Imagine this: A dauntless leopard concealing her kill in the trees while hyenas prowl below, sniffing the air. A momma rhino guiding its calf safely through the bush. A tower of giraffes turns in unison to gaze at your safari vehicle as your guide brings you to a slow and quiet stop on a remote dirt road. Then imagine all of this happening on a short drive from the small Skukuza airport to your 5-star Lion Sands Game Lodge nestled along the Sabie River near Kruger National Park. Bullseye! You’ve hit the target for an unforgettable incentive adventure.
In early June 2022, Destinations hosted a familiarization trip to South Africa for some of our clients—all buyers and decision-makers of incentive travel experiences for their companies. This was an amazing opportunity for us to show them all that the country has to offer in terms of event planning and pulling off a memorable incentive trip. From luxurious hotels and resorts to exciting excursions and safaris, we were able to give our clients a well-rounded view of what their event could look like if it were held in South Africa!
CAPE TOWN
We began our adventure in Cape Town, South Africa’s “Mother City.” Some say it gets this nickname from Greek origins, while locals joke that it takes the city nine months or longer to fill a simple pothole. Either way, Cape Town is a beautiful city with plenty to offer any incentive travel program. As jetlag had us up early the first morning, we took our group on a sunrise hike up beautiful Lion’s Head. From the top, we enjoyed stunning views of Table Mountain, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, and the city itself. Next, we headed back to our beautiful accommodations at the Table Bay Hotel for breakfast and a bit of downtime. From there, we treated our clients to a unique tour of Woodstock, one of Cape Town’s oldest neighborhoods. We were guided by a local artist to see some of the best art installations and graffiti in the city. That evening we made our final stop of the day for dinner and interactive African drum performance at Gold, a large event space and restaurant.
The next morning we showed off one of the best ways to tour Cape Town and portions of Chapman’s Peak Scenic Drive—on the back of growling Harley-Davidsons driven by expert riders made up of the men and women of Cape Town’s local Harley enthusiasts club. After this ride, we stopped at a beautiful lookout point on Hout Bay for some delicious treats and beautiful photos.
From here, we traveled to the southwestern tip of Africa on Cape Point Nature Reserve for the views atop the New Cape Point Lighthouse. This magical place has stunning views and a comical struggle between park rangers and local troops of baboons, both vying for ownership of this beautiful spot!
After a short drive, we stopped at Boulders Beach to see the adorable colony of African Penguins that took over this patch of sand in the mid-1980s.
To cap off our visit to Cape Town, our clients enjoyed a tour of the historic Mount Nelson Hotel. With its pastel pink facade, exquisite gardens, and royal accommodations, it is one of the most iconic landmarks in the city and offers beautiful views of Table Mountain from a serene resort setting in the heart of the busy city. Whether you’re looking for adventure or simply want to take in the sights, Cape Town has something for everyone.
LION SANDS RIVER LODGE
After a 2.5hr regional flight from Cape Town, we touched down in the bush at the beautiful Skukuza Airport. This small, one-gate terminal is built after the pattern of a deluxe game lodge and sports an easy baggage claim area right next to the curb pickup area. Our smiling drivers from the Lion Sands River Lodge were there, ready to convey us to our 5-star accommodations on the banks of the Sabie River. This turned out to be no ordinary airport transfer. Within 10-minutes of loading up our vehicles, we came upon a female leopard panting heavily from the exertion of hauling an impala up a tree and out of reach from the hyena below.
Set on one of the longest and best stretches of river frontage in Sabi Sand, this luxurious game resort is set on 12,000 acres and comprises four lodges and a family camp. Spacious rooms are comfortable, modern, and attractively Africa-themed, with honey-colored stone floors with pebble inlays, cream wooden furniture, embroidered white bed linens, and lamps and tables of dark indigenous wood.
GAME DRIVES
Included in our stay were exhilarating game drives in safari vehicles that fit six passengers (2 per row) that afford guests extra room and viewing opportunities rather than the customary nine passengers (3 per row). The drivers and tracking guides know the property well and communicate with each other to make sure each guest gets an opportunity to see the Big 5 (Lion, Leopard, Water Buffalo, Elephant, and Rhino). During our stay, we also had a rare look at a pair of adolescent cheetah cubs as they moved through the property.
The game drive experience is the ultimate motivator for any sales incentive or President’s Club trip. Who wouldn’t work their tailend off for this kind of bucket-list experience?
PALACE OF THE LOST CITY
As the purpose of this trip was to familiarize our clients with all types of experiences, our final stop was the beautiful Palace of the Lost City at Sun City. Envision a full South Africa experience with a luxury Las Vegas twist. This stunning and ornate resort is surrounded by the Pilanesberg National Game Reserve with its countless safari excursions, but it also includes top-notch golf courses, a water park and impressive pools, a classy casino, and activities ranging from serene spas to speedy Segways and ziplines.
One of the most eye-opening and exciting excursions we provided was a surprise, sunrise hot air balloon ride over the plains of Pilanesberg National Park. We left before dawn in the absolute darkness for a supposed game drive, our Marmot jackets, warm hats, and lined ponchos staving off the South African winter chill. The high beams of our vehicle caught the glow of animal eyes staring at us from the brush and illuminated a pod of hippos taking a morning dip in a lake. As we pulled into a clearing in semi-darkness, the flames of the hot air balloons roared to life, giving lift and shape to two balloons the colors of a savannah sunrise. Sipping hot chocolate, taking photos, and watching as the first rays of sunrise met the glow of the balloon flames, it was a pinch-yourself moment. Now time to climb aboard for a game drive from above.
Stepping into a huge wicker basket on the cusp of being whisked into the air by nylon and flame was exhilarating for most and terrifying for a few. But this group of intrepid travelers–10 in each hot air balloon–rallied each other’s courage, and off we went for a flight experience like none other. Smoothly and gently, we floated above the plains and lake, watching herds of impala and gazelle traverse the terrain–seeing with our own eyes what most only see through a nature show drone shot. Using a combination of experience, intuition, and spit, our balloon pilot managed the craft with expertise and brought us down right on target.
Target. Isn’t this the exact, once-in-a-lifetime type experience individuals will aim for with a singular focus? The raw energy of a leopard hauling a gazelle up a tree, the stunning view of Table Mountain from Lion’s Head, and the serene slide of a hot air balloon through the savannah sky. South Africa hits the bullseye on an incentive travel experience for the books.
