South Africa: A Field Report From the Travel Office

South Africa: Along the coast between Cape Town and Hermanus.

One of Africa’s most diverse and beautiful countries, South Africa is a top destination for Andrew Harper members year after year. This county’s exciting safaris, historic cities and world-class wineries have not escaped the notice of our travel consultants, and Anne Driscoll recently vacationed there with her husband and daughter. She experienced much of the best South Africa has to offer, enjoying safaris in malaria-free private game reserves, a drive along the spectacularly scenic Garden Route, the urban charms of Cape Town and a relaxing finish in the heart of wine country. We sat down to chat with her about her journey and discovered that she loved just about every minute of it.

Here are a few particularly memorable moments she shared with us:

We stayed in a huge Egoli Suite at the Saxon in Johannesburg. The common areas are all outside, and you feel like you’re in some sort of paradise. I wasn’t expecting that.

At Mateya Safari Lodge, we saw a lot of game. One afternoon, I was in the bathtub and I saw an elephant run by! The art at this lodge is also really amazing.

We were very impressed by the eight-seat private jet Tswalu Kalahari uses for its transfers — even the hangar was beautiful. Our private guide there was so knowledgeable. We were amazed by what he knew about all the birds and mammals we saw.

Ellerman House just outside of Cape Town is everything people say — it’s fantastic. Incredible artwork was everywhere we turned. And we had such a beautiful view. Lying in bed, we could look out over the Atlantic.

Near Hermanus, which impressed me because it’s a real working village, we stayed at Birkenhead House. It’s on a cliff overlooking the sea, and we could just sit on a chaise and whale-watch. Unbelievable! Paved paths go along the coast for 10 miles in either direction from the hotel.

My daughter and husband hiked up Table Mountain, and because it was clear, they had some incredible views. We had beautiful rooms at One&Only, a lively resort with a huge spa.

We also stayed at La Residence, which is 45 minutes from the Cape Town airport, and it was an extraordinary finish to our trip. We liked La Residence so much, we didn’t even make it to any wineries. We left just thinking “Wow!”

Sundowners at Tswalu Kalahari