Escape To a Reserve Where Your Spirit Roams Free

Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat is an ecological oasis designed to allow guests to embrace the essence of life and restore themselves through the nature’s powerful healing energy. This malaria and predator-free reserve is situated at the foothills of the Cederberg Mountains, 270km from Cape Town in the heart of Rooibos country. Bushmans Kloof is best described as a family-run sanctuary of beauty and timeless tranquility set amidst wide open plains, majestic rock formations and crystal clear waterfalls.

Deeply rooted in nature, Bushmans Kloof focuses on offering solace to the body, mind and spirit. The intimate spa and riverside spa gazebo are inspired by the unique holistic healing qualities so special to this area and include ancient treatments and remedies complemented by indigenous rooibos, flowers and plants.

Walk with wildlife, breathe fresh air rich with the scent of fynbos, and enrich your mind with the tales of the ancient Bushman. Activities are literally limitless, including nature drives, walking and hiking trails, exceptional rock art sites, mountain biking, fishing, canoeing and swimming in clear rock pools.

Inhale the beauty and succumb to the peace. Arrive as you are, but depart renewed in tranquility.

My Favorite Night Game Drive

One of my favorite night game drives experiences took place in Zambia’s Kafue National Park on the Busanga Plains.  After enjoying a lovely sundowner cocktail we were making our way back to camp for dinner.  The night sky was brilliant with the stars twinkling above in the saturated black sky. It is such a pleasure to escape the light pollution of my everyday life and see the night sky.   

The vehicles headlights were showing us the way as we cut our way through the still grasses that had grown up during the wet season even along the center of the dirt road.  And then we came to a wonderful sighting.  A large pride of lion feeding on a kill.  The lion seemed restless and agitated by our presence and the fact they we had interrupted their feast.   They were very vocal so we backed off to a safe distance and that’s when our guide did something a bit unexpected.  Off went the engine, off went the headlights, off went the spotlight, ON went the NIGHT. 

We sat in pitch darkness and listened, listened to the lion’s mealtime conversations and terrible table manners.  The crunching of bones, the roaring argument over who got the last leg, not to mention the chorus of insects who provided that background music.  It was probably only 30 seconds but it felt much longer – and I will never forget it. 

Giraffe Woman

One of several nicknames I was given as a 17 year old exchange student living in South Africa was (translated) “Giraffe Woman.”  I would like to think that it was my graceful walk, relaxed demeanor or lovely eyes or lashes that earned me the name, but I suspect it was my height (6 foot tall). 

Regardless, the giraffe is one of my favorite animals and one of my favorite sightings of a giraffe happened on what to that point had been a fairly uneventful game drive.  I can’t recall the location, although it must have been southern Africa.  

When we came around a bend in the road, the area was fairly heavily wooded and to our utter amazement and surprise (not very far from our location) witnessed the very last moments of the birth of a baby giraffe.  What a privilege, I have photographic proof, only the memory of how it made me feel to see such a unique thing. 

Moral of the story:  YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT A DAY ON SAFARI MIGHT BRING.