By The UNCHARTED® editors · 5 min read
OUTPOSTS BY STYLE
From the cosmopolitan melting pot of Cape Town to spotting the Big 5 and swapping stories around the braai, South Africa’s got it all, for every type of traveler.
Cape Town is one of our favorite cities. Nestled between mountains and the sea, it offers more than just dramatic settings — it's also a many-layered mille-feuille of culture and history.
1st Annual Global Safari Awards
South Africa is a world-class wine and culinary hotbed as well, drawing from Dutch, Malay, Indian, Zulu, Xhosa, and Sotho influences. The country was crowned Africa’s Best Destination at the 2024 World Culinary Awards, while Cape Town captured top honors on Condé Nast Traveler’s iconic food-lovers list.
But the country’s palate-pleasing experiences aren’t limited to cosmopolitan life. South African lodges far out in the bush know that setting themselves apart requires cooking up something extraordinary, using all the local ingredients at their disposal.
To whet your appetite, we’ve created three itineraries around travel passion points, matching standout Cape Town stays with complementary Outposts in the wild. While the pairings are themed for wellness, design, and adventure, they all have one thing in common: you won’t want to miss a meal.
For the Wellness Seeker
In the City: Find Your Urban Oasis at Twelve Apostles
In the Bush: Tanda Tula
Tanda Tula in Timbavati Game Reserve (which shares an open border with Kruger National Park) is known for its density of wildlife, including the rare white lion. Tented canvas suites with large windows allow for full nature exposure, and you’ll find relaxation where the water flows — whether at the plunge pool overlooking the Nhlaralumi River bed, or in your Victorian-style clawfoot bathtub.
Twelve Apostles is a secluded coastal spot set below the craggy row of cliffs that are the hotel’s namesake. Your wellness journey begins from the moment you awake, soothed by the soundtrack of waves crashing below, followed, perhaps, by a yoga class and a spa session.
Sundowners at the stylish Leopard Bar overlooking the ocean are a must, with views of breaching whales and seals basking on boulders. Continue to take in those views with a plate of grilled squid at Azure restaurant, a past winner for best hotel restaurant at the World Culinary Awards. This is the place to celebrate the sea, unwind, and prep your mind and body for the bush.
This camp specializes in the “slow safari,” foregoing the hectic schedule of rushed game drives for lingering and savoring the environment — and the cuisine. Each member of the award-winning kitchen team chose a cherished childhood dish and then reimagined it with a modern twist to share with guests. “Every plate we serve is a story from the heart, a connection to tradition, and a celebration of our beautiful heritage,” says owner Nina Scott.
PLAN YOUR SAFARI
For the Design Enthusiast
In the City: The Silo is a Sanctuary of Style
In the Bush: Singita Boulders
This urban accommodation had a very different appearance a century ago. The former grain silo was built on the Victoria & Albert Waterfront in the early 1900s, and the very first ship, The Willaston, to transport grain from Africa to Europe docked here. Today, the vessel’s name lives on at the gorgeous sixth-floor restaurant, which serves an Indian-inspired menu, including aloo samosas and prawn masala.
Singita Boulders was our clear choice as the Most “Craveworthy” Luxury Lodge in the 2025 UNCHARTED Global Safari Awards. Set on a river bank in the private Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Boulders’ gallery spotlights Africa’s creative energy, and curators source unique decor, exceptional jewelry, and contemporary art.
Singita takes food seriously — its glossy cookbook is packed with signature recipes, like fillet of ostrich with cinnamon espresso jus. Open kitchens invite guest interaction and its wine cellar is one of the most impressive on the continent.
Staying in this lavish, harbor spot is a rare chance to spend the night in an architectural landmark — albeit one with a heated rooftop pool. The surrounding district is home to exquisite shopping, galleries and the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art, which features the continent’s largest collection of contemporary African work.
For the Adventure Junkie
In the City: Make Cape Cadogan Your Basecamp
In the Bush: Marataba
Marataba, a privately-managed 52,000-acre conservancy in Marakele National Park, sits among abundant wildlife, San rock art, and Iron Age sites. Its vast plains, winding rivers, and breathtaking mountains — a strikingly different habitat from Kruger National Park — have the bonus of being zoned malaria-free.
The Mother City not only has a reputation for sophistication, but also for its numerous outdoor activities. Hikes up Lion’s Head, harbor strolls alongside frolicsome baboons, and a ferry ride to Robben Island — where Nelson Mandela spent most of his prison years — only begin to scratch Cape Town’s surface. The city’s day trips are myriad as well: A 30-minute drive in pretty much any direction takes you somewhere epic, whether it’s the Atlantis Dunes for sandboarding, Muizenberg Beach for surfing, Stellenbosch for cycling through vineyards, or Boulder Beach, where you can kayak with charismatic African penguins.
Track black rhinos through dense bush or shove off by boat and pass hippos on the Limpopo River. For a night under the stars, stay in the solar-powered Thabametsi Treehouse overlooking the plains — but be sure to settle in before your nocturnal neighbors come alive.
Food is a love language for the chefs at Marataba. “The colors in our cooking should be as vivid as the birds that chirp, sing, and whistle when you wake,” says Chef DK Tolo. Gather around the boma, tuck into a seared steak topped with garlicky butter bean purée, and enjoy the fresh air and mountainside setting.
Cape Cadogan, a beautifully restored Georgian townhouse, is set in the shadow of Table Mountain in the trendy Kloof Street neighborhood. Thanks to its in-house private drivers, excursions are easy. After a day of exploration, choose from either the pasture prix-fixe menu or the garden prix-fixe menu at the Upper Union Restaurant.
