Of All the Places to See a Zebra, We Choose This One

If you’ve been to South Africa, you probably love it. It’s a ridiculously scenic country full of some of the friendliest people on the planet (post-Apartheid, at least). Their best attributes mirror our own (an incredible physical landscape, a dynamic mix of cultures, etc.), as do their social challenges (race, class, cultural isolation). 

One place they have us beat? Their five-star resorts. This is the country that produced Bushman’s Kloof, Steenberg Farm, the Mount Nelson, Londolozi and the Singita Lebombo. Check them all out. 

And then, check out Bosjes. You’ll want to stay at Bosjes. 

This is a brand-new resort on a 185-acre farm at the base of Waaihoek Mountain. Step outside of your guestroom — one of five on the site, designed by Capetonian architect Liam Mooney — and you’ll see the Breede River rolling by. Go a little farther and walk through the vineyards and orchards, past proteas and peach trees. Hike into the surrounding mountains to find wild zebras, ostriches and bonteboks. 

It’s worth the 90-minute drive from Cape Town (past the wineland estates in Paarl and Stellenbosch) just to see the on-site chapel designed by London’s Steyn Studio, recently featured in Wallpaper magazine. 

Good news, regardless of religious affiliation: you’re already in heaven.