By RTC Member Margaret Coleman. Please note that the experiences in this Travelogue is not an RTC Group trip but it does include information for the Game Reserves and the Cresta Grande Hotel in Cape Town which members will experience on a Group Trip.

SOUTH AFRICA MARCH 2025

In March 2025 I embarked on a cruise ship for South Africa – a destination which I had never been to and had always wondered about.  My own journey started in Mauritius, and despite a cyclone hitting the island at the time I was there I had at least one full day of packed, memorable sightseeing which I had booked independently before I left home.  I have written about the real Mauritius experience, as opposed to the 5-star beach resort venue, which you can find on my website. 

This is where I embarked on the ship and we cruised all the way down the Indian Ocean and the Mozambique Channel. Our first stop on the agenda was destined to be Reunion Island, which I was so much looking forward to, however, due to the aforementioned cyclone this had to be cancelled. So, the ship sailed on to Antisaranana, Madagascar.  You can find my travelogue on Madagascar on my website. 

Richards Bay, South Africa was where I first stepped onto this beautiful continent. Situated between Durban and Maputo and to the Northeast of Cape town Richards Bay is one of the largest harbours on this magnificent continent. Although there is not much of significance to see in the town itself this area offers an abundance of opportunities to immerse oneself into the true culture of Africa. Naturally, there are many African Safaris to choose from but as I had already booked three safaris which I was immensely looking forward to, I booked a trip to an authentic Zulu village instead.

Damazulu village is a real life, working Zulu village approximately 1 hour journey from the harbour. This was an experience I was truly grateful for as I felt like I was being transported back in time.  Entering into the village you first encounter the Zulu traditional houses. Houses of Zulu are circular in shape, with a dome roof made of thatch.  The houses are round, with only one entrance and exit, with no corners, meaning no bad spirits can enter the house.  They are made with mud, grass, tree poles, and mud bricks. During our visit we were allowed to enter a couple of houses.

In Zulu culture it was a man’s responsibility to build a house, but women also help to build the house, as their husbands could work far away from home. The doors of houses must face on the same direction. The floor is made using mixtures of cow dung and ant-heap soil, to make the floor strong. Only one door is a point of entry and for exiting that house. Normally these entrances were made to be lower to such a point that when anyone who enters will sort of bow their bodies in accordance with Zulu culture. 

The Zulu people greeted us in traditional dress.  The women wore colourful dress and hats (if married) beads, necklaces, bracelets, and anklets.  The men wore cowskins on their ankles and wrists and used shields made of cowhide. Everything is made by hand by the villagers themselves, mainly the women, except for the hunting spears which are made by the men. We were treated to several traditional dance rituals, including a ‘mating’ ritual whereby both the men and the women had to do high kicks and compete with each other to see who could kick the highest!  There were old bones outside one of the houses which are used for fortune-telling.  Alas, the fortune teller was not there at the time of our visit or I would have availed of his expertise in this regard! In Zulu tradition cows are sacred animals and are given as a wedding present. The number of cows depends on the bank balance!  Apparently if you have 9 cows or more you are quite well off. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience of the Zulu village.

Coal mining is a huge industry in South Africa – so much so that while the ship was anchored in Richards Bay, (beside a large mine) we had to close our balcony doors as everything was covered in coal dust. The following day I had black marks on my arms from leaning on the balcony! 

I noticed on our bus journeys throughout South Africa the roads are excellent and very well planned and in great condition. The main motorway is almost 1,800 kilometres long and goes all the way from Richards Bay past Mozambique to Cape town.  Here, you cannot escape from the other major South African industry – Vineyards.  Lots of them! It’s a very pleasant sight whilst travelling along otherwise dusty roadsides and motorways to see the 4ft high vines growing in abundance, with the promise of some delicious local wine tasting later.

The only sad part is seeing the absolute poverty as we speed past so many shanty towns with abodes typically made of materials such as mud and wood, or from cheap building materials such as corrugated iron sheets. It is a stark reminder of how lucky we are and how much we have, not just materially, but in life’s opportunities for travel and education amongst other advantages. It brings home humility and appreciation for what we have and how lucky we are not to have been born into that life, where food is paramount and there are little or no opportunities to escape the poverty.

On our approach back to the ship there was a lovely ethnic open market on the dock with many stalls. Surprisingly, there were no t-shirts for sale here, but a vast array of beautiful wooden carvings and crystal carvings.  Local cash only (of course!) although one or two vendors were able to take payment via a point-of-sale instrument. We were spoilt for choice here however, most of the carvings were too big to take onto the ship and it was not feasible to transport them home. There was so much I really wanted to buy, there was one particular beautiful carving of a giraffe but would be impossible to carry home. However, I did treat myself to a small African elephant carved from African stone as well as a Citrine necklace. 

Our next destination was Port Elizabeth.  

Port Elizabeth

Many years ago, I met a lady from Port Elizabeth whilst travelling on a flight from Seattle to London, and for a whole 12 hours I had to listen to her praising her home town of Port Elizabeth, as she smoked at least 40 cigarettes on that journey alone. I eventually ended up ‘promising’ her I would visit Port Elizabeth someday.  I’m sure this lady has long left this world since that encounter but on arrival to her hometown I remembered her. 

As with Richards Bay there was not much to see in Port Elizabeth itself and just as well because I had booked my first African safari here and I couldn’t wait. A lovely, air-conditioned bus took us to the Kwantu Private Game Reserve in Sidcup. On arrival there was a delicious buffet lunch waiting for us followed by a traditional song and dance show in traditional dress, and then off we went in our jeeps to see the safari wildlife.

We were first greeted on the drive up to the reserve by a majestic, enormous male elephant.  Now, I felt like I had truly arrived in Africa.  All around the reserve were many termites’ mounds – some of them absolutely huge.  Over the next couple of fascinating hours, we saw so much wildlife in their natural habitat.  The ranger explained that they leave most of nature to itself.  There are no veterinarians here as it is very rarely, they are used.  The rangers rarely (if ever) interfere in this natural habitat and only in extreme circumstances.  They monitor the animals while they roam around the reserve to ensure their health and safety and the security of the reserve itself. 

Antelope were abundant and bounced along like they hadn’t a care in the world.  Interspersed by free roaming Warthogs these innocent creatures were so vulnerable to the dangers around them, but bearing in mind this is nature in its core, and each animal is food for another.  At one point we were watching two young warthogs happily skipping along and suddenly out of nowhere a lion appeared looking for lunch. Although we didn’t witness the ‘kill’, as it happened in a nearby bush, it was nonetheless upsetting and disturbing, but we had to remember where we were – in the heart of nature itself.

Our next encounter was with a beautiful, rare white lion and lioness. They lay on the grass and observed us closely and we were warned to stay still and not to underestimate them. Moving on we saw lots of Zebras, including a separate party of 2 parents and 4 baby zebras and that was such a privilege to see them in their natural habitat. Our ranger explained how each Zebra has different markings – much like our fingerprints for identification.  Passing by a body of muddy water we got our first view of hippos and rhinos.  To see these magnificent creatures up close and in their natural environment was a treat indeed.  

Grey herons and black parrots who are native to the region watched us closely as we journeyed around the reserve. Before we arrived back at base our ranger took us to the tigers’ territory.  Hoping to get a glimpse of one of these magnificent creatures we were in luck as we spotted him lazing on a rock like he owned the place (which he does, of course). It was a privilege and quite humbling to observe nature this way. 

Mossel Bay / Mossel Baie

Mossel Bay was the nicest port I had seen so far in South Africa.  Approaching the port on a tender boat from ship to shore I witnessed the first real beach in the distance, whilst seals and dolphins played in the water all around us and there were no bad smells coming from the harbour!  The temperature was lower here, a very pleasant low 20 degrees Celsius and no humidity.  It reminded me of the climate in Hawaii. 

When the Portuguese first landed on this shore in 1488, they had little or no food left in their supplies, so they sustained themselves by eating lots of mussels which were growing in multitude into the walls of this bay.  Hence, the name Mossel Bay. 

Today, we drove along the Garden Route which stretches all the way from Cape Town to Mossel Bay, to visit the Botlierskop Private Reserve for another safari, which proved to be even more enjoyable than my experience at the Rwantu Reserve yesterday.   I saw many more animals such as Elephants, Lions, Cheetahs, Buffalo, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Rhino, Egress and Ostrich.  At this stage the only animal I had not seen was the Leopard, but the rangers explained there were no leopards in either reserve.  Regardless, the ranger explained that leopards are very hard to ‘spot’ as they climb trees and are in camouflage within their surroundings, making it easier for them to pounce on their unsuspecting prey.

All animals use their ears to listen for any sounds as most of them (particularly in the ‘big 5’) have very poor eyesight.  The vulnerable, like the antelope stay in packs or groups with each of the adults facing a different direction on constant alert for predators.

The white egress bird stays with the buffalo as the buffalo cannot digest much of its food (only 40%) so the clever egress hangs out waiting to eat whatever the buffalo has not digested in his waste. The buffalo is an enormous, dangerous and intimidating animal (although quite beautiful and magnificent) and it’s an amazing sight to witness these little white birds sitting on the heads of these enormous beasts.  The ranger explained that the park was huge and all the animals were lucky to be living here, and there’s no way any of them would want to leave this place, as they have food in abundance, the way nature intended, and they roam freely.  Most of them sleep during the day and hunt at nighttime.  The rangers ensured us that as much of their natural environment (including their natural, eventual demise) prevails.  The rangers care deeply about these animals and their natural habitat.  

Some of the big cats have a collar around their neck because they live in the wild, some of them have on a couple of occasions ‘escaped’ from the park onto neighbouring farmers land and killed and eaten a calf. On these occasions the farmer has every right to shoot the perpetrator on sight, but nowadays most of them would contact the park to remove them from their land and return them to their park. It is obvious that this is more than a job to most of the rangers.  It’s a devotion and I can sleep better at night having learned that.

CAPETOWN 

There is so much to do and see in Cape Town!  My time here was short, and I was determined to do as much as I possibly could to make the most of it. 

Despite being up at 5am and ready to disembark the ship at the arranged time of 8am to make the most of my time in Cape Town it all went into disarray at the port.  There were huge delays due to another cruise ship arriving just before ours (which had not been due yet) and poor port management resulting in long delays for our disembarkation.  On top of this a further impact was that the shuttle buses had not arrived to take us to our hotel, due to being overbooked with the other cruise ship. Hours later we were eventually allowed off the ship ourselves but there was no guidance or direction from anyone in the port, so we were left to our own devices.  I somehow located my own suitcases and then had to go look for a taxi (along with the hordes of others who were unsuspectingly launched into the same unfortunate position as me) whilst lugging my suitcases and my bags.  Not easy on your own – especially when you don’t know where you are or where you’re going! Now, I understood the literal meaning of the word ‘luggage’!  

Eventually, noticing I was on my own, a taxi man approached me and, as the heat and the crowds were overbearing and I was bordering on a panic attack and with no other options open to me I agreed to walk with him to his taxi.  He took charge of all my luggage, and I wasn’t in a position to argue - so gratefully, I walked with him to his car and gave him the address of my hotel. It was a relief to sit in the taxi, and I was looking forward to checking into my hotel and going off to explore. I had already lost around 5 precious hours of my day here in Cape Town due to the chaos in the port.

But I was soon to discover that a further impact of the port mayhem had caused absolute traffic chaos downtown. Apparently, the journey from the port to my hotel should have taken approximately 10 minutes, however, because of the chaos in port and too many people arriving at the same time traffic was in gridlock and so, it took almost an hour to reach my hotel. I noticed the streets had historical and influential names like Nelson Mandela Boulevard and F.W. de Klerk Boulevard, Adderly Street and the Victoria and Albert Waterfront. 

My initial relief at reaching the hotel in Strand Street was short-lived as there were a huge queues and long delays at the check-in desks.  We discovered that this was due to a travel company going bankrupt and their customers were left in limbo, so the hotel receptionists were trying to arrange alternative accommodation for them elsewhere.  Meanwhile, the rest of us were stuck behind them and it was all getting very frustrating. The hotel should have assigned one member of staff to this incident so the rest of the guests could check-in without further delay. After waiting for over an hour I approached a member of staff and explained that I was with a different travel agency, and I just wanted to check into my room if possible.  He checked my booking and told me my room was not yet ready (even though this was now afternoon) but I could leave my luggage in the luggage room and go upstairs to the lounge until my room was ready.  Although I was exhausted at this stage from wasting the whole day, I agreed I had no choice but to wait and get some food in the hotel in the meantime.  Others had decided to go out and explore but as I was on my own, I took heed of the warnings not to go out alone in Cape Town (at least not until I had eaten and rested a short while). 

Around 90 minutes later I had eaten and checked into my room and despite knowing it was dangerous to go out alone I just had to get out and see some of this city for myself.  I asked the receptionist where I could find the nearest ‘big red bus’s station for sightseeing and although it was only about 400 yards away, he insisted on walking me there, in broad daylight.  Now, I know Cape Town is considered to be very ‘unsafe’ for anyone to walk around, not least a female white redhead on her own, but I was venturing out regardless. After a few minutes I happily boarded the bus and couldn’t wait to take in my new surroundings with the advantageous view from the top of the bus!  The bus driver kept reminding us to wear a hat and sunscreen as the African sun was very unforgiving! Noted! I sprayed more factor 50 on my arms and my neck as the sun was indeed very hot and beating down relentlessly.

I couldn’t help but notice the amount of people who asked me ‘if I was on my own’ whilst looking at me as if I had ten heads. I’ll admit this had me somewhat unsettled, but I kept my wits about me and stayed in the company of other people and didn’t stray off on my own (which is most unlike me!)

Cape Town features British, Dutch and Malay influences.  The old architecture is beautiful, and reminiscence of days gone by.  I hope they retain these fabulous old houses and buildings in the city and don’t lose them to complete modernisation. I completed the full Red Route of the big red bus which is the best one and the most scenic.  We headed up Strand Street and Adderly St and down by the Victoria & Albert Waterfront again and headed onto the beautiful coastal route passing by Sea Point, Bantry Bay and all the way down to Camps Bay.  Then we headed uphill towards the majestic Table Mountain and passed by The Twelve Apostles. The Twelve Apostles are part of the Table Mountain complex overlooking Camps Bay in Cape Town, South Africa. The mountain range stretches 6 km almost to Hout Bay. They actually consist of eighteen peaks.

We ended up at the Table Mountain terminus where I got off the bus and seriously contemplated walking further up the mountain to take part in some of the activities like the zip line or the cable car for thrilling ways to make the most of the views. As tempting as it was, common sense took over me and I decided if I took part in any of the activities it would be dark before I got back on the big red bus and more importantly, it would be dark when I would be walking alone back to my hotel, so I very reluctantly decided to head back home. I was happy knowing I had seen Table Mountain and the Twelve Apostles and most of the main places of interest in Cape Town itself. It had been a long day already and I had another early start in the morning to go on my last Safari to the Aquila private game reserve.  

I got off the bus close to my hotel and bought a much-needed ice-cream and as I was only 2 or 3 streets away from my hotel I couldn’t help walking across the street to the local market. I kept to the main entrance and didn’t venture down any side alleys.  I got talking to a lovely lady who was selling hand-made African jewellery and bought a matching neckpiece and bracelet from her.  She asked me where I was from and then she asked me if I was on my own.  She told me under no circumstances was I to venture any further into the market and to go back to my hotel now, without delay.  So, I did. 

There were notices everywhere to be careful using ATM machines and to try to avoid it.  It was around 7pm and it would be dark soon and I intended to be back safely in my hotel within the next 5 minutes and I duly was. It’s worth noting that it is unsafe in Cape Town for anyone, and you are far better off travelling in pairs or better still, in groups and staying together.  It goes without saying – don’t wear any jewellery and leave expensive jewellery at home or in the hotel safe. The same goes for handbags.  Don’t flaunt them in the street and preferably wear a small cross-over body bag or a very secure money belt.

Like the aforementioned Botlierskop and Kwantu reserves, the Aquila private game reserve close to Cape Town boasts award-winning conservation efforts which are dedicated to protecting and restoring the Western Cape’s natural wildlife and are a vital part of Aquila’s nature reserve and animal rescue initiatives. This was my third safari in one week and by now I was feeling like a ‘local’ and on this occasion I sat back and relaxed (although it’s hard not to get excited when you are up close to these beautiful, magnificent animals, both huge and tiny, in their natural environment) and immersed myself into the atmosphere, determined to thoroughly enjoy my last day here. It was comforting to meet the rangers and to see them at work and to witness how much they care for these animals and their environment. I also learned that there are dedicated ‘anti-poaching’ units on constant alert. 

The famous Cape Leopard, or the Cape Mountain Leopards, which are smaller in size than other African leopards, have been seen in the Aquila game reserve but alas, it was not meant to be for me on this trip.  Nevertheless, I was so happy to see so many of the reserve animals again and it was an experience which I will never forget, and I am so grateful I will be able to tell so many people about (including future generations).  As I clasp onto my precious photos, many of them, I will always remember where I was and the magical wildlife which I was privileged to observe. 

Final Thoughts

I will definitely return to Cape Town as there is much more I want to see and experience here.  I much preferred the Western Cape to the East of South Africa. I have to return to see Robben Island and the Cape of Good Hope. I want more time to explore The Victoria & Albert Waterfront, as well as take part in some of the activities on Table Mountain which I missed out on during this visit due to lack of time. Cape Town is also a good base for travelling further afield, either in South Africa, or other African countries. 

The Cresta Grande Hotel is very centrally located on the corner of Strand Street and beside Adderly St which is the main street in Cape Town.  It’s also very close to the port and the Big Red Bus stops.  The staff are lovely and there is a bar up near the rooftop and a lovely restaurant.  There is also a small rooftop pool for anyone interested in cooling down in the harsh African heat! The staff are very happy to give directions and guidance and will probably advise you to pack away the jewellery and anything of value! The local beer is very good but be prewarned it’s strong.