I first stayed at Gondwana Recreation Reserve in 2017, in one in all 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 carry 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 proper vacation spot. Positioned a few 5-hour drive from Cape City, company can expertise the joys of a Massive 5 safari with out having to journey far.
Although I now not dwell in South Africa, we return yearly. Most not too long ago, we introduced our 8-month-old son “dwelling” 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 Area 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 searching for a novel African safari expertise.
Gondwana is dwelling to all kinds of wildlife, together with the enduring “Massive 5” – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros. Along with these majestic creatures, you can even spot cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, varied antelope species, and an unimaginable array of birdlife.
The reserve’s dedication to conservation has helped restore these species to their pure habitats.
Gondwana Recreation Reserve gives 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 unimaginable particulars of our keep at Ulubisi Home beneath!
About Ulubisi Home
Ulubisi Home takes luxurious to a complete new stage. The structure seamlessly blends trendy sophistication with the uncooked great 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 not entry this specific space.
A necessary stage of security when bringing younger kids 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 kids between three bedrooms.
Your butler helps to prepare and be of service your complete 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 unimaginable!
We loved three stunning meals, in addition to afternoon tea and snacks, on daily basis.
Your complete expertise was so luxurious and personal, that I couldn’t consider a greater option to expertise safari as a household!
Non-public Recreation Drives
One of the crucial particular facets of staying at Ulubisi Home is having your personal non-public recreation car and subject information. As a household with an toddler, this was unimaginable. Sometimes, 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 car with different company.
At Ulubisi Home, you make your personal choices!
Whereas recreation drives are greatest throughout sure hours of the day, you’re not held to a schedule. Our unimaginable 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 advocate requesting him!
We stayed 2 nights and went on 4 recreation drives throughout our keep. We noticed ALL sorts of wildlife together with a lot of child animals, a cheetah with a kill, and had an unimaginable encounter with a male lion.
Recreation Drives with Youngsters
If you’re touring with youngsters, notice that kids 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 car, 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 aren’t any predators (aka lions).
We went out for about 45 minutes (earlier than our deliberate night recreation drive) with the child totally anticipating it to final 10 minutes earlier than we would have liked to show again,
However, he completely LOVED it! We received to see zebra and another VERY particular animals. And, we captured some completely heart-melting photographs that we are going to treasure for a lifetime.
Useful Tip:
And, most significantly, you can’t carry a crying child into the wild with out attracting the eye of predators like lions. Ulubisi Home company have the distinctive alternative to take youngsters on non-public recreation drives in an space that’s fully protected against predators.
Staying at Ulubisi Home with a Child
We opted to carry every thing 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 benefit from 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 kids as they’re for us.
Babysitting is R150 per hour and it’s best to coordinate nicely prematurely.
Gondwana was extremely useful in organizing a babysitter for us. She arrived early so we might be sure the child and ourselves had been comfy with the state of affairs. We had her watch the child for all recreation drives (4 in whole) throughout our 2-night-stay and I’d do it another time in a heartbeat.
We received to expertise unimaginable encounters with lions, elephants, and all types of wildlife, whereas our infant was protected and cared for at Ulubisi Home.
Getting There
Attending to Gondwana Recreation Reserve from Cape City is a comparatively simple 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 Automobile:
- Length: The drive from Cape City to Gondwana Recreation Reserve takes roughly 4.5 to five.5 hours, relying on visitors and the precise location of your place to begin in Cape City.
- Be aware: There are many relaxation stops and padstals (farm stands) alongside the drive so make sure you cease incessantly to stretch and snack. Our favourite stops from Cape City to Gondwana are Peregrine Farm Stall and Ou Meul Bakkery (there are just a few alongside the drive!).
2. By Air:
- Length: 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 possibly can e-book 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.
- Be aware: Whereas flying is a sooner possibility, renting a automotive means that you can discover the attractive Backyard Route area at your personal tempo.
Useful Tip:
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