More than a hunt…

As you plan your next safari you may be thinking about your wife, children, family members or even friends whom you may want to invite along as traveling companions or observers. They may be fanatical hunters wanting to join the adventure, but also wish to spend some time away from the hunt. Some of these people may not be interested in joining you on the hunt each day, but rather part-time during your stay with us.

Over the years we’ve often witnessed the regret so many hunters have expressed after they had arrived on safari, realizing their loved ones or friends would have enjoyed the safari as much as they would, therefore we’d like to share some more with you or your companion/s about what all we have available for the non/part-time hunter on safari.

One of the first questions you as hunter will be faced with is the big one about the accommodations. Will I have to share a room/bathroom with a bunch of snoring men? Will there be rooms with en-suite bathrooms? Will I like the food? Are we camping? Will I have privacy? These are all questions we bet you’ve been faced with before.

Let us set your and most importantly their mind/s at ease….

When on safari with us in South Africa you can rest assured that we have taken close on forty years to perfect a level of service, food and rustic luxury that will compete with the best in the world.

In the south, The Manor at Woodlands Safari Estate provides for a lodging experience from yesteryear with a colonial atmosphere and grandeur from a forgotten era. Rooms are spacious with en-suite bathrooms in a tranquil setting, combined with modern-day luxuries. Air cooled in summer and wood stove heated in winter, you can be assured you will be comfortable whilst enjoying the privacy of your room or the passing parade of game frequenting the water hole below camp.

Dinner in the evenings is an opulent family affair with local dishes, wines, hunted game, and decadent sweets gracing our table. After dinner, enjoy a retreat to either the pub or a crackling campfire sharing in the day’s adventures while the ever-present night-jars sing the night away in a hypnotic African chorus.

A mere three hour drive further north, nestled among the acacias on the banks of the Sunday’s river lies our secluded Mountain Retreat as our base in the north. It’s a quiet setting, comprising the main lodge and five separate chalets. Each chalet enjoys an en-suite bathroom, as well as air conditioning and fire place for cold winters evenings.

Summer days can be hot, with hunting taking place in the early mornings and late afternoons, making a dip in the pool a refreshing reprieve from the heat. Karoo style cooking is the order of the day, with Springbuck and various local delicacies, paired with some of the finest South African wines making for a special dining experience.

Both areas offer some of the greatest hunting on the planet, but so too several fantastic day-trip options in the adjacent regions.

Here are a few listed activities and traveling times to give you a better understanding of what is available from both our Southern and Northern regions.

WOODLANDS SAFARI ESTATE, SOUTHERN REGION

• Traditional Township / Local Witch Doctor Tour in Grahamstown (On Donkey Cart / Driven)
• Scenic Helicopter Tours (Weather Dependent)
• Golf at The Belmont in Grahamstown or The Royal Port Alfred
• Deep Sea Fishing (Weather Dependent)
• Cooking Classes – South African Venison & Local Delicacies
• Surf & Estuarine Fishing (Weather Dependent)
• Beach Horse rides along the Indian ocean
• Country School visit and assist with the John X Foundation
• Big 5 Game Drives at Addo Elephant Park / Private Game Reserves
• Elephant Back Safaris at Zuurberg Mountain Estate, Addo
• Grahamstown Church Tours
• Pristine Beaches / Surfing in Jeffreys Bay
• Health Spas & Massages – Enjoy a massage in the comfort of your own room.
• Shopping Trips to Port Elizabeth
• Restaurants – Cubatas & More
• The Art of Biltong Making – South African Jerky
• Fish river tubing / canoe tours
• Great White Shark Cage Diving – Port Elizabeth (Weather Dependent)

All activities within 2 hours from camp.

KAROO MOUNTAIN RETREAT, NORTHERN REGION

• San/Bushman Rock art and caves
• The Valley of Desolation – Karoo National Park
• Cape Mountain Zebra National Park – Cheetah Tracking Experience
• Museums in Graaf-Reinet
• Restaurants – Polka / The Muller House / The Drostdy Hotel Experience
• Horse rides in the Mountains
• Nieu-Bethesda Village Visit & Brewery
• Ganora Fossil Tours
• Compass Berg Hike – The Highest peak in the Cape Colony.
• Hot air ballooning and champagne breakfast over the Karoo

All activities within 2 hours from camp.

Please note: Charges / Costs for any activities must be settled directly with that particular establishment or activity where applicable. A basic transfer fee of USD $200 will be levied per vehicle per day over and above your listed day fee. This fee can be split between groups/individuals where applicable.

If you’re interested in more than a day trip… How about a tour?

Quite often many of the non-hunters take the option of an extended tour for a number of days while the hunters continue on their hunt or the traveling party takes a touring option either pre/post their hunt. The world-famous Garden Route, running from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, or vice versa, is our choice route for tours. Choose from either a tailor-made 4 / 5 – 7 day tour, ensuring you experience the best on offer.

Below are examples of the more popular activities available along the Garden Route and Cape Town that can be included in any of our tours. These tour options and activities are our most popular, but certainly not the only.

• Tsitsikamma – Treetop or Waterfall Zip line
• Bloukrans – Worlds HIGHEST Bungy Jump
• Plettenberg Bay – Monkey Land, Birds of Eden, Whale Watching, Skydiving, Horseback Safari, Shopping & Restaurants
• Knysna – Walk with Elephants, Elephant Back Safari, Oyster & Champagne Sunset Cruise, John Benn Lagoon Cruise, Knysna Heads
• Explorer Sunset Cruise, Featherbed Nature Reserve Lunch & Cruise , Shopping, Restaurants
• Wilderness – Paragliding, Abseiling, Shopping, Restaurants
• Oudtshoorn – Skydive, Cango Caves, Cango Wildlife Ranch, Cheetah Encounter, Crocodile Cage Diving, Shopping, Restaurants
• Hermanus – Whale Watching, Shopping, Restaurants
• Stellenbosch/Paarl/Franschoek Winelands – Wine Tasting & Vineyard Experience, Shopping, Restaurants
• Cape Town – Cape Point, Robben Island and Mandela Tour, Table Mountain, Great White Shark Cage Diving, City Tours, The Penguins, Lions Head Paragliding, Shopping, Restaurants

4 DAY GARDEN ROUTE TOUR – Knysna / Return

Our 4-day tour from John X Safaris to Plettenberg Bay/Knysna and back to John X Safaris is one often taken by non-hunters wishing to break away from hunting for a few days. These tours combine very well with groups on safaris where hunters will be traveling to our northern areas for a few days of their safari.

5 – 7 DAY GARDEN ROUTE TOUR – Cape Town / Return

This tour is perfect for a family vacation, either pre or post hunt. 5 – 7 Days are more than enough to cater to every individual’s needs within the group. The starting and finishing points for this tour will be either Port Elizabeth/Cape Town airports, or vice versa.

All aspects of the tours are covered from sightseeing, vineyard experiences, world-heritage sites, adrenaline experiences, restaurants and much more. With our personalized touches and knowledgeable guides, we pride ourselves on your absolute enjoyment.

ICONIC AFRICAN SITES & DESTINATIONS

Why not visit some of our continents greatest destinations either pre or post safari? From Kenya’s Masai Mara and its annual migration to the underwater wonderland of Lake Malawi or the Marrakesh Souks of Morocco. Take a walk on the wild side with the infamous Desert Lions of the Kalahari or enjoy Botswana’s Okavango Delta from a poling Makoro. Experience the thrill of walking with Gorilla’s in Uganda or Victoria Falls from the Royal Livingstone. Namibia’s Sossusvlei, The Skeleton Coast or even the Seychelles just to mention a few.

So, on your next hunt let those non-hunters/traveling companions choose from either day-trip activities surrounding our hunting areas, or multiple day tours down the Garden Route and onto Cape Town. Enjoy Africa’s natural beauty, abundant scenery, historically rich culture, and spectacular wildlife, whilst indulging in some of the best cuisine in the world.

Contact us directly for further options and current rates. We’d be glad to tailor make any tour and package a quote catering to your specific vacation needs.

We look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful continent…..

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