Buffelsdrift-Game-Lodge-Oudtshoorn

Buffelsdrift-Game-Lodge-Oudtshoorn 

Straight from tar road to game lodge is very rare these days in South Africa. With my car still clean from a wash the previous day, I arrived at Buffelsdrift, simply an oasis set in the middle of the desert and only a short drive from Oudtshoorn. 

25 tented suites offer air con, large beds, a mini bar and a view of a magnificent waterhole. After a long drive you may wish to sit on your viewing deck and watch the bird life and bathing hippo or refresh yourself in the outside shower. The suites also offer a safe, hairdryer, telephone and tea and coffee facilities. 9 of the suites are located by the water hole and the remainder with a horizon view, so you will need to select which best suits you on Buffelsdrift’s website.

Within the lodge you can also experience elephants, rhino, buffalo, giraffe and over 200 bird species. Your bush safari is offered on an open top game vehicle, which is available to both residents and day visitors at various times during each day, so have your camera ready! Your highly trained game ranger/driver will fill you in on details about the reserve and stop at various points along the drive to provide information on what you see as well as answer any questions you may have. 

I was very happy to see the rhino, elephant and an array of birdlife during my 2 hour long drive and the view from high up on the reserve is something not to be missed. 

The restaurant is also located next to the water hole and provides a wide selection of meat and vegetarian dishes and selection of locally produced wines. I recommend the ostrich fillet washed down with a nice glass of red.

Take a look at Buffelsdrift’s page on Found Travel and make a booking now for an unforgettable experience in the Klein Karoo!

By Paul Paley at Found Travel

Waterkloof-Guest-House-Swellendam

Waterkloof Guest House is located approximately 32kms from the small town of Swellendam, near to the N2’s Garden Route. It offers the chance to experience life on a working ostrich farm. If you’re lucky, as I was, owner and farmer Hannes will show you how he farms ostrich. You can help collect eggs and see chicks hatch, which is a must, especially for children. We watched around 10 chicks punch through their hard egg-shells before being assisted, by Hannes, to see the outside world for the first time.

The farm has been in the family for seven generations and provides very comfortable country style 4 star accommodation, literally in the middle of nowhere. Four rooms offer different styles all with en-suite, tea trays and private entrances.

No bright lights invade the night sky, allowing a stunning display of stars and with the help of the free Wi-Fi, I was able to use my Ipad for pinpointing various stars and planets from the garden.

The daytime view is also spectacular, especially in springtime, with vast fields of flowers providing a picture perfect setting. Ostrich can be seen moving through the fields and then silhouetted against the setting sun, which is a perfect opportunity for budding photographers.

On those hot summer days the pool allows you to cool off and Hanne’s wife Christine cooks the most amazing home cooked cuisine, which is served by the pool on hot summer days. We had, you guessed it, ostrich and merino lamb for main, stunning!

On cooler days both breakfast and dinner is served in the main house, which contains various family heirlooms. You can relax here, with a glass of wine and meet other guests in the communal lounge.

Ostrich leather goods such as bags, purses and wallets are available for purchase on the farm, in various styles 

and colours.

See Waterkloof Guest House, Swellendam on Found’s website.  

A link is provided to their own website for bookings and to Tripadvisor for comments.


by Paul Paley - Found Travel

Olive-Garden-Country-Lodge–Robertson

Cold Play live from Rio bellowed from the car as I made my way onto the N1 from Cape Town. The sunroof was open and I was feeling good to be heading out of the city bound for Robertson. As I entered the Klein Karoo, as if timed to perfection, Cold Play finished and Buddha Bar came on, perfect for the remainder of the drive, as I took in the scenery. 

Olive Garden is 9km from Robertson and boasts 5 luxury cottages, two suites, a pool and a welcome like no other. Not only are you greeted by a warm reception from the owners but a welcome of pure beauty as your eyes pan around the rolling hills. Once I was shown to my suite, I immediately sat on the patio, in the evening sun, to soak up the sounds of the countryside. No music, just the sounds of a variety of birds and a gentle breeze. 

They time it well at Olive Garden, as the sun disappeared behind a mountain, I came back into the suite to a knock at the door. A welcome drink, snacks and of course, you guessed it, olives. So while munching on the olives I decided to start this article, I couldn’t feel more relaxed. Olive garden grows amazing olives and sells olive oil in beautifully designed packaging.

My suite was very well designed with a bamboo ceiling, a large double bed, sofa, patio area with comfortable seating, flat screen TV (although I won’t be using it) and as if that wasn’t enough to be getting on with, a stunning shower and Jacuzzi bath! I also had my eye on the fireplace, which was already set, all I had to do was light it, which I planned to do after dinner. 

Dinner is a must at the on-site restaurant and it’s in walking distance from all the cottages. Chef and sommelier, Fernand Van Wassenhove, prepares dinner, which can be washed down with a variety of red and white wines. He only uses freshly picked herbs, vegetables and fruit, which are organically grown and will certainly get your taste buds going. 

After the perfect dinner and great night sleep, I woke up, showered and had a full breakfast offered by the owner Gina. The birds were out in force and the setting was truly magical. 

Olive Garden not only has great accommodation and good food, but also provides walking trails from the site. You can do a great many things in the area including horse riding, river rafting and taste the famous Robertson wines at local vineyards. 

Contact Olive Garden through Found Travel and book early! 

Marataba–Waterberg-South Africa

Marataba Safari Company is around 3½ hours drive from Johannesburg’s OR Tambo airport or for those who wish to fly-in, this can be arranged by prior arrangement. Marataba offers spectacular panoramic scenery and a haven in which to see the Big 5. 15 Tented suites offer air con, the finest cotton sheets and an artistically designed African stone finish. 

We opted to drive from the airport, with the feeling of wilderness becoming ever more evident the closer you get to the lodge. Animals such as warthog and springbok are visible as you drive along the final dirt road to the gate. A relaxation area is available at the gate, where you have a chance to cool off with a drink and complete the registration form, before continuing the last 20 minute drive within the concession. 

On arrival you are welcomed by the staff and shown to your tented suite. Try and arrive lunchtime, so you can experience a game drive that day, unfortunately we were a little late, but I was not complaining as it was a chance to chill out on our own bush deck, taking in the beautiful Waterberg Mountain range. 

During the early evening, we joined other guests as they arrived from their experience for drinks around a fire, listening to what they had seen. Marataba operates in the heart of the Bushveld, offering a chance to see the big 5 and most of the large mammals synonymous with the African Bush including, black and white rhino, lion, leopard, cheetah and buffalo. Warthog can often be seen within the camp grounds, regularly mowing the grass by the pool, but don’t worry, they are quite safe and run away as soon as you approach them. 

Talking of warthog, this appeared on the menu for dinner that evening and after initially turning my nose up, to something I had never experienced before, I was pleasantly surprised. It was like a fillet steak but with a little more organic flavour, very appetising indeed and cooked to perfection. 

As you would expect from a top 5 star game lodge, all your drives, meals and soft drinks are included in your rate and the meals really are something to look forward to. Always amazes me to experience fine dining in the middle of the bush, something you never forget.  

The morning game drive times will differ, depending on the time of year that you go, but for us in early spring, it was very cool so make sure you are fully prepared. Our morning drive gave us the opportunity of seeing plenty of Zebra, rhino and one of my favourites, giraffe. 

After a tasty lunch, facing the Waterberg mountain range, you have the chance of relaxing in the sun, swimming in the pool and reading a book from the selection in the library, before your next drive. 

During the afternoon drive the guide heard a roar and said it’s a leopard. So we strategically made our way over to where the noise came from and then it was up to him to find the leopard, as the roar had stopped. I was a little nervous when he got out the vehicle to inspect footprints, I had visions of me prizing open the jaws of the leopard from the guide, fortunately the hunt continued in the safety of the vehicle, as we continued, so no heroism was required. Suddenly the leopard appeared, marking his territory as though we were thin air and not seen, amazing. We followed the leopard slowly for a good 20 minutes as he marked many trees before disappearing in the thick bush. Quite an experience, certainly one to brag about over dinner. 

Even though guests just sit in the safari vehicle and do little else, it’s amazing how tired you feel. If I mentioned what they do in your suite to help you unwind, that would spoil it, so you’ll just have to find out for yourself. 

My recommendation is at least two nights at Marataba, 3 if you can afford the time. Our 2 nights just didn’t seem enough and I was ready for more. 

To make an enquiry you will find a link through to Marataba, from their page within Found Portfolio, or call 044 501 1111, email res@hunterhotels.com

Found Travel Portfolio - Marataba  

Milkwood Bay-Knysna

Knysna is a natural heaven of thriving, indigenous forests, gentle lakes and golden beaches. This small town nestles on the banks of a breathtakingly pretty lagoon, now a protected marine reserve that is home to the extraordinary sea horse and over 200 species of fish. 

Beaches, lakes, mountains and rivers provide a continuous opportunity for leisure and outdoor exploration. Within the town, craft shops, flea-markets and cosy cafés beckon with charm and hospitality.

When you arrive you feel the sense of calm and beauty and realise why Knysna is one of the most visited small towns in South Africa.

I spent a night at Milkwood-Knysna situated on the Knysna Heads, which offers paramount views of the lagoon. Milkwood Bay is part of a trio of properties, which lie on the same estate and include Under Milkwood and Sonomara.
The staff greeted me with warm smiles and presented me with a welcome drink.


It was winter so the fire was crackling and there was no rush to venture to my room, so I sat in the communal lounge, admiring the truly amazing views.

Milkwood Bay offers various rooms individually decorated to provide comfort and style.
The under floor heating is provided in every room, which penetrated through the carpet of Ivory Bay, to provide such a cosy feel. Floor to ceiling glass offered me a truly breathtaking view from every angle, including the large bed, which faces the lagoon. En suite bathrooms are tiled with marble and TV, satellite and telephones are all included.

The breakfast was a feast, which certainly prepares you for any adventures you have planned in Knysna. You have a choice of how you want your eggs and if you simply require something small, it will be provided. Should you just want to take it easy after breakfast, relaxation by the pool is a perfect spot.

The resorts Under Milkwood accommodation are timber log cabins, which remind me of havens in the French Alps. Places where you stop for a break from skiing to relax and drink gluvine. They are all very well designed on the shores of the lagoon situated amongst the Milkwood trees.


Each chalet has two bedrooms, a twin and a double room, a fully equipped kitchen with all the modern conveniences such as microwave, fridge/freezer, stove, TV and Le Creuset cookware. Each chalet has its own sundeck and BBQ facilities, and is serviced daily.




Sonomara is a Self-Contained, Self Catering Villa which offers the discerning guest a combination of comfortable spacious living and breathtaking views over the scenic Knysna lagoon. There are a total of 5 spacious bedrooms. Three rooms offer indoor - outdoor flow, to either private balconies or garden access. Two master bedroom's situated on the 1st and ground floors offer en suite bathrooms.

The remaining bedrooms are furnished with three single, two single and one double bed respectively.

Whatever you decide to do in and around Knysna, from the veritable Garden of Eden, which is home to the only forest elephant in South Africa, the rare Pansy Shell, to viewing a plethora of waterfowl and forest birds, dolphins and visiting whales, Milkwood Resort will offer you a truly unforgettable experience.

By Paul Paley

For enquiries and reservations Milkwood within Found Travel Portfolio

Woodall-Country-Lodge & Hotel - Eastern Cape

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

Victoria Falls - Found Travel

I was eager to see how Victoria Falls had changed since I was last there in 1997, which I remember vividly as the day Princess Diana died. It was a sad occasion but didn’t dampen my experiences then, I remember it was full of excitement and beauty.

A colleague and I flew from Cape Town on BA’s Comair via Johannesburg, with the first segment full of pax and the second leg, Joburg to Vic Falls mostly empty. Was tourism still suffering from bad Zimbabwean press? We were just about to find out.

We landed on time and made our way, with cash in hand, to the small arrivals hall. We had not planned to visit any other country during our two night stay, so our visa was a single entry. It’s always quite amusing when you arrive at a small airport in Africa, there are normally quite a few officials there to process you and it can take a while.

If you queue in an orderly fashion, don’t raise your voice and keep smiling, you will be just fine. One official took my US$55 another gave me a receipt and another stamped in the visa, luckily we were first in line. Our driver was holding up our name card and we were whisked away to our hotel, Ilala Lodge.



During the journey, it was all coming back to me and when we arrived at the lodge, which is next to the falls, the surrounding area looked no different to how I remembered it, but it was a little more deserted.

We checked in to 4 star Ilala and made our way to our rooms. Ilala really is a beautiful place to stay, you can literally feel the dampness from the spray of the falls, which is a short walk away. The porter carried our bags past the main restaurant, which opens out onto the lawn, past the outdoor swimming pool and to our rooms, where we unpacked and got ready for a walk to the falls.

It is advisable to take a waterproof jacket, failing that you can buy or hire one at the falls, but at the very least, take an umbrella, which our hotel provided. For the nervous amongst you, a guide can escort you through a handful of locals selling local currency and artefacts, or if you can deal with them yourselves, a friendly no about 5-6 times should do it. I didn’t feel threatened but it does distract you from viewing the scenery during the short walk to the falls, but once inside, it’s pure beauty.

Several viewing platforms offer different views of the falls and various amounts of spray. Wildlife can also be spotted at the falls, we saw this female spotted antelope, which just popped up in front of us.

You can also view the falls by helicopter, which we did arrange, but unfortunately our flight was cancelled due to low cloud and mist and we had no time to re-schedule.

After buying some Zimbabwean notes from the sellers during our return walk, which incidentally made me a trillionaire, we dried off back at the hotel and got ready for our sunset cruise on the Zambezi. What a way to finish the day.

The cruise offers as much as you can drink, and breathtaking scenery. The spray from the falls can be seen from a safe distance. You certainly wouldn’t want to cool off in the Zambezi and take a dip, its full of hippos and crocs.
Your hotel will arrange the trip and offer a transport service, it’s a must. Another must is dinner at the Victoria Falls hotel, which we experienced the second night, you really get the sense of colonialism.



An elephant safari provided a different perspective on the Zimbabwean bush, my colleague and I were placed on the elephants saddle along with the guide. I have to say last time I was in Vic Falls I was solo on the elephant, which I found much less cramped, it does provide a good experience though if you’ve never done it before. A guide led the 4 elephants, with a rifle, just in case, but we saw no wildlife at all, apart from a few birds and got a little wet in the process from a passing shower.

For guests with more time, you may want to get a multi entry visa and experience Zambia. You can do a boat cruise, which takes you across the border and dine at some stunning restaurants by the Zambian waters edge.

As well as walking to the falls or flying over you can also bathe right next to the drop. I did it back in 1997 and it’s quite an experience, well worth it. The pool, called Devils Pool, you have to enter from the Zambian side and in between sprays of water you can look over at the 360 feet drop, quite impressive.

All in all the experience to Victoria Falls was amazing. There are so many activities, which you can do. It did seem a little less busy than in 97, but still retains all the activities, charm and beauty to this day.

Victoria Falls offers daily connections from Johannesburg on BA and SAA with a low budget airline providing flights to Livingstone on the Zambian side. If you don’t have a Zimbabwean or South African passport make sure you budget extra for Zambian and Zimbabwean visas if flying in to Livingstone. You will also need to check with your hotel on the cost of the transfer, as it’s further than Victoria Falls airport, if you’re staying on the Zimbabwean side.

Malaria does exist in Victoria Falls but it’s classed as low risk and it depends on the time of year you go as to how many mosquitoes are around. We were there in January and I didn’t see one, but check with your hotel and consult your doctor. The local currency doesn’t buy you anything so it’s best to trade in dollars or use your credit card. South African Rand can also be used but the exchange rate to a dollar is not favourable.

All our activities were organised by Shearwater Adventures who are the most popular and leading adventure activity operator in Southern Africa. To organise your activities in advance tel: +263 13 44472 / 45806 or email: reservations@shearwatervf.com Website: www.shearwateradventures.com

Ilala lodge Found Travel Portfolio recommends for comfort, accessibility and value for money. Reservations can be contacted on Cape Town (021) 683 6576 email: info@ilalalodge.com or visit their website at www.ilalalodge.com