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Most of the region’s wine industry falls under the auspices of the Oranjerivier Wine Cellars, the largest winery in South Africa and one of the largest in the southern hemisphere. Some 900 grape farmers provide grapes from which a range of quality red and white wines are made. The annual grape harvest of between 140,000 and 160,000 tons is spread between five separate cellars in the Oranjerivier Wine Cellars stable.

These cellars are named for the various grape-growing regions, Kakamas, Keimoes and Grootdrink; Groblershoop to the north-east; and the winery in Upington at the head-office of the Oranjerivier Wine Cellars.

Thousands of wine enthusiasts from all over the world flock to the Orange River winelands each year, and are amazed by a globally unique environment so different from your expectations of a wine-growing area, bordering the Kalahari Desert, with a spectacular natural river flowing along unique rock formations and red desert sand.

According to Koos Visser, marketing manager of Oranjerivier Wine Cellars, the region’s wines reflect this uniqueness. “Our wines are bottled sunshine,” says Visser, “and this is what has made our brand Orange River Wines so popular in South Africa, America, Europe and the Far East. The grapes originate from a region whose soil and climate cannot be replicated anywhere on earth, and this gives our wines a fruit-driven freshness today’s modern consumer finds irresistible.”

The crystal-clear desert air, sunny days and cool nights, also serve to deter vineyard pests that are so destructive in other winemaking regions. Producers can follow natural vineyard practices, with vines spared the stifling exposure to excessive pesticides and sprays.

In recent years, the focus has shifted from volume to quality wine production. Oranjeriver Wine Cellars not only markets wines under its own labels but also sells to some of South Africa’s leading wholesalers, so more attention has been placed on vineyard management following the adage 'good wine can only be made from good grapes'.

Various new grape varieties have been planted. With the Colombard and Chenin Blanc varieties still forming the backbone of the region’s wine industry due to the fruit complexity of these wines, the noble variety Chardonnay has also been planted in recent years, with great success.

Classic red cultivars like Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Ruby Cabernet also flourish here and produce wines of incredible quality.

The Northern Cape’s growing popularity as a tourist destination, largely driven by those wishing to discover the natural wonder of the Kalahari, has also led to an increase in the awareness of this area as a producer of fine wines. Today the Oranjerivier Wine Cellars’ five wineries offer winetastings, in the town of Upington itself or at one of the other cellars in Kakamas, Keimoes, Grootdrink and Groblershoop.

A sip of liquid sunshine is never far away in this part of the world!

More information:
www.orangeriverwines.com

Barefoot retreat

A gorgeous eco-retreat in Mozambique

Opened in 2010, Coral Lodge 15.41 is a unique barefoot beach retreat situated on a peninsula within northern Mozambique. The lodge is surrounded by a privately owned nature reserve which is full of idyllic beaches, dunes and clear water mangroves. It lies only a short distance from the historical UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ilha de Moçambique (Mozambique Island), the former capital of the country.

This unique boutique beach retreat, comprising only ten villas, has been designed by the renowned Dutch designer Edward Van Vliet, who has tastefully combined the latest in luxury and comfort with the authentic feel of Mozambican style and pureness. He has skilfully incorporated the colours of the stunning surroundings by using a mix of wood and textures to ensure the lodge sympathetically blends in with its environment. The exquisite cuisine is made using local ingredients with a key focus on fresh fish and fresh market produce. Every dish is infused with enticing Mozambican flavours mixed with European and Asian influences.

To further enhance the area’s natural setting the villas have been built on top of the dunes to give incredible sea views and a continuous breeze from the cerulean ocean. For complete privacy and relaxation the minimalist villas include various sitting areas, a spacious bedroom, separate bathroom with huge bath and shower and large veranda with comfy chairs and daybed for lazy afternoons. Each villa boasts its own outdoor shower, perfect after a cooling dip in the sea.

Green extras

Coral Lodge is also the first hotel in the world to have the award-winning Evening Breeze canopy beds in each bedroom. A revolution in eco technology, they negate the need for energy-guzzling air-conditioners yet still allow full climate control with a fully integrated cooling system. Combine this with hardness-adjustable mattresses and Egyptian cotton bed linen and guests are assured a luxurious sleeping experience on warm balmy evenings.

The choice of activities is diverse and endless. Guests can step onboard the lodge’s traditional dhow and learn to sail, or try breathtaking snorkelling around 17th century Portuguese wrecks followed by a visit to an uninhabited island for a picnic lunch. The mangroves can be explored at high tide where guests can spot native birds, mangrove crabs and other indigenous animals. Enthusiasts can indulge in a fishing dhow excursion before enjoying their fresh catch prepared for dinner that evening. For a more cultural experience, guests can experience the delicacy of ‘sea urchins’ in the homes of the local fishermen.

Coral Lodge is home to a number of reefs, and for the more experienced guests, they can dive amongst old Portuguese shipwrecks full of old canons, coins and artefacts. Alongside Coral Lodge is a stunning lagoon where beginners can dive and view a large variety of coral fish. Kayak into the crystal clear mangroves and watch the amazing array of birdlife, or simply stroll for miles along deserted, gorgeous beaches.

Culture close by

The lodge’s position lends itself perfectly to the cultural exploration of Ilha de Moçambique, the former capital of Mozambique built by the Portuguese. From the lodge guests look out onto San Sebastião Fort (dated 1558) at the north point of the island. This fort and many other colonial buildings are remnants of a bygone era that preserve history. Guests can explore this fascinating city at their own pace or let a Coral Lodge local guide tell them about its controversial history. Ilha de Moçambique has been left to ruin since the civil war but is now protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Some of the buildings date back to 1522 and prior, including the Chapel of Nossa Senhora de Baluarte which is now the oldest registered church in the Southern Hemisphere.

The area around Ilha de Moçambique is desperately poor and untouched by tourism, therefore the employment that Coral Lodge provides to the community is crucial. A mission of the owners is to contribute and support to the development of the local communities including education and health. They also strongly promote using fresh produce from the area for the lodge in order to generate more income within the local district.

Coral Lodge is a unique blend of contemporary design combined with the utmost respect for the rare and unique surroundings.

More info
Cell: + 258 829 023 612
Tel: +258 266 600 03
Fax: + 31 35 712 2681
E-mail: info@corallodge1541.com

How to get there
Fly Airlink direct to Nampula on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
www.flyairlink.com

Pure eco-luxury

That’s Nuarro Lodge in Mozambique

Nuarro is one of Mozambique’s newest and most idyllic luxury eco beach lodges. Located on the breathtakingly beautiful Nanatha Half Moon Bay at the southern point of the larger Memba Bay on the Baixo do Pinda Peninsula, the lodge offers 12 luxury beachfront chalets, nestled amongst the dunes but within meters of the azure, crystal clear ocean.

The Nuarro experience offers an honest and pure approach to eco luxury – the spacious chalets are all built out of local materials with traditional mukuti roofs and each with a stunning view across the bay. The lodge is owner-managed, works closely with the local community and employs staff from the nearby village – this all combines to create a genuine harmony with this unspoilt corner of Mozambique.

Natural air-conditioner

Nuarro comprises 12 luxury beachfront chalets (of which 10 have a family option with an upstairs area for twin beds), panoramic restaurant with cocktail bar, centralised activity centre with beach bar and reception area. All buildings are situated over the dunes, overlooking the enchanting Memba Bay. The buildings were designed by a French architect to allow the sea breeze to pass through, thus providing great indoor climate conditions all year round. The lodge occupies an area close to 10ha with access to the main beach which is 2.5km in length offering many hidden places to relax the day away. Guests facilities include a library, TV, DVD room and internet access.

The chalets are very spacious (120m² under roof) with a large verandah, hammocks and sun loungers. They are strategically placed along the dunes and among thick vegetation for privacy and minimum environmental impact. Each is decorated with individual touches depending on surroundings, beach entrance, front and back views. Interior features include extra long king size beds placed on an elevated floor (twins available) with quality linen, lounge area and a cosy bathroom; inside and outside showers, wardrobes, and large mosquito nets. All furniture and crafts are locally made.

Diving at Nuarro

The activity centre has a fully equipped Dive Centre with its own reception and lounge, a separate classroom for teaching and education, and a dressing area with closets and shower facilities. Nuarro offers rental of diving gear and dive tanks, all PADI dive courses and most PADI specialties. Fully kitted dive boats (tailor built dhows) with radio, GPS and emergency kits. Experienced dive instructors are available at all times to accommodate all levels of training and dive groups.

Nuarro is an ideal place to dive and snorkel – whether you be a learner or experienced diver, there is something for everyone. For the beginner, it offers diver entry from the shore with a gradual slope towards the wall of the continental shelf, which teams with stunning fish and beautiful coral. Moving on from the Nanatha Point there is a wall that runs for the complete circumference of the Baixo. This has somewhere in the region of 15km of wall diving and an endless amount of dive sites. There is an exciting wreck with extraordinary fish life which is well worth exploring and the lodge believes that there are others still waiting to be discovered. The great advantage about diving at Nuarro is that there are only the lodge divers on the reefs. So, you get the whole reef to yourself and dive times are usually dictated by air supply not the need to get back for the next boat of divers. Best of all, it’s still pioneering stuff – staff believe they’ve only explored around 40% of the reefs!

Whale watching

Every day at Nuarro offers something new and exciting – but it is the month of June that staff look forward to most each year. June heralds the return of the magnificent Humpback Whales to the stunning bay in front of Nuarro Lodge. The whales return to this stretch of coastline in Mozambique from late June until late November as it is an excellent feeding ground for their young, who are then able to build up an important fat layer before returning to colder waters in December. Most guests are content to watch these fantastic creatures and their incredible display of breaching in the bay from the comfort of their private verandah or with a drink in hand relaxing by the bar. However, the more intrepid have enjoyed kayaking and diving between them as they show their splendid yet gentle strength.

More info
Trienke Lodewijk
Email: reservations@nuarro.com
www.nuarro.com

How to get there
Fly Airlink direct to Nampula on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
www.flyairlink.com