GARDEN ROUTE Game Viewing
Gondwana Game Reserve
The start of spring and the third quarter of the year has officially begun. In the Southern Cape the sun is coming out more often, and slowly but surely the weather is getting warmer as the flowers start to bloom.
One of the most popular destinations for visitors during spring is the Garden Route – synonymous with beautiful forest areas and awe-inspiring ocean views. Plus there is Ulubisi House in Gondwana Game Reserve – the latest and most exclusive offering on the reserve.
Offering luxury at its finest, Ulubisi House is a private villa resting on an enclosed 1,000 hectare protected walking area inside the private, 11,000 hectare reserve. Surrounded by rolling hills overgrown with indigenous fynbos, small game as well as indigenous fauna and flora as far as the eye can see, the reserve is watched over by the Outeniqua and Langeberg Mountains.
The contemporary villa can accommodate six to eight people, and boasts the services of a field guide, a private chef and a butler for the convenience of guests to enjoy their stay at leisure, and experience game drives and delicious cuisine on their own schedules.
The spacious villa is perfect for inside-outside living. Sliding doors lead from the open-plan lounge and kitchen area, as well as from the two groundlevel bedrooms, to the patio where the pool and hot tub overlook the veld dotted with zebra, eland and the lesserspotted bontebok.
Once you are relaxing in the pool with a glass of wine in hand, basking in the sun, it is fairly difficult to motivate yourself to get up, get dressed and partake in the activities that the rest of the reserve offers. But it is well worth the effort.
As the only free-ranging Big Five private wildlife reserve in the Southern Cape, guests can expect to spot a myriad animals on the reserve during game drives, including lions, red hartebeest, the endangered Cape mountain zebra, springbok, kudu, buffalo, and perhaps even cheetah. Guests can
also look forward to possibly catching a glimpse of smaller carnivores such as the grey mongoose and small-spotted genet to medium-sized species such as the caracal and bat-eared fox. All are fairly easily spotted on the open landscape.
And, if you don’t spot your favourite animals on the first game drive, it’s nothing to worry about, as the experienced ranger will regale you with fascinating information about the fauna and flora of the reserve. The views from the vehicle while on the game drive are absolutely awe-inspiring to say the least – with the surrounding mountains providing a beautiful backdrop to any sunset or sunrise, and even the Indian Ocean peeping out on occasion.
Back at Ulubisi, an early or evening walk or mountain bike ride is a safe way to explore the protected walking area around the house and experience the micro ecosystem, as well as the small game that abound.
Whether you are a traveller seeking an ultra-luxurious experience in a pictureperfect setting, or a nature lover seeking a safari holiday to encounter the Big Five, Ulubisi House at Gondwana offers it all on one of South Africa’s most popular getaway routes.