Like most South Africans in search for some degree of normality during the holiday season. I set out to find a local holiday destination that would fulfil my three main requirements when going anywhere under COVID.
- Level of forced exposure to other people.
- How much is there to do in open spaces and
- Should our country’s restrictions change how would this holiday destination accommodate for that.
Naturally the usual travel requirements where also taken into consideration – facilities, distance, pricing, etc. It is only my first year working after-all, blowing the bank was not an option. HAH LOL, did y’all even know how expensive some of these local places can be? I also was unaware of how drastically prices could differ from site to site, so do your research kids!
Somehow I had gotten my heart set on going on a safari. Yes, perhaps it was after scrolling past beautiful pictures by even more beautiful influencers, but sue me I’m only human. Alas, to share a geotag with these influencers would’ve cost me nearly 50k a night – hey Nedbank, let’s laugh together.
With little to rave about in my price range (under R10 000 for two) on booking.com or the likes, I eventually asked a vegan friend of mine for recommendations. While neither I nor the person I was travelling with was vegan I needed to know of a place that considered dietary restrictions seeing as my travel partner is Muslim. Furthermore, I’ve visited many places in the past that have shown such heartbreaking cruelty to their animals. Never again.
She pointed me to the most beautiful location in Albertinia – the Garden Route Game Lodge and following a quick reconnaissance I was sold.
I booked a special that has since come to an end – stay three nights, pay for two. Not only was all-you-can-eat breakfast and a three course dinner included in this deal but the package also gave you two free safari rides a day (far more than we were even capable of doing).
With a pool, spa, games room, reptile centre and restaurant all on location we were spoilt for choice during our three days there. However, I wouldn’t spend much longer than that as the surrounding town had very little to offer, not even a Woolies in sight & definitely don’t waste that R10 on a Fairy Village ticket like we did. I repeat DO NOT waste your money on the Fairy Village with the ostriches in hats!
I had made contact with the lodge a week or so before our departure to enquire about the spa which they then told me was fully booked, I thanked them and assumed that to be that. Such lovely service – an hour later they contacted me again saying they had moved things around and would be able to fit us for a half hour slot. It was a beautiful spa at that, so tranquil and should you have any treatment done you get full use of their facilities for the day which includes a sauna and steam room – otherwise priced at R500 – so choose a package instead.
Our only low point of the trip came the first day of breakfast when with explicit clarity we told our waitress of my friend’s dietary requirements and in the centre of that omelette which she ordered was a single piece of bacon. Despite an apology from both waiter and manager, not to mention their efforts to have separate halal snacks on the safari just for her, that moment and the following need to be cautious really did just dampen all other eating experiences to come. Regardless of how good the food was.
All in all, this experience gets a 4 out of 5 stars. And that’s big for a first travel review.
Curating CT 