GO AND GIVE BACK GROOTBOS PRIVATE NATURE RESERVE
For a beach break with conservation cred, Grootbos Private Nature Reserve is about as feelgood as it gets, with the area’s biodiversity, sustainability and community ethos offering some of the most rewarding experiences you can have on holiday. This slice of wilderness lies a three-hour drive south-east of Cape Town, in the heart of the 91,000km² Cape Floral Kingdom. Here, rugged coastline meets rolling slopes covered in ‘fynbos’, which means ‘fine bush’ in Afrikaans, referring to the 9000 different types of plants found only in South Africa’s Western Cape region. Camouflaged in this wild greenery, the Grootbos eco-resort features plush accommodation in the Garden Lodge, Forest Lodge, and two private villas with views all the way to the Cape of Good Hope, and the kind of luxury that has kept the likes of Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Halle Berry comfy.
While Grootbos has the solid gold service and luxe touches you’d expect of a five-star lodge, its heart is decidedly green. In fact, the resort’s owners, the Lutzeyer family, created the Grootbos Foundation in 2003 to offer educational and vocational training to the community, and they assist literally thousands of kids through their Football Foundation and weekly sports programs. Plus, their acclaimed Siyakhula Organic Farm provides not only agricultural and sustainable animal husbandry skills to locals, it also supplies all vegies, eggs and honey to the lodges. There’s also their community farm based in neighbouring Gansbaai, and their Future Trees project, which has planted 3310 indigenous plants since 2008. These are just a handful of the many projects Grootbos has on the go, and guests are invited to get involved – that is, if you can tear yourself away from the many outdoor adventures on offer. During my two-night stay I explore the reserve on a 4x4 flower safari, where my guide Alison points out everything from the medicinal plants to the prolific birdlife. If you’re feeling active, you can also explore the reserve on a horse, hike or fat-bike.
After you’ve immersed yourself in this lush landscape, head to the coastal town of Gansbaai, on Van Dyks Bay, where you can join a cruise to see the area’s iconic sealife (think: southern right whales, Cape fur seals, humpback dolphins, bronze whaler sharks) and visit the Dyer Island Conservation Trust’s African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary, where injured birds from the bay are rehabilitated. The trust also protects and studies the great white sharks the area is famous for, and you can support its work by suiting up for a cage dive with its partner, Marine Dynamics. Being a bit of a scaredy cat, I’m quite nervous as I slip into the cage, but once I’m in I’m surprised by just how relaxing it is to be in the water with these misunderstood predators. As they glide by, I’m in awe of their grace and speed, and I’m heartened to know the Trust is protecting them. It’s a fitting way to end a trip to Grootbos, where you feel like your holiday really can make a difference.
For info, see grootbos.com; dict.org.za; sharkwatchsa.com