Karkloof Spa Wellness and Wildlife Retreat

It has been nearly a year since we visited the Karkloof Spa Wellness and Wildlife Retreat and I wrote a couple of stories, including this one for The Witness

The Kniepp Pools at Karkloof Spa

Accommodation at Karkloof Spa

We spent a night in luxurious accommodation and enjoyed magnificent food; we experienced a full body massage and a meandering nature walk to view the Karkloof Falls.

Nyala and other game graze on the grass rooftops at Karkloof Spa

Pictures by Maryann Rivers-Moore

Hessehuis in Baviaanskloof

Hessehuis, photo Maryann Shaw

We are recently returned from two weeks on the road, where we spent one night here, two nights there, and few of the roads were tarred. The Swartberg Pass, the Montagu Pass and the Prince Alfred Pass were involved.... I was glad that my husband was driving on these bits and I was able to enjoy the view. The place we enjoyed the most was our one night at Hessehuis, a converted labourer's cottage we were allocated as all the accommodation at Zandvlakte was taken. Magriet looked at me with a nervous face and said "It's very basic" .... and we followed her husband Pieter for a few kilometres to the most perfect, isolated, yes rustic, but did I say isolated, spot.... and we had a braai for two, and afterwards lay and watched the stars...until the cold took us indoors. I will admit I could not get the gas shower to give me hot water, but this little cottage probably had the nicest linen of all the places we stayed at over two weeks and across 5000kms.

Maryann Shaw (Maryann Rivers-Moore)

Umgeni Valley Reserve

Article published in The Witness 14 October 2009

30kms from Pietermaritzburg there is a place you can run or walk with zebra, wildebeest and other wild animals, and then head off for breakfast at the nearby farmers' market

Click on image to view image at readable size

Maryann Shaw

Kingsley Holgate Boundless Southern Africa

Story for www.gotravel24.com by Maryann Shaw

Tembe Elephant Park in KwaZulu Natal is home to 220 of the largest elephants in the world; a big five reserve, it shares a border with Mozambique in the north Photos Maryann Shaw

Kingsley Holgate is on the road again. The large man with huge grey beard, something of an icon in South Africa, constantly stops to engage, inform and give of himself; I was pleasantly surprised not to meet a macho “camel man” guy – but a true professional, an adventurer who uses the brand he has built of himself as modern-day explorer heading into Africa…to do good.

From Tembe Elephant Park in Northern KwaZulu Natal, across the border to the beautiful Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique, Maryann Shaw tagged along for five days of Kingsley Holgate's latest expedition for Boundless Southern Africa.

Click here to view the story


Ponta Mamoli cabins in the casuarina trees, a minute's walk from the beach Photos Maryann Shaw

Ballito

Really enjoying Balllito, just wish I could chill out and enjoy it and not run around like a mad thing getting to all the spots I want to feature before leaving town this afternoon. Got here late Saturday, only at 7.30pm, and was at www.liquidyoga.co.za class this morning in the "hot 26" yoga class, getting some great pictures of Helen, the instructor who is seven months pregnant. Very impressive.

Umlani Bushcamp awarded Green Leaf

Umlani Bushcamp in Timbivati Private Nature Reserve in South Africa has been awarded the prestigious Green Leaf by the Wilderness Foundation, in recognition of its environmental consciousness, at an award ceremony held at the Travel Indaba in Durban.

See my story from my visit to Umlani a year ago at gotravel24.com

Click here to view the gallery of images on gotravel24 website

The Owl House, Nieu Bethesda, South Africa

One of my favourite places to visit, the Owl House, home of Helen Martins....I will post my story here that was published a few years ago, I just need to find it...

Johannesburg Skyline at Dusk

Johannesburg Skyline, South Africa

Tembe Elephant Park