Luxury Multi Sport Safaris with Austin-Lehman in Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

Austin-Lehman Adventures
South Africa Multisport Safari
(Click photo above for an ALA adventure.)

Fine Safari dining.

When you book a safari, you expect to see exotic animals inthe wild. What you’re not prepared for is the rush that comes when you actually spot them, singly, in herds or clustered en masse as in Edward Hicks’ painting Peaceable Kingdom or in the works of Henri Rousseau.

You’re also not prepared for elemental pleasures: hot tea with rusks (cross between cookies and granola bars) before leaving your tent for breakfast, the lull of the evening campfire, the embrace of more stars in close proximity than you’ve ever seen in your life, the landscape that extends beyond the horizon like an ocean.

A safari has the potential to place an indelible tattoo on your soul. Sure, you have the photographs, the diaries, the videos, the collectibles, and the new email addresses of the nice people you travel with. But you also have rocking through your memory the elephant tendering its baby at the side of a water hole and how tall those giraffes stripping tree-top leaves actually are.

Your first night on safari with Austin-Lehman Adventures might be at the Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, a short flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg. With only the stars to keep you company against the howl of the distant hyena and the snorting of an unidentified beast just yards away, you begin to experience the wilderness and its creatures without the complications of the civilized world.

One of the luxury Sabi Sabi lodges.

As the folks who organize safari tours have become themselves more conversant with the habits of the wilderness, they’ve also become more creative in designing ways for their clients to explore the bush. Sure there’s still the traditional jeep-style vehicle moving clients to and fro on well-worn tracks. But today guests can also, in addition to hiking, mount horses and ride bikes in the bush under the close surveillance of trained guides.

On the reserves where visitors can hike, bike and horseback ride, herbivores graze seemingly unfazed by humans and large predators are notably absent.

In other regions of southern Africa where predators do roam, guests can still extend experiences beyond the traditional jeep and view the landscape and its habitants by canoe, elephant, rafts on white water rivers and even hot air balloons.

Trip Summary

A Sabi Sabi expert guide.

By day, soak up the friendship and expertise of South Africa’s homegrown guides who proudly share with us the wealth of natural beauty, wildlife, culture and heritage that South Africa has to offer.

Kayak with African penguins, spot southern right whales and ride horseback through coastal forests. We hike Cape Town, pedal through rolling wine country, and get up-close with Kruger’s abundant wildlife, including giraffe, zebra, lion, wildebeest, hippo, and rhino.

By night, savor

South Africa

’s fine regional cuisine and award-winning wines before calling it a night in the comfort of an exquisite guesthouse or nature based lodge.

Itinerary

An ALA Safari is Multi-Sport.

Day 1: Cape Town

International flights arrive in Cape Town late in the day; upon your arrival, you’ll be met and shuttled into the city to your home away from home for the next four nights, the Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel This small hotel offers a comfortable atmosphere, swimming pool,and convenient location just below Table Mountain. Settle in and relax this evening in preparation for the adventures ahead!

Day 2: City tour / Robben Island

Set out on a city tour for an introduction to Cape Town and South Africa; stroll the bustling Green Market Square, admire the Parliament buildings built in 1885 and visit St. George’s Cathedral, a forceful site of resistance against apartheid.

A seafood lunch is prepared for you at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront before boarding a ferry to Robben Island, a leper colony -turned political prison, this historic landmark was recently established as a museum and national monument. We visit Nelson Mandela’s maximum security prison cell and see the lime quarries in which the prisoners worked. We return to the city by ferry and enjoy dinner at a local bistro.

Day 3: Cape Peninsula / kayaking with African penguins

Hiking through South African nature.

Morning shuttle to Cape Point Nature Reserve to bike along a network of undulating roads; keep an eye out for Cape mountain zebra and bontebok, birds and unique indigenous fynbos plants.

Take in the spectacular views across False Bay as you hike to Cape Point, the southwestern-most point of the African continent; lunch is on the coast.

This afternoon, kayak Boulders Beach amongst a colony of African Penguins. Later, dinner is at the Gold of Africa museum, a high energy, interactive venue serving a fusion of African and Cape Malay cuisine. Enjoy pre-dinner interactive drumming and a museum tour.

Day 4: Table Mountain / cultural township tour

Head to Table Mountain where you are whisked by Cable Car to the summit, 3,400 feet above sea level; take the guided walk down the mountain for an introduction to the indigenous flora of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest but richest of the world’s six plant kingdoms boasting some 8,600 flowering species. Lunch is at Lelapa Restaurant for a traditional Xhosa meal followed by a tour of the townships; situated in the Cape Flats where the non-white inhabitants of the Cape were placed during the apartheid era, today the townships are a thriving community rich in local customs and traditions. That evening is at leisure.

Biking the wine country.

Day 5: Biking Stellenbosch / Wine Country

Travel to the Cape Winelands and historic town of Stellenbosch; bike the oldest wine route in the Cape, stopping at award-winning wine estates with time for tastings. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the lawns of one of our favorite vineyards. Drive east along the coast to Grootbos where we’re greeted with welcoming smiles.

Your day ends with check-in at the Grootbos Garden Lodge followed be a walk along a pristine white-sand beach overlooking Walker bay and the mountains in the distance.

Day 6: Walker Bay / Grootbos Nature Reserve

Early morning whale-watching trip to spot 50-ton southern right whales just yards from your boat. Visit an island refuge of sea bird colonies and the nesting grounds of the rare African Penguin. Admire the underwater antics of a 60,000 strong Cape fur seal colony.

If we’re lucky, we’ll spot dolphins playing in the wake of our boat and we may even spot a great white shark breaking the surface – truly an awesome spectacle!.

Return to the lodge for some R&R and an afternoon activity of your choice: Opt for a horseback ride or a hike with expert guides to learn about the insects, birds, mammals and plants of the diverse fynbos ecosystem.

Day 7: Cape Town / Johannesburg / Kruger

The ultimate "game" room.

Enjoy a hearty breakfast at Grootbos before traveling back to Cape Town in time for your flight to Johannesburg.

A connecting flight will take us to Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, situated in the world-renowned 65,000 hectare Sabi Sand Game Reserve in the South-Western section of the Greater Kruger Park.

Sabi Sand is a wildlife oasis, where you can observe at close quarters the ageold natural relationship between predator and prey. Arrive in time for a late afternoon open vehicle 4WD safari. Witness the beauty of an African sunset as your ranger reveals the rituals of African wildlife. Dinner this evening is a lantern lit affair around the fire.

Days 8-10: Safari

Enjoy three full days on safari in the private Sabi Sabi Reserve.

Sabi Sabi's pool.

With no fences between the private reserve and Kruger Park, big game abounds, moving freely through this unspoiled part of the ancient African continent.

The Reserve is blessed with a great biodiversity of habitat and wildlife, offering an excellent chance of close encounters with the elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, wild dog and cheetah.

With over 300 bird species, the reserve is also a birdwatcher’s delight • Enjoy 4WD Land Rover safaris each morning and afternoon as well as optional morning walking safaris.

You’ll feel safe in the hands of the dedicated, highly trained and experienced Sabi Sabi Rangers.

Cape Buffalo & Leopard.

Riding the savanna.

Rhinos, Giraffes, and Zebras.

Mountain Bike Sabi Sabi.

Impala.

Zebras.

Elephant.

Sabi Sabi is a private game preserve.

For information about
Austin-Lehman Adventures
multi-sport safaris
logon to
www.austinlehman.com
or call 800/575-1540.

Day 11: Johannesburg

Early morning 4WD safari to view animals still active in the cool morning air.

Return to the lodge for brunch before bidding a fond farewell to the African bush. A direct charter flight takes you to Johannesburg in time to check-in for your flights home.

Distinctive Accommodations

Nights 1-4: Cape Cadogan, Cape Town

This boutique hotel boasts a comfortable lounge with an open fireplace, garden, pool and library where you can relax and read or send a note home from a public computer. Bohemian chic is the hallmark, with luxuriously appointed en suite bedrooms decorated with an eclectic mix of contemporary and antique furniture. Breakfast is served in a dining room overlooking the pool and garden.

Nights 5 & 6: Grootbos Garden Lodge, Gansbaai

Grootbos Nature Reserve conserves 1,700 hectares of pristine fynbos, the Cape’s unique vegetation, and is home to more than 650 species of indigenous plants. The classic Garden Lodge is set in a lush indigenous canopy that provides privacy and a feeling of complete submersion in the natural environment. Each suite has its own secluded balcony – perfect for watching the sun set over the ocean or for starting the day in tune with the forest birds.

Nights 7-10: Little Bush Camp, Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve

Private deck views at Sabi Sabi.

This jewel of a safari camp boasts all of the features associated with an exceptional safari lodge – beautiful setting, excellent cuisine and abundant wildlife. It offers luxury accommodations, warm and effortless hospitality and unparalleled intimacy and seclusion. Each suite has a private viewing deck overlooking the riverbed, and is decorated in contemporary African design, complete with luxury furnishings, a full private bathroom and indoor and outdoor showers. Delectable dinners enjoyed outside under softly lit trees are an experience loved by all.

For information on multi-sport safaris, including for families, please contact Austin-Lehman Adventuers www.austinlehman.com or call 800 575 1540.

— Feature by Sara Widness, special to Jetsetters Magazine; photos courtesy of Dennis Coello.