Honeymoon Cape Town & Kruger

You are met on arrival at Cape Town International Airport and transferred to Ellerman House, set on the slopes of Lions Head in the exclusive city suburb of Bantry Bay. Arguably Cape Town's finest boutique hotel, this sprawling Edwardian-style manor overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and famous Robben Island, boasting panoramic sunset views. The decor is perfectly elegant and no two rooms look the same. Strolling from your suite to the central lounge is a stroll through Ellerman's remarkable art collection. Before setting out to explore all this city has to offer, rest and recharge at the in-house spa or soak up the sunshine and views at the pool.

Ellerman House's chef and sommelier are famous for the sensory symphony they produce for guests. Every meal is an indulgent encounter with world cuisine and carefully selected vintages. After sumptuous dinners, the whiskey lounge beckons for a nightcap, convivial conversation and the lulling sound of the ocean waves below.

Ellerman House is centrally positioned for easy access to Cape Town's many attractions - the V&A Waterfront, Table Mountain, award-winning beaches and the cafe culture of the city's design district are all a few minutes drive away. Beyond the city proper, half-day and full day trips take you to Cape Point, the southern most tip of Africa where the balmy Indian and icy Atlantic oceans meet. Along the way you explore quaint fishing villages, visit a penguin colony and, in spring, keep an eye out for whales breaching in the clear waters close to shore.

Cape Town's scenic Winelands makes for a very appealing day tour. This picturesque countryside recalls the charm of Provence and the Alps bathed in sunshine, and is as bountiful as cornucopia’s horn when it comes to internationally awarded restaurants and wine estates.

However you choose to spend your days in Cape Town, each evening it is customary to salute the setting sun with a cocktail. There are few more romantic moments than toasting the close of day on Ellerman's terrace with its spectacular views of ocean and sky lit up in a fiery palette with Table Mountain glowing pink behind you.

Today you return to Cape Town International Airport for a local flight to Johannesburg and a short charter flight to the Kruger National Park. A game drive introduces you to this legendary landscape and delivers you to the hospitality of Singita Lebombo, a multi-award winning lodge widely considered the benchmark of safari luxury.

Perched on a cliff face overlooking the N’wanetsi River, the lodge combines natural wood and stone with sophisticated architectural finishes in glass and steel. Massive windows open the indoor areas to the vista of river and hills beyond. After you settling into your lavish suite, you join your guide over light refreshments to prepare for the afternoon's adventure.

Singita Lebombo is set in a substantial private concession within the Kruger National Park, which guarantees a private and intimate wilderness experience. Expert guides lead day and night game drives, interpreting the signs of the wild, and sharing their knowledge and insights generously. This is classic Big 5 country with the rare opportunity for you to encounter both black and white rhinos. These prehistoric beasts recall an epoch earlier than humanity's and are a sight to behold, especially since they are so tragically endangered.

The Kruger is also famous for its predators. Leopard, cheetah and wild dog are all present and large prides of lion thrive here, a testimony to the abundance of prey in the area. Encountering a pride in the late afternoon as they begin to stir and rouse themselves to hunt at dusk is a thrilling experience: they stretch languidly and yawn widely, cuff each other playfully and rub heads affectionately. At first, you may be lulled into thinking they seem very like domestic cats until you glimpse the hypnotic amber eyes and rippling muscles that testify to a lioness's extraordinary predatory power. Very few sounds equal the spine-tingling roar of a pride male when the King of the Jungle declares his territory, a majestic call that is echoed by his pride; it inspires great gratitude for the domestic comfort of the lodge's roaring fire.

Singita Lebombo's evenings are dedicated to epicurean indulgence - the a la carte menu features international cuisine with an African twist and the sommelier guides you through the superb wine cellar as deftly as the rangers led you through the wilderness.

Game drives are timed with the more active periods of the wildlife, which means early morning game drives after a light breakfast and a return to brunch when the day warms up and the game settles in the shade. The languid afternoon provides plenty of rest and relaxation, whether you soak up the sunshine around the swimming pool or pamper your bod and mind in the blissful spa, or simply curl up in your sumptuous suite to nap.

While the game drives at Singita Lebombo are exception, a guided nature walk is highly recommended. Exploring on foot allows you to follow game trails that may never have felt a human tread before. You move gently through the wild spaces, breathing in unfamiliar aromas and bathed in the peaceful hush nature. With all your senses actively engaged, your guide is able to reveal an intimate portrait of the land to you: hoof marks around a salt lick, the fascinating world inside a termite mound, the traditional uses of edible and medicinal plants, wild bee nests and where honey badgers have dug for grubs.

With the gentle rhythms of nature to guide you, settle into a routine as active or relaxed as you want it to be. Romantic, adventurous and supremely comfortable, this is a safari experience par excellence.

After a final morning game drive and a delicious lunch, your charter flight wings you back to Johannesburg. Images of your journey come flooding back to mind: the alpine views of Cape Town's winelands, sunset from Ellerman House's terrace, and the thrill of searching for and finding the Big 5. You are among the select few who have experienced Africa from this sophisticated and refined perspective, and this is, perhaps, merely the first chapter in your African story.