Mark and Alison visit Cape Town, Okavango Delta and Sabi Sands

THE FAIREST CAPE

We spent 3 magical nights at the Claremont Boutique Hotel set in a lovely suburb very conveniently located near many of Cape Town’s or attractions: Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch Gardens, the Victoria &Alfred Waterfront, Simon’s Town, and Franschhoek winelands. The weather was perfect, so we had to go up Table Mountain for the most amazing views and visit Kirstenbosch Gardens – the finest in all of Africa. 

We had some wonderful dining experiences in the Bo-Kaap Malay Quarter, Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia and the Veld & Vine Bistro.  Must mention sipping on a harmonious bottle of the DeTorren Book 17 2022!

OKAVANGO DELTA IN FULL EXPRESSION

We then took the direct flight from Cape Town to Maun (Botswana) and connected to a scheduled charter flight to the NG26 Abu Concession, recently taken over by Singita.

By invitation and hosted by James Bailes, we spent 4 days as a small group staying in a private mobile camp enjoying day and night game drives and motorboat excursions enjoying the plentiful wildlife on this 400,000 plus acre reserve had to offer, including elephant, lion, hyena, wild dog and a variety of other wildlife.  The Delta was at its most visually spectacular with epic water levels!

We toured the building site of new Singita Elela build which is destined to be the finest lodge in Botswana. Weaving between trees and under canopies, raised on stilts and panoramically open to the landscape, it offers a true sense of freedom and flow. The camp opens in December 2026 and will have 5 doubles, 2 two-bedroom suites and one 4-bedroom villa, all with plunge pools, private entrances, and private guides and vehicles. We were flown by helicopter to the northern part of the reserve to the sight of the second camp, Bonono, to be built sometime in the coming years.  This was a rare opportunity to see the Delta in full expression and deepen the understanding of the flooding!

For the Okavango to function as it should, different parts of the system need to flood at different intervals. Some inundate annually, others every few years, and some only once in decades. Each of these rhythms helps shape habitat type, from permanent wetland to seasonal grassland and dry woodland, supporting different species and ecological processes along the way. This is why high-water years matter. They are not interruptions to the system – they are part of the system.  Happy Elephants galore!

UNMATCHED ABUNDANCE

We flew back to Johannesburg for a night at the 5-star Saxon hotel.  We enjoyed some splendid seafood at The Big Mouth restaurant at Nelson Mandela Square.

Onward flight to Skukuza airport the next day, the gateway to Sabi Sands. We were transferred to Mala Mala Rattray’s Lodge, set in what may be the best game viewing area in Southern Africa – and it did not disappoint, with multiple leopards, wild dog and lion sightings, as well as lots of other game. The time spent with the new manager Sindy Bissett was wonderful to know that the lodge will be in good hands!

During our stay we visited the build of the new Khensani River Lodge being added to the Mala Mala Collection. This is a premier lodge opening in December 2026.

After years of planning, the Collection’s sixth property sits inside the MalaMala Game Reserve within the broader Sabi Sand region, part of the greater Kruger wilderness system where safari history carries real gravity. This is a landscape of unmatched abundance, that serious travelers and seasoned trade partners recognize as storied, coveted, and remarkably rewarding, not because it tries to surprise, but because it continues to behave like a sovereign ecosystem. 

An Evening of Fire in the Khensani boma is conceived as a chef-led live-fire gathering built around warmth, craft, and an unhurried rhythm. The fire is visible and central, a working heart rather than a decorative feature, creating a memory shaped by smoke, ember-glow, and conversation that stretches when no one is rushing.

The finale was visiting Tengile – one of the nicest lodges we have experienced. The decadence of the rooms, and unparallel hospitality, were off the charts. Tengile/Mala Mala stewardship has now returned to the Saad family. We wish them well!