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Amaya Lodge: A Different Kind of Safari

Amaya Lodge: A Different Kind of Safari

by Renate Engelbrecht | May 30, 2025 | FEATURED POST 1, TRAVEL

When it comes to experiences from behind the lens of a camera, I’ve always been the first to say: “Put down that camera and be in the moment!” My recent experience with Too Wild at Amaya Lodge might have altered my opinion slightly, though… In...

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My recent visit at @tajcapetown was full of surpri My recent visit at @tajcapetown was full of surprises... Including big news about Taj Hotels' expansion into the safari market... Apart from the Taj Cape Town's beautiful room and suite refurbs, I am super excited about their new lodges opening in the bushveld within the next couple of months. Listen to the full interview with Mark Wernich, Cluster GM Africa and Business Development Africa for sub-Saharan Africa for the Taj brand, on the SUITCASE & CHARDONNAY podcast. There's also a full review and some more info on the blog: www.suitcaseandchardonnay.co.za. #tajhotels #southafrica #capetown #safari
✨ Countdown to Christmas in style! 🎁 Dive into S ✨ Countdown to Christmas in style! 🎁 Dive into SUITCASE & CHARDONNAY’s definitive list of the best advent calendars for 2025 - from luxury picks and beauty surprises to family fun and creative stationery. 🍷🎄✨ Whether you’re treating yourself or gifting with intention, there’s something just for you. Tap the link in bio to explore the full list on the SUITCASE & CHARDONNAY blog and choose your perfect advent calendar for 2025. https://www.suitcaseandchardonnay.co.za/the-best-advent-calendars-for-2025/ #AdventCalendar2025 #LuxuryLifestyle #ChristmasCountdown #GiftGuide #FestiveSeason #BeautyBlog #FamilyFun #StationeryLover
What happens when pure endurance meets wild luxury What happens when pure endurance meets wild luxury? 🏁✨ Over seven days and 800 km, the world’s largest gravel race came to a dramatic finish at @shamwariprivategamereserve . Dive into SUITCASE & CHARDONNAY’s latest blog post to relive the moment where sport, travel, nature and luxury collided. 📖 Read more → www.suitcaseandchardonnay.co.za #SuitcaseAndChardonnay #TravelStory #LuxurySafari #GravelRace #EasternCape #SouthAfricaTravel #AdventureMeetsLuxury @gravel_burn
A Living Museum Where Time Slows Down | Step back A Living Museum Where Time Slows Down | Step back in time with me at Soetmelksvlei by @babylonstoren — a living museum where heritage, craftsmanship and Cape farm life come alive. 🐄✨ In this SUITCASE & CHARDONNAY podcast episode, I chat to museologist Elsa Vogts about preserving South Africa’s rich cultural history through sensory storytelling, artistry and slow living. Think ox wagon rides, milk separation, freshly baked bread and the rhythm of life from centuries past — a true escape into the beauty of simplicity. 🎧 Listen now to “Stepping Back in Time – The Living Museum of Soetmelksvlei” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen. A vodcast version is also available on YouTube. #Soetmelksvlei #Babylonstoren #SuitcaseAndChardonnay #SouthAfricanHeritage #HeritageTravel #Museology #SouthAfricanPodcast #SlowLiving #CulturalTravel #CapeWinelands #LifestylePodcast #SouthAfricanCulture
I recently visited @babylonstoren 's Soetmelksvlei I recently visited @babylonstoren 's Soetmelksvlei - a live museum showcasing what farm life was like in the 19th century. I also sat down with their Museologist, Elsa Vogts, who shared more details about what you can expect. The interview with Elsa will be going live on the SUITCASE & CHARDONNAY podcast today, so be sure to subscribe to be one of the firsts to know when it drops. The lifestyle, travel, fashion, food and wine podcast is available on YouTube, Spotify and most other podcast platforms.
BLOG POST | "Chef Michelle Theron welcomed me to a BLOG POST | "Chef Michelle Theron welcomed me to an intimate tasting room – a space that has been aptly elevated to complement the wines, so elegantly presented. We joked about the enormous chickens peeking through the windows as we sipped on a glass of Vergenoegd Löw MCC Chenin Blanc. Clearly at home here, she knows these chicks’ every move, having predicted that they would come past. Chef Michelle knows how things work on the estate, and why they work. In fact, she’s come to understand the value of slowing down and now incorporates that into her approach when it comes to menu planning, plating and food and wine experiences. She explains that allowing the farm’s inner workings to dictate her pace has given her new perspective and she now sees things that might have previously gone unnoticed. In the end, it’s those things that inspire her creativity in the kitchen, making her a chef to be reckoned with." Read more on the SUITCASE & CHARDONNAY blog and listen to my conversation with @michellepirietheron on the podcast. www.suitcaseandchardonnay.co.za
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