The whales are in the waters off our coast, so what better place to go right now than Grootbos Private Nature Reserve close to Hermanus? This 5-star lodge, situated in a private nature reserve in the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom, is the perfect base for a different kind of Big Five safari: the Marine Big Five (whales, sharks, dolphins, seals and penguins).
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Your experience will start as soon as you enter the gates to the reserve; turn off the radio and wind down your windows and you will be rewarded with the sounds of sugar birds and the herby smell of fynbos. The check-in process is a joy in itself. Sitting down in a comfy chair by the panorama window and sipping a glass of bubbly really takes the boredom out of filling out the required paperwork!
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Grootbos is the ultimate in 5-star luxury, from the exquisite suites with panoramic views to the immaculate service and abundance of activities on offer for guests ranging from leisurely nature walks, beach picnics and in-room spa treatments to exciting horse rides and 4x4 adventures.
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But it is the sincere commitment to people and nature that sets Grootbos apart and makes this a once in a lifetime experience. Not only is this commitment immediately apparent in the beautiful fynbos that surrounds the lodge, where the Grootbos team have painstakingly removed alien species to restore the fynbos to its original glory and actively protect and conserve it for future generations, but it is also palpable in the atmosphere at Grootbos. The way you can feel history in the air of an old building or sadness at a memorial, you can feel pride and a willingness to make your stay the best it can be radiate from the competent and professional team at Grootbos.
By looking after their staff, the surrounding community and the environment, Grootbos has created the ultimate get-away; a luxury retreat that is loved not only by its clients but also by its staff and the wider community.
This is not a small feat for a business that charges more per night per night than many of the people in the community make in a month!
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Grootbos is facilitating a number of projects, ranging from the purely philanthropic (like the Youth Development Project that uses sport as a vehicle to promote education, health, social integration and participation amongst the culturally diverse communities of the Gansbaai area, especially the underprivileged youth) to self-funding models (like the Green Futures project, a Horticulture and Life Skills College that provides an annual training programme to 12 unemployed young adults from the Gansbaai area - the sale of plants and provision of landscaping services by the students provides income to the college) to projects where guests can get directly involved(the Future Trees Project aims at redeveloping an area of indigenous forest that was destroyed in a fire in 2006 – guests can purchase a tree and will get its location recorded and mapped using a GPS in order to visit in the future to see its progress and growth).
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Food at Grootbos is not only a culinary feast, but also organic and locally sourced. Each night, the chef will create a new indulgent 5-course menu to celebrate the local produce and delight his diners. All of the herbs, as well as organic eggs, honey, pork, vegetables and fruit come from the on-site Growing the Future project – where local women are taught food production and life skills. This not only ensures ultimate freshness of the produce, but also contributes to upliftment of the local community. If all of that does not make for the perfect dining experience, then add the spectacular views and I dare say that no-one will leave the table disappointed!
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A stay at Grootbos will pamper your senses in more ways than one and leave you feeling fulfilled in body and in soul!
All images courtesy Grootbos except ''checking in'' - by Katarina Mancama