Cape Town - Opening in October 2015, Gondwana Game Reserve’s new Eco Camp offers close encounters of the wildlife kind, just a few hours out of Cape Town.
Gondwana is an 11 000 hectare private game reserve on the Garden Route, and it is the only fynbos reserve in the world where the Big Five roam freely. The reserve already houses luxury accommodation, but for those guests looking for a more tangible and authentic wildlife experience, the Eco Camp promises a holiday with a difference.
The six-day / five-night conservation experience allows guests to participate in wildlife and veld management, learn important bush skills and interpretation, as well as volunteer with the local community.
Owner of Gondwana Mark Rutherford, commenting on the inspiration behind the new Eco Camp, says, “we want the Eco Camp to provide people with the opportunity to experience a game reserve outside of the traditional safari-type set up; not just as a guest but as a participant.
“The Eco Camp itinerary is based on creating a meaningful conservation experience for individuals of any age. From the tented camp itself through to participatory meals and activities, everyone has a chance to get their hands dirty while learning new skills, and hopefully, having a lot of fun as well”.
A typical day at the Gondwana Eco Camp would start with a 6am wake-up, followed by breakfast, a morning activity like cheetah tracking and then a conservation project, like surveying vegetation. This would be followed by lunch, before heading out on another eco excursion. At around 4pm guests would set off on an evening game monitoring drive for about two hours, then return to camp to freshen up before a hearty fireside dinner. The day would conclude with an evening talk and some prep for the next day’s activities, then some well-deserved rest in the cozy tents.
This is not your average tented accommodation; the Eco Camp’s tents are modern, eco-friendly and very comfortable. The five tents provide single or double accommodation, each with their own en-suite bathroom facilities, set on elevated decks overlooking a grass-covered riverbed. A wooden walkway over the riverbed links the accommodation to a central tent, which houses the lounge, dining space and kitchen area. “The camp is remotely located in the reserve,” says Mark, “therefore all power is supplied by solar energy or gas. Each tent has an indoor shower and sink with hot water, as well as ablution facilities. There is also a shaded relaxation area with hammocks and outdoor lounge seating, as well as a reservoir pool to jump into after a hard day in the bush.”
Food is always an important part of a holiday, especially when guests will be expending so much energy, and Gondwana has taken this all into consideration. “The meals are wholesome and homemade, using local fresh ingredients. Guests can expect dishes like game pies, oxtail stew and vegetable lasagna. They will also participate in making braais (barbeques) and potjies (a three-legged cast iron pot used to make stew on an open fire), and learn how to prepare a variety of breads to enjoy with dinner,” says Mark. Lunch will be enjoyed out on the reserve, between activities and projects, but there will always be time to stop and cook hamburgers and sausages on a bush fire or dish up some wonderful homemade soup, depending on the weather forecast.
As the reserve is home to the free-roaming Big Five, as well as 16 antelope species and 17 carnivore species, it is very likely that guests will tick off many wildlife sightings from their wish-list. “However,” notes Mark, “nothing is guaranteed as the reserve is wild and vast, but it is highly likely over the six-day period that visitors will spot the Big Five, among many other species.”
The tented camp is located centrally in the reserve, nestled into a beautiful valley blanketed in Fynbos. As the lighting is limited around the camp, it is fenced off to prevent dangerous game from moving through, so there should be no concern about danger.
The Eco Camp will also host a family program during specific weeks, which caters for guests with children from six years of age upwards. Mark elaborates, “these programs create an opportunity for parents and children to have fun in nature while learning about conservation and participating in important projects. We ensure the activities are not too long, or too strenuous for the little ones, to keep them motivated and happy. Family projects are developed for all age groups to be able to actively participate. While the regular, more adult program (16 years and up) brings in elements of wildlife monitoring and research, for the younger crowd we will substitute this with activities like fishing, treasure hunts and nature crafts to keep it fun and interactive.”
For more information or for any reservation enquiries please contact Gondwana Game Reserve by telephone on +27 21 555 0807 or by email on [email protected] or visit www.gondwanagr.co.za
Adapted from a press release for IOL