A Review by Lovonne and Simon Burrow

Eco tourism is big – and getting bigger. And, at the forefront of this movement is 2,500 hectares of unspoilt, protected ‘fynbos’ between the Cape Victorian village of Stanford and the fishing hub of Gansbaai – Grootbos.

 The view from the Grootbos lounge, showing some of the Forest Lodge suites and Walker Bay in the background.

Grootbos is a creation, in the true sense of the word. Fynbos is protected and allowed to flourish and in the midst of this, a tranquil haven of luxury and relaxation has been created. Consisting of two sections – Forest Lodge and a more family-orientated Garden Lodge, Grootbos can accommodate 65 guests and to give you an idea of the level of service and attention, over 120 staff tend to your every whim.

Arriving at Forest Lodge, a charming host will meet you and settle you down in the lounge and describe the facilities/tour/activities on offer – and you can do them all, or you can do nothing. We chose to do some!

One of the ‘must dos’ when you stay at Grootbos is the Green Futures tour.

Green Futures is a horticultural and life skills course that Grootbos runs every year for 12 pupils selected from the local disadvantaged population. A 10-month course, which is heavily weighted to the practical, allows the pupils to learn about horticulture, skills on running a nursery and various life skills such as computer literacy, to prepare themselves for a better life. Some are absorbed into the Grootbos staff on graduation but the majority finds employment all over the Western Cape.

Our guide, Bongani, was a graduate of Green Futures and what a wonderful advertisement. From the Xhosa tribe, Bongani is erudite, knowledgeable and, importantly, passionate about his work. He guides you through the nursery process, drives you to see the sports fields (sponsored and constructed by Grootbos) and takes you on an informative tour through Masakhane Township.

Formerly a cleaner on the shark diving ships, Bongani applied and was accepted by Grootbos.
Today he is a qualified guide and ranger.

As another of our activities at Grootbos, we chose the two-hour Fynbos tour with Jo, our botanist ranger. Exceptionally knowledgeable and friendly, she was a mine of information about the floral kingdom, the biosphere and the Grootbos Reserve.

Stunning displays of Erica, many varieties of Fynbos and succulents are to be seen on the tour.

Jo, the botanist ranger. A veritable mine of information all told in an easy to understand style.

 The hotel? Ultimate luxury in sensitive surrounds. The suites are huge with lounges, massive bathrooms and every amenity. As an ‘essential’ these days, the wi-fi is full strength and consistent (what a pleasure!).

The common areas such as the bar and spacious lounge are very comfortable without being pretentious. The restaurant serves a hearty breakfast and the dinner… what can you say but: magnificent! The five-course menu is well presented and the food is delicious. Service, naturally, is top notch.

Many of the residential buildings at Grootbos are hidden within a Milkwood forest.

We were moved to do some research about these protected trees –

“Milkwoods are hardy, slow-growing trees with deep-green, leathery leaves and rough grayish-brown bark. Rarely are they found with a straight trunk. Instead their gnarled, sprawling branches they create sheltering thickets that are home to a variety of wild life. By creating dense, low-crowing stands, milkwoods are one of the few trees able to withstand the salt-laden winds that batter South Africa’s southern coastline. Although also occurring inland, milkwoods are found mainly along the coast from the Cape Peninsula to northern Zululand. In days gone by, the site of a farmyard was often determined by the presence of a milkwood. Their thick, umbrella-shaped crowns created a perfect ‘roof’ for the meat chests that pre-dated refrigerators.

Tree Essence exponents who harvest trees for essences and holistic healing maintain this about the Milkwoods:

For standing in your own power. Brings a sense of belonging and connectedness. A nurturing and supportive essence that balances feelings of insecurity and a lack of grounding. For nightmares and negative states of mind.

Balances: Alienation, Convalescence, Exhaustion, Hopelessness, Loneliness, Negativity, Negative Peer Pressure”

 There cannot be a better description of Grootbos than that of the Milkwood tree.

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