I first stayed at Gondwana Recreation Reserve in 2017, in one among their Kwena Huts, once I moved to South Africa. It was my first African Safari and has held a particular place in my coronary heart ever since.
A lot so, that we deliver all of our company on my all-female excursions in South Africa right here!
For anybody touring to Cape City or planning to drive the Backyard Route who desires to expertise a safari, Gondwana Recreation Reserve is the right vacation spot. Positioned a couple of 5-hour drive from Cape City, company can expertise the joys of a Large 5 safari with out having to journey far.
Although I now not dwell in South Africa, we return yearly. Most just lately, we introduced our 8-month-old son “residence” with us and we couldn’t wait to take him on his first safari.
So, we stayed at Ulubisi Home, Gondwana’s luxurious non-public villa—full with your personal private Butler, Chef, and Discipline Information!
Right here’s what it’s like staying at Ulubisi Home at Gondwana Recreation Reserve!
About Gondwana Recreation Reserve
Gondwana Recreation Reserve is a panoramic wildlife conservation space positioned within the Western Cape of South Africa. Located within the coronary heart of the well-known Backyard Route, this non-public recreation reserve covers roughly 11,000 hectares (27,182 acres) of pristine wilderness and numerous ecosystems.
It’s a exceptional vacation spot for wildlife fans, nature lovers, and vacationers in search of a singular African safari expertise.
Gondwana is residence to all kinds of wildlife, together with the enduring “Large 5” – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros. Along with these majestic creatures, you may as well spot cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, numerous antelope species, and an unbelievable array of birdlife.
The reserve’s dedication to conservation has helped restore these species to their pure habitats.
Gondwana Recreation Reserve supplies a spread of lodging choices, catering to totally different preferences and budgets. I’ve shared my expertise staying of their Kwena Huts and I’ll give all of the unbelievable particulars of our keep at Ulubisi Home under!
About Ulubisi Home
Ulubisi Home takes luxurious to an entire new degree. The structure seamlessly blends fashionable sophistication with the uncooked fantastic thing about the African wilderness. My jaw dropped as I entered the villa, which featured panoramic views of the reserve’s fascinating panorama.
The décor, impressed by native craftsmanship, added an genuine contact to the general ambiance.
My favourite half? The open-plan residing space opens up to an enormous infinity pool overlooking the rolling hills. That is the place we spent our afternoons, lounging beneath the South African solar and taking within the beautiful surroundings.
The Ulubisi Home Expertise
Ulubisi Home is tucked away within the reserve’s 1000-hectare protected strolling space for endangered species—which means predators can’t entry this explicit space.
A necessary degree of security when bringing younger youngsters to a recreation reserve!
The property additionally comes with a full employees and twice-daily housekeeping with turndowns. The villa options its personal butler, chef, and subject information and sleeps both 6 adults or 4 adults and 4 youngsters between three bedrooms.
Your butler helps to prepare and be of service your whole keep. No matter you want, he’ll guarantee it’s taken care of. All meals and drinks are inclusive of your keep — and the meals was unbelievable!
We loved three lovely meals, in addition to afternoon tea and snacks, daily.
The whole expertise was so luxurious and personal, that I couldn’t consider a greater strategy to expertise safari as a household!
Personal Recreation Drives
One of the crucial particular features of staying at Ulubisi Home is having your personal non-public recreation automobile and subject information. As a household with an toddler, this was unbelievable. Usually, you go on recreation drives at set hours (as soon as within the early morning and as soon as within the late afternoon) in a automobile with different company.
At Ulubisi Home, you make your personal selections!
Whereas recreation drives are finest throughout sure hours of the day, you’re not held to a schedule. Our unbelievable information, Felix, greeted us each morning and afternoon with a smile and introduced a lot pleasure to our expertise. In case you have the choice, I’d extremely suggest requesting him!
We stayed 2 nights and went on 4 recreation drives throughout our keep. We noticed ALL sorts of wildlife together with numerous child animals, a cheetah with a kill, and had an unbelievable encounter with a male lion.
Recreation Drives with Youngsters
If you’re touring with children, word that youngsters beneath 2 aren’t permitted on recreation drives, and kids beneath 6 aren’t permitted on recreation drives with different company.
Which means company at Ulubisi Home have the distinctive alternative to “bend” the foundations. As a result of we had our personal non-public automobile, we had been allowed to do a “baba drive” for our toddler at our leisure within the protected space of the reserve the place there are not any predators (aka lions).
We went out for about 45 minutes (earlier than our deliberate night recreation drive) with the child absolutely anticipating it to final 10 minutes earlier than we wanted to show again,
However, he completely LOVED it! We bought to see zebra and another VERY particular animals. And, we captured some completely heart-melting photographs that we’ll treasure for a lifetime.
Useful Tip:
And, most significantly, you can’t deliver a crying child into the wild with out attracting the eye of predators like lions. Ulubisi Home company have the distinctive alternative to take children on non-public recreation drives in an space that’s fully shielded from predators.
Staying at Ulubisi Home with a Child
We opted to deliver all the things our child would wish for his keep (pool float, bottles, child monitor, and so forth.) however you possibly can attain out forward of your keep to prepare a cot and highchair.
One factor we knew we’d need to make the most of is their babysitting service.
As a result of recreation drives are sometimes early morning (6 am-ish) and late afternoon (4 or 5 pm-ish), and might final 3+ hours, they’re simply not the identical life-changing expertise for younger youngsters as they’re for us.
Babysitting is R150 per hour and you must coordinate properly upfront.
Gondwana was extremely useful in organizing a babysitter for us. She arrived early so we may be sure that the child and ourselves had been snug with the scenario. We had her watch the child for all recreation drives (4 in whole) throughout our 2-night-stay and I’d do it over again in a heartbeat.
We bought to expertise unbelievable encounters with lions, elephants, and all types of wildlife, whereas our baby was secure and cared for at Ulubisi Home.
Getting There
Attending to Gondwana Recreation Reserve from Cape City is a comparatively easy journey, and you’ve got a number of transportation choices. The reserve is located alongside the Backyard Route, making it accessible by highway or air. Right here’s how one can attain Gondwana Recreation Reserve from Cape City:
1. By Automotive:
- Period: The drive from Cape City to Gondwana Recreation Reserve takes roughly 4.5 to five.5 hours, relying on site visitors and the precise location of your place to begin in Cape City.
- Notice: There are many relaxation stops and padstals (farm stands) alongside the drive so you’ll want to cease often to stretch and snack. Our favourite stops from Cape City to Gondwana are Peregrine Farm Stall and Ou Meul Bakkery (there are a number of alongside the drive!).
2. By Air:
- Period: The closest airport to Gondwana Recreation Reserve is George Airport (GRJ), which is roughly a 1.5 to 2-hour drive from the reserve.
- Flights: You may guide a home flight from Cape City Worldwide Airport (CPT) to George Airport (GRJ). A number of airways function flights on this route, together with South African Airways (SAA), Mango, and FlySafair.
- Notice: Whereas flying is a quicker possibility, renting a automobile permits you to discover the gorgeous Backyard Route area at your personal tempo.
Useful Tip:
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