Sure Travel Journey Vol 5.2 Autumn 2019 | Page 53

ALL PHOTOS THIS PAGE COURTESY SANBONA GONDWANA FAMILY LODGE Location, location: One of three lodges sharing a 54 000 hectare reserve in the Klein Karoo, a three-hour drive from Cape Town. Family nosh: You won’t go hungry at Gondwana, with three generous meals a day served in the airy lodge restaurant. While the main (read: adult) menu changes daily, the children’s menu remains the same. That’s no hardship, though, with a kid-friendly mix of pizza, pasta and grills on offer. The ever-friendly staff are also happy to make menu changes as needed. Creature comforts: A major revamp of Gondwana Family Lodge has added a new sense of style to this family-focused destination. The dozen rooms have been revived with new carpets, bedding and décor. Each room can accommodate one child on a spacious sleeper couch, but larger groups, or those who prefer additional privacy, should opt for one of the four pairs of interleading rooms. What to do? The twice-daily game drives are a highlight, with highly qualified guides taking guests on 4x4 drives into the expansive Big Five reserve – but be aware that most game drives last around three hours. Understandably, children under four years old are not allowed on game drives. The lodge boasts a large, sparkling swimming pool (with a shallow area for younger swimmers) and a small kids’ SANBONA WILDLIFE RESERVE, GONDWANA FAMILY LODGE Best for… A long weekend of quality family time. “The lodge boasts a large, sparkling swimming pool… But the best fun is the Klein Karoo classroom, an outdoor gallery of spoor and skulls for kids to explore.” club. But the best fun is the Klein Karoo classroom, an outdoor gallery of spoor and skulls for kids to explore. Stargazing is offered on request. Kids will remember… The colourful Sanbona backpack and sun hat that all kids receive as a gift to take home. And the dung-collecting activity books! MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE // 53