5 Star Stories

16/09/2026

In South Africa's Waterberg Jembisa Bush Home provided an absolute playground for our children. From birdwatching, to game drives, nature walks, cycling and more (including making toothbrushes from trees) every day brought a new adventure!

12/09/2026

There’s so much to see and do in the Cape W**elands that choosing one hotel for your trip can be impossibly hard. That’s where Cape Country Routes comes in. Their collection of properties are chosen not only for their scenic and historic settings but also for their character, charm and romance. What I love, having stayed in a few of these properties, is that they offer something that larger, more standardised hotels simply cannot replicate.

Read more on our recent article on Ipremium Media:

Discover characterful stays across South Africa’s Cape W**elands, from historic w**e estates in Wellington and Stellenbosch to heritage hotels in Montagu.

10/09/2026

Zambia has always been an enigma to me. Mysterious, almost secretive, and wonderfully magical. Read all about my recent visit to Vic Falls and Kafue with Wilderness and discover a tale of two worlds: one well-known, easy to reach, and wonderfully busy. The other: vast, remote, and untouched. Somewhere that only rewards those adventurous enough to go looking for it....

Journey from Victoria Falls to the remote Busanga Plains and discover why Zambia remains one of Africa's most rewarding and surprising safari destinations.

08/09/2026

The one day at Jembisa - An African Bush Home - we rounded a corner on our game drive to find a surprise ice-cream stop set up in the middle of the bush 🍦

And while the girls stayed and played and ate, supervised by the team, we went off in search of some rock art! Such a fabulous experience for everyone!

06/09/2026

Get off the game drive vehicle!!🐾

When you’re on safari with kids, some of the best moments happen when you get out of the vehicle and start looking down. Make toothbrushes from trees 🌿, learn to read animal tracks 🐾, discover who left that suspicious pile of poo 💩, and start noticing the tiny details that are so easy to whizz past in a vehicle.

This is what staying at a place like allows - with the absence of dangerous game you, and your kids, are free to roam, explore and discover. Its like a giant, wild classroom!

05/09/2026

When most people think of a weekend in the Cape W**elands, the towns of Stellenbosch or Franschhoek immediately come to mind. But just 45 minutes from Cape Town, Wellington offers a different take on the Cape W**elands. There are vineyards and w**e tastings, of course, but there are also mountains to explore, cycling trails to tackle, excellent food, historic farmsteads and enough space for children to run free.

Read all about our stay here at Val du Charron W**e & Leisure Estate - a Cape Country Routes member, as published on Rove Southern Africa Magazine -

Looking for a quieter Cape W**elands escape? Spend a weekend in Wellington with w**e, mountain views, great food and family-friendly stays.

04/09/2026

Can you spot the little lion cub hiding in the bushes?

We spotted these guys again on our final day in Kafue National Park. Rounding a corner lined with beautiful palm trees, we first spotted two tiny lion cubs sitting completely alone. After the joyful cacophony of the previous day, when eight cubs had been scrambling over their mothers and noisily competing for milk, the silence was striking. These two made absolutely no sound.

Then we spotted a third. Tucked deep into the bushes, perched on a fallen tree log, he was inching his way towards us. It was almost as though he wanted to climb down but knew that he needed to remain hidden. At one point, his back legs were still balanced on the log while his front legs stretched towards the ground, looking as though he might topple off at any moment.

I certainly miss seeing these cuties with every day!

01/09/2026

A few years ago, one prominent British family did something most people only dream about. They built a home in the South African bushveld and raised their children there, with impalas wandering over the lawn and monkeys stealing their snacks, instead of neighbours peering over the fence or gossiping about them at the local pub. Years later, when they returned to the UK, rather than locking the front door behind them, they opened it to other families.

Discover more about Jembisa - An African Bush Home in our article on Home Food & Travel -

A few years ago, one prominent British family did something most people only dream about. They built a home in the South African

31/08/2026

The gorgeous Pizza Vista 🍕

Set on Val du Charron W**e & Leisure Estate - Cape Country Routes property in Wellington, this is a dreamy pizza restaurant with great views, delicious food and even better w**e. And with a huge lawn, little jungle gym, splash pad and colouring in for the kids, the little ones will love it too!

29/08/2026

When I dream of the Seychelles this is what it looks like....

The gorgeous Constance Ephelia resort 🏝

Constance Hotels & Resorts