Article written by Brittany Urbach, Hills of Africa Travel’s Marketing Director
Imagine observing the magnificent Southern right whale from a bird’s eye view above the stunning Walker Bay in South Africa. Well, that’s exactly one of the things you can experience at Grootbos Private Nature Reserve in Gansbaai, South Africa.
On a recent trip to South Africa, we visited the utterly stunning Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the general manager who informed us that he had a surprise waiting for us. He escorted us to Grootbos’ private, dirt airstrip where a four-seater Cesna aircraft was waiting for us!
Here, we met our pilot, Jim, who debriefed us on safety regulations, before we hopped in for the ride of a lifetime above Walker Bay. Soon we were up, up and away, flying over uninhabited beaches and the crystal blue waters of Walker Bay. It took merely a few seconds for us to spot a pod of Southern right whales. There were three mother whales and each had a baby alongside of them. And the biggest surprise of all was that one of the babies was albino! Only 3% of the Southern right whale population is albino. This was a real treat for us!
After amazing sightings for approximately 20 minutes, we headed back for landing. Once we disembarked from the aircraft, a vehicle was there to escort us to our delectable lunch outside of Grootbos’ Garden Lodge.
We had a selection of fried clamari and a caprise salad for an appetiter, gnocchi and shrimp or ostrich steak for a main course, and malva pudding for dessert! It was exceptional. The entire lunch was paired with a bottle of Southern Right Pinotage, produced locally.
After lunch we headed to the Grootbos Private Villa, which accommodates up to 12 adults and features a private guide, butler service, and chef. We stayed here during our stay and it was absolutely incredible! For guests staying at the villa, the price includes guided nature walks, land-based whale watching tours, five course dinners, horseback riding excursions, flower safaris, golf excursions, and so much more.
In addition to the villa, Grootbos also features the Forest Lodge and the Garden Lodge.
The Garden Lodge is an excellent option for families and is surrounded by fynbos vegetation and a milkwood forest. The lodge features 11, freestanding suites, which each feature a lounge area with fireplace and private wooden decks with sprawling views.
The Forest Lodge, on the other hand, has a much more modern feel than the Garden Lodge and features 16 freestanding luxury suites. These suites are perfect for a romantic getaway or for a couple on an African safari honeymoon.
After our lunch, we were picked up at our villa by our flower safari guide, Jo. We headed out in our safari vehicle and drove through gorgeous, thick fynbos vegetation with stunning flowers and birds that Jo would point out and describe. Here, visitors can witness over 765 different species of flowers!
After our flower safari we were told there was another surprise waiting for us! Jo drove us to a gorgeous house on the edge of a cliff, overlooking Walker Bay. The view was absolutely breathtaking. We sat on the back patio with champagne in hand and tasty appetizers as we watched whales breach from the water. It was one of the most peaceful and invigorating settings I’ve ever experienced.
As we enjoyed the sprawling views the sun began to sneak beneath the horizon, splashing a spectacle of colors across the sky.
Afterwards, we ventured back to our villa where we enjoyed a glass of wine before heading to dinner at the Garden Lodge. For dinner I enjoyed a spectacular cauliflower soup for an appetizer, followed by roasted chicken with spring vegetables and creamy mashed potatoes. And to top it all off I relished in a strawberry shortcake and coffee for dessert. The entire meal was accompanied by exquisite local wines!
Afterwards we relaxed in front of the fire pit at Forest Lodge and reminisced about the day’s events with a cocktail in hand. What an incredible day.
But that wasn’t all we experienced at Grootbos. Stay tuned for my next blog article on our adventures at this exceptional property.
