Staying at Ulubisi Home at Gondwana Recreation Reserve • The Blonde Overseas
I first stayed at Gondwana Recreation Reserve in 2017, in certainly one of their Kwena Huts, once I moved to South Africa. It was my first African Safari and has held a particular place in my coronary heart ever since.
A lot so, that we convey all of our visitors on my all-female tours in South Africa right here!
For anybody touring to Cape City or planning to drive the Backyard Route who desires to expertise a safari, Gondwana Recreation Reserve is the right vacation spot. Positioned a couple of 5-hour drive from Cape City, visitors can expertise the fun of a Massive 5 safari with out having to journey far.
Although I not reside in South Africa, we return yearly. Most lately, we introduced our 8-month-old son “dwelling” with us and we couldn’t wait to take him on his first safari.
So, we stayed at Ulubisi Home, Gondwana’s luxurious non-public villa—full with your personal private Butler, Chef, and Area Information!
Right here’s what it’s like staying at Ulubisi House at Gondwana Game Reserve!
About Gondwana Recreation Reserve
Gondwana Game Reserve is a panoramic wildlife conservation space positioned within the Western Cape of South Africa. Located within the coronary heart of the well-known Backyard Route, this non-public sport reserve covers roughly 11,000 hectares (27,182 acres) of pristine wilderness and numerous ecosystems.
It’s a exceptional vacation spot for wildlife fans, nature lovers, and vacationers searching for a singular African safari expertise.
Gondwana is dwelling to all kinds of wildlife, together with the long-lasting “Massive 5” – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros. Along with these majestic creatures, you may also spot cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, numerous antelope species, and an unbelievable array of birdlife.
The reserve’s dedication to conservation has helped restore these species to their pure habitats.
Gondwana Recreation Reserve supplies a variety of lodging choices, catering to completely different preferences and budgets. I’ve shared my expertise staying of their Kwena Huts and I’ll give all of the unbelievable particulars of our keep at Ulubisi Home under!
About Ulubisi Home
Ulubisi House takes luxurious to an entire new stage. The structure seamlessly blends fashionable sophistication with the uncooked great thing about the African wilderness. My jaw dropped as I entered the villa, which featured panoramic views of the reserve’s charming panorama.
The décor, impressed by native craftsmanship, added an genuine contact to the general ambiance.
My favourite half? The open-plan residing space opens up to an enormous infinity pool overlooking the rolling hills. That is the place we spent our afternoons, lounging underneath the South African solar and taking within the beautiful surroundings.
The Ulubisi Home Expertise
Ulubisi Home is tucked away within the reserve’s 1000-hectare protected strolling space for endangered species—that means predators can not entry this explicit space.
A necessary stage of security when bringing younger kids to a sport reserve!
The property additionally comes with a full workers and twice-daily housekeeping with turndowns. The villa options its personal butler, chef, and subject information and sleeps both 6 adults or 4 adults and 4 kids between three bedrooms.
Your butler helps to arrange and be of service your complete keep. No matter you want, he’ll guarantee it’s taken care of. All meals and drinks are inclusive of your keep — and the meals was unbelievable!
We loved three stunning meals, in addition to afternoon tea and snacks, every single day.
All the expertise was so luxurious and personal, that I couldn’t consider a greater solution to expertise safari as a household!
Personal Recreation Drives
One of the vital particular features of staying at Ulubisi House is having your personal non-public sport car and subject information. As a household with an toddler, this was unbelievable. Sometimes, you go on sport drives at set hours (as soon as within the early morning and as soon as within the late afternoon) in a car with different visitors.
At Ulubisi Home, you make your personal selections!
Whereas sport drives are greatest throughout sure hours of the day, you’re not held to a schedule. Our unbelievable information, Felix, greeted us each morning and afternoon with a smile and introduced a lot pleasure to our expertise. When you’ve got the choice, I’d extremely suggest requesting him!
We stayed 2 nights and went on 4 sport drives throughout our keep. We noticed ALL sorts of wildlife together with a number of child animals, a cheetah with a kill, and had an unbelievable encounter with a male lion.
Game Drives with Kids
If you are traveling with kids, note that children under 2 aren’t permitted on game drives, and children under 6 aren’t permitted on game drives with other guests.
That means guests at Ulubisi House have the distinctive alternative to “bend” the principles. As a result of we had our personal non-public car, we have been allowed to do a “baba drive” for our toddler at our leisure within the protected space of the reserve the place there are not any predators (aka lions).
We went out for about 45 minutes (earlier than our deliberate night sport drive) with the newborn absolutely anticipating it to final 10 minutes earlier than we would have liked to show again,
However, he completely LOVED it! We bought to see zebra and another VERY particular animals. And, we captured some completely heart-melting photographs that we’ll treasure for a lifetime.
Useful Tip:
And, most significantly, you can not convey a crying child into the wild with out attracting the eye of predators like lions. Ulubisi Home visitors have the distinctive alternative to take youngsters on non-public sport drives in an space that’s fully shielded from predators.
Staying at Ulubisi Home with a Child
We opted to convey all the pieces our child would want for his keep (pool float, bottles, child monitor, and many others.) however you may attain out forward of your keep to arrange a cot and highchair.
One factor we knew we’d need to reap the benefits of is their babysitting service.
As a result of sport drives are sometimes early morning (6 am-ish) and late afternoon (4 or 5 pm-ish), and may final 3+ hours, they’re simply not the identical life-changing expertise for younger kids as they’re for us.
Babysitting is R150 per hour and you must coordinate properly prematurely.
Gondwana was extremely useful in organizing a babysitter for us. She arrived early so we may make certain the newborn and ourselves have been snug with the scenario. We had her watch the newborn for all sport drives (4 in whole) throughout our 2-night-stay and I’d do it yet again in a heartbeat.
We bought to expertise unbelievable encounters with lions, elephants, and all types of wildlife, whereas our toddler was secure and cared for at Ulubisi Home.
Getting There
Attending to Gondwana Game Reserve from Cape City is a comparatively simple journey, and you’ve got a number of transportation choices. The reserve is located alongside the Backyard Route, making it accessible by highway or air. Right here’s how one can attain Gondwana Recreation Reserve from Cape City:
1. By Automotive:
- Period: The drive from Cape City to Gondwana Recreation Reserve takes roughly 4.5 to five.5 hours, relying on visitors and the precise location of your place to begin in Cape City.
- Notice: There are many relaxation stops and padstals (farm stands) alongside the drive so make sure you cease steadily to stretch and snack. Our favourite stops from Cape City to Gondwana are Peregrine Farm Stall and Ou Meul Bakkery (there are a number of alongside the drive!).
2. By Air:
- Period: The closest airport to Gondwana Recreation Reserve is George Airport (GRJ), which is roughly a 1.5 to 2-hour drive from the reserve.
- Flights: You possibly can guide a home flight from Cape City Worldwide Airport (CPT) to George Airport (GRJ). A number of airways function flights on this route, together with South African Airways (SAA), Mango, and FlySafair.
- Notice: Whereas flying is a quicker possibility, renting a automobile lets you discover the gorgeous Backyard Route area at your personal tempo.
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In My Opinion
My keep at Ulubisi House was nothing wanting magical. It’s a spot the place luxurious meets journey, and the place you may immerse your self in the fantastic thing about South Africa’s wilderness whereas having fun with the utmost consolation and hospitality.
If you happen to’re dreaming of a unprecedented escape that mixes opulence with an genuine wildlife expertise, make certain so as to add Ulubisi Home to your South Africa journey bucket checklist. We’re already planning our subsequent keep!
As talked about, it’s my all-time favourite reserve for anybody visiting Cape City who desires to expertise safari with out touring far. Because the proprietor of an all-female tour firm, I’ve labored with Gondwana for practically 6 years. Gondwana hosted me and my household at Ulubisi Home as a ‘thanks’ for a few years of doing enterprise collectively, however all opinions are my very own!
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