Things to do in Moer & Gone Places
Things to do in Moer & Gone Places your Guide to over 100 of South Africa’s outdoor secrets
Discover South Africa as you have never seen it before. Outdoor secret destinations covering activities, accommodation, amenities and sights.
Cape Vidal – Elephant Coast – KwaZu
lu Natal
Where else in the world can you see dolphins early in the morning while sipping your coffee; hippo, rhino and graceful giraffe during your game drive, a shy nyala or timid little red duiker flitting through the trees around your cabin, humpback whales breaching at sundowners during the winter months, or turtles scuttling to and from their nesting sites on a balmy summer nights? Cape Vidal of course!
Cape Vidal is a magnificent coastal resort that really has the best of both worlds.
Book : Page 29 -32
De Vasselot Campsite – Garden Route – Western Cape
Discover a secret world of deep-forest delights and indigenous woodland unfolding onto an unspoiled coastline. Serenity seems to have staked a permanent claim in the heart of the Tsitsikamma forest where you’ll find the peaceful village of Nature’s Valley, aptly named, as an abundance of flora and fauna can be found in the valley stretching from the rugged coastline up to the forest. De Vasselot Campsite, part of the Garden Route National Park, nestles on the banks of the beautiful lagoon created by the Groot River, surrounded by giant yellowwoods, dangling with monkey ropes and covered in old man’s beard.
Book : Page 37-38
Gariep Forever Resort – Transgariep – Free State
We know that you are always trying to get past this dusty, endlessly flat plain between Colesberg and Bloemfontein as fast as you can, but next time, slow down and turn off to Gariep Dam. You will not be disappointed by this aqua paradise surrounded by ironstone koppies and mini Serengeti plains. This vast, coffee-coloured inland lake has a whole whack of things going for it.
Gariep River Resort is just the spot for a perfect family getaway; it is not crowded, it is safe, affordable, impeccably clean and staffed by a whole bunch of smiling, small-town characters. It nestles on the amber shores of South Africa’s largest man-made lake, it sits under big ocean skies and has a crazy list of activities and facilities that will definitely enchant the whole tribe!
Book : Page 53 – 55
Karkloof Conservancy – Midlands – Kwazulu Natal
If you’re not from the KwaZulu Natal Midlands it may not be that easy to find out where the Karkloof Conservancy begins and ends. What I did know was where the town of Howick was situated, and this was on the border of the conservacy, so at least I was in the right ball park. According to the locals, anything north of Midmar Dam and Howick and south of Curry’s Post, and in between the N3 and R32, basically fits the bill.
Once you have discovered the Karkloof Valley, however, chances are you won’t want to leave. With all the dramatic waterfalls, indigenous mist forests and diverse grasslands offering an impressive range of outdoor adventures, who could blame you? Combine this with a tranquil rural environment, brimming with coffee roasteries, delectable deli eateries, arty-crafty outlets and even a wine farm, then you know you have a winning recipe.
Book : Page 80 – 83
Sanddrif Holiday Resort – West Coast – Western Cape
The huge monolith of a mountain known as the Cederberg is without a doubt one of the Western Cape’s favourite outdoor playgrounds. A sandstone heaven waits once you cross the meandering Oliphant’s River, with undulating fynbos slopes, contorted rock formations and backwater pools. Sanddrif lies tucked away on the lush banks of the Dwars River at the foot of the Wolfberg, the ideal base for nature lovers and adventurers, as it is accessible, though still remote.
Book : Page 140
Umnagazi River
Bungalows – Wild Coast – Eastern Cape
Free-range ..that is what your kids (and you) will do best at Umgazi. This leisure resort is one of those blueprint family holiday destinations, and its setting on the banks of the Umngazi River will relax you as soon as you pass through the wooden gates. It may well be only a 12 km drive along the potholed road off the highway, but once you’re there, it will feel as if you have utterly escaped the rat race.
Book : Page 160 – 163
Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge– Thabo Mofutsanyane – Free State
Witsieshoek is one of those destinations you will only get to if you travel to the very end of the road, and therefore makes a perfect spot to include it this book.It’s brass-monkey cold; the subalpine ridges bristle with high, frost-burnt grass, the air is champagne-sparkle clear, and the Amphitheatre skyline – overshadowed by the ragged buttress of Sentinel Peak – can only be described as an iconic panorama. Witsieshoek Mountain Lodge dates back to the days of Basotho QwaQwa a name that means “white-white” because of all the snow that falls here in winter. Thabo Mofutsanyane rates as one of the country’s most scenic regions, and you will need at least a month to truly get under the skin of this timeless place and space. Get high in what is proper cloud country here, and lose yourself in the great outdoors.
Book : Page 173 – 176
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