Travel destinations for your anniversary

Whenever I make travel plans, I consider scheduling them around the availability of cheap flights and special times or milestones, like birthdays, school holidays, and anniversary celebrations, like our recent trip to Knysna. Not because I need an excuse to travel, but because traveling requires time to plan and save.

Since it’s the month of love, I wanted to highlight a few destinations in South Africa, where you could enjoy an anniversary escape. 

Muldersdrift

I absolutely love the drive to Muldersdrift! If you live in Gauteng, this gem is just a short drive out and the scenery is amazing. Once you enter the region, you immediately feel like you are out of the city. Muldersdrift is popular for it’s wedding venues and the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site. There are lots of unique places to stay in this beautiful part of town, including lodges, farms, guesthouses and boutique hotels. I love that there are options for all types of budgets.

One of the places we enjoyed exploring was Kloofzicht Lodge and Spa. It’s well known for it’s beautiful views of Kloofzicht dam and the Zwartkops mountains. We really enjoyed the food and spa experience. For your anniversary stay, I highly recommend that you book the room with an outdoor shower, to keep it super romantic!

Things to experience on your anniversary escape in Muldersdrift:

• A romantic hot air balloon experience
• A relaxing spa treatment at one of the lodges
• A visit to the various lion and animal parks in the area or the Cradle of Human Kind

Kwa-Zulu Natal

I don’t think I’ll ever stop being a fan of Kwa-Zulu Natal – the weather is warm and pleasant throughout most of the year and it’s just a short flight away from home. With a mix of urban, luxury and nature spaces, Kwa-Zulu Natal is overflowing with diverse gems! If you’re a water baby, you’ll have plenty of beach and resort options. I thoroughly enjoy our stay at Zimbali Coastal Estate and on my next trip, I would love to visit the Phinda Private Game Reserve.

Things to experience on your anniversary escape in Kwa-Zulu Natal:

• Have a sunset beach picnic
• A romantic dinner at the famous Oyster Box Hotel (arrive early for the sunset views)
• A Midlands Meador road trip
• Exploring the beautiful nature and private game reserves

While we’re on Kwa-Zulu Natal, I feel like the Drakensberg deserves it’s own special mention, although it falls within the same region…

Drakensberg

I find long drives so therapeutic – both as a driver (weird, I know) or as a passenger. The drive to the Drakensberg is one you have to experience. It will remind you how blessed we are to live in South Africa – you’ll enjoy the crisp fresh air, mountain and river views. I love that it’s easy to access from both Johannesburg or Durban and that many of the accommodation options are affordable.

If you’re a couple that loves being active and outdoors and creating experiences, you will thoroughly enjoy the Drakensberg.

Places we have enjoyed visiting in the Drakensburg: Champagne Sports Resort and Cathedral Peak Hotel

Things to experience on your anniversary escape in the Drakensberg:

• Hiking and mountain biking
• Helicopter ride / sightseeing
• River rafting

The Garden Route

I have blogged about our beautiful experiences of the Garden Route before and it’s really one of the most incredible travel experiences; we enjoyed it so much that we have celebrated TWO anniversaries in this region! Between the ocean and mountain views, the Garden Route has so much to offer for a romantic getaway.

Things to experience on your anniversary escape in The Garden Route:

• The drive through the Garden Route, which is a long stretch that passes between George, The Wilderness, Kenyans and Plettenberg Bay into the Tstisikamma Forest
• A spa experience (yes, you always need to go to the spa on a romantic trip)
• Bungee Jumping at Boukrans Bridge (the most thrilling thing I’ve ever done)
• Sea-facing dinner
• A boat cruise
• Water sports
• Animal sancuary visits
• Dolphin and whale watching (check for the season ahead of your trip)
• A trip to Knysna Heads

I hope you have been inspired to find a beautiful location destination for your next anniversary celebration.

Disclaimer: this post was done in collaboration with Travel Start.

Would love to hear which local places you enjoyed for your romantic trips! I plan to do a lot more traveling this year.

Love,
Modern Zulu Mom