Augusta de Mist Unique Pan African Cuisine

If unique fine dining is your thing then look no further than Augusta's African Kitchen at Augusta de Mist Country House in Swellendam. With meals like Springbok Carpaccio, Duck Confit, Kenyan Groundnut Chicken Curry, Tunisian Coucous and Malawian Peanut Soup its no wonder their motto is "Anything but Average". Augusta de Mist is single-handedly turning the small historical town of Swellandam into a destination town.


What started out as a Cape Dutch East Indian outpost, Swellendam is now being transformed into a food destination by the excellent menu and brilliant service of this superb restaurant. Attached to the Augusta de Mist hotel, Augusta's African Kitchen is something to revel in. Fresh produce is selected daily and a new menu selection is created daily to preserve the uniqueness and experience of the menu. The restaurant goes to great lengths to ensure that the meal you are served is a celebration of African flavour and colour. Some vegetables and herbs are grown in their own gardens and ceps are picked in the forest only in season to uphold their promise of quality and prefect African cuisine.

Agustas Decadent Lamb Curry
Image Courtesy of Augusta de Mist

Why not finish your scrumptious meal off with wine tasting? Augusta de Mist has its very own handmade wine. Again, they have not been afraid to be unique and, if you are up for it, you can give their blend of Merlot and Petit Verdot a try. Called Le Belle Dame Sans Chapeau 2011, the wine is delightfully fruit-driven and beautifully aromatic. To end of your day you can take a walk through their olive orchard, herb, fruit and vegetable gardens which make you feel as though you are in a fairy tale. Augusta de Mist takes fine dining to a whole new level and we are sure you will enjoy the experience as much as they enjoy making it.

Drikus Horse Trails Sunset Trails

Close your eyes and imagine horse riding along the beach with the sun setting over the sea. This can become a reality with Drikus Horse Trails. What better way to spend a weekend away relaxing at a getaway resort along the coast and enjoying a glass of champagne at the end of your sunset horse ride along the beach. 

Image courtesy of  Bali Star Island

Now with the wet season approaching your experience can become even more beautiful as the Flamingos come in to roost. Get as close to 100 meters away from these birds and sit back and enjoy the serenity of your surroundings. Hundreds of flamingos flock to the waters of the Western Cape. 

Image courtesy of Pink Wallpaper

You can also enjoy night trails for a little night time animal spotting because Drikus Horse Trails is situated on a farm that was converted back to natural vegetation in 2006 so it is now habitat to small game and wetland birds. you can take the opportunity to spot rare birds such as the Secretary Bird, Sacred Ibisis and the Blue Crane. This is truly a getaway that will give you the opportunity to escape and take time out to enjoy wildlife and the beauty of the Western Cape. 

Meet the Meerkat Mob with Meerkat Adventures and De Zeekoe Lodge

Image from Meerkat Adventures

Meerkats have gained a lot of notoriety in recent years with the popularity of the reality TV show Meerkat Manor and some meerkats such as Flower have been elevated to celebrity status with a book dedicated to her.

At the De Zeekoe Lodge Devey Glinister’s Meerkat Adventures are very popular among foreign and local guests. Many people seem to share a fascination with these gregarious animals that can usually be found in large groups known as “gangs” and “mobs”.

The name meerkat is derived from Afrikaans and literally translates into “marsh cat” even though meerkats do not live near marshes and are not cats. These squirrel-sized animals are in fact a subspecies of mongoose and are known for their upright posture. They can often be seen standing on their rear legs with their front paws hanging over their bellies, starting into the plains of southern Africa where they live. 

Image from Meerkat Adventures. 

Meerkat mobs are highly organised, hierarchical communities. Meerkats work together in numbers to ensure their survival. A few members of the mob typically act as lookouts, watching the sky for prey birds. While the lookouts guard the group, other members of the gang will forage for foods that make up their varied diet.

Meerkats aren’t morning animals. They often sleep late and only emerge from their burrows during the late morning hours because of their fast metabolisms. Meerkats lack insulation and can lose as much as 5% of their body weight when exposed to cold conditions.

Each meerkat gang usually has a dominant alpha male and an alpha female. Gang members who have abandoned their duties or who have shamed the gang can be cast out from the gang. Outcasts often live on the edge of the territory in which a gang hunts.

For meerkat lovers, MeerkatAdventures is a great way of getting up close and personal with these fascinating creatures. Have a look at the website for more information on booking your tour and also visit the De Zeekoe Lodge to book your stay in meerkat territory. 

Image from Meerkat Adventures. 

Planning for Your Travel Adventures in the Cape

Few things are as exciting as packing your suitcase and setting off for your annual holiday at a Cape Country Routes destination. But without a definite plan of action your holiday is not likely to be a yearly reality. Here are some of our best holiday planning tips that can help you ensure that you regularly get to visit some of the dreamy destinations that are part of the Cape Country Routes portfolio:

1.      Get excited!

One of the main reasons many people put off doing things is because the idea of doing them doesn't excite or inspire them. If you an idea of where you would like to travel to, but haven’t done anything to make that plan a reality in a while, then it is time to reignite your travel plans and to inject some fresh excitement into them. There are a few billion ways in which you can do this. Get some brochures featuring the place that you’d like to go to and cut out pictures to stick where you can see the often, make a list of things that you’d like to do while you’re there and share your plans with someone who will be just as excited as you are about your upcoming holiday. This will keep you fired up to go out and make your plans a reality.

2.      Determine the Cost

Once you are adequately excited it’s time to work out what it will cost to travel to your dream destinations in or around the Cape. Travel and accommodation will be your two biggest costs so it is advisable to focus on these first. Keep in mind that airfare changes depending on the season so this can affect the price of your journey significantly especially if you are travelling from an in-land destination. Petrol prices also fluctuate constantly so it is important to budget for unexpected increases as well. In addition to these costs you also need to work out how much you will spend on food, sight-seeing, public transport or care hire, and other miscellaneous expenses.

3. Create a Budget

Once you know how much it is going to cost, it’s time to draw up a plan to get the money together. Set apart a certain amount of money each month to contribute towards your holiday. Most of us don’t have disposable income to use for travel and therefore setting up a carefully planned budget is crucial to making our holiday plans a reality. Opening a savings account and organising an automatic payment to go into it each month is a good way of making sure that you build up the funds that you need to travel the Cape.

What are your best travel planning tips? Feel free to share them in the comments.

Evergreen Manor and Spa Emerging Touch Treatment

Touch Treatment is an emerging therapy for people suffering from stress, fatigue, injury, grief and even severe ailing illnesses. When we are ill, just the simple touch of another human being is enough to make us feel even just that little bit better. Touch Treatment is the use of a persons natural energy to help promote the bodies natural ability to heal. It teaches us how to amplify and focus life-force energy by combining various breathing and energy awareness exercises. Many spas and beauty centers have started using this therapy in sessions. The treatment is totally noninvasive and can even be done fully clothed unlike other massages. The therapists use Touch Therapy to encourage the client to go into deeper states of relaxation connection and healing.

Image courtesy of Redondo Beach Massage

When we are stresses or injured our natural energy is depleted and off balance and congested around the body and we often notice that our bodies react by muscles becoming tighter, neck pain, exhaustion and headaches. With Touch Treatment the body relaxes and endorphins are released which allows the body to heal and regenerate energy. 

It is not the same as a normal massage where the muscles are manipulated and put under pressure  Touch Therapy therapists use light gentle touches or even sweeping motions over the skin. Evergreen Manor and Spa in Stellenbosch offers this treatment and is set in blissfully relaxing surroundings. Visit their website today for bookings and prices. 

Rockwell launches Jazz evening and restaurant naming competition.

We have added a pianist to this wonderful ensemble so join us from 5 pm for piano music, free wine tasting and then the jazz and restaurant naming competition.

Ceres Zip Slide Tours

Image courtesy from Ceres Adventures

Ceres is named after the Goddess of Fertility and it’s no secret why. Entering the valley through the windy Boland Mountain pass only 150km outside of Cape Town, your breath is taken away by the sheer beauty of the place. There is no better time to experience the greenery of Ceres in the months of December to April when the orchards are blooming with peaches nectarines, apples, apricots, pears and cherries. 

Why not enjoy the ‘Eden of the Cape’ from a bird’s-eye view. Ceres Zip Slide Tours offers the experience of zip lining 1.4km over the Schurweberg Mountains where you can enjoy the view of the surrounding fynbos and rugged sandstone mountains. There are special rates for groups of more than 10 so bring the family or your colleagues along for a day of fun and adrenalin filled sightseeing.

Image courtesy of Ceres Adventures

Agulhas Country Lodge Whale Watching

Image from Margret River Discovery 

With winter creeping slowly towards us, most of us are starting to moan and groan but there is something spectacular to look forward to. The colder months of the year bring along with it the whale-watching season. The whales migrate annually to the shores of the Western Cape between the months of May and June to calve and nurse their young. With South Africa being the 5^th fastest growing whale-watching destination in the world, this is truly a magnificent sight to see right on our doorstep.  Boat-based whale watching is becoming a popular way to see these magnificent animals up close but watching them from the shoreline can be just as fulfilling. Agulhas Country Lodge is a perfect spot to take a midyear break while enjoying the breath-taking view of the whales. Agulhas Country Lodge has special discount winter rates meaning the whales won’t be the only thing leaving a smile on your face. A short trip to the nearby Struisbaai sandy beach for a sundowner cruise is another option to wind down and relax while watching the whales breaching into the sunset. 

Ibamba Private Game Reserve joins Cape Country Routes

Cape Country Routes is delighted to welcome Ibamba Private Game Reserve as its newest member.

Situated in the Karoo, 2.5 hours inland from Port Elizabeth this 5 star Game Reserve is brand new.  Originally made up of 6 sheep farms, this land was bought and converted to a game reserve with the Big Five and a large variety of other game.

 

5 Different types of accommodation set in 17 000 hectares of land, ensure that each guest has privacy and tranquillity.  Game drives are on open vehicles and children are welcome.  Each of the 5 lodges has a swimming pool, a bar, its own kitchen, views and top quality accommodation.

Images: Source: Ibamba 

Kagga Kamma Nature Reserve Cederberg San Paintings

Cederberg is renowned for its rich ancient South African cultural heritage. The dramatic rock formations that sculpt the landscape are littered with hundreds of Bushman San rock paintings dating back to over 6000 years. The spiritual land of the San people offers spectacular scenery, towering mountains, strange rock formations and awe-inspiring night skies where stars, planets and shooting stars can clearly be seen with the naked eye. The San people lived in harmony with the land and lived lightly appreciating everything they were giving living sustainability and peacefully in a way that we could only dream of. 

Image courtesy of Art History Worlds

Come witness and experience the untouched wilderness where the San people lived their peaceful lives by visiting the Kagga KammaGame Reserve. Only 3 hours away from Cape Town it’s a short drive to appreciate a place filled with ancient beauty and wonder. They have experienced guides which can take you on San painting interpretation tours and you may even have the chance to find paintings that have not been seen for thousands of years. 

Valentine’s Day: Romantic or commercial?

Is Valentine’s month a great way to celebrate your love or just a commercial opportunity?

Looking at the promotions and advertising on almost every shop window, in every magazine and generally wherever you look, I found myself wondering how valuable this day (and it seems the entire month) is to retailers and the public.

I saw many people rushing around in the shops grabbing cards, chocolates, pink teddy bears and flowers.  These items cost a small fortune on Valentine’s Day and is it all worth it?  Listening to a radio show, I heard members of the public calling in and saying that they would much rather have a home-made dinner with candles or a hand – written love letter or a night away from the kids / housework / TV etc.

Image Source: LIVING MSN 

At Cape Country Routes, many of our members are offering special deals on accommodation during the month of Feb.  In this crazy age of fast-paced life, people seem to value more and more the idea of having quality time to reconnect and to rest.  This has become more important than gifts to many people.

Why wait until Feb though?  If you are feeling disconnected and exhausted at any time of the year, a night or weekend away is often all you need to get back on track. 

Have a look at our Facebook page or website for some ideas on quick getaways and fun activities.  We have such a diverse range of products so you are bound to find something that appeals to you.  In fact, why not plan ahead and try a new place each time?  You won’t be disappointed.

Montagu Country Hotel's pianist - Kosie

At Montagu Country Hotel, we often receive wonderful comments about our pianist, Kosie, who plays in our restaurant and has already recorded 3 albums of his own.

Here's what recent guests, Chris and Brenda Hull, had to say:

"We both thoroughly enjoyed the Montagu Country Hotel the food the setting and all the staff. We particularly liked the fact that you had a piano player there each night. It added a touch of magic and nostalgia and certainly helped to create the convivial atmosphere that prevailed throughout the hotel."

De Zeekoe: Community upliftment

At De Zeekoe, we employ and give housing to 20 families on the farm. We aim to positively raise the standard of living and uplift the local community on an ongoing basis. Generations of our employees and their children have been educated by Zeekoegat Primary.

Zeekoegat Primary currently schools 120 primary children and 90 pre-primary children and has been open since 1938.

De Zeekoe-trust long term goal is to rebuild the whole school, seeing that the school building has become unsafe and unstable. The trust was formed by the adjoining landowners of Safari Ostrich Show Farm. The trust's main aim is to raise funds for the new school project.

If you are interested in supporting this project, or would like more information, please visit www.zeekoegatschoolproject.org.za

Through Social Upliftment and addressing the needs of the community, we hope to give these children the tools and the opportunities to improve their lives as well as give them a solid education built on a solid foundation.

With this project we hope to address the needs of this community through the following Key Aspects:

• Improved Medical Health Care and Education
• Sports and Recreation which will help keep the children busy after school and help develop hidden talents
• Improve the current Feeding Scheme, many rely on the feeding scheme as their one good meal a day
• Skills Development for the unemployed
• Financial Aid for high achieving students, who want to study further but don't have the finances

De Zeekoe strives for fairness; ethical business practice and environmental respect form the basis for sustainable tourism.

 

http://www.dezeekoe.co.za

 

Kagga Kamma Valentine's special offer

De Hoop's Starfish Safari

Posted by 2summers on February 7, 2013

South Africa is a geographically diverse country with eye-popping natural wonders everywhere you look. We all know the big ones: Kruger National Park, Table Mountain, the Karoo, the Drakensberg Mountains. But if  you dig deeper into your travel book you’ll find dozens of lesser known places, offering their own unique versions of dramatic South African beauty. De Hoop Nature Reserve is one of those places.

De Hoop seascape.

Last weekend I spent three days at De Hoop, which is a three-hour drive southeast of Cape Town. Full disclosure: The trip was sponsored by the De Hoop Collection. (Trips like this are what blogging dreams are made of.)

What I enjoyed most about the weekend — besides the beautiful accommodation and indescribably delicious food — was the opportunity to explore a place just far enough off the beaten path to make me feel like I was completely away. De Hoop is a great place to relax and experience nature without having to totally rough it. Plus you can play with starfish.

Dalfrenzo Laing, our guide for the weekend, shows me a starfish. I can’t believe it took me 38 years to realize that I love starfish. (See more starfish in my previous post.)

The weekend consisted of three main activities: walking along the coastline; walking around the vlei (“vlei” means “lake” or “marsh” in Afrikaans); and relaxing around Melkkamer House, the restored farmhouse where I stayed with four other women.

We had to cross the vlei in a motor boat to get from the main De Hoop lodging area to Melkkamer House.

Crossing the vlei. I loved watching the waterbirds on the vlei, especially the red-knobbed coots — funny duck-looking birds who “run” along the surface of the water for 50 or 60 meters before finally taking flight. (I was too mesmerized by the coots to take photos of them.)

I missed the coots but I did get the pelicans.

Melkkamer House is just a little bit pretty. Full disclosure #2: I could never afford to stay here on my own dime, although the rates are quite reasonable for what you get. If you can afford it, you should stay there. If not, De Hoop offers lovely accommodation options for regular folk.

View of the vlei from Melkkamer House.

My favorite activity (again, besides the eating) was walking along the coastline. The beach is a few kilometers from Melkkamer House; we drove there on our first morning and walked for an hour or so along the hills above the water.

Hiking the shoreline. It was stunningly beautiful but hot. I learned a valuable lesson on this walk: Unless you are a South African with feet that are genetically programmed to walk barefoot, do not attempt to hike the De Hoop coastline without shoes. I nearly destroyed the soles of my feet with a combination of scalding-hot sand and sharp little shards of shell.

A seagull enjoys the view.

After our hike, we took a dip in the impossibly clear seawater by a secluded cove. Then we had lunch, doing our best to fend off the aggressive biting ants around the picnic area (note to self: bring closed shoes next time), climbed a massive sand dune (not as massive as the dunes in Namibia, but with softer sand) and embarked on an interpretive marine walk with Dalfrenzo.

The start of our marine walk.

I’ve taken quite a few guided walks since moving to South Africa. Such walks are made or broken by the guide who leads them. Dalfrenzo made this marine walk. I was amazed that such a young person could amass so much knowledge about this unique marine environment. I was also delighted by Dal’s enthusiasm. Who knew mussels and seaweed could be so interesting?

If you go to De Hoop and decide to book a guided hike, I highly recommend Dalfrenzo.

Dal shows us a sea urchin.

Interesting view of this fragile marine protected area.

Another starfish. I love them.

Interesting fun fact learned on our marine walk: African Black Oystercatchers do not catch oysters.

Note: Whale-watching season runs from June to December and De Hoop is one of the best places in South Africa to see whales. Hopefully I’ll make it back someday at the right time of year.

On our second morning we hiked around the vlei. This was a more strenuous hike than the day before and I really enjoyed the exercise, although the scenery is not as dramatic as what we saw along the coast.

Sacred ibis on the vlei. Giant dunes in the background.

The eland is the largest antelope species. There are lots of them at De Hoop. This photo doesn’t convey how huge they are.

De Hoop is also home to a rare antelope species called the bontebok. I think they are the most beautiful of all antelope but again, my photos don’t convey it. I took about 1,000 bontebok shots and they all look pretty much like this one. I need a longer lens.

Quiche by the vlei. The food on this trip was, hands down, the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten in South Africa. Our private chef, Mercia Tyobeka, is a brilliant food genius. I love her.

The last thing that I loved about my trip to De Hoop was the local troupe of baboons. I realize my affection for baboons might arouse controversy. Most people — especially South Africans — hate baboons, often for good reason as baboons can be quite aggressive toward humans. But the baboons hanging around Melkkamer were civilized and, in my opinion, adorable.

I regard the baboons. The baboons regard me. This mutual awareness is charming to me. One of them did creep up to the house in the wee hours of the morning and rattle our bedroom doorknob. I sat up in bed and saw the top of its head as it ran away. Still, no harm done.

I could say more but I’ve posted 18 photos and 1,000 words. So I’ll leave it at that. De Hoop is awesome and you should go there. The end.

One more cute baboon shot for the road.

http://2summers.net/2013/02/07/starfish-safari-at-de-hoop-nature-reserve/