Romance in Southern Africa

Franschhoek is known as the "Food and Wine Capital of South Africa." Despite its tiny size, the town boasts an incredible range of cafés and stylish restaurants with every style of food on offer. From traditional English pub food to classic bistro fare, superb wood-fired pizzas to sumptuous sushi, this gourmet dining town has it all.

If you feel like venturing into the village, a complimentary transfer service from La Residence is available to take you to one of the many, award-winning, Franschhoek restaurants.

Whether you are a connoisseur or an enthusiastic newcomer to the wonderful world of wine, Franschhoek offers exciting experiences for wine lovers. Wine-making has an illustrious 300-year old history in the Franschhoek Valley and there are a number of historic family wine farms worth visiting for their fascintating heritage, quaint architecture and beautiful vineyards.

Explore boutique wineries or enjoy private tastings with expert sommeliers. Alternative experiences include wine safaris on horseback, Harley Davidson tours, cycling or walking tours, and helicopter trips for a bird's-eye view of the beautiful region. A complimentary transfer service is available at La Residence to escort guests to any of the local estates.

For the ultimate relaxation, pamper yourself with a massage in the spa treatment room. The La Residence Spa offers a wide range of treatments and massages including the signature Pinotage treatments which use organic grape products in a variety of beneficial ways.

The Wemmers River is packed with wild brown trout and rainbow trout. La Ferme rents out fly fishing equipment for you to use in the river or in one of their trout dams. If fly-fishing is not your thing, spinning tackle is available to use in one of their bass dams.

South Africa is producing some of the world’s most sought-after wines. Many of those top rated tipples are produced in remote and spectacular locations as leading winemakers search far and wide for the ultimate terroir. There is no finer way to experience the rich diversity and breathtaking beauty of the Cape winelands than by helicopter. We have carefully crafted three distinct helicopter routes which will allow you to sample the diverse expressions of South Africa’s top varietals:

- The Swartland & The Hemel en Aarde Valley
- Stellenbosch & Elgin
- Constantia & Cape Point

Indulge in the "chocolate experience" at Huguenot Fine Chocolates, a local boutique chocolaterie. The half-hour tour includes the story of chocolate, a chocolate making demonstration, and a chocolate tasting.

Whether you'd like a lazy pedal through the village or a strenuous hike up Mont Rochelle, La Residence is filled with quaint architecture and is surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. Hiking and mountain biking are wonderful ways to work up an appetite for the exceptional local gastronomy.

There is no shortage of art galleries and pottery studios in the Cape winelands. Whether you are looking to purchase, or just to admire, we can direct you to a number of excellent galleries. A notable gallery close to La Residence is located at La Motte wine estate, dedicated to JH Pierneef - one of South Africa's most famous artists.

This is a must for any car enthusiast. The museum is on L’Ormarins wine estate and houses an impressive collection of over 100 collector’s cars from an 1898 Beeston Motor Tricycle to a 2003 Ferrari Enzo.

There are numerous world-class golf courses to choose from in the Cape winelands. The renowned Pearl Valley Golf course, host to the South African Open Championship, is a mere fifteen minutes drive from Franschhoek.

Daily game drives with professional guides and trackers provide the perfect opportunity to get up close to Africa’s incredible animals, while late afternoon drives reveal the elusive magic of nocturnal Africa. Our game drives are all conducted in state-of-the-art Land Rovers, each accommodating a maximum of six guests. During your stay at Singita Sabi Sand, you are likely to spot a great variety of wildlife including leopard, lion, rhino, large herds of buffalo, elephant, reedbuck, hyena, hippopotamus, nyala, cheetah, wild dogs and many species of birds.

Walking safaris are an incredible way to experience the bush up close and personal. Your expert guide and tracker will accompany you as you track animals on foot through the wilderness and explore the magnificent plants and landscapes around you.

There is perhaps no more transcendent experience than looking up at a full sky of sparkling stars. Man has had a love affair with the nighttime sky for centuries and with very little pollution and no city lights to detract from the stars, your view of the heavens here will be crystal clear – nothing between you and the vast African sky above.

Fully equipped fitness centres are available for guests’ convenience. Each facility provides picturesque views of the bush, allowing you to keep an eye on the action outside while you work out.

Each suite at Singita Boulders Lodge comes complete with a private infinity pool as well as the idyllic swimming pool at the main lodge area.

Offering the luxury of unfiltered time and space, the African wilderness is the ultimate setting for complete unwinding, while the continent’s healing energies are encapsulated in rituals that nourish and nurture.

At Singita, our enduring purpose to restore the land and its wildlife extends to offering healing experiences to our guests at every touchpoint. The dedicated treatments in our massage spaces tap into the profound benefits of indigenous wisdoms and essential oils that relax, replenish and revive. Each tailor-made therapy can be customised and timed to preference, ensuring a completely personalised experience.

The massage menu has been designed to immerse guests into their beautiful surroundings, and all treatments incorporate that peace and vibrant energy to revitalise and nourish the soul.

Not your regular curio shop, you will find original treasures that have been gathered from all corners of the African continent. A range of collectable sculptures, home-ware and furnishings will allow you to recreate ‘the safari dream’ within your own home. Artefacts, as well as authentic carvings and jewellery created by local craftsmen are just a few of the treasures you may find to take home as gifts. Amongst beautiful museum quality, fine-art prints and works by some of the most respected artists on the continent, there are many pieces especially designed for Singita. Here too you can find a range of quality branded Singita safari wear.

We offer a worldwide shipping service so you may make your purchases at the lodges with the option to send them straight home.

As one of South Africa’s most influential buyers of wine, Singita’s cellars are home to some of the most sought-after private reserves and vintage wines the country has to offer. Whether you are a connoisseur or just enjoy the occasional glass of wine, our experienced sommeliers delight in introducing guests to a vast selection of varietals from all over the world.

Through Singita Premier Wine Direct guests may purchase wines from our cellars: either to be taken home at the end of their trip or conveniently delivered to their door. As an addition to cellar purchases, we have secured allocations of highly limited, sought-after wines, including ‘Icons’, ‘Single Vineyard’ and ‘Limited Release’ wines, directly from leading wineries in South Africa. Stored in temperature-controlled cellars, these wines are unlikely to be available anywhere else.

Guests have the opportunity to visit the Sabi Sand Canine Unit for an interactive session where they can participate in an actual tracking exercise with a dog and handler. Guests have the opportunity to meet with a senior handler and go behind-the-scenes at the base camp and see the workings of this dedicated and specialized unit. The dogs are highly trained and able to perform multiple functions, from

pursuing intruders to sniffing out rhino horn and ammunition from vehicles and bags.

Due to the sensitive and costly nature of the program, a donation amount of ZAR5,000 per person has been set. A minimum of 2 and maximum of 6 guests are allowed per demonstration.

The reefs in the Bazaruto Archipelago are abundant with a variety of fish and corals, and offer a range of depths and reef topography to suit beginner and experienced divers and snorkellers alike. Azura is positioned closest to the reefs and hence access is quick and easy. Our marine life and corals are often cited as the best off the East Coast of Africa.

Azura has a PADI 5 Star Dive Centre with new top of the range Scubapro equipment. The training pool is perfect for refreshing your diving skills or even trying out snorkelling before you head off to the reefs, and for training they offer a full range of courses and have a PADI Instructor.

This is a fantastic day out and Azura’s signature activity! Snorkelling at Two Mile Reef, where there are hundreds of species of tropical fish, rays, invertebrates, the possibility of Sea Turtles, and Dolphins, humpback whales in season and possibly a dugong...

After snorkelling, arrive at Pansy Island for a tantalising picnic lunch. This Pansy Island is an isolated sand-bar nestled between Bazaruto Island and the Mozambique Channel. Enjoy Pansy Island at your own leisure, bask in the sun, laze around on cushions and beanbags, and swim in the cool clear deep waters. From here it’s as short hop to Bazaruto Island, where we hike up Bazaruto Dune. An easy climb to the top offers unsurpassed 360 degree panoramic views of the Bazaruto Archipelago reef-system. For photography enthusiasts, this location is a must!

The Bazaruto Archipelago has some of the best big game, reef and bill fishing in the Indian Ocean. Species include: Marlin, Sailfish, Tuna/Bonito, King/Queen Mackerel, Prodigal Son, Wahoo, Dorado, and Barracuda. Giant Trevally (GT’s), the local speciality, often top the scales above 25kg. Azura caters for beginner and experienced fishermen/women alike, and operates a strict tag and release policy on protected species. You can choose to go trawling with our local guides, or we can bring in the specialist fishing guides available in the area, who offer saltwater fly fishing, jigging for Giant Trevally, and other specialist techniques.

We leave Azura on Game Drive vehicles toward Red Dune and Crocodile Lakes. En-route we will pass through the Island’s many villages where you have the chance to meet the local people of the local communities. The Island’s lifestyle, history and way of life will be explained to you. If you would like to we will visit Benguerra’s School (built by Azura’s Rainbow Fund charity, all donations are appreciated), and you may then have the unique opportunity to see the local children attend class, meet the teachers, and even the school’s Headmaster. If the drive is conducted on Sunday morning, the Guides may take you briefly to a village church service, which is attended by many of the local islanders.

a Sunset dhow cruise is a beautiful ending to a day on the water, with views over the archipelago and a chance to experience the local mode of water transport.

For those who like to ride, a trek along the water’s edge on the horses based on Benguerra Island and back along some of the island’s tracks and trails is an experience never to forget! Arranged through Mozambique Horse Safaris, there are 9 horses available to suit all levels, from complete beginner upwards.

Go on a self-guided adventure! Take a paddle board and explore the pristine waters off the Bazaruto Archipelago and ride along with the dhows. This is the best way to have fun while around the Island.

We leave Azura on Game Drive vehicles toward Red Dune and Crocodile Lakes. En-route we will pass through the Island’s many villages where you have the chance to meet the local people of the local communities. The Island’s lifestyle, history and way of life will be explained to you. If you would like to, we will visit Benguerra’s School (built by Azura’s Rainbow Fund charity, all donations are appreciated), and you may then have the unique opportunity to see the local children attend class, meet the teachers, and even the school’s Headmaster. If the drive is conducted on Sunday morning, the Guides may take you briefly to a village church service, which is attended by many of the local islanders.

a Sunset dhow cruise is a beautiful ending to a day on the water, with views over the archipelago and a chance to experience the local mode of water transport.

Go on a self-guided adventure! Take a paddle board and explore the pristine waters off the Bazaruto Archipelago and ride along with the dhows. This is the best way to have fun while around the Island.

The reefs in the Bazaruto Archipelago are abundant with a variety of fish and corals and offer a range of depths and reef topography to suit beginner and experienced divers and snorkellers alike. Azura is positioned closest to the reefs and hence access is quick and easy. Our marine life and corals are often cited as the best off the East Coast of Africa. Azura has a PADI 5 Star Dive Centre with new top of the range Scubapro equipment. The training pool is perfect for refreshing your diving skills or even trying out snorkelling before you head off to the reefs, and for training they offer a full range of courses and have a PADI Instructor.

This is a fantastic day out and Azura’s signature activity! Snorkelling at Two Mile Reef, where there are hundreds of species of tropical fish, rays, invertebrates, the possibility of Sea Turtles, and Dolphins, humpback whales in season and possibly a dugong... After snorkelling, arrive at Pansy Island for a tantalising picnic lunch. This Pansy Island is an isolated sandbar nestled between Bazaruto Island and the Mozambique Channel. Enjoy Pansy Island at your own leisure, bask in the sun, laze around on cushions and beanbags, and swim in the cool clear deep waters. From here it’s as short hop to Bazaruto Island, where we hike up Bazaruto Dune. An easy climb to the top offers unsurpassed 360-degree panoramic views of the Bazaruto Archipelago reef-system. For photography enthusiasts, this location is a must!