LOOK: Escape to these 3 getaways for the long Youth Day weekend
|Published
WITH the Youth Day long weekend (June 16) approaching, many are looking for easily accessible city breaks.
Long weekends provide travellers with ample time to travel, explore and recover just in time to be back at work rejuvenated and refreshed.
The trick is to find an escape that is close to the city, so you don’t have to travel more than an hour or two to reach your destination.
If you’re looking for quick hassle-free places to visit in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, we have a few suggestions.
Magaliesberg
Magaliesburg is perfect for a weekend getaway outside of the city for those in Pretoria or Johannesburg. The small town is a picturesque short hour drive from these cities.
Magaliesburg lies in a valley between gorgeous mountains, indigenous woodlands, and meandering rivers.
It offers a tranquil setting and a variety activities, including hot air balloon safaris, mountain bike rentals, geological trips into caves, strawberry picking farms and elephant safaris at a nearby elephant rehabilitation sanctuary.
Consider a stay at Rising Rocks, a charming self-catering cottage located approximately 4km from Magaliesburg, for R1 400 a night for three.
Rain Farm Game Lodge, Ballito
Less than an hour’s drive from Durban, in the Ballito Umhlali region, lies Rain Farm Game Lodge.
The lodge is a stunning place for a quick out of the city escape as it offers breathtaking views of the farm, luxury accommodation in the tranquil wildlife surrounds, game drives, trailed walks, horse trails, archery, rock climbing, abseiling and paintball shooting, just to name a few.
The lodge also has a children’s playground, day spa and miniature golf.
On your game drive, you can spot dassies, porcupines, mongoose, giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, impalas, ostriches and warthogs.
A stay at the lodge starts from R2 500 a night for two.
The Riebeek Valley
The Riebeek Valley is a one hour drive north of Cape Town and one of the oldest towns in the Western Cape.
The small town hugging the slopes of Kasteelberg is known for olives, wheat and wine. The region is perfect for those looking to travel off the beaten path and those looking to go on a gastronomical experience.
The valley is surrounded by undulating farmland and is perfect for a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of the city or a day of wine tasting, dining, and genuine South African hospitality, whether you are a wine connoisseur or olive enthusiast.
There are plenty of wine farms to visit on the Riebeeck Valley Route including Kloovenburg Wines, Pulpit Rock Wines, Het Vlock Kasteel and Meerhof Winery.
You can also visit Môi Art Gallery and the Riebeek Valley Museum to explore the history and culture of the small town.
Consider a stay at The Royal Hotel starting at R1 990 a night for two.