Romantic Getaway to South Africa: City, Beaches, Wine & More

Saint Lucia has more than a beach and some idyllic snorkeling. Thick woodland backdrops the sand, and it is home to giants. Elephants bulldoze fresh paths here, causing havoc by uprooting trees, and hippos voice their complaints loudly, grunting and belching from the lakes. This is iSimangaliso, which is a UNESCO World Heritage wetland that is home to a thrilling animal cast. Here, elephants and hippos are the most conspicuous, but they are joined by over 100 other mammal species although it is difficult to spot many of these in such a dense landscape. Still, being around so many animals species means a day of unpredictable safari as you will travel by boat through the wetlands to enjoy your first encounters with Africa’s famous wildlife. The boat safari will take up half of the day, leaving you the afternoon and evening to experience the pristine beach.

This morning, you will drive through iSimangaliso, continuing your surprising safari experience from yesterday. Perhaps, you will see a huge baboon troop or come across a dozen giraffes in a clearing. Antelope will certainly be part of your journey, and you can slowly learn how to tell the difference from springbok, eland, and kudu. You will depart iSimangaliso, and it will be another hour across KwaZulu-Natal to Phinda, which is one of South Africa’s largest, private game reserves. Champagne will be served upon your arrival as you move into your standalone villa. Hidden on a savannah wilderness, this villa has a private pool, large social area, fire pit, and outdoor seating. A discreet electric fence surrounds the property, and this is essential to keeping you safe because out here you will be enveloped by Africa’s wildlife world.

On this first afternoon, you will explore Phinda on a private game drive. Out on the grass, a lion may meet your gaze with its mane flowing in the breeze as it watches you keenly before turning his attention to zebras. You will drive further to see a herd of buffalo, which can be angry creatures that also stare intently in your direction. This is the wild, and you will experience these animals in their natural habitat. That means all their behaviors, interactions, and angry moments. There is also so much charm to an African safari. In Phinda, you will find countless moments that take your breath away in addition to moments when you recognize that it is just the two of you in an untouched, animal realm.

For these two days, you will have a private guide. Each day can be tailored to your interests with the standard program being two game drives plus an optional nighttime drive. Of course, the wildlife is majestic. Out here, you will be meeting face to face with leopards and lions, and there will be herds of elephants and buffalos that march past your villa. Hyenas will howl through the night and wildebeest will gallop past. Phinda is home to the complete inventory of South African wildlife, including critically endangered rhinos. Three days will be plenty of time to see them all, and it is it rarely just a glimpse. On a Phinda safari, you will be center stage even when lounging at your villa and watching all the animals wander past.

This Phinda safari is made extra special by the amorous treats that you can enjoy. A picnic can be arranged on a hill that overlooks the savannah. Here, you can pop the cork on a bottle of sparkling MCC and watch elephants as they traverse the landscape. On one evening, a dinner table will set up on the savannah. Illuminated by the moon and candles, your table will be then laden with an elegant, South African banquet, including game meats that you may want to try. As sunset turns to night, you will watch animal silhouettes along the horizon. This experience is still safe with rangers on guard and a large fire to keep predators away.

On an afternoon game drive, your guide will bring a mobile bar, so you can stop for a few drinks beside the giraffes or find a place of privacy around a zebra herd. Your evenings will be wonderfully quiet at your villa and will be cut off from other accommodations on the reserve, so you can do as you please. Just do not step over the electric wire because what lies beyond is the wild African savannah. Breakfasts are also special in Phinda, and on a typical day, you will have a small breakfast before each sunrise game drive and will return to a sumptuous brunch on the terrace.

From Phinda, you will take a direct flight to Cape Town and transfer to Camps Bay, which is a beautiful beach suburb that faces the Atlantic. You will be staying in a small boutique guesthouse that is 50 meters from South Africa’s most famous beach. The sand is blissful here, and Table Mountain provides a backdrop while a couple of cocktail bars provide more allure. After checking-in, you can enjoy a couple’s treatment in the hotel spa before enjoying some time to relax on the sand. For sunset, your guide will take you to a secret spot on Signal Hill. Here, away from the crowds, you can open a bottle of MCC and toast to romance. Do not leave when the sun goes down because Signal Hill offers the most magnificent view 30 minutes the sun goes down.

Colorful graffiti lines the streets that lead to the Old Biscuit Mill, which is a converted factory that is now home to small shops and boutiques. One of these manufacturers craft chocolate in flavors that range from chai spice to 100% cacao. Here, you will get your hands dirty during a chocolate making class. Full from the chocolate, you will visit a couple of boutique markets, where craftsmen and women can design something unique for the two of you. This can include jewelry, up-cycled trash, wood, and artistic pieces that can enhance any living space.

Today, you will have a private guide, and there are a number of other experiences that you can try from cocktail making at the V & A Waterfront to bathing with penguins at Boulders Beach. Then, tonight you will have dinner reservations at The Test Kitchen, which is the only African restaurant in the World’s Best 50 Restaurants list. It is a luxurious nine or ten-course affair, and each course can be complemented by wine if you desire. Everybody knows about The Test Kitchen, and the highlight with this itinerary is that you can actually get a reservation at a restaurant that books out so quickly it is very difficult for international visitors to reserve a table.

Cape Town is filled with secrets, but it is also filled with romantic places. You can stand on the top of Table Mountain or Lions Head, cruise along the ocean in a charter yacht, watch the sun go down from Kloof Nek Corner, or spend an afternoon at the Constantia vineyards. This day can be all over, and transport is provided to anywhere in the city. Yesterday’s guide will have provided many hints and tips for you to try. Your guesthouse will also have some ideas, including private strips of sand on the West Coast and sumptuous lunch cafes.

You will travel east this morning out of Cape Town to where the Cape Winelands begin. This is a romantic vacation, so it is good to be indulgent. You can stop at a small rustic farmhouse for your first tasting, and here, you can have an introduction to South African wine, including the indigenous Pinotage. Moving onwards through Stellenbosch Valley, you will stop at a more opulent winery. Here, floor to ceiling windows will provide stunning views over the vines. A five-course lunch will be served, and every dish will be complemented by one of the farm’s wines. Gastronomy is a big highlight of the Winelands, and your guide will have some superb, local spots to show you.

After lunch, you may need a siesta. Your accommodation is at a wine farm in the Simonsberg Valley, which is a region of bucolic splendor and endless views. You will check-in, and the rest of the day will be at your leisure. A highlight here is that you can travel to nearby wine farms in a golf cart, so if you desire, you can choose to stay at the lodge and have a private tasting in the room. You can also venture off to the surrounding area to visit another two farms. Dinner will be provided at your accommodation, and there will be more wine. The beauty and tranquility of the Winelands will be absolutely breathtaking.

Your private guide will tailor this final day to your interests and tastes. There are hundreds of vineyards in the region with tasting rooms from rugged old-world townhouses to glass and steel outhouses that are high on a hill. Every vineyard has a specialty from bubbles to red blends, and most of them have food to complement their wine. Your guide will know of some incredibly romantic spots visit, including a vineyard that is nestled 20 minutes down a dirt track. Stellenbosch and Franschhoek can also be visited today. These are South Africa’s two oldest towns, and they provide more charming and idyllic experiences. Of course, you can also enjoy plenty of time at your lodge at the onsite spa.

From the Cape Winelands, it is only 45-minute transfer back to Cape Town International Airport.