We were all set for the long weekend away in March and looking forward to visiting Nguni Private Game Reserve in the Addo Elephant Park. Flights were booked from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth and the car hire organised. My partner and I were just on our way to Cape Town airport when we received a call, Nguni was waterlogged and was now closed. Paying guests were re-located, luckily for us unpaying guests, a friend of mine very kindly told us we were being re-located to another location near to Addo.
We arrived in P.E. and collected the hire car at the airport, directions were simple to our new accommodation, Woodall Country House and Spa, which took about 45 minutes.
I was expecting holes in the road but the tar was absolutely fine. There was only one area, on the 1 km gravel road to the lodge, which was covered in water, but the VW Polo was fine and we drove through without a problem. We were lucky the rain had stopped and the sun was shining, in fact the forecast for our three days was looking good.
Woodall reflects a charming ambience and character and is nestled peacefully on a fully functioning citrus farm.
Our suite was complete with an outside shower, which brings out the earthy nature in me, so I always use one when I have the opportunity.
The sliding door led us to a lounge area equipped with a well stocked mini bar and through a magnificently carved wooden archway housed the beds, two further relaxation chairs and an en-suite complete with generous products. A bowl of fruit was placed at the end of the beds and the temperature was nice and cool under the aircon, pure opulence.
We took a walk to the dining and communal relaxation area, which was next to a small pond with an array of colourful birds going about their business. That afternoon we chose to relax by the pool and soak up the sun. The pool was to the brim due to all the rainfall and was a lovely cool shade of blue. The lodge’s spa offers in-house therapists with world-class skills. They are on hand to pamper and revitalise guests with a range of treatments.
At 6.00pm snacks are served and guests can meet each other in the dining/bar area before dinner, to chat about their holiday so far.
We made our way to dinner at 7.30pm where we enjoyed a six course set meal, which was washed down with a beautiful bottle of La Motte, chardonnay. Woodall stocks the finest South African wines personally selected by the owner and offers the perfect compliment to a delicious gourmet meal. The chef prepares the finest karoo venison, freshly caught East Coast fish, home made stocks and a selection of local cheeses. Staff are always on hand, very friendly and the food is truly delicious. We watched the light fall and birds go into evening song, a wonderful setting.
The next day, after an irresistible buffet and hot breakfast made to order, we went on a game drive for 4 hours into Addo Elephant park.
I didn’t know what we would expect to see as generally rainfall sends game into the bush, but as the sun shone, we saw an amazing amount of elephants, two huge buffalo and an abundance of eland and zebra.
Addo rests in the scenic Sundays River Valley, flanked by the majestic Zuurberg Mountains and the vast blue Indian Ocean. An expanse of wildlife experiences, adventure activities, natural landscapes and cultural delights are available in the surrounding areas.
I would recommend a 2 night stay at least at Woodall lodge. That way you can experience at least one game drive, the Spa and some time to relax by the pool.
Thank you very much to owners James and Debbie Miller, who looked after us during our stay, it was very much appreciated.
For bookings visit
www.woodall-addo.co.za
Or call +27 (0)42 233 0128
The sliding door led us to a lounge area equipped with a well stocked mini bar and through a magnificently carved wooden archway housed the beds, two further relaxation chairs and an en-suite complete with generous products. A bowl of fruit was placed at the end of the beds and the temperature was nice and cool under the aircon, pure opulence.
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