A Magical Mini FAM Trip to South Africa

Experiences

The søster team have been busy heading to all corners of the world of late, on FAM trips, site immersions, client meetings and conferences. Our Head of Experiences Ellie Clarke recently returned from a special educational FAM trip in South Africa, which consisted of two nights in Cape Town and two nights in the Kruger National Park.

For the trip, Green Route and ‘Just the letter B’ showcased the best of what South Africa has to offer. A pretty short stint meant days were jam-packed with activities. Here, Ellie shares a few of her highlights…

We kicked off the trip in Cape Town where we stayed at the Arabella hotel. Our first two days there included gin tasting and a wine tour in the Winelands, which is a must for anyone visiting. Of course, no trip to Cape Town is complete without a hike or two, so we decided to venture up Table Mountain. The view from the top was a little cloudy, but beautiful nonetheless!

We then moved to the Kruger Shalati Hotel. It was the most amazing property which is essentially a train perched on a bridge overlooking the Kruger National Park, and the guest rooms are individual train carriages. Nothing can feel more immersive than being sat on your private balcony with a heard of elephants or a family of crocodiles enjoying their day right below you.

Each day in Kruger consisted of 2 game drives with a private guide. Nothing can prepare you for the adrenaline rush when you see your first baby elephant being guided by their mother, or lion brothers calling for each other from miles away, to reunite with a playful fight right in front of your eyes. The magic of seeing these creatures up close whilst truly feeling like a ‘fly on the wall’ is something that will be hard to beat!

However, above all of these moments, the absolute stand out was our special surprise final dinner. Nestled deep in the Kruger National Park, we rounded the corner in jeeps after our final game drive to a local choir singing us into a campfire BBQ, lit by candlelight. Dancing, drinking and singing ensued, followed by a beautiful dinner under the stars.

Truly moments I will never forget and genuinely cannot wait to open the door on all this South African magic for my clients and delegates.