I first stayed at Gondwana Sport 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 convey all of our visitors 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 Sport Reserve is the right vacation spot. Situated a couple of 5-hour drive from Cape City, visitors can expertise the fun of a Large 5 safari with out having to journey far.
Although I now not stay 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 personal villa—full with your individual private Butler, Chef, and Subject Information!
Right here’s what it’s like staying at Ulubisi Home at Gondwana Sport Reserve!
About Gondwana Sport Reserve
Gondwana Sport Reserve is a panoramic wildlife conservation space situated within the Western Cape of South Africa. Located within the coronary heart of the well-known Backyard Route, this personal recreation reserve covers roughly 11,000 hectares (27,182 acres) of pristine wilderness and various ecosystems.
It’s a exceptional vacation spot for wildlife fanatics, nature lovers, and vacationers searching for a novel African safari expertise.
Gondwana is residence to all kinds of wildlife, together with the long-lasting “Large 5” – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros. Along with these majestic creatures, it’s also possible to 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 Sport Reserve offers 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 beneath!
About Ulubisi Home
Ulubisi Home takes luxurious to a complete new degree. The structure seamlessly blends fashionable 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 charming 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—that means predators can not entry this specific space.
A vital degree 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 area 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 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 stunning meals, in addition to afternoon tea and snacks, every single day.
All the expertise was so luxurious and personal, that I couldn’t consider a greater approach to expertise safari as a household!
Personal Sport Drives
Some of the particular features of staying at Ulubisi Home is having your individual personal recreation car and area 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 car with different visitors.
At Ulubisi Home, you make your individual 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. You probably 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 numerous child animals, a cheetah with a kill, and had an unbelievable encounter with a male lion.
Sport Drives with Youngsters
If you’re touring with youngsters, word that kids beneath 2 aren’t permitted on recreation drives, and kids beneath 6 aren’t permitted on recreation drives with different visitors.
Meaning visitors at Ulubisi Home have the distinctive alternative to “bend” the principles. As a result of we had our personal personal 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 newborn totally anticipating it to final 10 minutes earlier than we would have liked 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 images that we are going to treasure for a lifetime.
Useful Tip:
And, most significantly, you can not convey a crying child into the wild with out attracting the eye of predators like lions. Ulubisi Home visitors have the distinctive alternative to take youngsters on personal recreation drives in an space that’s fully protected against predators.
Staying at Ulubisi Home with a Child
We opted to convey all the things our child would wish for his keep (pool float, bottles, child monitor, and many others.) however you possibly can attain out forward of your keep to prepare a cot and highchair.
One factor we knew we’d need to reap the benefits of is their babysitting service.
As a result of recreation drives are usually early morning (6 am-ish) and late afternoon (4 or 5 pm-ish), and may 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 is best to coordinate nicely prematurely.
Gondwana was extremely useful in organizing a babysitter for us. She arrived early so we may make sure that the newborn and ourselves had been snug with the scenario. We had her watch the newborn for all recreation drives (4 in complete) throughout our 2-night-stay and I’d do it another time in a heartbeat.
We bought to expertise unbelievable encounters with lions, elephants, and all types of wildlife, whereas our infant was secure and cared for at Ulubisi Home.
Getting There
Attending to Gondwana Sport 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 Sport Reserve from Cape City:
1. By Automotive:
- Period: The drive from Cape City to Gondwana Sport Reserve takes roughly 4.5 to five.5 hours, relying on site visitors and the precise location of your start line in Cape City.
- Notice: There are many relaxation stops and padstals (farm stands) alongside the drive so you’ll want to cease regularly 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 Sport Reserve is George Airport (GRJ), which is roughly a 1.5 to 2-hour drive from the reserve.
- Flights: You possibly can 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 sooner choice, renting a automobile lets you discover the gorgeous Backyard Route area at your individual tempo.
Useful Tip:
The Final Information to Happening an African Safari
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