Sailors Go Wild In South Africa

Nikki Wynn

Apr 19, 2020 — 4 min read

A wild game safari, a seriously serious gin experience and a close call in the Wilderness. There is never a dull moment with our South African friends.

You can’t come to South Africa and not go on a Safari…said every person who’s ever been to South Africa.

Our adventures with Kate and Rufus continue and the itinerary doesn’t get much more South African in the Western Cape than this:

A Safari in an attempt to see the big five.
Proper Gin & Tonics in one of the world’s most diverse regions of botanicals.
A nice long trek through the wilderness, in Wilderness (complete with an unexpected adventure at the waterfall).

Grab your G&T (virgin or full strength) and click that play button. (Please know this was filmed before COVID-19 became a pandemic and at the time there were no cases in South Africa).

Big Takeaway…It’s all fun and game until someone loses their keys! (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.) But seriously, lesson learned…no bending over near a large body of water with your backpack on.

Full Disclosure: This video was not sponsored, we paid for each adventure so our thoughts and opinions are exactly that…ours!

Garden Route Safari

Botlierskop is midway between Mossel Bay and George, on South Africa’s scenic Garden Route.

We only took a two-hour game drive along a portion of their 4,200-hectare reserve. It’s not exactly the full Safari experience but for a quick taste of the wildlife in Africa…it is a worthy stop. However, should you have the time and money, seriously consider spending a week in Kruger National Park!

antelope at Botlierskop game safari south africa

baby zebra at Botlierskop game safari south africa

moma and baby rhino at Botlierskop game safari south africa

Don’t worry, we did ask permission first if we could post these rhino photos. They said, “yes and thank you for asking”.

male lion at Botlierskop game safari south africa

antelope and safari truck at Botlierskop game safari south africa

wild elephants at Botlierskop game safari south africa

Gin and A Proper G&T

G&T’s were everywhere in South Africa. You could get virgin G&T sodas at just about any market or convenience store and Gin bars were all the rage. We tried all sorts of Gins and gin cocktails during our time but by far the coolest experience was the Gin tour and tasting at Inverroche.

Inverroche Gin is one of the first craft distilleries to emerge in South Africa. They have an interesting mother and son start-up story and a lovely property in which to soak it all up. If you find yourself in the area, its worth an afternoon…and if you can, take the time to sign up for the bottle making class.

Wilderness National Park, Ebb & Flow

The Garden Route is a charming world of lakes, rivers, estuaries, and beaches that are surrounded by lush forests and lofty mountains. And, if you want to safely explore by foot, Wilderness National Park is an excellent place for just that. Nature trails wind through the forest and along the tranquil rivers. You’ll see and hear plenty of Kate’s favorite bird, the Knysna Lourie. We were on the Half Collared Kingfisher Trail…which rewards you with a beautiful waterfall (just keep your keys far away).

the wynns with friends hiking at wilderness ebb and flow waterfall

🙏 A Special Thanks

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