Art, Wine & Safari - Cape Town & Kruger, South Africa 2019

The Silo Hotel offers wonderful private art tours that allow guests the opportunity to learn about the incredible African art scene and to celebrate the incredible artists and their work. Widely recognised as one of the best art hotels in the world (by the likes of Forbes and The Telegraph), The Silo Hotel houses a remarkable collection.

Situated below The Silo Hotel lies the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), the world's largest contemporary African art museum. This incredible space is a momentous mark on Africa’s cultural canvas, an exciting new era for African artists, and a remarkable achievement for our beautiful continent. This public, not-for-profit art museum collects, preserves, researches, and exhibits twenty-first century art from Africa and its Diaspora. Containing over 100 galleries, spread over nine floors, this exquisite space boasts a diverse and unique range of contemporary African art. Various tours of the museum are available, including AfriSam Audio Tours, Art Tours, Architectural Tours, and Children’s Tours.

The Silo Spa, located on the fourth floor of The Silo Hotel, has five treatment rooms, two of which can be made into a couple’s room. A tranquil space in which guests can relax and indulge in the latest therapies and spa techniques. There’s also a gym, sauna and a dedicated manicure and pedicure area. Enjoy signature treatments using top international products including Ling and Black Pearl. The Silo Spa is the only spa in Africa to use exclusive Ling products.

Robben Island, easily seen from the rooftop of The Silo Hotel, is situated only 9kms offshore from Cape Town. The island was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 because of its historic political importance, having been where Nelson Mandela lived for 18 of the 27 years that he was a political prisoner during the apartheid regime. It is advisable to allow us to pre-book this very popular tour on your behalf. Allow half a day for this tour.

Table Mountain is a great source of pride for Capetonians. At 240 million years old it is older than the Andes, the Rockies, The Himalayas and the Alps. It was acknowledges as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, a few years ago. A four-minute cable car ride will take you to the 1067m “table top”, with spectacular views on the way up. Enjoy walking along the pathways and taking photographs, there is also a restaurant for refreshments. Table Mountain hosts one of the richest floral kingdom on earth, with more than 1 470 floral species.

Cape Town has some of the world’s most beautiful beaches on offer. Clifton Beaches: there are four Clifton beaches, each as beautiful as the next. Camps Bay: the palm fronds of Camps Bay make for the most dramatic sunset pictures – and the main street across from the beach has a number of bars and restaurants and is a great spot for cocktails or a bite to eat. Muizenberg: head down to the Sunrise Beach in Muizenberg and take a surfing lesson with the local experts. Cape Point & Boulders Beach: explore the Cape Peninsula and see the fascinating penguins of Boulder’s Beach on a day trip from Cape Town. There are smaller, lesser known beaches - let us know how we can direct you to the beach experience of your choice. Please ask a member of our team should you need directions or transport.

The best place to experience Cape Malay cuisine is on a walking tour through the Bo-Kaap District in Cape Town, an area with steep cobblestone streets and brightly-coloured houses where former Cape Malay slaves settled in the early 19th century. Stop to enjoy a local bobotie, sosatie, koeksister or Cape Malay curry for lunch whilst learning about the rich heritage of the Cape Malay people who live there.

Here at Mont Rochelle wine tasting isn’t just a special event – it’s an everyday occurrence. Wine tastings can be organised in a variety of locations, including in Miko Restaurant, at our bar, at the
Country Kitchen and in our wine cellar (as you might expect!).

The 150 year old wine cellar was previously used as a fruit packing shed for the early settlers. Since being converted to a traditional wine cellar Mont Rochelle can now process close to 150 tons of grapes in a season, and these smaller volumes afford more concentration on quality rather than quantity. Stainless steel tanks aid in the making of the crisp clean whites, while barrels are favoured for the red wine making. Wines are available to purchase.

Cellar and Winery Tours - Monday - Friday at 11h00 - complimentary (pre-booking required)

Premium Winery Tours are also available on a Monday / Wednesday / Friday at 11h00 with Mont Rochelle’s very own Wine Maker. This is a true winery experience lasting approximately 20 minutes where you’ll be taken around Mont Rochelle’s winery and cellar, ending with a Wine tasting (pre-booking required)

Take a dip and relax in the main outdoor heated swimming pool at Mont Rochelle - there are some fantastic views of the Franschhoek Mountains. Bar service is available around the pool and fresh pool towels are available.

What could be more relaxing than a spa treatment during your stay? Mont Rochelle has two dedicated spa treatment rooms as well as a Hammam. We use the eco-friendly Africology ‘Authentic’ range of products which are made from 100% essential oils and natural plant extracts. Resident guests are welcome to make use of the Hammam at their leisure as long as it’s not in use for a scheduled treatment.

There are some wonderful routes that make it easy to explore the surrounding area on bike. We can arrange rentals with a local company, just let us know and we can book these for you.

Enjoy a hike through the hills, valleys and vineyards surrounding the hotel, as well as in local reserves. The Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve on the opposite side of the valley offers superb views of

the wine valley and on a clear day you can even see Table Mountain and the ocean! The walks vary in length from 3 to 8 hours and are of moderate intensity. One will need to acquire a 1 day permit that

costs R30 per person and a map that costs R15. Guests are welcome to take walks through the farm and the only request is that you stay on the walkways, thus preserving the fragile vines that produce our splendid wines.

A great way to discover the Franschhoek Valley is by the famous wine tram! This is a hop-on, hop-off service offering picturesque vineyards, beautiful scenery, fine wines, and world class cuisine as you travel. Here guests will have the chance to visit some of South Africa’s oldest and most distinguished wine estates travelling on an open air tram. Mont Rochelle is a stop on one of the Wine Tram Routes, so guests can book the other route to sample more of the area’s vineyards.

Africa has been called the greatest show on earth, and Lion Sands presents a safari that plays out like a highlights reel. Our reserve conserves 5 000ha (12 500ac) of a habitat that is home to the highest and most diverse concentration of wildlife in the southern hemisphere. You will see all of Africa’s iconic species – lion leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, and zebra – along with a supporting cast of no less intriguing 137 mammal species and over 450 varieties of bird. Our safaris present an adventure that is wild, and then some!

Being entirely private, Lion Sands offers you an intimate safari experience. With only six guests to a game viewer and exclusive traversing on our reserve, you’ll have minimal encounters with other people. Though compelling sightings do attract more attention, the number of vehicles here is also limited. This ensures the animals aren’t put under stress and you are able to spend more time with them, observing their natural behaviour. While you are out exploring, you will by no means be roughing it. Your game viewer has cushioned bucket seats, waterproof device holders, blankets and ponchos – and stops off in a scenic spot for drinks and snacks.

Game Drive Credit: Lion Sands Private Game Reserve

Game Drives Credit: Lion Sands Private Game Reserve

Game Drives Credit: Lion Sands Private Game Reserve

Game Drive Credit: Lion Sands Private Game Reserve

Game Drives Credit: Lion Sands Private Game Reserve

These are our after-breakfast walks on the wild side. For those who wish to experience the bush, not just observe it, there is no better guided excursion. You are dropped in the thick of things and all five senses engage… Feel the scrub crunch beneath your feet, touch a velvety acacia seed pod, hear the crack of a branch indicating you are not alone, and spot the game appear just metres off – exhilarating! This is also a wonderful opportunity to encounter the smaller creatures, often missed on safari vehicles, and to discover more about the reserve’s plants – many with fascinating medicinal properties and traditional uses.

The African landscape stretches as far as the eye can see at Lion Sands, and we knew we had to find a special place to capture and enjoy its vastness and splendour. Guy Aubrey Chalkley once set up camp in a majestic centuries old Leadwood Tree to escape predators roaming the plains below.

We decided that this would be the ideal place to build the ultimate bush bedroom, the Chalkley Treehouse. The treehouse is a secure and lavish platform under the African stars, with all the comforts that a guest can experience at a five star safari lodge.

We take our guests to the tree house at sunset, where drinks and a scrumptious picnic dinner await them.The hours of African dusk can be enjoyed relaxing and absorbing the vastness of the bushveld as it transforms from day to night, before turning in for slumber beneath the incredible night sky.

Make your way through rows of magnificent white boulders and across a small drawbridge, and you will find Africa opening up in front if you. Set amid the pure and untouched wild, you will be surrounded by African bush and uninhibited wildlife at its best.

The Kingston Treehouse is constructed entirely from wood and glass, with contemporary décor in understated hues of greys, white, black and purple. No matter what the weather has in store, you will have a safe and luxurious setting with a unique window to enjoy the ever-changing views. In fact, we defy you to find two identical African sunsets.

The 60m2 Treehouse is situated about 5 minutes from the main lodge, and you will have radio contact with the rangers, should you choose to. You will also find some cellphone reception; but don’t expect any wi-fi in the bush. Kingston is equipped with full bathroom and shower facilities, and Africology products to complete your sensory experience.

Enjoy a dinner of tapas or a full meal with Champagne, under the splendor of an African starlit sky.

From boma feasts to safari refreshment stops, dining promises to be a highlight – for all our guests, with any dietary requirement, including kosher, catered for. Our chefs transform local recipes into contemporary dishes, giving you a taste for Southern Africa. Paired with premium wines from the Cape, dining becomes an experience. Our wine tastings are also a favourite of connoisseurs and dabblers, alike.

In our experience, being well taken care of inspires a fundamental sense of well-being. And how better to indulge than with luxurious accommodation, wholesome food, and spa therapies? We favour Africology products, instilled with the belief that self-care brings balance. So with our massages, wraps and facials, we promise a wellness experience to rejuvenate your body, quiet your mind, and revitalise your spirit.

Lion Sands together with More Community Trust assists our local Huntington and Justicia B villages, and you can get involved, too. Take a community tour, the proceeds of which go to our development projects here, or roll up your sleeves to help out through our Get Your Hands Dirty initiatives.

These centre on education, infrastructure, health and environment, and you can choose the area best suited to your skills and interest. These are extraordinary social experiences that bring you to the heart of Southern Africa to make your own and others’ dreams come true.