THE WELLNESS TRAIL : Accomodion

Showing posts with label Accomodion. Show all posts

Friday, 13 March 2015

BONTEBOK NATIONAL PARK & BABETTE SOUTH AFRICA - SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL PARKS & ACCOMMODATION (Swellendam, Western Cape.)

So glad we stumbled upon this website of SANPARKS, as we were looking for the best national Park in the Western Cape, and there were 6, their were the obvious choices of the Garden Route National Park in the Tsitsikamma, Knysna, Wilderness, and the incredible, but also obvious, Table Mountain National Park, and then there is also the Karoo, Westcoast, and Agulhas National Parks, but we settled on a total gem of the best breathing space we never really knew about as we always let the others dominate, and in many ways, this is better.

Please meet.....

This is a vast open pace like no other, it has a long mountain range in the backround that creates dramatic landscape art that the eye might confuse with a perfect life-like painting, it doesn't seem real its so beautiful, but it is and its simply breathtaking.

Bontebok National Par is a place of simplistic beauty and peaceful charm. The majestic Langeberg Mountains provide a picturesque backdrop for this Park of colorful riches.

This is the smallest of the South African National Park's stable, set on the banks of the Breede River, and just 5 kms from the gorgeous town of Swellendam, in the Western Cape.

(That's three more reasons to visit this Park, the Langeberg Mountains, the Breede River and Swellendam.)

Part of the Caper Floral Kingdom, and a World Heritage Site, Bontebok is always boasting something in bloom. Discovering the beauty of this park through a day visit is great, a overnight even better, watching the Bontebok themselves grazing form your chalet window, or you could spy on the many birds that make this place home from the viewing deck and braai area. But we again are just amazed by the landscape, the sheer size and mesmerising beauty of it...this is another breathing space, and one where great life-filling breaths can be taken.

The Main attractions at Bontebok include picnicking and braaiing at the Die Stroom, Camping n the banks of the Breede River, Game Watching self-drives an Bird Watching.

Bontebok was originally established to conserve a species, its namesake, the blessed 'Bontebok'.

When the species was approaching extinction in the early 1800's some land owners set aside portions of their properties to form temporary reserves for the buck, and in 1931 the 1st Bontebok National Park was proclaimed on an area near Bredasdorp but was later moved to to area it is in now. This reserve establishment increased the numbers from less than 18 to over 800 globally.

There is an incredibly rich and ancient history to the area dating back to over 1 million years, we encourage you t read up on this, its fascinating @ BOTEBOK HISTORY, but mostly we encourage you just to visit and spend a night or few, its just so peaceful and easy here.

And when you do stay, there are a few awesome options that you might love, on site and off-site.

The Lang Elsie's Kraal Restcamp, situated on the banks of the Breede River, is the firs rest camp in South African National Parks to be built according to a "Touching the Earth Lightly" design. Named after a Khoe-Khoe Chieftain who lived there with her clan in the18th century, the camp of 10 units provides pristine scenery of the park, Breede River and Langeberg Mountains....a perfect rest stop for visitors.

Find out more @ BONTEBOK ACCOMODATION, there are also 41 camping and caravan sites located close to the river as well.

If that's not your thing, we have found another awesome accommodation option off-site only 4.8kms away in Swellendam.

Meet....

We are loving this awesome spot. Babette is a unique, Provencal-styled home built with three garden cottages and a romantic room with a view in a separate part of the main house. As t has the lovely French styling, the house and rooms are full of lovely details, wooden beams, robust stone floors, all creating a lovely homey and romantic atmosphere. There is a beautiful lush garden with a salt water swimming pool and plenty of quaint corners to relax in.

Wake up o beautiful breakfasts on the patio, or on you own private patio, the food includes daily homemade surprises as well as a full breakfast made with fresh local produce. You can also grab a pre-ordered picnic basket and enjoy it anywhere you want in the beautiful area...and there are many beautiful places here to enjoy and relax.

Find out more @ babettesouthafrica.com

We really quite like this as a vacation, total breathing space, beauty and un-flawed nature, to find out more about this park go to BONTEBOK NATIONAL PARK, but remember the other 5 parks,

GARDEN ROUTE NATIONAL PARK

TABLE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK

KAROO NATIONAL PARK

WEST COAST NATIONAL PARK

AGULHAS NATIONAL PARK.

How beautiful is this place though...

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Friday, 6 March 2015

MARAKELE NATIONAL PARK & MARATABA SAFARI LODGE - SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL PARKS & ACCOMMODATION (Limpopo)

There is SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF in South Africa, so much we either don't even know exists, or haven't really thought about experiencing, and REALLY, REALLY should, its such a travesty if we don't. We said it before, and will keep saying it, even if only to ourselves, we keep trying to, or dreaming of experiencing the world outside of our borders, before we have even truly lived within our own country. We have so much yet know of or see so little...

Please consider this, really explore it online and make it a mission to see first hand what we have on offer, before your next foreign holiday, or your next usual coastal trip, or at the very least within the next 5 years, make SOUTH AFRICA YOUR BUCKET-LIST. We doubt you will ever regret our own Motherland once you truly know her. So few of those who we envy internationally will ever have what we have locally, and they are the ones who envy us, more than we will ever fully realize, lets see why...

Please meet......

First, the Park, the GREAT, MAJESTIC & HEAVENLY Marakele National Park, that we didn't even know existed until now. We say heavenly, because while we wait our turn with the greater powers, we were left with a sample of what to expect, whatever your beliefs, this must be where we are heading, afterwards, this must be what the other side is like.

We are not sure we could handle more....

Marakele is in the heart of the Waterberg Mountains, two hours drive from Pretoria, and as its Tswana name suggests, it has become a 'place of sanctuary'. It has an impressive variety of wildlife due to its location in the transitional zone between the dry western and the moister eastern regions of South Africa.

'Contrasting majestic mountain landscapes, grass-clad hills & deep valleys characterise this park. Rare finds of Yellow wood and Cedar trees, five-metre high cycads and tree ferns, are some of the plant species found here. All the large game species from Elephant and Rhino to the big cats as well an amazing variety of birds, including whats probably the largest colony of endangered Cape Vultures (more than 800 breeding pairs) in the world, have settled here'.

5 major interest points are the Cape Vultures, the Great African Elephant, the Leopard, Kudu and the apparently not often seen anywhere else, Antelope species such as Reed buck.

Typical Park life activities include Bird Watching, Sunset & Sunrise Drives, Bush Walks, but there is also a two night 4x4 Eco Trail. The experienced & qualified Field Guides/ Rangers will show you how to enjoy the core of the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve Wilderness and all it has for you to experience.

Find out more about MARAKELE @ SANPARKS - MARAKELE, but first let us tell you more about your Accomodation options, they have few ways for you to experience the full meaning of Park-Life, and it includes the overnight options.

Depending and your budget, or needs, we have the Sandparks option, which includes the seriously awesome top class TLOPI TENTED CAMP, and then there is the luxurious option of the incredible MARATABA SAFARI LODGE. Again, it depends on your budget and needs.

The TLOPI TENTED CAMP is such a mind-blowing way to experience the park and its offering, as you are tight in the thick of the park, but you still, even with a tent, have a fully equipped bathroom and kitchen, and beautiful veranda. That's the Tented Camp Safari Tent option, but we still have the guest cottage, and 38 awesome camp sites, with decent and well looked after communal ablution areas . We LOVE the Safari Tent option.

Find out more @ SANPARKS MARAKELE ACCOMMODATION

But then there is this option, mmmmm, heaven, the good life, pa-ra-dise, harnessed....

Meet....MARATABA SAFARI LODGE.....(Maybe the best spoil ever....at least once in your life...)

"Marataba is a malaria-free 23000 hectare private concession within the Marakele National Park, (Limpopo, South Africa.) Just four hours from Johannesburg, this is a sanctuary where busy people can find themselves again by connecting with nature. We were rendered breathless by the dramatic Waterberg mountains, vast plains, rich animal diversity and winding rivers cutting through the landscape. Allow us to share it with you!" Robert More (CEO)

This is MARATABA, and its absolutely beautiful, it captures the beauty of its surroundings and is the beauty of its landscapes.

Marataba consists of TWO main lodges, namely the MARATABA SAFARI LODGE & the MARATABA TRAILS LODGE.

The Safari Lodge, "is a simple extension of the natural environment beyond its walls - rich, bold, organic and patently magnificent. If you sit quietly for long enough you can feel the energy of the countless people who have made this place home since The Stone Age".

With 5 luxurious tents at the Marataba Trails Lodge, "the intrepid explorer is treated to an incomparable walking safari on natures terms, without compromising on the creature comforts".

But the most exciting part is the field trips, the walks, game drives, water safaris, the wildlife, the trails, the adventure, the food, and everything pulled together by the Waterberg and the National Park.

They have taken majestic to a whole new level. They even have a Spa offering a n array of massages, beauty, skin and grooming treatments, and they can help you follow a healthy and active lifestyle, if complete relaxation isn't your thing. You are here to indulge, how you do that is up to you.

Just have a look at the images below, and get a taste, then completely explore their website @ www.marataba.co.za...you will salivate...ALOT!