Discovering South Africa’s Most Exquisite Experiences
South Africa is recognised for its incredible cultural diversity and exquisite natural heritage. Unique floral biomes, spectacular coastlines, breathtaking mountain ranges, and awe-inspiring desert regions give the country an unmitigated sense of uniqueness. This splendour is accessible via exceptional experiences that place luxury at their core. From diamonds and gold, sailing and safaris, to wine and fine art, South Africa offers up an incredible array of exceptional experiences simply waiting to be indulged in…
By paying a visit to the world-famous V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, you can gain mesmerizing insights into the world’s most precious gems via The Shimansky Diamond Experience. Elevated by the stunning Table Mountain as its backdrop, with views of Robben Island and the Waterfront harbour, discover the history of diamonds, witness their transformation into exquisite pieces of jewellery, and browse the Shimansky Showroom’s selection of signature and traditional diamond cuts, and exclusive jewellery designs.
Leaving Table Bay harbour behind, set sail in a bespoke Robertson and Caine to some of the world’s most exotic sailing grounds or merely circuit the Fairest Cape, a peninsula made legendary by the ocean’s first navigators. Cape Town-based Robertson and Caine are renowned for hand-crafted, award-winning sailing and power yachts.
For those who prefer to remain on solid ground, safaris have long been hailed as a restorative, life-changing experience. Here, South Africa does not disappoint either, boasting some of the world’s award-winning lodges and tented camps. Singita Lebombo Lodge, in the Kruger National Park, with striking contemporary interiors by Cecile & Boyd, is a perfect example. This luxury safari destination is an experience in nature that nurtures and restores. Through an extraordinary offering, from game drives and immersive bush walks to interactive cooking classes, while supporting critical wildlife conservation projects and community partnerships – it is the epitome of modern travel with a conscience.
De Toren Private Cellar is a fine example of highly collectable red wines crafted in small batches. This boutique estate, situated on the outskirts of Stellenbosch, is recognised on the global wine stage and has been bestowed with a number of awards and accolades for its exquisite Bordeaux-style blends, including being awarded 94 points by the prestigious United States-based Wine Enthusiast. The by-appointment estate offers premium tours and tastings of limited edition wines that thread through the organic vineyards, cellar and superb tasting area, which is situated within a beautiful Manor House sporting a panoramic view of False Bay.
With wine comes food and South Africa has a strong fine dining culture. With a hot list of award-winning establishments Cape Town is considered the Gourmet Capital of the world. Wolfgat restaurant in the quaint West Coast fishing village of Paternoster was named the Best Restaurant in the World at The World Restaurant Awards in Paris in February 2019. The toast of Pretoria is Restaurant Mosaic at The Orient. Mosaic and its Executive Chef Chantel Dartnall received a grand total of four coveted awards from Haute Grandeur Global Awards™ 2020, revered as the most prestigious event on the luxury hospitality calendar. No visit to South Africa is complete without sampling the culinary transformation of local seasonal ingredients into plated wonders.
South Africa is equally renowned for its contemporary and fine art scene with South African art commanding considerable prices on auction and at international fairs. Galleries such as Goodman, Everard Read, whatiftheworld and Stevenson represent renowned local artists and can provide curatorial advise on acquisitions – making them must-sees. Added to this are two global art museums the Norval Foundation and the Zeitz MOCAA, with fascinating revolving shows and permanent collections.
Each of these standout examples reveals how the country at the Southernmost tip of Africa brims with superlative, hard-to-replicate experiences. Set this destination in your sights…
