In the early 2000s, prior to the final burst of the IT bubble, deal websites like lastminute.com enjoyed devoted and widespread support in the States, Europe, and small pockets of South Africa. The premise was simple, and powerful: massive discounts on travel destinations would be offered for a very limited time only, and they had to be utilised within a few days. It’s a base appeal to the powerful sensations of spontaneity, and discount. So what happened?

The boom and bust of the IT bubble swallowed lastminute.com, and many of its competitors who offered a similar service, which is one of the clearest cases of the baby exiting with the bath water that you’re ever likely to see. Why did the demise of a particularly company see those kinds of deals dry up? Did humanity suddenly lose their desire for spontaneity, or the desire for a deal? The short answer is no, of course they didn’t. Flash sales still exist with many online retailers, but travel enterprises seem reticent to get back into that boat, and they’re missing a trick.

There is one local concern that still offers this kind of deal. Grootbos is arguably the most beautiful eco-reserve in the Cape. Certainly, it is one of the most biologically diverse tracts of land in the world, nevermind the Cape.

And if you place your booking within 48 hours of your stay, you get 50% off. Read that again.

While you think on that, take a gander at this gallery of the average sort of thing you find around Grootbos. Just let that sink into your eyeballs.

CLICK HERE to find out more about the Cape’s best destination.