Why South Africa is now the world's most stylish travel destination

Everyone travels to Kruger National Park. But we're flying in a Cessna to Madikwe, a 750-square-kilometer, malaria-free game reserve with bushland and savannah near the Botswana border, not far from the Kalahari Desert. Even many South African experts aren't familiar with this wildlife-rich park, which only opened in 1991. Back then, conservationists, with government support, relocated around 8,000 animals from other national parks to the former farmland as part of "Operation Phoenix." The relocation of Noah's Ark took seven years. Today, Madikwe is home to around one and a half times as many wild animals, all of whom thrive here, including several hundred elephants.

Madikwe has also become a second home for the Dutch couple Ed and Anka Zeeman. They own the private Morukuru concession adjacent to the park, which features three elegant lodges that can only be booked exclusively by groups. You couldn't get more privacy than this. The elegant farmhouse serves as our base camp for extended game drives, during which we observe black rhinos up close. The other members of the "Big Five" club (elephant, buffalo, lion, and leopard) also make an appearance. Those lucky might even spot the rare wild dogs. Other safari guests are rarely encountered—what a contrast to Kruger Park, where two dozen vehicles can sometimes fight over a single lion.

Of course, that comes at a price. But firstly, compared to Botswana, even the top lodges in South Africa are a bargain. Secondly, the weak national currency is easy on the travel budget. And thirdly, you support the local population, because the Zeemans invest a portion of their profits in community projects. This means you can enjoy a sundowner on a ridge high above the park with a good feeling, while the team at the Farm House puts succulent pieces of springbok and other antelope on the grill for the country's typical braii, as barbecue is called in Afrikaans. As the sun sinks like a glowing fireball over the horizon, a herd of elephants passes below us. The grey eminences stir up the red dust of the savannah, which bathes the acacia trees in a soft light. It's an image of Africa – clichéd, yet infinitely beautiful.

During the pandemic, prophets of doom painted a horrific scenario for the Republic of South Africa: The country, with its largely poor, Black population, would sink into chaos and not recover for decades. Indeed, the rainbow nation navigated the viral pandemic quite well. The experience gained in the fight against the AIDS epidemic helped enormously. However, the tourism industry remained untouched. Restaurants and hotels were closed, and at times, alcohol sales were banned altogether. The country's wineries were hit hard, and many people lost their jobs. Even more turned their backs on the tourism industry completely, facing an uncertain future.

Half a decade later, not everything is back to normal, especially since the corrupt ANC still holds the presidency. But more and more Black people seem to have realized that the former fighters against the apartheid regime are primarily lining their own pockets. They are therefore voting for the Democratic Alliance, which has co-governed at the national level since 2024 and even provides the premier in the Western Cape province. Especially there, in and around Cape Town at the southern tip of Africa, travelers who value a stylish ambiance and high-quality culinary experiences will find many exciting addresses. Cape Town is a melting pot of cultures, and its gastronomic world is correspondingly diverse.

One of the stars of the scene is Peter Tempelhoff. After years of learning in Europe and Japan at Michelin-starred restaurants, he returned to the Cape and launched his own project, FYN. FYN stands for "fynbos" (fine bush), the extremely biodiverse evergreen vegetation typical of the Cape region, similar to the Mediterranean maquis. Tempelhoff's team uses all of these plants, such as wild rosemary, and integrates them into Afro-Japanese fusion cuisine. He also draws on the ocean, gathering seaweed, kelp, and "dune spinach" (Tetragonia), to serve these treasures with fresh seafood. The result is haute cuisine that earned Tempelhoff the title of "Best Restaurant in Africa" ​​in 2022 and catapulted him to 60th place in the "World's 50 Best Restaurants." In 2023, FYN was also the only restaurant on the entire continent to be invited to join the renowned hotel association Relais & Châteaux, which otherwise usually only accepts addresses with overnight accommodation options.

Tempelhoff's congenial sommelier, Jennifer Hugé, plays a large part in this. The French-born chef pairs the dishes with the finest wines the Cape has to offer. For dessert, she even uncorks a 2010 "Vin de Constance" from the legendary Domaine Klein Constantia at the foot of Table Mountain. Napoleon Bonaparte loved this wine so much that he had it served to him on his deathbed in his place of exile, Saint Helena. The wines from Buitenverwachting Wine Farm, also located in the Constantia Valley, where Tempelhoff cultivates his fynbos plants and runs another restaurant, "Beyond," are also of the highest quality. Buitenverwachting has been owned by the Hamburg-based Müller family since the 1980s. Lars Maack, Christine Müller's son and co-owner, personally oversees day-to-day operations and marketing.

Of course, celebrity chef Tempelhoff now also has a presence on Cape Town's lively waterfront. From there, it's just a stone's throw to Ellerman House. This five-star boutique hotel on Kloof Road in the upscale suburb of Bantry Bay, high above the Atlantic Ocean and not far from the famous beaches of Clifton, was once the stately residence of Sir John and Lady Esther Ellerman from the famous shipping family. With only eleven rooms, two suites, and two villas, this iconic hotel is so small that you quickly feel at home, like in a large living room. This is also due to the fact that this historic property has been so carefully restored that it still exudes the splendor of the early 20th century, while at the same time offering all the modern amenities that discerning guests expect today. And, of course, the original works of art from the extensive private collection of the current owner, Paul Harris, which hang throughout the house, also contribute to this. As a partner in a renowned gallery, Harris has assembled a representative cross-section of South African art.

That's why even a rainy day at Ellerman House flies by. When the sun comes out again, ask the concierge to organize a ride on the back of a Harley Davidson for an "Easy Rider"-style cruise across the Cape Peninsula. Or book a helicopter tour for a bird's-eye view of the Cape penguins. In the evening, you'll have worked up enough appetite to indulge in the hotel's fine-dining restaurant "Curate," which opened in May 2025. Head chef Kieran Whyte has worked closely with Peter Tempelhoff for the past five years, and he, too, provides a worthy showcase for the local flavors of the Cape. A particular eye-catcher at "Curate" is the wine gallery, an installation by local artist Angus Taylor. It has become the new home for part of the 10,000-bottle collection.

Incidentally, Ellerman House is also the "base camp" for a jaunt to Antarctica. "Greatest Day" is the name of the one-day excursion: A maximum of twelve passengers are flown into the eternal ice in a Gulfstream operated by "White Desert," where, after a champagne picnic, they enjoy three hours of tailor-made soft adventures. They're then back at the hotel in Cape Town for sundowners. Admittedly, at $16,000, this jaunt will put a somewhat larger dent in your travel budget. The week-long "South Pole and Emperor Penguins" tour, at $110,000, is practically a bargain—and leaves only a slightly larger carbon footprint on the seventh continent.

Undoubtedly more sustainable is a visit to the wine-growing region in the hinterland of Cape Town, where a fifth of all South African wines are produced. A must-do is a tasting at Delaire Graff Estate, located on the Helshoogte Pass between Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, where the cool Atlantic breeze allows grape juice of incomparable elegance to ripen. A tasting there is sure to make any connoisseur's eyes light up, as the team led by owner Laurence Graff has transformed the 100-hectare estate into an absolute jewel of the Winelands. "Jewel" is to be taken quite literally. The London-born billionaire is the founder of Graff Diamonds, one of the world's most renowned jewelry companies with its own mines in South Africa.

Graff, who also invests in real estate, spared no expense in extending the high standards he sets for his wines to the areas of art, cuisine, and living, transforming the estate into a haven of luxurious hospitality. Guests sleep in stylishly furnished chalets with private pools and unobstructed views of the Stellenbosch valley, and receive a highly professional massage in the spa. Afterwards, guests move on to the main house, home to Graff's art collection, which includes one of the world's most famous paintings, Vladimir Tretchikoff's "Chinese Girl" from 1952, depicting a young woman with unusually greenish-blue skin. The work gained worldwide fame through its mass production and is one of the most frequently replicated works of art of the 20th century. The model was Monika Sing-Lee, the then 17-year-old daughter of a Cape Town laundry owner.

Foodies will certainly get their money's worth at Delaire Graff, too: They can choose from three restaurants. Geographically, the spectrum ranges from South Africa (The Delaire Graff Restaurant) to Italy (Lorenzo's) to Japan, where you can enjoy fresh fish from nearby oceans and tender Wagyu beef from local producers at the new fine-dining establishment Hōseki (Japanese for jewel, what else). While this costs more than a restaurant visit elsewhere in the Winelands, compared to Japanese restaurants in Munich, Zurich, or Paris, thanks to the weak Rand, it's a real bargain. The money you save can then be invested in a dramatic departure, as the winery also has its own helipad.

A passport valid for at least six months is sufficient for entry into South Africa. Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines ( www.turkishairlines.com ) flies from German airports via Istanbul to Cape Town.

Lodges, hotels and restaurants

The addresses presented in this text are all members of Relais & Châteaux ( www.relaischateaux.com ), the association of luxury hotels and restaurants founded in France in 1954. In 2024, the group had 580 members in 65 countries on all five continents. Strict admission criteria apply. There are 19 members in Germany and ten in South Africa.