20 Swords Travel Magazine | Spring / Summer 2024 South Africa is beguiling in its variety. It’s confident, cosmopolitan Cape Town but it’s also big game viewing in Kruger National Park, and the rich produce of its farmsteads in the valleys of the Winelands. I was privileged to experience this wonderful diversity on a recent trip to the ‘Rainbow Nation’. South Africa Table Mountain towers over the bustling city of Cape Town as an awe-inspiring southern gateway to the wonders of the African continent beyond. As Africa’s most visited city, the buzz of the metropolis set amid stunning scenery was the perfect start to my journey, and enhanced by a stay its most venerable hotel. Lying in seven manicured acres of gardens under the gaze of the great mountain, Belmond Mount Nelson exudes history, colonial charm and supreme hospitality. Drive just an hour east of Cape Town and you reach vine-woven valleys slotted between great knuckle-like mountains. This is South Africa’s Winelands region, one of the first areas of the country settled by Europeans and a hub for all things food and drink. The village of Franschhoek is the perfect base for touring the region with a reputation for fine dining at its many acclaimed restaurants, and is bordered by numerous wine estates. I stayed at La Clé, a prestige ‘Cape Dutch’ farmstead offering both private villas and luxury suites (in the main lodge), located on the edge of the village and set within two working wine farms dating back 300 years. My ‘rainbow’ tour concluded with a magical stay at one of the finest safari lodges in Africa. Tucked into the banks of the Sweni River, Singita Sweni is an intimate retreat that provides a bold, new African context for contemporary design, architecture and cuisine. It was recently voted no. 15 in The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2023* (together with sister lodge, Singita Legombo) and boasts private access to 33,000 acres of pristine wilderness in the world-renowned Kruger National Park, ensuring unforgettable gameviewing experiences. From the Cape to the Kruger following a route travelled by Mark Swords Call Mark to find out more on 0203 189 1381 * Also awarded the Flor de Caña Eco Hotel Award 2023
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