Luxury South Africa Safari Review: Cape Town, Phinda Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sands Game Reserve, History & Culture, Johannesburg

Johannesburg - Even if only for one day and night following our arrival, our guide was fun, entertaining and knowledgeable.  Beyond visiting the homes of 2 Nobel Peace Prize Winners, having accommodations at a hotel on Nelson Mandela Square was spectacular!  Bringing it home was going to the micro brew pub.  Tucked away, but what a gem of a restaurant when you enter.  Great ambiance, super service, and not just good beer, not just great beer, but the BEST beer in all of Africa.  Oh, ah, that is not just personal opinion.........but a fact.  As on display are the 2018 Africa Grand Champion and 2018 Africa Best Pale Ale trophies.  Visiting and literally walking in, all alone, the Supreme Court of the land and just spending time there was unexpected.
andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve - OMG!!!  First, we were blessed beyond measure.  Originally scheduled to be in a family suite at Gladstone's Villa, as there was some maintenance and upgrades taking place, we were literally upgraded, to the Getty House (Phinda Zuka House).  A view that is permanently painted in my mind.  Accommodations beyond measure, and service and staff who made us feel as though we were in our own home.  I encourage one to Google the Getty House, and witness the awe inspiring surroundings that were our home for a few days.  Right down to the Serval that lives in the house, but walks through your legs, purrs, wants to be scratched just as though it were a cat.  Now, no alarms, it was rescued when it was a abandoned new born, but still an incredible addition.  We didn't even have to safari out, as Nyala's would pass by within feet of your porch, but when we did, Hendrik was a spirit and friend with a great wit and kind heart that made your day.  The experiences tracking and finding the 4 year old male lion, or watching the mother cheetah and her cub strut across the plain, just were mesmerizing.  Even now, those expeditions come flooding back to mind, then pulling over at dusk, in "the bush" after just literally coming face to face with a bull elephant, to have a glass of wine and some snacks.  Multiple just pinch me moments, but we will forever remember our kind and gracious hosts at the Getty House and the beautiful setting that was our home for a short while.  They made each dinner every night a special occasion, and prepared it uniquely for us, and in a different setting every night.  Meeting us that second to last night having hung lanterns in all  the trees and around our venue was beyond description.  Pictures didn't do that evening justice.
Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve - andBeyond Tengile River Lodge - Stunning, spectacular, beautiful, and literally on the river with anything, and we mean anything, can walk by.  Each room has its own private pool overlooking the river, which I've been told now and then the elephants walk up and drink from.  Lounging at the pool with a glass of champagne looking across the reeds and river and there sat a large buffalo, doing the same, ok he didn't appear to have the glass of champagne.  Imagine coming across a large rock outcrop early in the morning and there on the rock just chilling are three female and two male lions.  Hearing the crunch as though the forest is falling and 11 elephants come passing by and stop to eat.  How they ate those thorns I cannot comprehend.  Witnessing the wild dogs take down an impala, then the hyena's steal it from the dogs, only for the dogs to circle back up and steal it back........as we just sat in the middle of it all.  The leopard appeared to be the most elusive, spent lots of time tracking, saw a small cub, alone.  Then the next day discover the male and then later down by the river a female.............majestic.  You soon pick up on the bachelor groups versus the regular groups, be it impalas, nyalas, buffalo (one group as big as 60), or even a pride of lions with their cubs.  When night falls, the sky lights up with the stars like you have never seen before.................no ambient light..............you almost forget what that was like.  Returning from each safari to be greeted with a fresh damp towel and friendly smiles before dinner, stepping into the bar area, sitting by the fire, having a beverage before going to dinner was the perfect way to close each expedition.  The bluetooth speakers in the rooms allowed you to crank up your music from your phone as you woke up or unwound after dinner, or soaked in the pool.  Eagerly awaiting 6:30 to get back out there and discover more.
Cape Town - Upon arrival, our accommodations were in the harbor area.  As we checked in, they informed us that they upgraded us from our two separate rooms to the 3 bedroom suite (3 bedrooms, living room, dining room, kitchen and a total of 4 baths with a large balcony overlooking the pool and harbor...........immaculate).  Robben Island just gets you to stop and reflect.  Looking back on the majestic beauty that is Cape Town tucked in along mountains.  The sunset that I mentioned earlier, the tour of District 6 and hearing the history.  The harbor comes alive at night and it was great fun just to stroll through and shop.  Picked up some fantastic art work.  Our guide once lived in District 6, he told the story, shared the life of a one room house that was bath, bed, kitchen, and more for a family of 8 or more. Ah, then touring the cheetah enounter, the wild birds exhibit, holding an owl, and of course hitting wine country for some tasting.  it was a relaxing way to close the trip.