule of thumb for assessing a baby elephant’s age.

Earlier this morning we had gone for a quick walk near the camp, Cottars 1920’s Safari Camp, focusing on some of the plants and trees used by the Masai. I knew about the “toothbrush tree”, but had never seen the “sandpaper tree”. Older leaves can be used to smooth the shafts of the Masai spears, whilst younger leaves are sometimes used by the women to clean their tongues! Wild sage makes a good anti-perspirant or can be used for a bit of a freshen up, and the “orange leaf tree” really fascinated me: apparently lion sometimes make use of its insect repellent properties by dragging their kill to its base to keep the flies off their food.

After breakfast I had a look at the Cottar family portraits in the mess tent – four generations of American adventurers, hunters and photographic safari pioneers. Charles was entranced by a report of Theodore Roosevelt’s 1909 safari, and moved his young family out to Africa soon after. Looking at the potted histories under the portraits is instructive: Charles was mauled by leopard three times, injured by an elephant and eventually killed by a rhino; his son Mike survived nine episodes of blackwater fever, when one bout is enough to finish off most men.”

Today co-operation is the name of the game: Jules has kindly offered to drive me to the Talek Gate entrance to the Masai Mara National Reserve, where we plan to hook up with a vehicle from Cottars 1920s Camp, my next stop. I’ve really enjoyed my time at Elephant Pepper Camp - for me this is pretty much the ideal safari camp: small, comfortable, elegantly simple with great staff. Last night I chatted to Robert, one of the waiters and found out how the Masai charge their mobile phones: on market day an enterprising individual brings along a generator!

With us in the Land Rover is Baba, one of the Masai warriors based at the Camp. Bowling along the gravel road we start to chat, and it transpires that Baba has led quite an eventful life. For one he survived a leopard attack when young and, perhaps even more unusually, he is one of the few Masai in the area to own a passport. A Japanese guest at Elephant Pepper was opening an African themed hotel in Tokyo and invited Baba and two of his friends out to Japan for the launch. Via Jules and the lingua franca of Swahili I quiz Baba about his experience. He didn’t enjoy the flight very much but had a good time once there.

Sure enough Alex and Neboo from Cottars 1920s Camp are there to meet us at the gate, and I jump ship and begin the next phase of my Mara exploration.

Fourth in our occasional blog posts about Peter’s safari to Kenya…
“Francis has kindly come to pick me up and transfer me over to Elephant Pepper Camp, in the `Koiyaki Community Conservation area in the northern Masai Mara – less than an hour’s drive south of Kicheche Mara Camp. I’ve just had a hearty breakfast shaded by a little clump of trees at Kicheche Mara, following a fairly quiet but fascinating game drive. When we spot a male ostrich our guide Benjamin quizzes us as to what make and model it is. Apparently it’s the Masai ostrich – logical enough when you think about it. I’m always staggered by the sheer size of these birds, and they can cover the ground at an astonishingly fast pace.

My fellow guests are a little the worse for wear after making the most of the wine last night at dinner – perhaps the most convivial and jolly evening on my whole trip; nearly twenty of us on one big table and, as sometimes happens just the right mix of people to make for a really fun evening. Before dinner we had enjoyed a great sighting of a small elephant herd and also been astonished by the size of  two of the largest dik-dik (the smallest of the antelope species) any of us had ever seen.

Now Francis and I are pulling into Elephant Pepper Camp. After a beautiful lunch, and a welcome afternoon nap, we head out for our afternoon game drive. Almost immediately we’re at one of the most thrilling sightings of the whole trip: a lioness with two very young cubs – perhaps two to three days old, busy suckling from their mother. At this age cubs are spotted, and they twitch every now and then as they adjust their feeding position. We watch spellbound for a while before leaving them be, and circle round to the other side of a thicket, to be rewarded with a fantastic sighting of a lone lioness. I stare in awe at the size of her paws, and watch the rhythmical rise and fall of her chest as she breathes in the late afternoon air. Later we find a huge plateau for our sundowners; vast night skies open up in all directions.”

Third in our occasional blogs about Peter’s recent safari in Kenya…

“Although the Masai Mara has been exerting a strong gravitational pull on me for some years this is my first visit; the attraction has always been deflected by other pressing priorities. Was it worth the wait? Absolutely! I love the South African Lowveld, was wowed by the stark beauty of Damaraland in Namibia and of course rate the Okavango Delta as one of the jewels in the African safari crown. But there’s something about the Mara that still bowls me over. Maybe it’s the relative simplicity of the landscape (successions of rolling grasslands seeming to extend to infinity in all directions); perhaps the immensity of the sky? I don’t know. All I can say is that it didn’t disappoint at all.

My first night is at Kicheche Mara Camp in the Koiyaki Lemek region north-west of the Masai Mara National Reserve but on the way we stop to visit a couple of other small and intimate bush camps: Kicheche Bush Camp and Porini Lion Camp. Along with one other camp they have exclusive traversing rights over the Olare Orok Conservancy which allows excellent game viewing without hordes of vehicles. I like both camps very much and after lunch at Kicheche Bush Camp, we head, via an incredibly steep, rocky and picturesque route towards Kicheche Mara. We see a lot of game early on as the local area has benefited from some recent generous rains. Then with darkening skies the rain starts, heavy enough for us to stop and put the roof on….”

Part two of Peter’s travels through Kenya…
“It’s time to head for the Mara - more on that later. I was driven across to Kicheche Laikipia, their newest camp. As it’s low season we have a lot of the 35,000 ha of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy to ourselves, and on our afternoon drive we get some fantastic sightings of Burchell’s and the rare Grevy’s Zebra.

Later that afternoon we watch a small herd of elephant browsing on the grass which has sprung up after the recent and very welcome rains, and I make one small addition to my knowledge of elephant behaviour: we watch as they use a calculated swipe from their front foot to uproot a bundle of grass already grabbed in their trunk.

As dusk gathers we stop when Charles spots three male cheetah in the middle distance. Straining to see them through the half light I locate them in my binoculars. For a while they’re all seated, but we watch spellbound as they stir themselves and walk three abreast away from us: three brothers on a mission – but when their path is blocked by a pride of lion they wheel round to the right and cross the track close behind us. We return to camp for a superb dinner with camp managers Andy and Sonja, warmed by the open fire in the mess tent and elated by such a fabulous spectacle  – for me context, mood and setting can be just as powerful as the clarity and proximity of the sighting.

Back at the conservancy gate I notice James, my guide at Porini Rhino Camp, is drawn to the sports pages (just like me!): Kenya are playing Nigeria later today and we discuss Kenya’s chances. Apparently both sides have failed to qualify for the World Cup but the match is important for the African Nations Cup. Yesterday afternoon we were out walking with two of the Masai warriors at the camp; I failed miserably in a test of strength which involves trying to pick up a Masai spear by the very tip. After the walk we continued on a drive, with great sightings of reticulated giraffe, elephant, Thomson’s gazelle, zebra and impala before returning to have a few beers round the fire and a delicious and very jolly dinner with four Kiwis and their guide Campbell.

On our way to the gate this morning we had three game encounters, all memorable in their own way. Firstly we spotted a female Jackson Hartebeest with a fawn which James estimated to be only a couple of hours old; then a lone female black rhino; and finally a white rhino and her calf. There’s something about the tiny eye in that relatively large head that is incredibly endearing….”

This is the first in a series of blogs about Peter’s recent safari to Kenya where he visited the central highlands and the Masai Mara. First, the Ol Pejeta Conservancy…
“I’d heard the tales of the greater honeyguide and their extraordinary relationship with man but never seen one before. But now at last here was one right in front of me. Of course it was Laetato, our Ndoroba tracker who heard it first, and now he was imitating its call as it fluttered ahead of us. In case you haven’t heard about this remarkable bird here’s a brief synopsis: many tribes throughout East Africa have developed a unique working relationship with this bird; it leads humans to a bee hive and in return the hunters offer the bird a little of the honey they find. Legend has it that if they fail to honour their side of the bargain then next time the bird will lead them to a snake or a lion.

Laetato is accompanying me, the safari guide Patrick and Alex Hunter (the owner and manager of the exquisite Ol Pejeta Bush Camp) on this late afternoon walk along the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River, in the northern sector of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy west and south of Mt Kenya. We’ve already spotted a pied kingfisher perched in a branch. Apparently it’s the only kingfisher which can hover in flight but as it’s perched rather than in flight I can’t confirm this! Later I pointed to a large excavation in the river bank opposite, and was told that it was probably the work of a monitor lizard. They were certainly in the vicinity as we saw the characteristic footprints mingled with the drag line of its tail in a muddy bay a bit further on. Also on display were the tracks of Egyptian geese and buffalo, both after liquid refreshment.

Ol Pejeta is one of the best places in Kenya to see black rhino as it boasts a population of around 80. Alex showed me several rhino middens – territorial dung mounds which are added to over time. The twigs on which the animal had been browsing were so cleanly and uniformly topped and tailed that they looked like they had been through a commercial shredder. As the sun set we headed back towards camp and Alex chatted about his fondness for running: keen runners can accompany him for some circuits of land near the camp. Really ambitious runners can try and keep pace with Laetato. But he thinks nothing of running for 10 km, and bear in mind that the altitude here is over 2,000m – though the benefit of this is that the Ol Pejeta conservancy is non-malarial.

A quick safari shower (for my money the best there is; although short they’re always hot and the water often carries the delicious odour of the fire that’s warmed it) and it was time for an elegant dinner outside, lit by numerous lanterns which seemed in perfect keeping with the essence of safari.”

Before my visit to Londolozi Game Reserve in the Sabi Sands (Kruger National Park) I have to confess that I thought no other lodge could compare with Singita. I am being forced to eat my words. Londolozi focuses on simplicity, family values and giving clients a private experience but what they do best is to make you feel like part of the family. It is not just about the luxury of a bedroom, they also pride themselves in giving an excellent safari experience with the true commitment to conservation. Londolozi has one of the largest land areas per bed in the Sabi Sands Area.

Londolozi is one of the most special safari experiences that you can have.

We stayed at their flagship camp, Private Granite Suites, only 3 suites each with a unique large outdoor pool. Each suite has its own pool - ours is the one in the main photo. And this pool was just for us! This small camp can also be booked on a exclusive basis and in that case they would allow a child or two to share. The interior is modern but not over done and rather simple - the suites are large and feel like a villa in the bush - and I believe offer one of the most luxury stays in South Africa. The service was special and the food was healthy and simple - not really over the top cuisine but very good! I loved it….

Londolozi is all about the true safari experience. I was pretty sure that the game viewing would be amazing as it is one of the 3 largest concessions in the Sabi Sands and it was. Not only did we see a large herd of elephants as we drove to the lodge, we saw leopard only minutes into our first afternoon game drive. We had the privilege of spending a long time with it with no other vehicle around. From there on we saw a large elephant herd in a dry river bed - bulls fighting only metres from our open 4×4. Julius - our Shangaan ranger – was one of the best guides I ever had. He has been working for Londolozi since 1994 and was a tracker before he became a ranger. He had a keen eye to spot very good sightings with the help of his tracker but what I specifically liked about him was his grace and how he listened and spoke to the guests and how he naturally took them to whatever they seemed the keenest to see next.

The following morning Julius took us to a lion kill site (we’d spotted the vultures from far) in the middle of dense bush where a pride of lions had killed a buffalo the previous evening. We spend a long time watching the cubs playing and eating and again passed a large herd of elephants.  We were lucky to see a mother and her baby hyenas and just as the morning could not really get any better we came across some white rhino. I was truly amazed with wonderful game experience but are sure that the maturity of our guide was a great advantage for us.

After the morning game drive we viewed all the other Londolozi camps, firstly we visited Varty camp -  that is also the main area for Londolozi with a large pool a wine cellar, a yoga deck and the Cubs club (Varty Camp is a favorite camp for families) as they have inter-leading room options - all the rooms also had plunge pools. I was not as impressed with the interior but I believe that the personal service and family safari experience offered would make a stay at Varty camp would make up for this. (It is also less expensive than Tree Camp and Granite Suites). They have a cubs programme to ensure that children are uniquely entertained.  Chris, the manager, also has a 7 and 10 year old that join the guest children for some interaction. Guests of all the other Londolozi camps can use the facilities at Varty Camp.

We  visited Londolozi Tree Camp which has a stunning main area and a large deck in the trees - the camp has great atmosphere - and is slightly more traditional in style compared with the new Private Granite Suites- but stunning views over the river as well.  Plunge Pools in all six suites. No children under 16 – great for honeymooners!

We then visited Londolozi Pioneer Camp- which I really liked as much as Tree Camp. Though the suites don’t have the great views of the river, this is more than compensated by the character and ambience. It was very full of the family history and made you stepped back into the pioneering days of safari in South Africa.  There are only three private suites which have a bush view rather than a river view – but very peaceful setting each with a great tsala  - no children under 16 unless it is exclusive use of the whole camp.

Founders Camp is the other family friendly camp and although it is the only camp that does not have plunge pools- it seems that they are planning to add plunge pools very soon! This camp was perhaps my least favorite - but it did have an attractive boma and large pool. 7 chalets have a classic style.

So in summary, I would recommend Private Granite Suites first of all, if budget is no option or Pioneer or Tree Camp. Varty Camp is a stunning camp for family safarais. All and all Londolozi is a winning combination!

I spent some time at Isandlwana Lodge in the Battlefields region of Zululand recently. It was a very enjoyable and educational experience to say the least. Isandlwana Lodge is situated on the iNyoni Rock that overlooks the battlefield of Islandwana. You will have the same vantage point as the Zulu Commander on that fateful day, as this was the very spot from which he directed the attack on the British Camp. The only difference between staying at Islandlwana Lodge and the battle itself is that you will be washing down the dust of Zululand with a Gin & Tonic on the luxurious deck, instead of washing your spears in the blood of the British invaders.

Each one of the rooms and the dining area has a magnificent view of the valley below. The rooms are all very comfortable and have all the amenities needed. It is important to note that the rooms all have only a shower and no baths, but the showers are very impressive and I don’t think it detracts in any way from the quality of the accommodation.  Given the number of steps at the lodge, I would say it may not be a good option for people who are disabled or have great difficulty in walking.

The lunch on the day of my arrival was very good but I was slightly disappointed in the dinner. I must mention that the baked puddings for both lunch and dinner were superb; especially the Malva pudding and I don’t even have a sweet tooth!

The best aspect of Islandwana Lodge is its staff. The service is very good and the personal attention from the owner Pat Stubbs and her staff was noticable.

Islandwana Lodge is the perfect destination for history buffs, especially those interested in the Zulu Wars. And this is where Rob Gerard and his intricate knowledge of the events at Islandwana, Fugitives Drift and Rorkes Drift will keep you on the edge of your seat. Rob also undertakes tours to the other famous battlefields in the area like Blood River, Spioenkop and others, but these need to be arranged with him and are subject to availability.

Islandwana lodge will appeal both to people who have a keen interest in history especially the Zulu Wars, but because of the quality of the story-telling, even those with no particular interest will find themselves moved by the accounts. By Conrad Jacobs

It’s everyone’s dream. A journey on Rovos Rail - billed as the ‘most luxurious train in the world’. I was so excited about this trip that I didn’t think twice to leave my children with friends even though they were in the middle of school exams!  But this was a once in a lifetime experience that I wasn’t about to miss out on!

My husband and I checked in at Cape Town Station 10am and were greeted with very friendly and helpful Rovos staff who offered us drinks and snacks while we relaxed in their beautiful lounge.  We was entertained with a live violin and guitar ensemble after which the Train Manager, Peter Winterbottom welcomed us and gave us a short run through of the journey. Rovos does many trips in South Africa but their most popular ones are the journey from Cape Town to Pretoria and vice versa

We were escorted to our air-conditioned Deluxe Suite with lounge area and en-suite bathroom with shower. I was surprised by how spacious the suite was, equipped with a bar fridge in the room that is frequently refilled with drinks of your choice.

We left Cape Town Station around 11am with views of Table Mountain and headed to Worcester with beautiful scenery along the way of the vineyards and mountains.  Around 6pm we arrived at Matjiesfontein where we visited their impressive museum, the Lord Milner Hotel and an amazing car museum with cars dating back as far as 1932.

We looked forward to dinner each night which was  a formal experience. I had managed to persuade my usually fairly casual husband to dress up. This, of course, was no problem for me! Needless to say the food was exceptional…

The following day we visited Kimberley and were taken on a very informative visit to The Big Hole which is very impressive.  On arrival back at the railway station we were greeted by the staff and offered drinks and snacks before we reboarded the train.  In the lounge area coffee and delicious chocolate cake awaited us. The whole experience is very sociable with time to relax alone in your compartment and time to chat to fellow travellers in the observation car or at the beautifully appointed bar.

On our last day we arrived at Capital Park Station around 12 noon. Again we were greeted with snacks and drinks in their beautiful lounge and then bade farewell to all the friends we made on this journey.

Why fly from Cape Town to Johannesburg (or vice versa) if you can have an unbelievable once-in-a-lifetime trip with Rovos?  It will take you through the various provinces of South Africa while you relax in the comfort of your luxury suite or in the lounge with your favourite drink in your hand and make friends from all over the world.

This was by far the most amazing journey that I have undertaken and I will recommend  Rovos Rail to anyone that would just like to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery of South Africa.