Tsakane Nxumalo is a sergeant in the Black Mambas, South Africa's first all-women anti-poaching team.
25.07.2023 - 10:57 / nationalgeographic.com
Kalmoesfontein Farm
At Kalmoesfontein Farm, in the town of Malmesbury, Charl Badenhorst is tending to the pizza oven and hand-stretching dough. His wife, Semma, hands me a glass of Caperitif — an amber-coloured vermouth made on the farm and infused with local fynbos (a local evergreen) — mixed with tonic. As I sip, she explains the origins of the farm’s legendary pizza night.
It began during the 2020 lockdown as a pop-up, with neighbours driving over to collect wood-fired pizzas to order. Then, as restrictions lifted, people began hanging around for a glass of wine, until eventually Semma and Charl started laying the tables. Now the Thursday pizza night is buzzing. Bookings are made via WhatsApp — Charl’s number is on the website. The menu, which I stain with olive oil as I dip some fresh bread, is simple: the classics, but with a Badenhorst twist.
South Africa’s Winelands region is known for its stunning natural beauty, and as I move on to a glass of AA Badenhorst Secateurs Red (half shiraz with grenache and cinsaut), I savour the taste of the Swartland bush vines. Then the pizza arrives — melted mozzarella, hot honey and ’nduja. The pillowy crust, which has gained flavour during its long, 48-hour ferment, has been wood-fired to perfection. “It’s not about being complicated,” says Charl, “it’s just about quality ingredients.”
A long table in the courtyard is set aside for the regulars and local winemakers. Pizzas are shared between guests and a convivial mood prevails. As it grows late, I’m reluctant to leave, as many of the others seem to be just settling in, but my bed is too near to be resisted. It’s in The Silo room, one of the farm’s five accommodation options; it’s round and high, like a little white Rapunzel tower, with a separate glasshouse reading room outside and a plunge pool.
In the morning, coffee and eggs are followed by a snoop around the wine cellars. Harvest is in full swing and interns from Italy and Japan are helping bring in pallets of grapes for this year’s vintage, while a record player blasts out classics. We leave them crushing grapes to the sound of an old Bob Dylan song.
Red Cederberg
On the mantelpiece of the former wagon room, among what seems like a thousand curiosities and trinkets, stands a little old clock, its arms frozen at 10 past eight. How fitting, I think, for here in the red mountains of the Cederberg region, time seems to have stopped. At the restored Keurbosfontein farmhouse, a group of adventurous food-lovers has gathered for a long weekend of cooking over fire and communal dining — in short, a whole lot of smoky food, washed down with crisp chenin blanc.
Our host is Justin Bonello, a prominent figure in South Africa’s food scene for the past two
Tsakane Nxumalo is a sergeant in the Black Mambas, South Africa's first all-women anti-poaching team.
When you travel, where you stay is only one piece of the puzzle. Equally as important are the experiences you have abroad: the things you see, the food you eat, the people you meet. And as of late, there is more interest than ever in travel experiences: cooking classes, snorkeling, ghost tours, wine tastings, trolley rides, all of it.
Thanks to tour deals and budget airlines, you don’t necessarily have to spend a small fortune to go on a South African safari anymore—but what if you could experience a bucket-list game drive from the comfort of your computer?
The parent and child relationship is a famously complicated one. It’s one of the few in life where the love is often so pure—and the bond so established—that both members expect to continually transition together through the different stages of life. But as children grow and develop their own identity, boundaries are redefined and the foundational rules drummed into us are questioned.
In southern South Africa, right along the coast, you’ll find an adult-only oasis called Nima Lodge. This hotel is a perfect destination for travelers looking to reconnect with nature and explore all the natural beauty of South Africa, whether it’s the nearby parks or enjoying the view from an on-site spa.
South Africa has diverse landscapes, from beautiful beaches to rugged mountains, making it a perfect destination for nature lovers. One of the unique accommodations in South Africa is the Stargazing Cube Misty Mountain Cube, located in the scenic Garden Route region.
When it comes to exceptional escapes, the South African province of Limpopo is ahead of the game. Just a few hours drive or a short flight north of Johannesburg, Limpopo offers visitors the unique opportunity of combining safari and first-rate golf. It's home to both one of the largest game parks in the world, the prestigious Kruger National Park, and a wealth of word class golf courses.
Being an eco-friendly visitor is about more than avoiding plastic bottles (although that helps). It’s also about adding enjoyment to your holiday by learning more about your destination and giving something back, something that’s especially easy in South Africa’s Limpopo province. Here are our favourite sustainable tourism and conservation projects in this exciting region.
Prepare for some serious stomach growls as we reveal 20 of our favourite foodie experiences around the world. These picks, taken from the pages of Make The Most Of Your Time On Earth , are some of the finest ways to truly eat authentic dishes in the countries that do them best. If you're looking for the best food in the world, look no further.
We recently invited community projects and travel businesses to tell us their stories. We especially wanted to hear from initiatives that do things differently to make a difference — projects like the inspirational Creseldah Education Foundation (CEF), based in the Mpumalanga province of eastern South Africa.
Subtropical heat, golden beaches, craft distilleries and spicy curries: Durban is an intriguing mix of urban South Africa and the Indian subcontinent, with a generous sprinkling of hipster culture thrown in. From surf to spirits, we reveal six reasons you should make time for this sunny city.
With a good network of roads, and so many interesting places to see along the way, a road trip through South Africa is a great and easy way to explore the country. Here’s our guide to some of the highlights.